"Suzune, I'm coming~"
In the darkness, Horikita only felt something soft smear across her face.
The scent of orange-scented shower gel kept entering her nostrils.
It was very much like a child's taste.
Horikita quickly reacted.
At this moment, she was actually still daydreaming about irrelevant things.
She only hoped Amane wouldn't go too far.
But after waiting for a long time, Amane didn't move at all.
"Amane?"
Horikita tentatively pushed Amane.
Amane clung tightly to Horikita, but she herself was already cold... I mean, she was asleep.
"She fell asleep so fast?"
Horikita tentatively placed her hand under Amane's nose.
There was still breathing, she was indeed asleep.
Every time, Amane would fall asleep so suddenly.
It made her afraid every time that she was really gone.
Feeling the familiar warmth.
Horikita wanted to smile.
But no matter how hard she tried.
Her face couldn't return to how it looked when she could happily smile.
"Will you stay with me like this forever?"
Horikita poked Amane's soft cheek.
The latter made a sound similar to a hum.
Horikita gently hugged Amane.
A warm feeling.
It had been a long time since she felt so at ease.
Ever since Amane moved out of her dorm.
Sleeping alone always felt empty.
Perhaps it was because her pillow had run away.
It was natural not to be used to sleeping.
Or perhaps... there was no one like a child anymore.
Always pestering her to tell bedtime stories.
Only half a month had passed.
Was she already inseparable from Amane?
Horikita didn't know the answer to this question.
If she had to answer.
It was probably that she couldn't leave her.
Just as Horikita was still a little melancholic.
A face rubbed against hers.
Constantly rubbing back and forth on Horikita's face.
"Can't you be more well-behaved when you sleep?"
Horikita complained, but at the same time, she let Amane rub against her for a good while.
Finally, she lay on Horikita's chest and started sleeping again.
Using the light,
Horikita carefully observed Amane's cute sleeping face.
She was like a koala,
except Horikita had become the tree that couldn't resist,
held tightly by Amane, the koala.
She couldn't even turn over.
To be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable.
But… it was better than Amane doing something strange to her.
The night passed without a word.
The next morning,
Horikita woke up early, feeling stifled.
Her breathing felt a bit obstructed.
She looked down.
Amane was sound asleep, sprawled on top of her.
It looked like… Horikita's face quickly flushed.
She planned to move Amane to the side. Just as she embraced Amane,
she rolled over with the momentum,
and as she gently placed Amane on the bed,
Amane opened her eyes.
"Suzune… Good morning. W-what are you doing?"
Amane looked at Horikita, who was holding her in intimate contact.
Her eyes widened instantly.
Her previously groggy mind suddenly cleared.
"If I said I just wanted to get you off me, would you believe me?"
Horikita looked at Amane with a calm expression.
Because the position of her hand was a bit awkward right now.
After all, to get up, she had to find something to press against for support.
"Do you think I'd believe you? I can't believe Suzune, you actually took advantage of me while I was sleeping, boo hoo hoo."
"Your crying is so fake. Every time, there's not a single tear. I saw through it long ago."
Horikita mercilessly exposed Amane's acting.
"Tsk, I've been found out. Suzune, you bad woman, are you going to enjoy my body so early in the morning?"
Amane's words made Horikita blush crimson.
"What strange things are you saying! Girls aren't supposed to say, say such…."
Horikita's face was red, and her words started to stammer.
"So cute."
"Amane, what did you say?"
"Shy Suzune is the cutest."
"You just like to say sweet things to coax girls."
Horikita turned her head away, avoiding eye contact with Amane.
She was afraid that in the end, she would blush so much she wouldn't know what to do.
But what she didn't know was that
her entire pretty face was completely red right now.
"I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me, look into my eyes."
Horikita seriously looked into Amane's eyes.
"Have you been eating too many spicy things lately?"
"idiot, idiot!!! Look again, here, here!"
Amane pointed to her eyes like she was presenting a treasure.
Horikita was a bit puzzled.
But she still leaned in to look.
There was nothing strange at all.
Wait… Horikita saw her reflection in Amane's pupils.
Seriously.
Are you playing this old trick again?
Amane-san.
Horikita Suzune won't fall for that trick~
Chu~
Something seemed to touch her.
"Good morning~ This is a good morning, boo hoo hoo, don't tear my face, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts."
Horikita grabbed Amane's face with one hand.
"You actually ambushed me."
"What ambush? Suzune, what are you saying? Ow, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts."
Amane was in so much pain that a few tears squeezed out from the corners of her eyes.
Only then did Horikita let go.
"If you do that again, I'll get angry, you know."
"You're already angry."
Amane rubbed her face, looking aggrieved.
"Amane, did you say anything just now?"
"I said Suzune, you look really good today."
"Hmph."
"Eh heh heh."
After a few laughs, Amane's lips curved slightly.
"Suzune, when will you let go? It feels a bit uncomfortable."
Amane pointed to Horikita's other hand, which was still in an awkward position.
Only then did Horikita realize that she hadn't let go the entire time.
She quickly pulled her hand back.
"Phew, my breathing is much smoother now. Hey, you didn't squash mine, did you?"
"Don't say such unhealthy things!"
"But you clearly…"
Stare—.
"Cough, cough, small ones are great too~ Especially ones like Suzune's. Although it feels like it's still a bit lacking, it's also very suitable~"
"Huh? I can't satisfy you, I'm really sorry about that, Miyako Amane."
Horikita reached out her hand.
"Wait! You're not going to… We just reconciled. If you do that, I might get scared and run away, you know."
Amane scurried backward into the corner, looking a bit scared.
Watching Horikita approach, Amane's body trembled.
"Welcome back, Amane."
"I'm back, Su-pfft———!!!"
"The twenty-seventh sanction, for my dear friend. Stop pretending and get up, it doesn't hurt that much."
"Boo hoo, I'm not pretending this time, help me QAQ."
…It was a weekend afternoon.
After a comfortable nap at noon,
Matsushita Chiaki, who had just remembered she still had to do a big clean-up, felt a headache coming on.
She should have known better than to go shopping with Sato and the others yesterday.
The consequence of using yesterday's time
was that she had to make up for the wasted time today.
But today was a special day for her.
Today was her birthday.
Her first birthday spent in this unfamiliar environment.
However, she didn't make a big deal out of it.
Because if she specifically told others,
it would be like telling them, "My birthday is coming soon, remember to bring a gift."
Everyone's points at the end of the month shouldn't be very high.
There was no need to waste points on such a thing.
The rational Matsushita Chiaki comforted herself this way.
But she still hoped that someone would "accidentally" discover her birthday and give her a surprise, even if they just came empty-handed to congratulate her, it would be fine.
Just as Matsushita Chiaki was still feeling melancholic,
there was a knock on the door.
"Please wait a moment."
Matsushita Chiaki went to the door and first looked through the peephole.
It seemed to be Miyako-san.
What could she want with her?
Normally, Amane and she weren't in the same social circle, and they hadn't even exchanged many words, so Matsushita was surprised by Amane's arrival.
Matsushita opened the door.
"Matsushita-san, Happy Birthday."