Ch.76Chapter 76: A Small Incident

I don’t quite understand the situation I’m facing right now.

As I look at Shizu who fell asleep, unable to resist the effects of alcohol.

I had sat down on a chair placed beside the bed, determined to look after her even if it meant staying up all night.

Yet barely five seconds after sitting down, I couldn’t withstand the overwhelming drowsiness and collapsed face-first onto the bed.

When I finally managed to regain consciousness, I was greeted by a completely different situation than what I remembered before falling asleep.

Not only was the part of my head touching the bed not my forehead but the back of my head as if I were lying down normally.

Even though I shouldn’t have been resting on anything like a pillow, I could clearly feel something incredibly soft beneath my head, the sensation distinct even through my still hazy consciousness.

My sleepy mind was gradually returning to awareness.

“…Did you sleep well?”

A gentle voice tickling my ear came from the precious person I had promised to look after, making my foggy consciousness increasingly clear.

As my mind cleared, I became more acutely aware that I had ended up being cared for by the very person I was supposed to be taking care of.

“…Shizu?”

I slowly called her nickname, filling it with embarrassment, apology, and gratitude for her having held me comfortably while I slept.

My drowsy eyes opened slowly as I spoke.

What greeted my opened eyes was…

A dazzling sight that combined what I had feared might happen with the act of waking up.

“Finally awake?”

As soon as I opened my eyes, Shizu’s beautiful face greeted me with a bright smile.

Her shining golden hair reflecting the faint light of dawn coming through the window.

Along with clear blue eyes that were just as pure and bright as her golden hair.

And as I lowered my gaze slightly, I was greeted by the evidence of her kindness that overwhelmed other women her age, even though it was wrapped in clothing.

Perhaps it was the realization that I had seen this from such close proximity.

Thump thump

My heart began to accelerate endlessly, circulating hot blood throughout my body and warming me up.

To an extent I couldn’t fathom.

Thinking my heart might burst if I kept my gaze fixed on her any longer.

I raised my eyes back to where Shizu’s face was.

My reflection was visible in her clear blue eyes.

Compared to the beautiful form of the wingless angel who had cared for me while I slept.

All that could be seen was the image of an inadequate man whose appearance went beyond the typical disheveledness of someone who just woke up, to the point where calling it a mess would be an understatement.

Yet, despite seeing this utterly inadequate version of me.

“…Are you uncomfortable?”

The gentleness in her voice as she carefully asked about my well-being showed no signs of fading.

By the way, uncomfortable?

What could be uncomfortable about this situation?

Even just the feeling of the pillow comfortably cradling the back of my head was so soft that I thought I might fall back asleep if I closed my eyes right now…

….

Wait.

Something feels strangely unnatural.

The distance between me lying on the bed and Shizu looking at me is too close.

Moreover, the angle from which she’s looking at me is odd.

Not the slanted angle you’d expect when looking at someone lying down from the side, but an almost vertical angle, looking directly down from above.

Could it be…

To resolve the suspicion rising in my mind, I very carefully turned my head.

Creeeeak

Moving my body that hadn’t fully loosened up after just waking, a noise like that from a rusty machine came from my joints.

But seeing the sight in the direction I turned, I realized that such sounds from my body were the least of my concerns right now.

Because I discovered the true identity of the ‘pillow’ that had supported the back of my head so firmly yet softly.

It was her thigh.

Even though I had shaken my head before entering the room.

She had casually supported my head that couldn’t be very clean since I hadn’t washed properly.

To think that the pillow that had comfortably cradled me while I slept, without moving an inch for fear of waking me, was Shizu’s thigh.

Thump thump

My heart, which had just barely calmed down after racing earlier, began to lose control and race again.

And I could easily notice that my skin was turning bright red as blood rushed to my face, pumped by my heart’s vigorous beating.

Ah…

Even yesterday, before falling asleep, I thought I was experiencing happiness beyond my station as I watched her sleeping defensively.

But the scene before me now was a luxury that overwhelmed even yesterday’s experience.

However.

“…Is it uncomfortable?”

The emotions I couldn’t control while feeling this luxury returned to normal as if cold water had been poured over them when I heard Shizu’s voice mixed with worry and apology.

She must be assuming I’m feeling uncomfortable after seeing my flushed skin and stiffened expression caused by the momentary embarrassment.

“Ah…”

I should immediately say no and dispel her misunderstanding.

“Ah…”

Perhaps due to my confusion at the situation I was facing, I was tongue-tied.

My mouth, which should have opened smoothly and let words flow, remained stuck as if glued shut.

“…Are you okay?”

Seeming to feel deeper concern from my appearance, Shizu moved her face toward mine to observe me more closely.

She was close.

So close that even her faint breath reached me.

Thump thump

My heated heart continued to accelerate its beating to an extent I couldn’t comprehend.

At this rate, I felt like my heart might burst.

Judging that I should raise my body from resting on her thigh and distance myself from her to escape this situation.

I tried to lift myself using my relatively free arms.

But there was one thing I hadn’t properly calculated.

That was that the bed sheet I was lying on was made of an extremely soft material.

“…Oops?”

My hand slipped.

As a result, the body I was trying to slowly raise moved in a way completely unrelated to my intentions.

And my face was included in that part of my body that moved on its own.

Despite the movement being different from what I had planned, there was no problem.

At least I wasn’t making an unsightly spectacle of rolling off the bed.

But the problem was the final destination where my face ended up after moving in a strange trajectory beyond my control.

“…Huh?”

Shizu’s face, which had been slowly bending down toward me.

And my face, which moved awkwardly after my hand slipped.

They intersected with exquisite timing.

Smooch

Of all things, our lips met.

Time… The time I had been aware of until just now completely stopped.

Along with that awareness, the only thing I could perceive was.

The incredibly soft sensation touching my lips, unmatched by anything else in the world.

It was a moment where embarrassment and happiness intersected, incomparable to any other morning start I had experienced in my life.

Without even thinking about pulling away.

As my eyes, which had opened wide in surprise, gradually closed, I clearly recognized Shizu, whose lips were meeting mine.

At first, her eyes were wide open in surprise like mine.

But soon she smiled with her eyes so gently and closed them.

Then she softly embraced my body with both arms.

And brought her body closer to mine.

I hadn’t even thought about pulling away in the first place, but now I was facing a situation where I couldn’t pull away even if I wanted to.

I suppose.

I should put aside any thoughts of pulling away for now.

And enjoy this moment, if only briefly.

Despite it not being an intentional situation, for her sake as she approached me.

And for my sake, as I found this unintended situation so delightful.

⚜

What has happened?

I was just moving my face closer to get a better look at Karl’s expression as he slept on my knee, concerned that he seemed uncomfortable.

Suddenly, his face moved in a strange trajectory toward me.

I was too surprised to avoid it, and our faces met at the end of the trajectories we had both drawn.

The end point of those trajectories was so exquisite that no expression other than “perfect” could describe it, as our lips overlapped.

Smooch

That’s the tender sound that rang out as our lips met.

I said earlier that I had no time to avoid it.

But I should correct that expression—there was no reason to avoid it.

When our lips met, my eyes opened wide involuntarily, but now I just want to close my eyes and savor this moment.

This isn’t the first time our lips have met.

About 10 months ago, by the standard of now when the year is already coming to an end.

We did briefly touch our lips together after exchanging rings as proof of our engagement during our engagement ceremony.

But… but.

Unlike the first time, when he showed no reaction as if I had kissed the face of a doll.

This second kiss we’re sharing now clearly conveys everything about Karl through my lips.

Starting with the soft sensation felt from his lips, which are as vividly red as his hair.

Unlike the firmness I often feel from his body normally, his lips are very soft like mine.

Though I say this, I really love the firmness I feel from his body.

It makes me think that he will always support me with that firm body, no matter where I am.

I love the comfort that comes from that sensation, which is somewhat different from mine, where softness inevitably remains in my body despite repeated training.

Though I’ve heard him grumble a few times that he doesn’t have any soft spots left.

I never thought I would feel such softness through him, but I suppose I’ll have to get used to it since I’ll be feeling it a lot more in the future, right?

Besides the softness I feel through his lips, there are a few other things he conveys to me.

Like the attentiveness I feel in his movements as he carefully wraps his hands around both my shoulders to support me, concerned that I might be uncomfortable.

And how he tries to keep me at ease while maintaining his composure, even though he must be just as surprised as I am.

Ah…

There are many things being shown.

But there’s something common that I feel from all of it.

Gentleness.

Yes. Gentleness.

Feeling that makes me want to experience his gentleness from even closer.

I should embrace him with both my arms too.

And I want to use those arms to get even a little closer to him.

Just for a very brief moment.

I wish time would stop.

Even though I think it would be troublesome if it stopped forever.

When I see him showing such warmth toward me without reservation, I think that might not be so bad after all.

Hehe.

When I’m with him like this, I find it hard to control myself.

It’s been happening a lot since I realized my feelings for him.

At first, I was surprised and embarrassed by this side of me and was desperate to hide it.

But now, I even enjoy how I change like this.

Does he… does Karl have similar thoughts?

I’m very curious about how he feels about the changes in himself when he can’t control himself suddenly, like me.

I’ve thought about asking him directly, but it’s too embarrassing.

Well, right now, rather than thinking about such things, I just want to enjoy this situation that happened by accident a little longer.

And…

Even if he doesn’t want that.

Someday, I’ll make him want it.

So I don’t worry about such things.

The winter sunlight coming through the window tells me it’s warmer than I expected.

This space continues to get warmer as time passes.

Blending with my unquenchable feelings toward Karl.

And the gentle heart he shows when looking at me.