While Mahiru continued to feed him his portion, making Amane feel like he’d die from embarrassment, her satisfied smile never wavered, as she happily watched his flustered reaction.
“Was it delicious?” she asked.
“…It was, but was there really a need to feed me?”
“Yes, there was. You are the star of the show today, after all.”
“I’d definitely be a laughing stock if anyone else was here, though… But since it’s just the two of us here, it’s alright.”
If Itsuki and the others had been here, they’d definitely laugh and tease him. Failing that, they’d smile and throw warm, fluffy looks his way. Although the high-spirited Mahiru would likely not mind any onlookers, having looked forward to this day more than he ever would, Amane would undoubtedly writhe in shame more than she likely would have thought.
…I’m definitely gonna get back at her when I celebrate her birthday.
He drank milk to reset his palette, which thanks to Mahiru had grown sweeter for two different reasons. Meanwhile, Mahiru smiled and took something out from her bag, which she had kept by her side.
It was a white box slightly larger than her palm, adorned with a navy-blue ribbon. Not being so dull as to mistake what it was when presented at this time, Amane instinctively looked at Mahiru. Blushing lightly, her cheeks revealed her embarrassment.
“It’s your birthday present. I’m not sure if you will like it, though…,” she said, sounding a bit uncertain and staring fixedly at the box. She gently placed the box in Amane’s palm and shot him nervous glances.
It seemed he could open it here. He figured that Mahiru probably wanted to see his reaction. She went out of her way to give it to me now, so I suppose I should open it in front of her? Amane carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box, revealing yet another velvet box inside.
He thought he’d find the present placed directly inside, and was momentarily taken aback. However, he realized that this meticulous packaging must’ve reflected Mahiru’s desire to surprise him.
For it to be wrapped so many times… What could it be?
Amane wondered even more intensely about its contents and gently opened the inner box. Inside… he found a clip-like item with a subtle white sheen.
Carved in it was a perforated floral pattern. At first, Amane wasn’t sure what it was, but he quickly recognized it as something he wore when attending school ceremonies.
“…A necktie pin?”
“That is correct,” Mahiru affirmed. “…Honestly speaking, I was at a loss about what to give a man. I considered a common gift like a wristwatch, but I worried you would hesitate if I bought an expensive or showy one, and preferences can differ vastly. Besides, you already have a watch that you seem fond of, so…”
Since Amane always had his smartphone on hand, he generally wasn’t one to wear a wristwatch all that often. The one exception was a watch he received from his parents as a gift for enrolling in high school, which he wore only when going out.
They had splurged a bit on it, and understandably, Amane had his reservations when it came to wearing it at school. Plus, he didn’t spend long hours outside, so he rarely had the chance to wear it. Despite this, he made it a point to wear it whenever he went out with Mahiru, and she seemed to have noticed the behavior, too.
“That being the case, I chose something you can wear occasionally but wouldn’t ordinarily go out to buy yourself,” Mahiru began. “Our school allows us to wear tie pins as long as they’re not too gaudy outside of ceremonies, doesn’t it? I thought I should settle on something you could continue using even as a working adult.”
During ceremonies, only tie pins bearing the school emblem were allowed, but otherwise, there were no restrictions. Though, most boys simply found them too much trouble and didn’t bother with tie pins at all. Amane was one such boy, and rarely wore one. In fact, he had nearly forgotten their existence, but if it was a gift from Mahiru, he would likely wear it every day.
Presumably, Mahiru had chosen an everyday item as a gift because she wanted him to wear it often.
“I could have given you a tie, since you need many once you’re a working adult... but as students, our ties are selected for us. School rules are school rules, after all. When the time comes for you to wear a suit, I shall choose another gift.”
“...Yeah, thanks. I’ll use it with great care.”
Even without her saying it, Amane could feel her desire to stay by his side from now on. His heart was naturally filled with warmth and joy. Of course, Amane had planned on it from the start, but feeling this sentiment in return from Mahiru made him both embarrassed and elated.
From now on, I’ll definitely make sure to cherish both you and this tie pin, Mahiru. Always.
With this resolve engraved into his heart, he etched this day into his memory so that he would never forget, and smiled warmly at Mahiru. Seeing this, she let out a relaxed smile, her tension fading.
“I’m glad. I was a little worried whether you’d like it or not. Truth be told, I was aware that it’s not exactly a typical choice of gift for a high school boy…”
“If it’s a gift from you, Mahiru, I’m confident I’ll be happy no matter what it is.”
“Hehe. I know that, but I still wanted to give you something that you needed, Amane-kun. You aren’t materialistic, and you take good care of what you do have, so it was tough to think of a gift.”
Amane didn’t normally wish for anything in particular, and this seemed to trouble Mahiru. All he could do was give a wry smile.
“Everything that you give me will make me happy. That’s how I see it.”
“…That’s a little scary,” Mahiru admitted. “You make it sound like you would be pleased even if I gave you a candy wrapper.”
“I’d assume that you found something interesting about it, like it had a fascinating or cute pattern. And then I’d keep it.”
“I would absolutely not do that, though!? If I was going to do something like that, I would just give you the candy itself!”
“Well, I knew you were joking around right now... However, if it’s something you packed your feelings into, Mahiru, I would be happy with anything.”
“…Geez.”
While Mahiru’s tone sounded dissatisfied, her face, no matter how you looked at it, was relaxed. She was probably just trying to hide her embarrassment.
Let’s wear this tomorrow. Amane looked at Mahiru happily before gently putting his tie pin away, looking forward to tomorrow. It was then that Mahiru reached out and timidly grabbed the hem of his shirt.
“There’s one last… small present, you could say.”
Her tone was hesitant, and Amane tilted his head to one side, wondering if something was wrong.
“Today, I will do my best to fulfill whatever requests you may have. From now, until midnight.”
The moment Amane heard Mahiru’s words, he nearly choked. He was grateful he hadn’t been drinking milk. If he had, he would’ve undoubtedly spat it out.
Coughing lightly, Amane faced Mahiru, who looked back at him with a determined expression. It seemed she was serious.
“…That line… that line is dangerous…”
“But… we are lovers.”
“Even… so.”
Amane felt like he’d said something similar before, but in any case, it was beyond dangerous for a woman to listen to whatever a man wanted. Even if they were lovers, what’s dangerous will always be dangerous.
“…I’m not sure whether I should call you reserved or say you are lacking in your desires, Amane-kun.”
“That’s not what this is about… You shouldn’t do that. You’re a girl, after all.”
“I cannot imagine you would do anything bad to me, Amane-kun.”
“…And what if I did?”
“As I have mentioned before, I would have you take responsibility.”
With her innocent, trust-filled gaze fixed on him, Amane unconsciously felt defeated. He scratched his cheek and then gently reached for Mahiru’s body.
“I’d take responsibility even if I didn’t do anything… dummy.”
The truth was that Mahiru was really comfortable around him, and that made her weak against him in a way, and her willingness to accept anything Amane did was more than a little frightening. Even if they had made a promise to each other, he was a healthy young man, and there might be times when his reason failed him, and he simply could not allow himself to cross that line, for her own good.
It goes to show how much she loves me, I suppose.
But no matter how you slice it, she trusts me way too much.
Amane gently pulled her closer, embraced her soft body as he buried his face in her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he noticed the scent of body soap was stronger than usual, indicating that she’d already taken a bath.
If I said I wanted her right here and now, she’d probably nod her head.
While he had no intention of breaking his promise, he could easily imagine her shyly agreeing, which made him realize just how scary his sugary-sweet girlfriend could be. There was no telling when he’d lose his self-restraint.
A man’s reason is thinner than a piece of tissue paper. If provoked, it could easily be shattered. Amane refocused his mind, thinking, I gotta tread carefully… and gently let his lips slide toward her cheek, breathing out softly.
Mahiru immediately shivered once he did so, clearly sensitive and extremely weak to his tickling. It would have been obvious to anyone who saw her.
That said, Amane had no intention of letting anyone else see her act like this. Only he needed to know just how sensitive she was. Only he needed to know her weaknesses.
She continued to wriggle about in his arms, but she didn’t resist. With a slight smile, Amane gently brought his lips close to her ear.
“…Oh, right… It’s been a while, so perhaps I’ll have you be my hug pillow again.”
Although Mahiru seemed to want him to make a request, Amane carefully chose one within the limits of rationale. Knowing full well that his request would let him spoil her to his heart’s content, Mahiru’s face flushed crimson from within his arms.
He meant exactly what he said; he wasn’t going to go any further than literally using her as a hug pillow, but strangely, he had a feeling that she was having some peculiar fantasies. To be expected, even Amane wasn’t up to replicating what they’d done during their last sleepover. Back then, he’d luckily managed to stop himself at the very last moment, but who knew what would happen next otherwise.
“...I only asked you be my actual hug pillow,” clarified Amane. “What were you imagining?”
“N-Nothing at all! Something so improper… I would never!”
“Hey, I never said what you were imagining, did I?”
When Amane pointed out that he hadn’t referred to anything specific, Mahiru’s cheeks turned even redder than before, so much so that she almost looked ready to emit steam. Mahiru glared at Amane with half-teary eyes, squirmed, and managed to wriggle out of his grasp.
“B-Baka!” she stammered. “You’re such a dummy, Amane-kun.”
“I didn’t even do anything.”
“Uuu… Even so… You’re still being mean.”
“Alright, I’ll admit that was pretty mean of me. Sorry. You were so cute that I couldn’t help myself, Mahiru.”
Mahiru didn’t mind being touched, and looked adorable as she allowed Amane to tease her. He ended up taking the teasing a little too far, and there was no doubt she would sulk if he kept going. Therefore, Amane promptly apologized in advance, leaving Mahiru unable to voice any more of her complaints. She expressed her dissatisfaction by lightly tapping on Amane’s chest.
Mahiru, without even trying to hide her heavily flushed cheeks, enacted her adorable revenge on Amane, to which he chuckled while stroking her head. But as expected, she still seemed a bit sulky, looking as if she had a small balloon stuffed into her cheeks.
“…I–I shall go and get my change of clothes, so please take a bath while you wait for me, Amane-kun.” Seeing that Amane’s warm smile had remained unchanged, Mahiru had made her escape at last. That said, she was bound to return soon regardless.
Amane, meanwhile, was momentarily taken aback by Mahiru’s rabbit-like getaway, but he chuckled at the feeling that bubbled up afterwards—one of wanting to cherish her.
✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧
Mahiru had already returned by the time Amane finished his bath and made his way over to the living room. She had changed into her pajamas, choosing to wear the light pink bunny-themed pajamas she’d bought recently. Amane hadn’t expected her to wear them today, however, and was simply wearing his regular pajamas despite having a cat-themed onesie of his own.
Usually flowing down her back, Mahiru’s hair was instead loosely tied up behind both her ears, and she looked extremely adorable with the hood on—a very off-duty kind of look, if you will. It was in stark contrast to her attire during the last sleepover. Despite having a jacket at the time, her negligee was quite revealing—enough to shake Amane’s sanity. So this time around, he felt at ease.
“…It really suits you. Very Mahiru-like,” Amane commented.
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Like, small, fluffy, cute, a bit clingy or lonely… it resembles you a lot…”
Mahiru, like the image of a rabbit, was a bundle of softness, fluffy and lovable, yet a tad lonely. While this differed from the actual behavior of a bunny, it was fittingly symbolic of the somewhat lonely Mahiru.
Amane had meant it as a compliment, but it seemed Mahiru wasn’t having it. She glanced up at him with a pouty expression, and upon seeing his damp hair, her frown deepened even further.
“I now understand what you think of me, Amane-kun… But more importantly, aren’t you deliberately neglecting to dry your hair when I’m around?” Mahiru scolded him as she fiddled with his hair, asking after only a moment, “Why didn’t you dry your hair with the hairdryer?”
She caught on, after all.
Amane smiled bitterly. Whenever Mahiru wasn’t around, he made sure to dry his hair properly. However, only when she was around and seemed to have nothing else to do, he would occasionally dry his hair with nothing more than a towel, letting Mahiru handle the rest.
Knowing that it was actually a bit of a nuisance, Amane limited this behavior to every once in a while. It was a subtle way for him to seek her attention and be spoiled. The delight of Mahiru touching him, paying attention to him, was too sweet for him to resist. He knew it was childish, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
“You’re just imagining things… Is what I’d like to say, but yes, I did it on purpose. I wanted you to do it for me, Mahiru.”
“Goodness me… But since I enjoy it, I don’t mind. You simply want to be spoiled in your own way, Amane-kun.”
He had mixed feelings at being read like an open book, but the sight of Mahiru’s giggly smile left him thinking, Well, this is fine, too, while feeling a tad relieved.
“Please have a seat,” she said, beckoning him to sit down on the sofa. She welcomed him with an expression that seemed to say, It cannot be helped. However, she was unable to hide her joy, her lips curling into a smile as she turned on the hairdryer.
The hairdryer they kept at home was a silent one, and it hummed quietly as a breeze only a little warmer than Mahiru’s hand blew in his direction. He’d already gotten rid of most of the water using his towel, so all that remained now was to finish up by drying his hair of the remaining moisture. Mahiru carefully applied the warm air, saying, “I see you haven’t been neglecting to take proper care of your hair. Very good,” as she ran her fingers through his hair to check its quality.
Just as Mahiru meticulously cared for her skin, not just for herself, but for when Amane touched her, Amane mostly made sure to take care of his hair in the same way. He figured that doing so would make Mahiru happy, as it would give her a pleasant sensation whenever she touched him.
His hair remained silky smooth thanks to his efforts, and it also made drying his hair easier, as it would no longer snag.
“…I once again think that your hair is naturally lustrous, Amane-kun.”
“It’s from my parents. It’s the soft type of hair, though, so it gets tangled pretty easily.”
“But the softness makes it easy to keep it glossy, right? Perhaps I should have given you a variety of hair care products as a present,” she half-joked, now having finished drying his hair. She pulled a comb out of nowhere, saying, “Let’s make it even more silky,” and began to tidy up his fluffy, puffed-up hair. In doing so, she styled his hair in the way she liked best.
“If you’d be happier with me having a glossier hairdo, I can go get some better products.”
“I–It’s less about being happier… It’s just satisfying to touch, and I find enjoyment in combing your hair.”
“Then, imma go ask Kadowaki for some recommendations. If it makes you happier, then I’ll be happy too.”
Plus, Amane was almost certain that she’d touch him more often if he did that. Though, he dared not tell her that was his main goal.
If his personal growth made Mahiru happy, then not only was it worth striving for, but it would also help boost his confidence… But just as he thought this, Mahiru pressed her forehead up against his arm, placing her comb on the table.
While quietly laughing at her now-familiar way of hiding her embarrassment, Amane watched the rabbit-eared hood on her head twitching with every movement she made, making him smile even more.
“Hey, Little Miss Bunny—looks like all four of your ears have gone pink,” Amane playfully remarked.
“Please don’t say that,” Mahiru blurted. “…You should have worn your onesie too, Amane-kun. I’m the only one here dressed like a cute animal.”
“Then it’ll look like a cat grooming a rabbit’s fur.”
“It would be adorable, right?”
“…I’m fine with you being the only adorable one here, Mahiru.”
While the sight of a cat and a rabbit—a potential predator and prey—getting along so well would be heartwarming in its own right, Amane couldn’t shake the feeling that he lacked the cuteness to pull off being a cat.
He had developed a stronger physique as of late, much more so than it was in the past. Plus, his innocent, child-like features had been slowly but steadily fading from his face. Despite losing his adorable appearance a while back, Mahiru still insisted Amane was cute, which baffled him. But since it boiled down to personal taste, he’d just have to accept it.
Perhaps the blush on her cheeks had cooled down a little, for Mahiru looked up at Amane, and strangely her expression softened as she found some kind of cuteness in his features. Then, intentionally without warning, he stole her lips.
Mahiru blinked several times before blushing once again, but she didn’t resist at all. Rather, she seemed to be delighted, and relaxed her body upon being embraced, as if telling Amane to do as he liked.
He softly nibbled at her, and gently and ever so slowly parted her glossy lips, which reminded him of sakura-colored seashells for a moment. Mahiru meekly accepted him without objecting. [12]
Lately, she had slowly but surely started to accept his affection and began returning in kind, which he found to be utterly adorable.
As he drunk in her quivering voice that faintly spilled out, his heart danced at the sight of the cute little rabbit trembling yet accepting the wolf all the same. It wasn’t as if Amane had gotten used to such kisses either, and frankly speaking, his passion for her was overflowing and he felt as if he was on the verge of losing control. Knowing from past sleepovers that she could get frightened if he were too aggressive, he instead kissed her as gently yet as intimately as he could.
“…Rather than a cat, I should have bought a wolf onesie instead,” she murmured somewhat ruefully as she tried to catch her ragged breath, shortly after their lips had parted.
A grin spread across Amane’s face. “If only you did—because then the only adorable one allowed here would’ve been little bunny Mahiru,” he teased, suppressing the embarrassment that welled up from their kiss.
“Meanie.”
Mahiru pouted, her lips now even more moist than before, as she then playfully headbutted his arm to express her embarrassment.
“You have been losing all the innocent charm you had when it comes to things like this, haven't you?” Mahiru observed, sounding a tad upset.
“I never had any to begin with.”
“Liar. You used to behave like you didn’t know what to do…”
“Oh, hush.”
It was his first time dating, so him being inexperienced was to be expected. Now, he was able to just about push through both the embarrassment and nervousness that came with acting like lovers, at least on the surface. But it was only natural that he was clumsy at first.
If innocence equated to cuteness, then he’d rather that cuteness belong to Mahiru alone. Amane didn’t want to show his awkward side to his girlfriend.
“…Next time, I shall do something that will blow you out of the water, Amane-kun. Especially since I’m always the one getting surprised by you.”
In response to Mahiru’s quiet murmuring, Amane once again sealed her lips to prevent her from uttering any further schemes. He savored her sweet lips with all his senses.
✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧
After they had kissed for a while, Amane led Mahiru to the bedroom.
Despite having been in Amane’s room several times and having experienced a few overnight stays, Mahiru seemed a tad nervous, because he could feel the slight tension in her hand as he held it tight.
While chuckling softly at Mahiru, Amane playfully traced her hand with his fingertips to soothe her. He then subtly invited her to bed. Clearly embarrassed, Mahiru sat on his bed thoroughly looking the part of a little bunny about to be devoured by a wolf.
To match her cuteness and endearing appearance, Amane retracted the fangs that showed how close he was to being on the verge of pouncing on his prey. He intentionally chose to gently sit down beside her, and soothingly stroked her head to put her at ease. While he had told her that he wouldn’t do anything, her tension was no doubt due to her being in his bedroom.
“I won’t eat you up. Like I said, today I’ll just have you be my hug pillow,” Amane emphasized once more.
“I–Is that so?”
“…Were you expecting something else?”
“I was not! It’s just that, erm, you’re gradually getting more and more…”
“More what?”
“…More composed, and you’re getting more masculine, too… It’s embarrassing. I–It’s not fair,” Mahiru stuttered, looking up at Amane while awkwardly squirming.
Amane chuckled slightly, now aware of how well he seemed to be disguising himself. Sure, he may appear composed on the outside, but in reality, he was panicking internally. In fact, knowing Mahiru to the intimate extent that he did only made it even tougher for him to remain composed.
However, he couldn’t scare her by being too pushy or hasty, and he thought it would be unmanly if he seemed too nervous, so he was simply trying to appear calm.
“Pretty sure I told you before that I don’t actually have any composure. I just don’t let it show on my face since it’s pretty lame for a guy to get all nervous.”
“So if I asked you to show it, you would?”
“Nope.”
“That’s so not fair.”
“You’d just see me getting flustered and red in the face, you know? Wouldn’t that be kinda pathetic?”
They had been dating for going on five months now. To his mind, it wouldn’t be the best of looks if Amane blushed at the smallest of touches and kisses. Women would likely find a dependable man more appealing, and he figured that she’d be more at ease if he acted calm during intimate situations. However, this didn’t seem to apply to Mahiru.
She timidly grasped the hem of Amane’s shirt. “…Would it be selfish of me to say I want to see the real you, Amane-kun?”
She asked in a quiet, anxious voice, to which Amane covered his face with his hand and heaved a quiet sigh. Apparently, his effort to act cool was an unnecessary concern.
“…I want you to understand that I just wanted to look good in front of you because... well, I love you.”
Mahiru stiffened for a few moments as Amane embraced her from the side, resting his forehead on her shoulder, but Mahiru soon let out a small laugh.
“You are always both cute and cool, you know?”
“The cute part is unnecessary.”
“Fufu,” she giggled. “…Being able to see both sides of you is my lucky privilege.”
Unable to say anything in response to her delighted voice, Amane rolled onto the bed with Mahiru, trying to cover up his embarrassed expression. Trying her best to cushion the impact, Mahiru’s tied-up hair swayed to and fro ever so slightly. Given her rapid blinking, however, it must have still caught her off guard.
Under Mahiru’s gaze, Amane found his embarrassment to be considerably stronger than hers, but he pushed further, bringing her into his embrace and burying his face in her generous curves.
Perhaps an effect of her bunny pajamas, Mahiru’s mounds were warm and fluffy to the touch, yielding supplely. The scent given off from her was lavish, a unique blend of sweetness and freshness so superb that words simply couldn’t capture.
If Mahiru had been acting more passionate in that moment, Amane may have gotten more excited, but that wasn’t the case. She was instead in full relaxation mode, and since Amane hadn’t even considered taking things that step further for the time being, he simply embraced the feeling of comfort and bliss that enveloped his body.
Although momentarily taken aback, Mahiru soon realized that he wasn’t going to do anything to her and began running her hand through his hair. It was yet another soothing gesture.
“You’re being pampered a lot today,” Mahiru commented.
“…It’s fine, right? Let me have this.”
“Yes, yes.”
Amused, Mahiru chuckled, seemingly seeing through his attempt to hide his embarrassment.
“You’re rather bold today, Amane-kun.”
“I thought I should indulge myself today. By touching you lots.”
“That’s fine, of course. But, how should I put it... you are touching me like you usually do. Erm, I… was expecting you would touch me a little more... directly.”
“Well, yeah—but while I do enjoy touching you, and I do wanna know more about you, just being by your side and feeling your warmth is enough for me right now. That’s all I need to be satisfied.”
Lifting his head from her soft peaks, Amane held her delicately, embracing her slender body. He didn’t intend to act on the fantasies that Mahiru once imagined. If he were to do something like that every time they spent the night together, Amane was certain he’d lose control of himself before long. He knew she would accept him with an adorable reaction, enticing him to want her more and more without limit.
Still, he really did not intend to do anything tonight.
Just because he was a man didn’t mean that he always wanted to do those things. After all, simply spending time peacefully with the woman he loved was usually enough to make him happy.
While they may be less satisfied physically compared to their last sleepover, where they touched each other intimately, the emotional satisfaction they shared in this moment was by no means less fulfilling.
Now, the woman he dearly loved and wanted to pledge his future to was nestled close by his side, her gaze filled with trust and love. Nothing else could give him a greater sense of security, happiness, and satisfaction than this.
Just her warmth was enough to leave Amane with a sense of contentment, and Mahiru snuggled up to his chest, telling him that she thought the same way.
“…Me too,” she affirmed. “I am happy just being by your side, Amane-kun.”
“I’m glad. If it were only me, I feel like it’d be kinda unfair somehow. Like I’m finding happiness far too easily.”
“I feel the same way when you are next to me, you know? As long as you are with me, Amane-kun, that is all I need, but…”
“But?”
“I would be even happier if I could touch you.”
As she said those incredibly cute words, Mahiru looked up at Amane, her eyes pleading for permission to touch him.
“Oh, you want to touch me? I don’t really mind, but I can’t imagine a man’s body being all that pleasant to touch.”
“Really? Since I do not have much muscle myself, I think it is a good thing that you are muscular… Like when I trace your stomach, it feels firm and rugged.”
Having gotten his permission, Mahiru reached out and touched Amane’s chest and abdomen hesitantly with her fingertips, which made him squirm slightly from the ticklish sensation.
Ayaka’s influence is definitely showing here… But I guess it’s fine. As long as Mahiru’s enjoying herself, I don’t really mind. Realizing that Mahiru seemed to be having fun touching him like this, Amane then recognized that he may be going too soft on her.
“My daily training has started to pay off now, I think. Guess you could say I’ve graduated from being a bean sprout?” Amane joked.
“I think it is coming along nicely—your body is firm, and you do not have any unnecessary fat. You feel sturdier compared to before.”
“…Yeah, don’t bring up the past. I was super skinny back then.”
Being reminded of the time when he first met Mahiru made him feel unbearably embarrassed. Though Amane now had a reasonably toned body with muscles, he used to have a very unreliable physique.
He didn’t have much fat, but his body was so skinny it could be described as straight-up weak, definitely a far cry from a muscular build. Looking back on it now, he felt like punching his past self and telling him to work harder.
Mahiru did seem to prefer his current physique, so Amane was glad that he’d put all the effort in to better himself. The more he trained, the more stylish he looked when he put on his clothes, which helped prove that his decision to become a fitting partner for Mahiru was the right one.
“Fufu. But regardless, I had still thought you were a boy back then. I realized the difference between our bodies when you carried me on your back that one time.”
“Well, that’s a given. …You have a super slim body shape, after all.”
Mahiru was soft and petite thanks to her own constant efforts, but even with aspects that she couldn’t change, like her bone structure, she was still rather delicate. It could even be said that she was petite overall.
“…I may be petite, but I am tougher than you think, Amane-kun.”
“Still doesn’t change the fact that you’re delicate, though. I often think that I have to touch you gently. Feels like you might break otherwise.”
“You say that, but you have never touched me using that much strength before.”
“My point still stands,” Amane insisted. “…You know how much I want to cherish you, so being gentle is something I have to be mindful of. You are important to me, after all.”
To the best of his ability, Amane wanted to be both kind and gentlemanly toward Mahiru. He planned to cherish and protect her for the rest of his life going forward, so he needed to be careful not to hurt her in any way.
It wasn’t that he wanted to be overprotective, but no matter how much Mahiru worked on improving herself, she would still remain a delicate woman. She was naturally weaker and less robust than men due to gender differences, and Amane felt that he must be considerate of that.
Amane fully understood that Mahiru didn’t want to be coddled, so while respecting her independence, he wanted to treat her gently and make her feel comfortable. He wanted to make sure that he’d never make her cry.
Then, Amane whispered in her ear that he intended to spend the rest of his life making her happy, making his determination clear. Mahiru blushed in response, and Amane’s earlier embarrassment paled in comparison to how red Mahiru’s face became as she softly replied, “Th–Thank you very much…”
“…It’s your birthday, Amane-kun, but I feel like I’m the one receiving all the blessings today.”
“No, no. I’m the one with all the blessings, okay? And besides, the date’s already changed.”
Amane had received a lot from Mahiru, and his desire to cherish her was ultimately born solely from his own feelings. It wasn’t something that Mahiru had to worry about. Plus, the date had already changed before they had realized it—his birthday had now passed.
They had been cuddling and kissing on the sofa and bed, and before they knew it, more time had passed than they had thought. While it may have been a short birthday, Amane felt he had received more than enough happiness.
“Oh, you’re right… I–It’s such a shame; I wanted you to make a few more requests…”
“Time sure flies, huh. I guess I can’t ask for anything more now.”
“So, what were you planning to ask?”
“…I was hoping you’d maybe give me a kiss before we go to sleep.”
They had been doing nothing but kissing until just a little while ago, but they had all been initiated by Amane. It was rare for Mahiru, who was more shy than Amane, to take the initiative herself. Even though she seemed to enjoy kissing, she was simply too embarrassed to take the lead.
Given today was his birthday, Amane figured he might as well ask her to kiss him the way she wanted to, which was something that he’d be embarrassed for others to know.
He considered the request to be quite significant, but for some reason, Mahiru looked puzzled and slightly exasperated.
“…You really do lack desire, don’t you? I was hoping you would ask me for something a little grander than that.”
“I already feel so satisfied, what else would I ask for? I have you—my girlfriend—by my side, celebrating the day I was born with me, and sharing warmth. That’s enough for me. It’s not that I don’t have desires, but right now, consider me satisfied.”
“Then…” Mahiru paused. “That means I must be greedy.”
“You? Greedy?”
Amane had always considered ‘greedy’ to be the furthest thing from Mahiru’s personality, but she nodded and frowned slightly, a serious look showing on her face.
“Truth be told, I am lonely when you go to work, Amane-kun, and I always find myself longing for you to return home quickly. I also worry whether women are trying to make advances on you. You are a very handsome man, Amane-kun. What would I do if you were to become popular with the ladies? I often wonder about the possibility. I do not intend to interfere with your decision, and I am not at all worried about you cheating, but part of me still feels anxious. I cannot help but think, ‘Please don’t leave me.’”
Mahiru nestled her face in Amane’s chest before confessing that she didn’t want to be a hindrance. Yet…
“I don’t ever want you to leave me,” she added in a murmur. “I want you to touch me more. I want you to stay by my side forever and ever. …I must be greedy for thinking this way. Perhaps my love is too heavy a burden…”
Amane broke out into a smile upon hearing Mahiru’s heartfelt confession.
Mahiru was expressing how much she cared for him, and how important he was to her. She longed to constantly be by his side, and that—was proof of how much she loved him.
If anything, he felt truly blessed to have her as his lover.
As Mahiru had described her strong affection as greed, Amane smiled slightly, pouring a little more strength into the arm he’d wrapped around her back, embracing her harder.
“…Chances are that my love’s a lot heavier than yours, Mahiru. Much more so than you think.”
Mahiru had described her love as being heavy, but if that was the case, then Amane’s was heavier. He had absolutely no intention of letting her go.
There may be a chance he would swallow his bloody tears and let her go if it meant Mahiru finding true happiness, but otherwise, that notion held true. Amane was determined to make her happy himself and would spare no amount of effort to achieve that.
Amane would never shift the responsibility onto Mahiru by insisting it was for her sake. He was doing his best to make her happy on his own accord, living his own life responsibly while shouldering the weight of emotions that he himself could not fully endure.
“In my family, our love is heavy because we are devoted. And I’m no exception either. Perhaps you haven’t fully realized it just yet, Mahiru, but having heavy love isn’t about being possessive or imposing restrictions—it’s about the depth and intensity of the feelings we have for one another. That’s how it is for me. I won’t ever let you go no matter what happens. I don’t want you to look at anyone else other than me. …So, sometimes I wonder what I’d do if you ever grow tired of me.”
Amane was aware that his feelings were heavy.
Knowing that having a shallow relationship would be rude to Mahiru, Amane had proposed a serious relationship with the intention of spending their entire lives together, but this arrangement would probably seem too heavy to outsiders. Promising a lifelong commitment with her while still attending high school. He was trying to do just that, and calling it ‘heavy’ simply wouldn’t cut it.
And yet, Mahiru smiled happily. Her smile was beaming with pure joy and delight.
“To be loved to such an extent, I consider myself truly blessed,” began Mahiru. “Never letting me go, only looking my way… Would you not say that is ideal?”
“Is it really?”
“It is,” she affirmed. “…I am the same, Amane-kun. I cannot let you go anymore, so the feeling is mutual. I’ll never allow you to look anywhere else, okay?”
Having heard her say something that was totally out of the question, Amane simply nodded at Mahiru, who smiled back at him in satisfaction as she shifted her body slightly upward.
A devilish smile played on Mahiru’s well-defined face as she drew closer.
“I shall give myself to you, Amane-kun, so please give yourself to me, okay?”
She whispered passionately, and their distance closed.
Their faces were so close that their breaths intermingled, and in the next moment, they quickly shortened the distance, pressing their whole bodies together as their faces touched.
Their lips lightly brushed against each other, a kiss so gentle, and yet it ignited a fiery passion. It brought a sense of reassurance and happiness, a pleasant mix of sensations that made their hearts swell with warmth.
Despite only lasting a few seconds, it gave them a kind of satisfaction different from that of a deep kiss. Then, Amane met Mahiru’s gaze and smiled.
Without a doubt, they both only had eyes for one another. There was nothing to worry about.
“…Good night, Amane-kun. Sweet dreams.”
“Good night, Mahiru.”
Snuggling up to Amane, Mahiru let out a blissful smile that implied, ‘We belong together,’ and Amane too returned a peaceful smile, gently closing his eyes.
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[10] Chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し)—Japanese Steamed Egg Custard: “Chawan (tea cup) mushi (steam) literally means teacup steamed egg custard. Unlike other egg custard, Chawanmushi is not sweet but it has a savory flavor packed with umami from dashi stock and topping ingredients.” — Chopstick Chronicles
Tamago Kinchaku (卵巾着)—Egg Purse: “A dish using fried tofu as a purse to cook a boiled egg inside. First, oil is removed from the fried tofu before the egg is cracked inside, and the opening of the tofu is closed using a toothpick. The purse is then slowly boiled in a pot with seasoning to create a juicy egg dish with rich flavor.” — Yukari's Kitchen (YouTube Recipe), Kurashiru
[11] Mexican Impossible Cake: “Also known as a chocoflan, the tasty confection defies logic. Here's the mystery: The layers invert while the cake is cooking. The batter goes into the oven in a bundt pan holding a layer of chocolate cake batter covered by a layer of flan (some recipes call for lining the pan with a layer of caramel before adding the cake batter). When it comes out of the oven, magically, the chocolate cake layer is on the top. When the bundt pan holding the cooked cake is turned upside down onto a plate, you end up with a confection of chocolate cake, topped by flan, and—if you include the caramel layer—it's all wrapped up in a sweet coating.” — Tasting Table
After MUCH searching, this is the only dessert that we found that fit the description in the chapter, though the original Japanese does not name the recipe. — Doram
[12] Sakuragai (桜貝)—Nitidotellina nitidula: “A species of tellin commonly found along sandy coasts. As a small type of mollusk, it’s characterized by its smooth, shiny shell.
It usually inhabits areas with shallower waters, often burrowing into nearby sand or mud. Its shell is usually elongated and narrow, and can be identified by its distinct pink color.” — RomajiDesu, CollinsDictionary
(While technically not a seashell, we opted against translating it to ‘clam’ in this context due to potential misunderstanding as to what ‘body part’ Amane was trying to ‘part.’)
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