「Mmm~~~~…」
「Time to wake up~Miu. We’re almost at our stop.」
「Mmm~~ …nnn…」
「…This isn’t working.」
After trying on clothes, buying clothes, buying glasses, eating, and spending as much time as possible on Satou’s first outing… and exploring the newly opened shopping mall, we are now on the train home in the gradually cooling evening.
The rhythmic sound of the train, clattering along, was like a lullaby to us who had been walking around all day…
「Satou, we’re almost there.」
「…Mmm… um… until we arrive, just like this…」
「That’s definitely not going to wake you up.」
Satou leaning on my left shoulder with her eyes closed, and Miu fast asleep on my thigh.
Thanks to this, I can’t move an inch, and of course, I can’t sleep either, so it’s a mixed blessing that I’m able to avoid “waking up at the last stop”.
I could force Satou awake if I wanted to.
If I tightly grasped her defenseless hands and called her Ayane in the small gap of her barely conscious hearing, Satou would surely jump up.
But I can’t keep doing things she doesn’t like.
「Satou~」
That said, the only other option is to keep calling her name and shaking her shoulder.
「…I’m awake…」
「Really?」
「…Mmm…」
「…Satou~」
「……」
「Asleep?」
「……」
「She’s asleep.」
「…Ah… I’m not… ah, asleep…」
She says, but Satou begins to breathe softly again.
Considering her resistance to crowds and everything else, it’s obvious that Satou’s physical strength has reached its limit…
「If this keeps up, I’ll have to carry Satou home on my back~? …Well, I’d get lost since I don’t know the way.」
「Mmm… at least, let me clean my room first…」
「No, I’m not going up to your room.」
「…Eh?」
「Not eh.」
「…Then… to Hinata-kun’s home…」
「That’s no good either.」
「Mmm… I don’t want to… I don’t want to be apart…」
「……」
This is bad, the conversation is starting to not make sense.
She snuggles closer, seemingly just seeking warmth.
However, the train mercilessly continues, and with the conductor’s announcement, it begins to slow down.
Or rather, Satou seems to become even more clingy when she’s sleepy… this is bad…
「Mmm~ fuaaah…」
「Oh, good job, Miu.」
「Mmm~」
Miu slowly sits up after yawning widely, as befits her age.
She must have heard the name of our station.
Taking advantage of this coincidence, I somehow managed to divert my attention from the classmate who used to be plain and is now snuggling up to me…
「What about Ayane-chan~?」
「As you can see.」
「…Ahaha.」
…I didn’t, but well, it’s fine.
「Just being in crowded places can be tiring~ …It’s no wonder she’s tired after walking around. …Fuaaah, Miu is sleepy too… but it was so much fun.」
「Yeah. …Miu, want to head home first? I’ll walk Satou to the station for now.」
「Mm~, yeah, I think I’ll do that~」
As the train stopped, Miu immediately stood up with her bags and went to Satou’s front, crouching down. Looking up at Satou from below.
「See you~Ayane-chan, let’s hang out again!」
「…Mm, see you, Miu-chan… I love you…」
「~~! Miu loves you too!」
Miu bid farewell with a small but energetic voice, and her face broke into the biggest smile at Satou’s still sleepy words.
◇ ◆ ◇
「…Mmm… mmm…」
「Ah, good morning. Feel like waking up?」
「Huh, where am I…」
About an hour had passed since we parted with Miu…
In the middle of the city that had naturally been swallowed by the dark night, the sleeping princess who had been leaning on my shoulder finally opened her heavy eyelids for some reason.
…No, that makes it sound like someone made a move on Satou, who was playing the role of the princess, but of course, nothing of the sort happened…
Also, it’s only dark in the city, and as for our exact location, we’re in the rest area of Satou’s nearest station, which is far from dark…
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Anyway, Satou finally woke up.
In the safe and secure light, although I can’t help but feel she’s trusting me a bit too much. …I mean, there’s a possibility I could have fallen asleep too.
「I tried waking you up a few times, but you looked so comfortable sleeping that, well… I gave up.」
「…W-Wa…」
「I did check when Satou responded, but is it okay that you haven’t contacted your parents?」
「Wa… y-yes… I told them I might be late, so it’s okay… but.」
「That’s good then.」
「……」
Satou slowly sat up and, for some reason, moved a fist’s distance away from me without saying a word.
「…I’m sorry, Hinata-kun. For making you stay with me all this time…」
Satou looks at the clock installed in the room and drops her shoulders apologetically.
Well, sure, if you ask me if it wasn’t boring for over an hour, there might be some truth to that…
「…U-Umm, Hinata-kun?」
「Satou, would you hate this if it went on for an hour?」
「…Eh.」
I close the fist-sized gap in one breath, touching Satou’s shoulder with mine.
Then, slowly, slowly, I begin to lean my weight on her.
「The heartbeat I let Satou feel today… isn’t limited to when you wear special clothes, you know.」
「…Na…」
Even an hour that might seem boring can become invaluable depending on who is next to you.
That invaluable hour, based on some complicated theory, might even feel like less than a minute.
In short, there’s absolutely no need for Satou to feel guilty…
「What about you, Satou?」
「…Eh?」
「Would you hate it if this continued forever?」
「……」
「Boring?」
「…No.」
「Then, what is?」
「…T-That’s… please don’t ask me directly…」
Satou seemed about to step back as she said this, but her back immediately hit the wall.
「Uah…」
Her eyes waver weakly, and she shrinks like a cornered small animal…
「…B-But still, it’s true that I made you wait.」
「…Well.」
However, a cornered small animal has the advantage of a convenient proverb (even a cornered mouse will bite a cat) to turn the tables…
「Even if it was, um, a pleasant time… isn’t it normal for me to apologize…?」
「…B-But, you know, instead of apologizing, starting with gratitude…」
Satou pushes me back firmly, and I lose the momentum in the conversation.
「Hinata-kun, you skipped your stop to stay with me, right…? So starting with thank you feels a bit… off, doesn’t it…?」
「Gu…」
No matter how you feel, lending your shoulder to someone for a long time after walking around all day is, well, somewhat tiring.
That doesn’t change, no matter how light Satou is or how pleasant her scent is.
「…So, I’m sorry, Hinata-kun.」
「…Yeah.」
「…And thank you very much for… protecting me.」
「……」
She should still be barely awake.
Her body temperature, which had risen while she slept, is still so high.
「…You saw right through me.」
「Fufu… why do you think that is?」
「Because Satou has sharp observation skills?」
「…Geez, wrong.」
「Ehh.」
Even if I ask for the correct answer, Satou just smiles mischievously and whispers, “It’s a secret”.
It’s a smile she’s never shown at school, and it naturally raises the corners of my mouth too. I’m really glad I invited Satou today.
「Ah, by the way.」
「What?」
「How did Hinata-kun bring me here…? U-Um, I might regret it, depending on the answer…」
「Hmm, I didn’t carry you, we walked here together.」
「…Eh?」
「…Eh?」
「…When?」
「You don’t remember!?」
Well, at that time, it was almost like holding a child’s hand…
And contrary to the topic that had somehow drifted away, Satou and I found our hands intertwined…
No thanks or apologies were needed for this act that came from neither of us, as it was already unnecessary to confirm it with each other.