“…Mm.”
Right beside Yuzuru—
The girl who had been quietly sleeping let out a small sound.
When he turned his gaze, her jade-coloured eyes were faintly open.
Still half-asleep, they looked hazy and unfocused.
“You’re awake, Arisa?”
“…Mm.”
Rubbing her eyes sleepily, Arisa slowly pushed herself upright.
Then she stared blankly at Yuzuru.
“Arisa? Are you alright?”
“Mm… why is Yuzuru-san… here…?”
She muttered drowsily.
And then, the next moment—
“Y-Yuzuru-san!? W-why!?”
She scrambled backwards in a panic.
Apparently too confused to realise that if she moved any further, she’d fall off the bed.
“Arisa.”
“Eh?—Ah!”
Yuzuru quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
She avoided falling—but ended up leaning against him instead.
“W-why…?”
“Calm down. This is my room. …You fell asleep in the middle of the massage.”
“…Huh?”
Arisa let out a dumbfounded sound.
She looked around—
And finally seemed to realise she wasn’t in her own room.
Her face turned bright red in an instant.
“I-I’m sorry… for the trouble…”
She shrank slightly.
Seeing her like that, Yuzuru felt a small sense of relief.
(Good… she really was asleep.)
After she’d fallen asleep—
Yuzuru had, in a moment of weakness, indulged in various… mischief.
Things that bordered on harassment—
No, things he wouldn’t be able to excuse if called out.
At the time, he’d thought she’d forgive him.
But thinking back on it, it was the kind of thing that could easily make someone hate him.
…And he didn’t want that.
“Well… it’s understandable. You were probably tired.”
He said it as casually as he could, brushing it off.
Arisa looked at him and asked—
“Um, what time is it now?”
“Just before five.”
More precisely, 4:45.
A reasonable time to start thinking about dinner.
“It’s gotten that late… I’m sorry. Um, shall I make dinner?”
“…Well, I wouldn’t mind having dinner with you.”
But it was a weekday.
Keeping her too long wasn’t ideal—
And more importantly, she must be exhausted from the marathon.
“If you’re alright with it, shall we eat out?”
He suggested.
And so—
The place Yuzuru and Arisa went to was not some famous high-end French restaurant—
But a well-known family restaurant chain nearby.
Yuzuru didn’t have much financial leeway at the moment, and Arisa’s allowance was limited as well.
So their options were naturally constrained.
After ordering their food—
Yuzuru looked at Arisa, who had been fidgeting oddly for a while, and asked—
“…Is there something you want to ask?”
…Did she realise?
A flicker of unease crossed his mind.
Arisa, avoiding his gaze slightly, her cheeks tinged pink, spoke hesitantly.
“Um… while I was asleep…”
“…Yeah.”
His heart pounded.
Did she notice?
“D-did anything… strange happen!?”
It was a strange question.
Normally, nothing would happen while someone was asleep.
So why ask that?
Unless—
She suspected that something had happened.
In other words—
She was asking—did you do anything to me while I was asleep?
(…Calm down.)
For a moment, the possibility crossed his mind—
That she had been awake all along.
But if she had been, would she really have stayed still like that?
And if she hadn’t been asleep—
Then when exactly had she been awake?
No—
She must have truly been asleep.
Not pretending.
She was probably just suspicious.
Trying to test him.
Yes—that had to be it.
Reaching that conclusion, Yuzuru answered as calmly as possible—
“…No, nothing in particular happened.”
What are you even worried about?
He played it off.
“Did something feel off?”
After a brief pause, Arisa replied—
“No… I slept very soundly. Yes… I was asleep.”
There was something oddly suggestive about the way she said it.
But probing further felt like opening a can of worms—for both of them.
Just then, their food arrived.
Yuzuru had ordered soup pasta.
Arisa had a hamburg steak.
The delicious aroma filled the air.
“Shall we eat?”
“Yes.”
They picked up their utensils and began eating.
Chain restaurants like this were reliably good.
Of course, Yuzuru knew far better places.
And Arisa’s cooking was on another level entirely.
But that was beside the point.
This was still enjoyable.
“…Hey, Arisa.”
“You want to try mine?”
“You caught on quick.”
“Fufu… well, this isn’t the first time.”
Smiling, Arisa cut into her hamburg steak.
Then—
Using the same fork she’d been eating with, she picked up a piece.
Carefully lifting it so the sauce wouldn’t drip, she cupped her hand beneath it.
She gently blew on it to cool it down.
Then leaned forward.
“Here.”
“…Alright.”
Yuzuru opened his mouth.
Without hesitation, Arisa fed him.
He closed his mouth slowly, the fork still inside.
The rich taste of meat juices and demi-glace spread across his tongue—
But he was too tense to properly taste it.
Arisa slowly withdrew the fork.
It glistened slightly, having passed his lips.
“How is it?”
“…It’s good.”
Managing to answer, Yuzuru asked—
“Want to try mine too?”
“…Yes.”
Arisa nodded shyly.
Yuzuru twirled some pasta neatly around his fork.
As he leaned forward, Arisa parted her lips.
Her white teeth and pink tongue visible—
He gently guided the fork into her mouth.
Heat rushed through his body.
His heart pounded.
Arisa closed her mouth without hesitation.
“Mm…”
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
Yuzuru slowly pulled the fork away from her lips.
After she finished chewing, he asked—
“How is it?”
“Yes… it’s very delicious.”
She smiled.
To Yuzuru, that smile looked—
Strangely alluring.
After that, the two of them continued feeding each other from time to time.
