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I was soaking in a bathtub as spacious as a hot spring, and now I'm sitting cross-legged in the guest room.
The time is already 23:00.
I checked the living room earlier, and both Father and Mother had fallen asleep side by side, and Karura-san seemed to have gone to her room.
In other words, everyone is asleep.
The smartphone in front of me is showing Riran's message screen.
Riran: I'll go to your room after everyone is asleep.
Akito: Wait a minute, calm down!?
The message is marked as read, but I'm being ignored.
This is bad. This is bad in many ways.
Shouldn't I go to Riran's room right now and stop her?
No, if I do that, it might be interpreted as me not being able to wait and coming to her room myself.
What should I do? What's the right answer here?
I'll lock the door... wait, this guest room doesn't have a lock.
Then, when she tries to open it, I'll hold the door from the inside. Okay, I'll do tha—.
“I'm coming in.”
“Kyahhhhh!!”
D-D-D-Don't just come in all of a sudden!?
Perhaps she didn't like my reaction, because she glared at me with a pouting face.
“What? You don't have to be so surprised.”
“Of course I'm surprised! Yo-You, at least knock!”
“I did. Many times.”
Eh? ...I didn't notice.
Riran, who entered the room, was wearing cute pink pajamas.
They were the same pajamas she wore when she had a cold, but this time, the buttons were properly fastened all the way to her chest.
Riran closed the door behind her and sat down on the futon with a plop.
Her eyes were dreamy as if she were sleepy, and her cheeks were red.
She was swaying her body back and forth.
“H-Hey. If you're sleepy, go to your own room.”
“I'm not slee-py~”
No, you're so sleepy you've regressed to a toddler.
“Akito, sit here.”
“I am sitting.”
“No. Here, sit here.”
She pats the spot in front of her with a 'tap-tap'.
...It can't be helped. I'll just obey quietly for now. If there's a fuss and her family comes in, it'll be hard to explain.
I sit in front of Riran as instructed.
Then.
“Doooon!”
“Wait!?”
S-She hopped onto my lap!?
And she's leaning her whole weight on me! How much do you trust me!? Even so, I'm a boy in the middle of puberty!
“Mfuu~”
“No, don't 'mfuu' me!”
She has such a satisfied look on her face.
“This chair is the best to sit on. Every household should have one.”
“Hey, you. Don't count me as a piece of furniture.”
“Ah, never mind, that's no good. Because Akito-chair is mine alone. I won't let any other girl sit on it.”
“Don't call me a chair.”
“I'm thirsty. I want to drink juice.”
She's not listening at all and there's no context!
Besides, does this girl realize she's saying embarrassing things? She doesn't, right? She definitely doesn't. Should I record her right now?
I look at Riran, who is smiling happily.
...Hmm? What... something's strange.
I know Riran is acting strange right now, but... that's not it. That's not it.
“Riran, look at me.”
“Noo.”
“Don't say 'noo'.”
“Akito is a hottie, so it's embarrassing to look.”
“...Huh? Hottie? Me?”
“That's right. Akito is a hottie. You're always cool.”
Stop it. Don't keep chipping away at my Life Points.
“Just look at me.”
“Nmuu... what is it~”
Riran looks back over her shoulder.
At that moment, her blonde hair sways, revealing her reddened nape and ears.
Long eyelashes and moist scarlet eyes.
Is this, perhaps...?
“Riran, did you drink alcohol?”
“I didn't drink~”
“...Really?”
“Mm. Obviously that's not allowed.”
Right. There's no way Riran, who is a bundle of conscientiousness, would engage in underage drinking.
In that case... could it be that the alcohol the family drank evaporated, and she got tipsy just from that?
And combined with the sleepiness, it created the current Riran.
Riran is weak to alcohol, huh. Based on her genetics, I had an image of her being strong.
“Akito, Akito. Hey, hey, Akito~”
“Don't keep calling me. ...What is it?”
“Uhehe. I just called your name~”
Stop it. Don't chip away at my spirit any more. My Life Points are already zero.
Riran leans against me like a backrest, relaxing completely.
Ah, damn. She's soft, soft, soft, and smells so good!
“Muu...”
“W-What is it this time?”
“I'm sleepy.”
“Eh.”
“I'm so sleeeeepy.”
She's really sleepy, she's starting to nod off.
Wait, it'll be a problem if you sleep here...!
“R-Riran. If you're going to sleep, go to your own room...!”
“Slee-py. ...Ah.”
As if she noticed something, Riran turned around.
She smiled softly and hugged my neck—wait!?
“I'll sleep here~”
“Don't sleep!”
“Akito, starting today, you're my body pillow. You're my exclusive. I won't give you to anyone else.”
“Listen to me!? Ah...!”
Losing my strength from Riran's fragrant scent and the soft sensation enveloping my whole body, I was pushed down.
*Thump.* Riran used me as a futon and made a comfortable-looking face.
“Nuhehe... Akito's scent...”
“Uhi!? Hey, don't sniff me!”
R-Riran's nose is touching my neck...!
“............”
“...Riran?”
“...Kuu... kuu...”
She fell asleep!
The cute sleeping face right next to mine.
Seriously... she's just too cute. I still can't believe a girl like this is my fated person.
I look up at the ceiling and raise my left hand.
The beautiful Dark Scarlet thread sparkled brilliantly, reflecting the light.
“...Mm... fuwaa~... sleepy.”
I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep because Riran was hugging me... but more than that, I feel relieved that Riran is here.
Perhaps that sense of security eased my tension.
Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep as if I were holding Riran back.