Episode 159: Back to Daily Life

Was it almost time to wake up…?

I didn’t want to leave this comfort, so I couldn’t quite bring myself to open my eyes.

As if to weaken my resolve even further, a gentle sensation sliding over my head seemed like it was trying to lull me back to sleep.

Wiggle wiggle…

「Hyan…」

?

I only shifted a little, but for some reason, I thought I heard Sara-san’s voice.

What was that…? I’ll try one more time just to confirm this comfort…

Wiggle wiggle…

「Ah… Ka, Kazunari-san, you’re awake, aren’t you?」

As my consciousness gradually cleared, I vaguely started to remember the situation.

But I didn’t want to leave this soft sensation against my face or this feeling of comfort.

I tried to cuddle closer to act spoiled, and as if accepting it, the force wrapping around me tightened slightly.

「Fufu… You’re such a pampered baby when you’ve just woken up, Kazunari-san. I’d like to stay like this a bit longer too, but… unfortunately, it’s almost time to get up.」

Even though she said that, Sara-san didn’t seem like she was letting go either, so I doubted she actually intended to wake me up.

Before long, I felt myself being pulled into a deep, tight hug… or so I thought, but it seems her intention was different.

「Kazunari-san… Wake. Up.」

Shiver!

「Wha!?」

Startled by the ticklish breath and voice in my ear, my eyes snapped open.

However, Sara-san was still holding my head firmly, so I couldn’t pull away.

「Good morning, Kazunari-san.」

Being greeted with a whisper right in my ear made me shiver from the ticklishness.

「Fufu. Is something the matter?」

Sara-san said that with a mischievous air.

There’s no doubt she knows exactly what’s happening to me and is doing this on purpose.

Feeling a bit frustrated, I slowly rubbed my face against her as if acting spoiled. It felt incredibly soft.

「Auh… Ka, Kazunari-san, no mischief allowed… Bad!」

Looking a bit panicked, Sara-san placed a finger on my forehead and pulled her face away looking embarrassed.

Wait… now that I think about it, where exactly was I rubbing my face just now!?

My consciousness fully awake, I hurriedly pulled back a bit and looked at Sara-san… she was looking at me with a bright red, embarrassed face…

Even after we ate breakfast and it was time to leave the house, Sara-san couldn’t quite shake off that slightly embarrassed atmosphere.

Even if I’d just woken up and was a bit out of it… I might’ve gone too far.

When we arrived at our usual convenience store, we were met with a cold stare from Natsumi-senpai, who was already there.

「Morning… Hey, do you have something to tell m—… what’s up, Sara?」

Sara-san’s face was still a bit red, so Natsumi-senpai noticed and asked curiously.

「N, no, it’s nothing.」

Sara-san still hadn’t fully recovered from her embarrassment enough to say it was「nothing.」

Seeing that, Natsumi-senpai had a reaction like she’d just realized something and then shot me a look of suspicion.

「Takanashi-kun… you did something, didn’t you? Be honest.」

「No, I didn’t really.」

「T, that’s right. Kazunari-san was just a bit out of it from sleep.」

Sara-san’s comment might have been intended to back me up, but it only served to confirm that I’d done something while half-asleep.

「I see… well, we’re gonna run out of time, so let’s head out for now. Talk later, okay?」

It seems she plans to hear the story when I’m not around, but Sara-san has a habit of blunt exposure, so I was incredibly anxious…

Natsumi always comes to my seat during break time, but lately, the girls sitting nearby have started gathering too, so it gets a bit lively.

It’s a scene that didn’t exist before, but of course, I don’t mind it.

And the current topic was about men.

「After all, no matter what they say, guys prefer girls with big breasts.」

The reason this person said that was because her boyfriend was looking at another woman’s chest during a date.

That is certainly quite rude.

Kazunari-san would never do such a thing.

「The books say guys look at chests by instinct, so it happens even if they aren’t conscious of it. Unless it’s really blatant, I think it’s a bit pitiful to get angry, don’t you?」

If that’s true, then it would mean Kazunari-san is defying his instincts…

「I’ve heard that story too. Well, whether that’s true or not, guys just like boobs.」

I reflexively remembered what happened this morning.

Um… it was a bit embarrassing, but I didn’t dislike it…

「What’s up, Sara? You look like you want to ask something.」

Natsumi tossed the topic over to me.

Well, since I have the chance, I might as well ask a little…

「Um… do men really like women’s breasts that much?」

I was curious, so I took the plunge and asked, but… everyone looked shocked.

「S, Satsukawa-san, to think you’d join this kind of talk…」

It’s true that before, I would have had zero interest.

「I doubt it’s every single one of them, but I think most guys are like that. Even you guys eavesdropping over there, right?」

I was surprised by her action of suddenly questioning the boys nearby while saying that.

But the boys who were addressed looked a bit embarrassed as they all said things like,「A, ah… probably,」while for some reason looking at me instead of the person who asked.

「Don’t look this way, it’s gross.」

「S, Sara, that’s a bit piteous to say to them.」

「? Ah, did I say that out loud?」

I only meant to think it, but it seems it slipped out.

They seem to have gotten depressed… but I don’t really care.

More importantly, if men in general are like that, Kazunari-san is a man too…

In that case, even if it’s a bit embarrassing, if it makes Kazunari-san happy, I suppose that much is fine.

「Are you curious about that kind of thing with guys too, Satsukawa-san?」

「I have no interest in guys in general. I’m only interested in Kazu…」

「Stop, Sara, you can’t go any further than that.」

Natsumi cut off my words for some reason.

I didn’t intend to say anything strange, though…

「Ehh, Natsumi, that’s way too meaningful. Could it be Satsukawa-san actually…」

「No, anything more than this is dangerous in many ways.」

I don’t really understand what Natsumi is saying.

After this, Natsumi told me that a good woman is someone who doesn’t say those things directly but silently makes him happy.

After school, I stopped by the flowerbed before heading to the Student Council room.

Watering in the middle of the day during summer is bad because it can burn the leaves or damage the roots, so I try to do it after school when the flowerbed is in the shade.

And for a while, I decided to do it basically by myself.

Between the heat and the potential for sunburn, well, there were various reasons why I didn’t really want to make Sara-san do it.

Of course, Sara-san was reluctant, but I pushed my way through.

Since Sara-san basically respects my opinions, she’ll drop her own and accept mine if I speak firmly enough.

But it’s hot… I made the right call not making Sara-san do this.

By the time I finished tidying the tools and left the flowerbed, I was already drenched in sweat.

When I opened the door to the Student Council room, cool air from the air conditioner flowed out.

Ah… I feel alive again.

「Good work today.」

「「「Good work.」」」

「Takanashi-kun, good work.」

Greetings were returned by everyone as I went inside.

Then Sara-san pulled a towel out of her bag and came scurrying over to me.

「Kazunari-san, good work. The sweat…」

「Thank you.」

I tried to take it, but Sara-san didn’t show any sign of handing the towel to me.

Instead, she pressed the towel to my forehead and started wiping the sweat, eventually wiping everywhere she could reach.

「How do I put it… her movements have zero hesitation. She looks so used to it…」

「They’re as close as ever, aren’t they?」

…I ignored the voices around me.

「Kazunari-san, your undershirt must be soaked with sweat, so please change.」

With that, she pulled a shirt out of her bag this time.

「「「「「 !? 」」」」」

Yeah, it’s definitely my shirt… did she predict this would happen?

And everyone’s shock at a shirt of mine appearing from Sara-san’s bag… well, that’s only natural.

「Let’s go change in that room over there.」

「Eh!? Satsukawa-san, you’re going too!?」

Voices of shock were raised as Sara-san tried to follow me.

「Of course. I have to wipe the sweat before he puts the shirt on.」

What kind of obvious thing is she asking?

When Sara-san replied as if it were a mystery why she was even being questioned, everyone went silent again.

In the end, Sara-san, after giving me a thorough wipe-down, stayed with me until I finished changing.

When we left the room, Sara-san tucked the towel and my changed shirt back into her bag, pulled out a water bottle, and prepared some barley tea for me.

I sat down and finally felt human again after drinking the tea… but it seems I was still the center of attention.

「…Satsukawa-san, why did you have Takanashi-kun’s shirt?」

「Because I thought it would be necessary.」

I knew the「why」had a different meaning, but of course, I ignored it.

Explaining that would be incredibly difficult.

「What are you going to do with Takanashi-kun’s shirt that he finished changing out of?」

「I’ll be doing the laundry, of course.」

「「「「「…………」」」」」

Stunned faces from the girls, and envious glares from the boys… which turned into tearful faces under Sara-san’s killing intent.

The only one was the President, who was a bystander. He was smirking while gauging the timing to start the meeting.