By the time they had gone through about a third of the exhibits, it was just around lunchtime.
So Yuzuru and Arisa left the museum for a bit and decided to eat in a nearby park.
“Honestly… really…”
Arisa, however, was still a little annoyed about the earlier stone rod incident.
Her expression practically said, This is why men are…
Yuzuru couldn’t really argue back—since, to be fair, he hadn’t been entirely innocent of teasing her.
“Well, it’s not that bad. …It’s a serious exhibit, you know?”
“We’re not in middle school. Don’t tease me over things like that. …I don’t see what’s so funny.”
And yet, the one getting worked up over something like that was Arisa.
Yuzuru let out a small, wry smile.
“Alright, that’s on me. Sorry.”
“…Yes, it is your fault.”
When he apologised, Arisa looked slightly awkward.
Her face clearly said, Maybe I overreacted a bit…
“I’m not a prude or anything.”
As if making excuses, she added that.
“It’s not like those kinds of jokes are absolutely unacceptable, alright? …Just don’t tease me.”
She wasn’t so innocent that she’d go bright red over every little thing in health class.
As long as it was academic—knowledge, education—she could handle it just fine.
But—
“When you tease me… it just makes me embarrassed, so please don’t.”
Her cheeks tinged faintly pink as she said it.
Yuzuru found himself staring at her.
“…What is it?”
She asked, looking slightly suspicious.
“Just thinking how cute you are.”
At that, Arisa puffed up her cheeks and lightly thumped his chest.
“Honestly… you always say things like that to tease me.”
“I’m not teasing. I mean it.”
Well… maybe there was a little teasing mixed in.
“I think that side of you is cute too. I like it.”
As he said that—
he suddenly leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“Eh—?”
For a moment, Arisa froze, her mouth slightly open in confusion.
Then her pale skin flushed a soft rose.
“H-hey… honestly… you always do that out of nowhere!”
“I told you, I’m not teasing. I mean it.”
Girls were cuter with a bit of shyness, he thought.
Of course, if she were embarrassed all the time, that might be a bit much—
but Arisa struck just the right balance.
…Though perhaps that was simply because he liked her.
Which came first—the feeling, or the perception—was another question entirely.
“Honestly… Yuzuru-san, you really are…”
Muttering under her breath, Arisa clenched her fist.
Then she leaned towards him.
Something soft pressed against his cheek.
“…That’s your payback.”
After saying that, she turned her face away, bright red.
Then, a little quickly, she added—
“Anyway, let’s eat our lunch. …We haven’t finished the museum yet.”
“Yeah, good idea.”
And so, the two of them enjoyed the homemade lunch Arisa had prepared.
Later that night.
“Hey, Arisa.”
“Yes… what is it?”
Before bed, Yuzuru spoke to her a bit more seriously than usual.
“I’ve got a favour—or rather, a suggestion.”
“…Alright. What is it?”
“…Would it be alright if we turned off the night light?”
They were sleeping in the same room.
And because Arisa couldn’t sleep without a light on, Yuzuru had been leaving the night light on for her.
But normally, he slept in complete darkness.
So the light… kept bothering him.
Simply put, it made it harder for him to fall asleep.
“Eh…?”
Arisa’s expression stiffened at his suggestion.
It clearly caught her off guard.
“Uh… right…”
“I mean, I’m not forcing you or anything.”
It wasn’t like he absolutely couldn’t sleep with the light on.
If she truly needed it, he was willing to put up with it.
“No, if it’s a burden for you, Yuzuru-san… well… originally, we were supposed to sleep in separate rooms anyway. It’s only because of my selfishness that we’re sharing one…”
But she didn’t sound entirely convinced.
“Sorry, forget I said anything. …I’ll be fine with the light.”
“…But I can’t keep making you put up with it forever.”
“It’s just for the holiday. It’s really not—”
“We’re going to be husband and wife, you know?”
Her words made Yuzuru pause.
That’s right—they were engaged.
At this rate, after marriage, they’d always be sleeping with a night light on.
“…I think I should try to overcome it.”
“I see… yeah, that would help. Though it’s not like you have to do it right away.”
For now, they were just staying together temporarily.
They wouldn’t properly live together until after graduating high school at the earliest.
Depending on university plans, it might even be after that.
There was still plenty of time.
“No, they say it’s best to act quickly. …And I’ve come up with an idea.”
Her face was slightly flushed as she said that.
There was a hint of nervousness—but not fear.
“An idea?”
“…If you’re okay with it.”
She prefaced it like that, then said—
“Please sleep next to me.”
