The next morning, Yukino woke up to find it was already eight o'clock.
The moment she saw the time on the little clock by her bedside, the drowsiness on her face vanished. She shot upright, and the blanket slipped off her body, exposing her pale, flawless skin.
Beside her, Utaha blinked groggily awake. Watching Yukino scramble out of bed, she stifled a yawn.
"What are you doing?"
"It's already eight," Yukino replied without looking back.
"…So?" Utaha tilted her head in confusion.
Then the realization dawned on her, and she chuckled.
"Today's Saturday, Yukino."
Yukino froze, halfway into her pants.
Utaha burst out laughing.
Expressionless, Yukino dropped her clothes and quietly climbed back under the warm covers. Her lashes trembled as her cheeks grew red.
"So you do have moments of being scatterbrained, huh?"
Utaha's smile was radiant, and she made no effort to hide it.
After all, it wasn't every day she got to see this side of Yukino. No...more accurately, she had never seen it before.
So of course she had to make the most of it.
Meanwhile, Yukino burrowed into the blanket, her face warm.
She hadn't actually forgotten the day of the week she had simply been too distracted to remember.
Yesterday had been Valentine's Day, and with her heartstrings already plucked, it was she who had been the most forward last night.
Usually, it was Utaha who stepped ahead of her out of pride and competitiveness.
But last night, the roles had been reversed.
They had both exhausted themselves until finally drifting to sleep, shamelessly tangled up together.
Rubbing her temple, Yukino ignored the teasing laughter beside her and murmured to herself,
"I feel surprisingly refreshed today."
Still smiling, Utaha replied,
"Don't we always wake up refreshed? Unless we don't sleep at all, I can't remember the last time we felt groggy."
Then, as though intrigued by her own words, she added,
"Guess that's the benefit of regular exercise?"
"It could be counted as such," Yukino agreed.
Exercise did improve one's body and even one's mental outlook. That much, Yukino knew from experience.
Utaha slowly sat up, not bothering with the blanket. She let it fall away, her alluring figure on full display.
Yukino instinctively glanced at her.
"You're already getting up?"
"No. Just sitting for a bit." Utaha leaned back, then turned toward the closed bedroom door.
"And him?"
"He's probably cleaning up and making breakfast." Yukino spoke with the certainty of someone who knew Haru too well.
Utaha faltered, her smile suddenly shifting into something more complicated.
Yukino noticed at once.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"…No."
Utaha tugged the blanket over herself again, leaned back, and murmured,
"These days of being cared for so attentively… how long have you enjoyed such days?"
This time, it was Yukino's turn to be taken aback.
Almost unconsciously, she drifted into memory.
Ever since she met Haru as a child, they had been friends. When she went to his house to play, he would sometimes make her snacks.
As Haru's family business grew, her mother also made sure to strengthen the ties between the families, and Yukino found herself visiting more often.
Back then, she had not only stayed overnight at his house she had even shared the same bed with him.
Of course, they had both been children then. She hadn't thought much of it at the time, though in the very beginning she would flush with embarrassment.
Yukino's eyes softened.
"I suppose… it really has been a long while."
Utaha turned her face to the side, her voice unreadable.
"Am I supposed to say something like, 'I'm so jealous of you' now?"
"If you want to, I won't stop you."
"Such an irritating show-off, Yukino."
"You're mistaken, senpai. I never boast about such things. You asked, and I answered. Nothing more."
At that, Utaha's tone grew oddly delicate.
"If the me from before had asked you that, would you have answered?"
Yukino fell silent, her expression tight with irritation.
She knew her too well by now.
What Utaha was really asking was this:Back then, since you never shared a bed with him in front of me, you wouldn't have answered, right?
"You're not saying anything again."
Utaha chuckled softly, stretching her arms overhead. The blanket slipped away once more.
Just then, a sound came from the door.
Yukino glanced at the girl's tempting figure and said coolly,
"I suggest you cover yourself with the blanket."
"…Why?" Utaha asked, genuinely puzzled.
They'd already seen each other completely bare before.
And considering last night, when Utaha had been the more forward one, why was she suddenly acting shy now?
Yukino didn't answer aloud, but the reason revealed itself soon enough.
The door creaked open, and Haru appeared in the doorway, apron tied neatly around his waist.
"Good morning. Slept well?"
"More or less," Utaha replied casually.
But the moment the words left her lips, she noticed Haru's gaze settle firmly on her or rather, on her chest.
A faint blush rose to her cheeks. She tugged the blanket up against herself with feigned exasperation.
"Would you mind… restraining yourself a little?"
Haru said nothing.
Yukino, too, stayed silent.
An uneasy feeling spread through Utaha, but she couldn't stop herself from asking,
"…Why aren't you answering me?"
Haru rubbed his chin as if in serious thought.
"I was just thinking, since you both look so refreshed, clearly you've recovered well."
"I'm still a little tired," Yukino cut in swiftly.
Haru nodded, then turned his eyes toward Utaha's wary, beautiful face. A sly smile tugged at his lips."In that case, may I join in your… rest time?"
And with that, he actually stepped forward.
Utaha froze.
Only then did she understand what Yukino's earlier warning had meant.
This guy… he really is shameless, isn't he?
Especially on such a bright, beautiful morning, with her figure left so exposed just moments ago it was only natural that certain thoughts might be stirred.
Even so, Utaha kept her composure, her tone merely tinged with a quiet lament.
"Are you sure you want to be doing… that sort of thing at this hour?"
Her words carried an unspoken subtext: If you insist, it's not impossible… but you can't ignore Yukino.
But Yukino was quicker to react. She pulled the blanket tightly around herself, her small face icy with composure.
"I already warned you, senpai."
"But you didn't spell it out!" Utaha protested, watching Haru draw closer to the bed.
Yukino let out a sharp, cold laugh.
"If such a simple warning wasn't clear enough, then maybe my judgment of your intellect was mistaken."
"…Meaning?"
"Meaning, perhaps you're not quite as clever as I thought, senpai."
Their voices intertwined, two strikingly beautiful girls volleying words back and forth while Haru sat down at the edge of the bed.
That simple movement sent Utaha's heartbeat surging.
He's not actually going to… is he? In broad daylight?
~~~~~~~~~~
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