“…The reward.”
For a moment, Yuzuru’s thoughts came to a complete stop.
Then, slowly, he processed what Arisa had said.
“Ah… right. That.”
“Y-yes.”
Arisa nodded, her face tinged red with embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Yuzuru scratched his head.
“I thought it was off the table…”
“…I never said it was.”
She had gotten upset, yes—but she hadn’t rejected it outright.
“S-so… what would you like to do? I-I mean, if you’re not really in the mood right now, that’s perfectly fine too…”
Her gaze flickered—downward, then up at him, then away again.
To be honest, he hadn’t been planning anything like that—
But watching her act like this, so adorably shy, stirred something in him.
“…Then how far am I allowed to go?”
“Huh? W-well…”
“Ah—no, sorry. Forget I asked.”
He cut her off.
Tilting her head, Arisa looked puzzled, and after a moment, he asked again—
“Is there anything you want me to do?”
“…Eh? M-me!?”
That clearly hadn’t been what she expected.
Her eyes widened.
“I-it’s supposed to be your reward, Yuzuru-san…”
“If it makes you happy, that makes me happy.”
Arisa often asked what he wanted—
But rarely voiced what she herself wanted.
Whether that was just her personality or because she didn’t have many desires to begin with, he didn’t know.
Still, granting her wishes mattered.
Maybe this was a good opportunity.
“Well, if there’s nothing, that’s fine too—”
“W-wait, please. I’ll think…”
She hummed to herself, thinking hard—
Then—
“There is one thing.”
So there was something.
That, at least, was reassuring.
“What is it? I’ll do what I can.”
“Well… um…”
Blushing slightly, she spoke.
“I’d like… a hug.”
“…Hmm?”
A hug.
An embrace.
But that was something they’d already done plenty of times.
“Well, if that’s what you want, sure—”
“W-wait. Not just a normal hug.”
“Oh?”
The idea that there were different kinds of hugs hadn’t really occurred to him.
“…I want you to do it from behind.”
“From behind? …You mean, like holding you from the back?”
“Y-yes.”
That was new.
Most of the time, they hugged face-to-face.
He’d never held her from behind before.
“That’s easy enough.”
To him, it didn’t seem all that different—
But apparently, for Arisa, it carried a different meaning.
Either way, if it made her happy, that was enough.
“Should we sit, or stand?”
“Let’s… stand.”
She rose to her feet—
Then slowly turned her back to him.
Her small, slender back and shoulders came into view.
“P-please—ah…”
Before she could finish, Yuzuru wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Gently, he pulled her close, his arms circling her chest as he drew her body into his, pressing himself against her.
Her pale ear was right near his lips.
“Arisa.”
He whispered her name.
He felt her body tremble slightly.
“Y-yes…”
“I love you. …I really do.”
Then he placed a soft kiss against her ear.
At once, the tension left her body.
She leaned back into him, entrusting her weight to him.
Gently, he guided her down to sit.
Then he pressed a kiss to her beautiful hair.
Next, her cheek—
And once more, lightly, her ear.
“Is this alright?”
“…Yes.”
She nodded faintly.
He asked again—
“Anything else you’d like?”
“M-more…?”
A brief silence.
Then, slowly, Arisa tilted her head back, as if gazing up at the ceiling.
Her jade eyes reflected his face.
“…Yuzuru-san.”
Her voice—soft, pleading.
Almost like she was asking for something without saying it outright.
In response, Yuzuru gently kissed her forehead.
“Mm…”
A small sound escaped her—
A mix of happiness, and just a hint of dissatisfaction.
Yuzuru smiled.
And then—
He pressed his lips against hers.
Her body jolted slightly.
About ten seconds later—
He slowly pulled away.
After the kiss, Arisa looked almost dazed.
Her unfocused eyes gazed up at him, dreamlike.
“Was that okay?”
He asked.
Still flushed, Arisa—
Gave a small nod.
