Chapter 5
Ituki and the others left Amane’s house before the sun completely set.
Apparently, she was going to see the lights on her way home, and her parents would scold her if she didn't leave early.
For someone who ridicules us, they're doing something much more like a couple, I thought to myself.
Ever since they’d left, Amane and Mahiru hadn’t changed at all, and the two of them had been preparing dinner together, having a slightly more extravagant dinner than usual, and relaxing next to each other after dinner—a truly Christmas-esque time.
The only difference was that the decorations were still there, that dinner was extravagant, and that the TV was doing a Christmas special.
“The TV's the same color as Christmas."
Amane and Mahiru, who were sitting next to each other on the sofa as usual, were staring at a feature that included Christmas songs as background music while asking which items were selected for presents by age, gender, or otherwise.
Predicting the rankings for the street survey's tally results, I could see that it was a variety of things where the winner gets points, and that it wasn’t 'Ah" or 'this” or anything.
“Well, seasonal jokes are easy to handle and popular with the masses. Especially on Christmas, it'll be a commercial battle, so don't you think it'd be a good idea to encourage people to buy them?”
“This isn't a conversation we should have on Christmas Eve.”
“Hehe. ..By the way, what's this Christmas-like conversation you're thinking of?”
“Like when Santa will arrive, or what about Santa's present?”
“I'll think of something cute.”
“If it's like Christmas, it'll be like this.”
I thought I was just stating the general consensus, but it seemed to Mahiru that it was cute, so she smiled elegantly and gave me a lukewarm look.
I could tell from his expression that he genuinely thought Amane’s statement was cute, so I scratched my head and opened my mouth to read what Mahiru was imagining next
“..Just so you know, when I was in high school in elementary school, I realized that Mom and the others had left it by my bedside."
“So you believed in me until then.”
"Uh.. Well, I mean, Dad answered all my questions with a smile, so I guess I was tricked by a clever lie.”
It would be true if she said she was too slow to notice, but there was a reason for this. Shuuto’s words were too clever.
"A question?"
“Like, can Santa-san hand it out to all the kids in the world by himself? Or, what's in it for him by handing out presents? Or where does that money come from?"
“It's a rather troublesome question to ask. Even as a child, Amane-kun has his doubts. ..By the way, what's your answer, Shuuto-san?"
“Santa isn't handing out presents all by himself. There's a large nonprofit organization in Finland known as Santa Claus, and they're delivered from branches all over the world. Giving out presents is to improve children's happiness and protect the hearts of the children who will carry on the next generation. The funds are made up of donations from adults and corporations who wish for the healthy growth and peace of children in the world around them.”
“It's hard for a child to hear, and it's an exquisitely true story, like a salt and plum tree. It's a bit too convenient for an adult to hear.’’
“Now that I think about it, it's pretty dangerous when personal information gets leaked in the first place. It's like you've got a grasp on your family structure and hobbies, in addition to your address."
Now that he’d grown up, when he thought deeply about what Shuuto had said, it was a barrage of impossibility, but since he was fundamentally honest and sincere, who never lied or broke promises, and explained things calmly without stagnation, the obedient child Amane had ended up believing it was something like that.
Not everything was a lie, and even if Santa wasn't alone or there was no nonprofit organization called Santa Claus, Santa Clause Village had a strange sense of persuasion and was easily fooled by the feet that it was mixed with the truth that it actually existed in Finland.
“That's why, when I was younger, I was so much stupider and more obedient than I am now, so I ended up believing you.”
"Cute.”
“It's not cute. You don't look dissatisfied."
“You could've just let me finish.”
I already knew what Mahiru was thinking, so I stopped her in advance, and she put air into her cheeks.
The sight was strangely young and cute, so I couldn’t help but pat her on the head, and she voiced her dissatisfaction in a low voice, saying, "You’re the one who loves me," so I had Amane deal with her by having his head patted as Mahiru’s hand desired.
"No, Dad and the others really couldn't lie... That lie must have been special."
“Are you angry?”
"No.”
Being lied to by a parent was a big event in a child’s heart, but Amane didn’t feel like blaming him for that
By the time he became aware that he had been lied to, his thoughts and mind had matured, and he was at an age where he could reach the point where he wondered why he had lied, beyond the point of lying.
"I mean, I was shocked when I realized it, but I bet Dad and the others wanted me to have a dream so I wouldn't be left out of everyone's dreams. Even if the time came for me to wake up from a dream someday, it'd be easier to sort out my feelings if I woke up myself and agreed to it instead of being woken up by someone else."
Amane didn’t like lying, and he’d thought it was something he wouldn’t want to go along with because it wasn’t good, but at the same time, he’s learned that it’s not necessarily a good thing to blindly confront the truth.
Would it really be good fora child to show their child the reality that Santa Claus never existed in the first place and that parents had prepared presents for them?
I don't know if it's okay for parents to destroy the existence, ideals, and Santa Claus I read about in picture books with their own hands.
Even if the day comes when she understands that it’s an illusion, is it really okay for someone else to be reluctantly informed of it?
I'm sure neither Shihoko nor Shuuto took that as a good thing.
That was probably why Shuuto and the others had purposefully left Amane’s illusions as they were, so that he could drink them down himself when he found out someday, so he could accept them.
"Besides, it's still true that you put the present next to my pillow out of consideration for me. I couldn't bring myself to get angry."
Honestly, they were the ones who had prepared it, but together with their son, who was happy to receive it from Santa Claus without pretending to do anything, they rejoiced and said, "That’s great, isn’t it?” That earnestness and love were certain.
Since he knew that, Amane wasn’t angry at having been lied to
It's just that, when I realized that my parents had been watching over me all this time with a smile on their feces, I got embarrassed and worked up, but that's what makes it so charming. "They really are good parents, aren't they?”
'Yeah. I'm proud of my parents, so it's embarrassing no matter where I go.. No, I feel like 111 get embarrassed if I do it as a set.”
To Mahiru, Shihoko and Shuuto seemed like ideal parents, but from a child's point of view, she really wanted them to keep their flirting frequency down a little.
"Hehe, you two really are close, aren't you? Just looking at you makes my face burn.”
“If you're in trouble, you can charge in."
"I have no intention of interfering with the harmonious relationship between husband and wife. Isn't that a good thing?"
“But you know...”
“Do you not like that, Amane-kun?”
Somehow, hesitantly.
Amane quietly shook his head as he looked up at her with a reserved, slightly anxious look in his eyes.
“It's not that I don't want to. As a child, I'd prefer it if you didn't do it outside."
“Personally, I'm grateful that you're showing me your intimate side, as long as it's not excessive. It's bad for the child's emotional education to see parents arguing with each other. It is important to respect each other and cherish each other as much as possible."
"You're right."
What was Mahiru thinking, what was she thinking right now? What was she remembering? What were they comparing?
I don't have to ask to know.
It was just that Mahiru would be more considerate if he expressed that he realized that, so Amane shrugged theatrically maintaining his usual expression.
Right now, Mahiru understood the facts objectively and rationally, she had a clear view of her own parents, and she couldn’t see any hint of fear or despair in it. She really could tell that she was just jealous of Amane’s parents, so she shouldn’t say her concern out loud.
"Well, it's just that we have to keep flirting outside so that we don't have to cover our eyes.
If anything Dad's the one who does that unconsciously. Well, maybe he knows that, but he's doing it anyway.”
"Yeah.."
"Why are you agreeing to that?”
"No, it's nothing."
She averts her gaze, feigning ignorance.
“..By the way, what about my parents, Mahiru?”
“What do you mean, how?”
“Well, how should I put it? You like my parents, don't you, Mahiru? I was wondering how they looked to me from an outsider's perspective."
“You look like a wonderful, harmonious couple."
This must be how she really feels, not lying.
Mahiru often looked dazzled at Shihoko and Shuuto, who were getting along so well. She was sure they were the ideal image of a married couple, as well as the shape of an ideal family.
"They say romantic feelings are easy to cool down in a few years because of hormones, don't they?”
“Well, don't ask me that."
“But you two seem to love each other for a longtime. I'm sure it's a transient emotion that's sublimated. There are many forms of love, but I admire the shape of the love you can see now”
The words Mahiru spun with envy in her voice were probably a wish oozing from the bottom of her heart
"We want to be like that too. No, it's not good to flirt outside."
"..You're right"
Seeing the red spread across her pale cheeks like a fire had been lit, I belatedly realized that I had said something outrageous so naturally, but I had no intention of correcting myself.
Mahiru, who seemed to understand what we were saying about wanting to be like "too," was holding her cheeks inan attempt to expel the heat, trying to do something about her burning cheeks, but it didn’t seem like her slightly cold hands would be enough to lower the heat inside Mahirou.
It didn’t seem like Amane would be able to lower the fever that had belatedly risen.
As we both blushed and averted our gazes, time passed before we knew it, and it was time for Mahiru to go home normally.
Of course, there was no longer any heat, so I didn't feel awkward between us, but this time I felt like I couldn't let go. It wasn't like I was going to do anything because it was Christmas, but my desire to be by her side was so strong that it overflowed from within.
“It's getting late.”
“You're right, aren't you?”
Mahiru would normally know it was time to get up, but she showed no signs of getting up.
Amane understood what she was trying to say. He wasn’t that slow, and that didn’t mean he was making bad guesses.
It was just that Mahiru still wanted to be by Amane’s side, and she probably wanted to spend this cold night with him.
“Um, you know..”
I'm thirsty.
It may be a healthy relationship, but we’ve passed the night together countless times, so it shouldn't be an invitation that nerve-wracking but I didn’t think a single element of Christmas night would raise the bar to invite her this fer.
Mahiru’s body twitched at Amane’s call, and she looked at him modestly.
"..Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean we're always together. It's not like it'll change anything."
“Yes.”
"Let's sleep together tonight."
“.......Y-Yes.”
The way red spun on her white cheeks all at once, Amane sensed that Mahiru had interpreted it that way and waved his hand vigorously in a panic.
Since then, due to our busy schedules, our apologies, and most of all, our embarrassment, we've hardly ever interacted to get to know each other, but thanks to the time when lovers called Christmas get together, I've probably made her imagine that direction.
“Th-That's not what I meant, is it!? It's just a normal sleepover! Not in an insolent way!”
"There's no need to rush! It's okay, I understand!"
Amane seemed to have been too desperate, and Mahiru, on the other hand, was flustered, waving her hand.
The two of us were acting suspiciously with bright red feces, so we both looked dismayed, and as we calmed down, for some reason, we went crazy and started laughing.
“..Mahiru.”
After laughing for a while, we both confirmed that we had calmed down and gently took Mahiru's hand.
"I guess I can't.”
I definitely wasn’t going to force the burden on Mahiru, but if she didn’t want to, I was going to back down
The thought must have gotten through to Mahiru as well, because she gave a feint, bitter smile before shaking her head.
“N-No,it's okay. I'm happy."
“Your voice is really hard."
"I-I mean, it was flat the whole time... It was the same as always, wasn't it? That's why I didn't expect you to invite me."
"Really, absolutely?"
“Idiot"
“I'm sorry."
Mahiru would get back at him if he teased her too much, so he sincerely apologized and let go of her loose grip, causing her to purse her lips ever so slightly.
“Would it have been better for you to have imagined it, Amane-kun?"
"It didn't matter either way. ...Either way, I invited you."
"Geez."
He slapped her on the upper arm, but it wasn't so much reproach as it was inevitable. It was an attack with an expression of affection in it, so Amane could throw one cute insult at Mahiru by calling her idiot” if she swayed her lips in response to the ticklishness.
“I really won't do anything.”
Amane, riding on top of the bed and facing Mahiru, had both palms pointed at her and lifted them up lightly, making a harmless appeal.
It was time for the two of us to take a bath and change into our pajamas, then go to sleep, but Mahiru seemed nervous about getting into her lover’s bed in just her light clothes, so I did my best to insist that we should reassure her here.
Mahiru was wearing a negligee made of a much thinner material than her normal clothes, albeit a somewhat thicker material because it was winter, and for some reason, she was giving Amane a subtly exasperated look.
“I will never break my vow. Never. If you're worried, why don't we tie your hands?"
“Why are you so hard on yourself? I believe you.”
"Please don't believe that”
“Why?!”
Amane himself would, of course, be as careful as possible, and even if he made a mistake, he would never do anything to make the promise he’d made with Mahiru antiquated, but it wasn’t as if he wanted her side to lower their guard
He could touch Mahiru just enough not to break his vows, and conversely, he could touch her deep within the bounds of Amane’s mood alone
However, that was something Mahiru would do when she wished for it, and it wasn’t something Amane would force on her. Just because they were lovers didn’t mean she should accept anything and everything, and she had the right to refuse, saying she hated it.
She was insisting on Mahiru like this because she needed to admonish herself so that she wouldn't be swallowed up by the Christmas atmosphere and do anything to ruin it, but for some reason, the look in her eyes was still exasperated.
“..How long do you intend to stay like that?”
“Until Mahiru feels safe?"
“Then I'm relieved, so it's fine. ..If anything, I'd be more worried if you didn't touch me."
As Amane raised his hands, Mahiru reached out to him.
Amane, who couldn’t react immediately because he was striking a surrender pose, was easily caught in Mahiru's arms.
It was more accurate to say that he’d been hugged rather than captured, but Mahiru, who seemed dissatisfied with Amane’s attitude, lowered her gaze slightly in a pout and pressed her forehead to Amane's chest
“You say you won't do anything, but., can't you at least kiss me?”
“..Miss, you're good at riling people up."
And so, what if each and every one of Amane’s patiences broke? That was what he thought, but it wasn’t like he wanted Mahiru to hold back, so he sank his deep-seated urges deeper into her, then wrapped his arms around her back.
While she definitely felt a mellow sensation different from her own, she peered into the bitter caramel-colored eyes of a spoonful of dissatisfaction and anxiety that could be seen on her raised face from point-blank range.
Her eyes, immediately hidden by her white eyelids, were filled with regret as she slowly covered her sweet-spoken lips.
“Mm.” I could hear her faintly sweet voice directly.
It was so soft and fresh that it was hard to believe it was the same as her own, and her small lips were so soft that just the touch of Amane made them feel faintly hot and melting.
Her lips slackened, as if she could relax just by tracing her tongue slowly, wondering if the sweetness was oozing out of here. On the contrary, the strength must have drained from her slightly stiffened body, because the softness Amane felt grew even wider.
It seemed like he wouldn’t be able to stop if he indulged in the sweet fruit like this, so Amane, who had only kissed lightly and just barely touched it, was relieved from the bottom of his heart that it had ended here when he saw that the caramel behind his gently lifted eyelids had taken on a completely sweet color.
I didn't feel like I'd stop if she showed me her eyes like this in the middle of our kiss.
The breath that fell from her moist lips was moister than before, and the voice that overflowed with her was colored with the sweetness that oozed out.
I bit my lip tightly to control myself with pain, and the Mahiru in my arms looked up at me with slightly damp eyes.
The way she tilted her head in an innocent motion was so cute that I felt the urge to hug her as hard as I could and suck on her more, but my calm self, who knew that would happen, told me to stop, so I somehow managed not to go berserk.
"..I feel like I've been training a lot lately.”
Mahiru prided herself on her ironclad defenses against others, but she was a girl who was close to her, especially her lover, Amane, who was easygoing, spoiled, and pleased more than anything else to touch her.
Going out with Mahiru like that, whether I liked it or not, I felt my reasoning and lower abdomen’s defensive capabilities being trained. I couldn’t tell her that myself, though.
"I think it was visible that you've been training for a while now;"
Mahiru casually, defenselessly pressed her palm against Amane’s body, and he shook his head while biting his inner cheek so that she wouldn’t notice.
“That's not what I meant. It's about reason.”
"..Are you going to get fragile?"
“I don't intend to break it or break it That aside, I'm writhing in agony and conflicted. ..Including that, I just want to cherish it because I love it.”
Sometimes it was hard to tell whether it was intentional or unconscious, but in any case, Mahiru often encouraged Amane’s impulses
I don't think she'll use that as an excuse to do anything, and it's a kind of training, so that's fine, but she's so adorable that it makes me want to touch her more.
It’s hard to like them too much, Mahiru thought to herself, and she blinked repeatedly at Amane.
“..You really love me, don't you?”
"Why did you just say it like it was someone else's problem?”
“D-Don't pull on me."
“Why do you suddenly lose confidence when you think you're self-aware?"
Recently, Mahiru had asserted that she was openly loved because of her pride in being loved by Amane, but for some reason, she had now expressed her impressions like she was gazing at the world from the outside, so she pinched her cheeks gently, wondering if it wasn’t enough for Amane, who thought he was expressing his affection with his whole body, to express his affection yet.
After thoroughly enjoying the white mochi stretching out, I let go of her hand and met Mahiru’s gaze, who was holding her slightly red cheeks.
“I-It's not that I don't have any confidence anymore. ..I'm just painfully aware that, at times like this, even if I hold back, you always prioritize me."
Amane wanted to hold his head in his hands, understanding that the word "bearance" would be inconvenient for him if he knew all sorts of things, but Mahiru didn’t feel any reluctance. Her gaze wandered a little in embarrassment
Amane and Mahiru had both exposed everything to each other once before, and that was why they seemed to care in their own way.
As fer as Amane was concerned, the difference in price between Amane and Mahiru at the end of their passions was too great, so he’d chosen the option of not recklessly reaching out beyond that point
“I can do something about it myself, but you can't do that, Mahiru. ..I love you wholeheartedly, so I don't want to ruin the path you walk. ..Please let me cherish you.”
"Yes.”
As long as the person in question understood just how important Mahiru was to Amane, that was fine.
Mahiru’s expression relaxed ever so slightly as she accepted Amane’s words, albeit shyly and obediently, and Amane looked down at Mahilu, who was close enough that he could touch her if he leaned forward a little, thinking it might be a good idea to express his affection a little more in a way that Mahirou could feel for himself.
"Well, if you want more of the feeling of being loved, I'll love you enough that you won't break your vows.”
“Fuheh?!”
The words must have been so unexpected that Mahiru, who was just embarrassed, was clearly dismayed.
This time, I wasn’t taking it back, since I’d taken all of Mahiru’s misunderstandings into account.
As Mahiru’s delicate body trembled, I reached out once more and wrapped my arms around her back, increasing the heat of her stiffened body in my arms.
Even so, it showed no sign of running away at all, and as Mahiru closed her eyes as if surrendering herself to Amane, Amane quietly brought his lips close to her ear.
"Come on, squeeze."
When he gently embraced her petite limbs with affection, Mahiru’s expression, too easy to understand, conveyed clear disapproval through bewilderment “Why do you look so dissatisfied?"
“I-It's nothing."
“..Your face looks crazy, Mahiru.”
"Ah, it's just for Amane-kun!"
“I know. ..Give me more emotion, just me."
“..Idiot.”
"Yeah.”
"Please hug me tighter"
“If you go any further, Mahiru will be crushed."
Mahiru was already slender and unreliable, but compared to the man’s, she had a much more fragile body. She was so slender that Amane felt like she might break if he hugged her as he wished.
“I'm not that soft”
"Really? Even though you're so thin.”
“Even so, I gained some weight the other day. Um, I-I tried the cake. I put it back properly, though!"
“You could say she's the embodiment of hard work."
Thanks to Amane’s large number of birthday cake prototypes, Mahiru’s percentage of the world’s population seemed to have increased somewhat, but from the periphery’s perspective, she didn't feel the slightest bit
Most likely, Mahiru was just pretending nothing had happened because of her food and exercise efforts, and there was actually a change in her physique
“You don't have to force yourself, okay? Mahiru's health comes first, both physically and mentally."
“I want to be the person I can be proud of, so I want to maintain a healthy physique that I can accept."
On the other hand, we're too thin to be lovers right now, so it wouldn't bother me if there were a few more of them, but it would be uncouth of me to meddle in an insatiable search for women's beauty, and since I'm sure they have the right physique for their physical condition, I guess I shouldn't interfere carelessly.
So the only thing Amane could say was that he didn't want her to try to control her body weight.
“I see. Then I won't say too much, but don't push yourself too hard. ..If Mahiru gets hurt, I'll suffer too."
“Yes."
Relieved that Mahiru had accepted Amane’s concerns, she didn’t directly touch his abdomen, which seemed to bother her, but instead hugged him and thought about it with just the part of her that touched his body, but it still remained thin.
“..Still, you really are slender. I've gotten thicker, so compared to you a little."
“It's just that the old Amane-kun was crunchy."
“I won't deny it, though."
"Right now, Amane-kun isn't fat. He's just enlarged his muscles because he was trained, and his posture is better, so he has a firmer body. I can't feel any excess fat."
I'm aware that I was slender and relaxed back then, when I was prone to sulking and looking down, so it's only natural that I’ve gotten thicker now that I trained compared to back then. I understand what Mahiru's saying but..
"You're touching me pretty freely."
Mahiru's boldness surprised me as she naturally crawled her palms along my body, albeit through my pajamas.
It wasn’t something that would decrease, and she didn’t mind being touched in and of itself, but compared to the old Mahiru, she’d gotten used to Amane’s body. She couldn’t help but think that if he found out, he’d probably get mad at her with a bright red face.
“Was that a bad idea?”
"It's fine, but I don't think there's anything fun about touching it”
“I like touching you, you know?”
“You shouldn't say it like that."
It had a very dangerous ring to it, depending on how you took it, but Mahiru knew full well that there was no ulterior motive behind it, so she kept it to a light reprimand, but she was dissatisfied with Amane’s attention.
“It's just the two of us, but there's no misunderstanding."
“That's true, but..”
“You like touching me too, don't you?”
“..That's true, but..’’
If anything does she think there are people who say they don’t like touching lovers? Naturally, she loved touching Mahiru. She wanted to touch her more if she could, and she wanted to know more about her as much as she could. She wished for everything.
It was too early for her body to carry out the urge to smolder inside her, and she didn't want to hurt it. She spent as much time with it as she could while holding it, which was so greedy that even she was amazed at it, while doing her best not to let Mahiru realize it. Whether she knew that or not, Mahilu innocently fanned the flames of Amane.
As her lover whispered in her arms, "Would you like to touch me?” This place was probably a natural demonic state that made her head spin, but fortunately, it wasn’t enough to melt her reason.
It was unacceptable for Amane to just roll around and dance in the palm of Mahiru's unconscious hand without doing anything
In retaliation, Mahiru gently caressed the area around her stomach, which had been plainly bothering her, and traced the lines of her slender body with her fingertips. When she stroked her hips, which were so slender that it was hard to believe that her stats had increased at one point, she panicked, saying she hadn’t expected that.
“Isn't it okay to touch it?"
“I-I don't think that's the same thing!”
“Then where did Mahiru want you to touch?”
“..It's not that I want you to touch me. It's the place you want to touch.”
“I want to touch where Mahiru wants me to.”
“So I'd like you to let me hear it from Mahiru’s mouth,” I whispered gently into her ear, and heat gradually gathered in her face.
I really don’t know what she was imagining, but Mahiru, her face red and boiling lay down on the bed and turned her back to me as if running away from Amane, so I thought I'd teased her too much, so instead of touching Mahilu’s “imagination” any further, Amane slowly placed his hand on the space next to hers.
The reason his body shuddered so easily was probably because he’d anticipated that Amane would do something.
She laughed without making a sound to avoid being discovered by her lover, who was too weak to be teased despite her teasing, and carefully moved her body in Mahiru’s direction so as not to put the scattered flaxen colors under her, before lying down.
“You don't have to worry so much. I won't do anything that Mahiru doesn't want to do. ..J wish she'd forgive me for hugging her, though.”
I'd be lying if I said I didn’t want to touch her, and I couldn’t say I didn't want her to do something like the night of the cultural festival, but I had enough sensibility and composure to temporarily put that deep in my chest.
Honestly, I'm sure she won't hate it, but unless Mahiru wants it herself, she wants to keep it under control as much as possible, and besides^ Staying up late might interfere with what she planned after this.
"Are you sure?”
"It doesn't matter. I really didn't intend to do anything, you know? In feet, I was planning to go to bed early. After all, it's the night Santa Claus comes to a good girl.”
“..Shuu-kun."
I smiled calmly at Mahiru, who burst out laughing a little, as if remembering our earlier conversation, and she smiled back at me, as though her shame had subsided.
If he gently wrapped his arms around Mahiru’s back to pull her closer, she would fit into Amane’s arms without any resistance
I'm sorry about today, but I can't use my arm pillow, so we just stick together, but Mahiru doesn't seem dissatisfied at all. Instead, she rubs her face against Amane's chest as if she's happy. "..Santa-san didn't come to me, but Amane-kun is giving me a lot right now, so I'm satisfied." “It'd be a problem if you were satisfied with that. Even though this is the beginning?"
It wasn’t like Amane could do anything about the memories he’d had when he was little, but he could satisfy the current Mahiru.
Just as Amane had received a great deal of love from his parents, Mahiru wished she could show him her love as a lover, unlike her parents.
"..Please keep it in moderation. Amane-kun is, um, probably more passionate than you think.”
"I'll be careful not to boil Mahiru. I'll boil her in moderation."
"Please don't boil it!”
“..You can't?”
Mahiru seemed to have already warmed up a little, so I took a good look into her eyes and laughed, and her cute, pale crimson lips quivered as if she couldn't say anything more.
After that, he heard a soft, soggy whisper of "It’s not that I can’t,” so Amane sidled up to Mahiru, who couldn’t stand it and was fiddling with her, so he could feel her slightly hotter body heat than usual.
Embarrassed, Mahiru was desperately burying her face in Amane’s chest to escape his gaze, but she probably hadn’t realized that was going to loosen his cheeks again.
Mahiru gently patted him on the back to soothe him, just as he’d declared that she’d be careful in moderation, then lifted her head and glanced up at him.
She doesn't seem to be sulking, and her eyes are a little embarrassed, but she looks straight at Amane before closing her eyes.
"Good night, Amane-kun.”
Her voice was soft, fewning comforting and satisfied.
Without waiting for Amane’s reaction, Mahiru buried her face in Amane’S chest once more, ready to go to sleep completely, and Amane suddenly relaxed his body, changing it to a reserved touch to make it easier for him to sleep.
“..Good night, Mahiru."
Gently, gently, I lowered my whisper to urge her to go to sleep, and Mahiru relaxed her body and leaned against Amane, entrusting herself to me.
As he slowly felt his breathing become steady and his strength completely drained, Amane continued to envelop the warmth until Mahiru completely fell into the dream world, his cheeks still quite soft
"Now then."
Amane quietly waited for Mahiru to fall into a deep sleep, murmured in a truly quiet voice, and got up in a carefully and carefully layered motion
If anything Mahiru was the one who woke up earlier in Amane and Mahilu,but for today, Amane was the first to regain consciousness.
Was it because she wanted to see Mahiru’s sleeping face, or because she’d wanted to watch her reaction? Or was it because her body naturally woke up on its own?
Now if Mahiru had woken up first, she’d have had to be disappointed at not being able to see how she reacted when she woke up, but apparently she didn’t have to worry about that, and next to her was her lover, who was actually exposing her peaceful sleeping face unguarded.
Her cute, innocent sleeping face is pure and innocent, perhaps because of the reassurance of being by Amane’s side. It’s a pure, quiet sleeping face without a speck of worry or anxiety.
Even in a dimly lit room with only the morning sun peeking through the curtains, Mahiru’s sleeping face looked dazzling—probably because Amane was in love with her
After a few minutes of waiting for her to sürfece from her dream while gazing at her sleeping fece, which she would never get tired of no matter how many times she saw, she seemed to have regained consciousness from the stimulation, partly because Amane had woken up and moved a little. Mahiru’s long eyelashes trembled as she slowly lifted her eyelids.
Her unfocused, hazy, caramel-colored eyes seemed to still be unawakened, as her eyelids fell and were almost hidden.
Even so, she seems to have realized that Amane is here. After a few seconds of sleep, she sits up again in slow motion, rubs her eyelids, looks around, and freezes.
Her eyes, which had been sleepy until just a moment ago, opened wide.
“Huh?”
“Good morning."
Amane was well aware that he wasn’t surprised by Amane’s existence.
As proof, Mahiru's eyes weren’t on the lying Amane, but at his bedside “..What’s wrong?”
Even though he was aware that it was a bad personality to ask back without knowing why, Amane wanted to get a reaction from Mahiru no matter what, so he sat up and peered into Mahirou's face, which had become suspicious as he did so.
“Huh? A-A box.”
"Yeah, there’s a box.”
He’d only said the words out of dismay, but he knew exactly what Mahiru was trying to say There were two small, wrapped boxes sitting by Mahiru’s bedside.
“Wh-Why?”
“It’s from a well-built man with a white beard... I mean, from a lover with bad eyes, but please forgive me."
“D-Didn’t I tell you not to give me presents..?”
Mahiru’s eyes swirled with bewilderment, dissatisfaction, and delight as she gaped at Amane’s chest, expressing her discontent in a truly pathetic, soggy voice, and she didn’t even seem to know if she herself had strong emotions.
Mahiru’s birthday had happened a few weeks ago, and the feet that she didn’t want to waste time picking presents when she was busy meant that there was no Christmas present exchange this time, and in exchange, the two of us had agreed to spend a lot of time together on Christmas. (Well, I could guess that Mahiru was yearning for Santa Claus even before I heard about it.) According to him, he’d never been there before, and he hadn’t believed it, so Amane had secretly planned to have him experience the shock of having a present by his bedside this time while he slept "Yeah. Sorry.”
“That’s not feir!”
I'm extremely sorry for breaking my promise, and I’ll have to bow my head about that, but I don’t have the slightest regret about what I did.
Besides, this wasn’t something that was done solely by Amane’s will.
"But this isn’t just my fault"
“Huh?”
“There’s some for Mom and Dad too.”
Yes, there were two wrapped boxes.
One was something Amane ha d prepared.
The other was the one that was sent with the tree when it was sent I wondered what was going on, but a message from Shihoko said, "A Christmas present for Mahiru-chan! Why don’t you do Santa-san while you’re at it!” so we set it up by her bedside together.
She didn't know why he’d expected her to be able to put it by his bedside in the middle of the night, and it was terrifying but if it meant more joy for Mahiru, there was no reason to refuse.
"..Shihoko-san, Shuuto-san...”
“By the way, I don’t know what’s inside. I was commissioned by the Fujimiya branch of our partnership, Santa Claus.”
"Hehe."
Mahiru smiled funnyly, as if remembering the conversation last night, but there was no longer any anger or confusion in her voice, and it was filled with soft joy.
Gently, Mahiru lowered her gaze, holding the two boxes prepared for her to her chest as if they were precious to her, and Amane patted her head to fix her slightly disheveled hair "I don’t think M om and Dad would give Mahiru anything weird, but I can’t imagine what they prepared."
Given Shihoko’s doting nature, it wouldn’t be strange for her to want to give him anything and everything but with Shuuto the stopper there, that should be within the bounds of common sense.
The box was a thin cube that jutted out a little from the palm of Mahiru’s hand. It looked light, but it didn’t make a sound from inside, so it was probably some kind of trinket.
No matter how much she loved him, he didn’t think she’d put anything in there that would make a high schooler feel timid after getting it, but it was that Shihoko.. Amane subtly doubted that, and Mahiru sent him a look asking if he could open it.
Naturally, Mahiru had given it to her, so she nodded, saying she was free to do as she wished, and with a somewhat nervous look on her face, she carefully unwrapped the ribbon, flaking it out so that it wouldn’t tear the wrapping paper again.
I'm sure she’ll keep it at home, I thought, smiling as I recalled Mahiru until now, when a box appeared from inside the wrapping paper.
At that point, Amane recognized the box, so he was able to guess what was inside, but he simply pursed his lips and watched Mahiru's careful handiwork, saying, "It’s outrageous that you'd steal Mahirou’s fun."
She timidly lifted the lid of the box.
Inside were two writing tools.
"A ballpoint pen and a mechanical pencil, right?”
The wooden axis mechanical pencil and ballpoint pen were neatly placed in the prepared space, and the brass parts that served as accents glittered in the reflection of the morning sun.
Made of wood with a warm hue, it was bound to look great on Mahiru’s pale fingers.
“It must have been decided after consulting with her. By the way, it’s ridiculously easy to use. It’s easy to write smoothly and feels good to grip."
"I thought I’d seen it before, but it’s the same design as the one in Amane-kun’s pen case."
As for why I knew what was inside before I opened it, it was because my parents had given mea watch and this stationery when I entered high school.
The two of them were gorgeous in their outfits, but if anything, it was a school entrance celebration unique to the two who chose something that emphasized practicality, and since they were actually fond of it, their observations were certain.
Although the materials used for the wooden parts are different from those used by Amane, the series is the same as the brand, and it has excellent ease of use and durability, and its use is approved by Amane.
"She must have hesitated quite a bit. She must have been hesitant to give you something you wouldn't use. I saw that the reason it wasn't a fountain pen was because high schoolers don't get many chances to use it.”
“It's enough to impress me, but..”
“It's just parental love. I'm sure he wanted to give you something practical that you can use in the future."
From Shihoko and Shuuto’s point of view, she was like a daughter to them, and they probably wanted to take her place as their parent No matter howyou looked at it, the choice was meant for their own children.
Mahiru bashfully said, "I'm really happy, I’U have to thank you later" to express her joy at Amane’s admiration and just a little bit of jealousy, so all of her complicated feelings were blown away.
Mahiru would be most pleased, so Amane’s boring jealousy didn’t matter. It was insignificant It would be stupider to hold on to it.
If anything, I was filled with gratitude toward my parents for making Mahiru happy.
Mahiru closed the lid with a polite motion, as if putting away a treasure, and if Shihoko and the others were this happy about it, they’d be in Myuri’s place as parents.
If Mahiru hadn’t been in her pajamas right now, I could’ve videotaped her opening and sent it, which would’ve been a waste, but the desire to let her have her first experience of having a present when she woke up was stronger, so I swallowed it
Mahiru tightly closed the box and neatly folded the wrapping paper and ribbon, placed Shihoko and the others’ presents on the side table once they’d opened it, and then returned her gaze to me.
What remained in his hand was the present Amane had prepared for him.
“..Can I open it?”
“If anything, it's more complicated to put it away without opening it."
“I-I wouldn't do that! It's just that I don't want to open it right in front of my eyes."
“I chose it out of consideration for Mahiru, so I'd like you to open it for me. I don't know if it'll suit your tastes, though."
I didn't doubt my own sense of taste that much, but I wasn’t sure if I'd be fit to be Mahiru's glasses. I thought about it when I picked out my birthday present, too, but it was precisely because I was so confident that she would be happy with anything that I was quite troubled.
I decided this time without consulting anyone, so I decided whether Mahiru would like it or not.
Without letting it show on her fece, she quietly watched as Mahiru’s slender fingers carefully untied the ribbon.
What came out from inside was an earring and necklace with a matching design.
Mahiru didn’t like flashy accessories very much, so it was a simple design, but the design made from scattered stones that glittered here and there in imitation of flowers wouldn’t even be outmatched by her gorgeous looks
It wasn’t strange at all to give an accessory to her, but since giving it to her on Christmas was an iron plate, it was embarrassing for Amane’s character.
“I sent you an accessory box on your birthday, didn't I? Um, I thought it'd be nice to put something in there that I've never given you before."
He’d given her a bracelet on White Day and a hairpin and accessories during the summer festival, so Amane thought he’d chosen something that wouldn’t be worn there and that would look good on Mahiru.
Generally, the parts where accessories can be worn are the ears, the neck, and the fingers, but the fingers are reserved first, so it is not something to be given on this day.
In that case, why not decorate both his remaining ears and neck with something Amane had chosen?
Such cheap, selfish feelings, but how did Mahiru take them?
I almost sneered at myself, thinking that I was exposing the mass of desire to monopolize things like this that I normally hid, but even so, I didn’t pull back now, instead observing Mahiru’s reaction.
“I don't know"
At the end of the day, whether Mahiru would be happy or not was all that mattered, so I looked at her timidly, and she stared dumb foundedly at the glittering flowers in the box for a while before slowly lifting her head, apparently noticing my gaze.
Seeing his expression, Amane let out a sigh of relief that he seemed fine.
“..It's cute. It's really wonderful."
“Thank goodness. I was wondering what I'd do if it wasn't a hobby.”
“Of course, I'd be happy with anything you give me, but apart from that, I like it very much. It's really cute."
“If you're happy, then Santa Myuri, or rather, your boyfriend, is happy."
Based on Mahiru’s tendency to wear clothes and her usual tendency to use accessories, I narrowed it down to “I’m sure she’d like this design," but it seemed I’d hit the nail on the head, and my heart, which had been quickening due to nerves, was finally able to calm down “Shuu-kun, you often choose flower motifs, don't you?”
“Was that bad?”
“No, I was just wondering if you had a reason."
"I don't really have a reason, but.. I thought it'd be easier to match the clothes Mahiru normally wears. The simpler ones seem to have different tastes."
Mahiru likes simple things, but they're too simple. She doesn't really like simple silhouettes. He preferred elegant designs and cute ones that made use of curves, so considering that, he chose one with Mahiru’s favorite flower design and arrived at this.
Mahiru wasn’t the type to flatter people at times like this, so she felt relieved that they would like her properly, while Mahiru gently closed the lid and held it gently and gently, as if handling a treasure, her mouth wavering.
It's a bad way to put it, but it's an expression that says she’s holding back a grin.
“..Ill take good care of you.”
“Thank you. Show me what you're wearing next time. I'll praise you for it.”
"P-Please don't tell me you're praising me. Besides, there's no need to force yourself to praise me.”
“Why? I bought it because I thought it would look good on Mahiru, and I definitely think it would. If it looks good on her, it'll be a compliment. Is it bad to praise her for being cute?”
Being able to wear the present I gave her made me happy, and it served as a feast for Amane's eyes, and at least Mahiru didn't feel bad about being praised.
It's all good, and I think it's important to build a harmonious relationship with each other by praising each other for their good points. If you don't say it, your feelings won't be conveyed accurately, so there's nothing better to say.
I tilted my head to the side, thinking it probably wasn’t anything weird, and Mahiru muttered something like, “Shuuto-san’s training...” that sounded like she’d had some kind of bread or something in it, so Amane couldn’t help but smile wryly
Well, what Shuuto thought was good was that he honestly said that compliments felt good for both of us, so he must have been trained to do so. When he looked at his parents, he was sure they weren't wrong, so they were taken as Amane's guiding principles.
As Mahiru’s mouth wavered, I honestly told her, "That part of you is cute, too," and she probably moaned out of embarrassment, so if I didn’t do this much, it would give her more time to reactivate.
As I waited for Mahiru to calm down with a small smile, she took several deep breaths and somehow pulled back the redness on her cheeks to look at me.
For some reason, she looks slightly dissatisfied.
“..I wanted to give it to you too. It's not fair that you're the only one."
She was jealous of him in a strange place, so now it was Amane’s turn to relax his fece.
The sight of Mahiru puffing out her cheeks modestly, apparently unable to forgive him for leaving her alone, was truly adorable, but when he pointed it out to her, she swallowed the words that welled up in her mouth, as she could predict that the futon would soon be stolen away from her out of embarrassment “I've already received a present."
“..You wouldn't say it was me, would you?”
"That's too bad. I've already booked Mahiru's future ahead of time."
"That's not fair! I have a reservation too!”
"Hahaha."
The futon wasn't robbed, but a small fist slapped against Amane's thigh. It was supposed to be attacking him, but it was strangely arousing his desire to protect Amane, and while he said “oww", it didn't hurt or itch. It even felt comfortable, so in a way, it might be serious.
Perhaps it was because he’d woken up, but if he relaxed his cheeks at Mahiru’s emotions, which were easier to understand than usual, his face wouldn’t tighten even more after being given a cute insult like "Shuu-kun, you idiot" by Mahirou, who seemed to have guessed what he was thinking.
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