...Come to think of it, Hime hugged me just now.
Although it was embarrassing to be in the middle of the classroom with everyone staring at me...I certainly didn't feel bad about it.
I'm not sure if "the smell is a mixture of sunshine and milk" is the right description, but...it was something similar, and I also remember the slightly higher body temperature.
Her slightly fast heartbeat and the feeling of her sternum and ribs against my cheek were so typical of Hime that it made me smile.
I even found myself thinking something so obvious: this child is still alive.
At the same time, I also felt a sense of peace, perhaps a remnant of the ancient past engraved in my genes.
I once read online that before they became humans, they would groom themselves and feel safe by interacting with their friends. Perhaps it was this remnant of their past that made Hime's embrace soothe her heart.
But Hijiri's embrace was completely different.
(--It's so soft...)
To put it in perspective, it's like a marshmallow.
It feels like your whole face is wrapped in fluffy marshmallows.
Unlike Hime, there are no gaps at all. Something soft changes shape to fit the contours of my face. This makes it difficult to get air in and makes it hard to breathe.
"Huh..."
He unconsciously shifted his face and struggled to breathe.
Personally, I could have just let go of the embrace.
"Hey. Don't move around."
But Hijiri won't allow it.
She pressed me even harder against her large chest.
At that moment, I took a deep breath in search of air...and as a result, I ended up inhaling a lot of Hijiri's scent.
Hijiri's unique smell fills my lungs.
It was clearly different from Hime's, something that tickled the nostrils and stimulated a man's instincts.
At the same time, the scent of cosmetics, hair treatments, and other hair cleansers is mixed in, which makes me feel even more uneasy.
(I feel a bit dizzy.)
My vision, which should have been obscured, began to shake violently.
It was as if the lack of oxygen, along with Hijiri's touch and smell, were loosening the shackles of reason.
It's loose and fluffy.
But the sensation of instinct taking over from reason was more violent than gentle.
If I leave myself like this, I feel like it's dangerous.
Perhaps because he sensed danger, his stiff body finally relaxed.
"...H-Hijiri-san?"
"Hmm? What? You don't like it?"
"That's not the case."
"Well, let's stay like that for a little while longer, okay? Hey, these are your breasts, you know that? Can you tell?"
I have no idea what he's thinking.
It's interesting to wonder what the intention behind this act was, but we can wait until things have calmed down before looking into the true meaning.
"Hijiri-san... he's coming."
For now, I'd like you to stay away for a bit.
It's not that I feel bad emotionally, but it's a physically awkward situation where I can't breathe.
"Eh? Ah, sorry... wow, Yohei's face is completely pale! Shouldn't he turn bright red at times like this? Isn't that just how boys are?!"
This is what happens when you can't breathe, regardless of gender.
...Of course, I didn't have the time to say that right now.