The night had been a grueling ordeal.
Kanade Natsukawa couldn't even remember when he had finally fallen asleep, only that the lead-up to it had been utterly tormenting.
The heat radiating from where his skin touched his senpai's was searing, the soft sensation pressing against his arm endlessly stirred his nerves, and most of all, the faint, elusive fragrance from her was maddening. Just as he would begin to drift into sleep, the scent would sweep away his drowsiness, leaving him on edge and utterly bewitched.
This sort of situation—where he could see, feel, and smell, yet not act—was nothing short of torturous.
Though he eventually summoned extraordinary willpower to restrain himself, it cost him dearly, leaving him restless and unable to sleep well throughout the night.
The early moments, as his body fought off sleep, were difficult enough to endure. But worse still were the times when he managed to doze off, only to be rudely awakened by his senpai's movements.
There was the moment her hand smacked onto his face, jolting him awake, or the time she inexplicably shoved his head against her chest, nearly suffocating him before he startled back to consciousness. The strange and unpredictable positions made him suspect she wasn't actually asleep but was deliberately teasing him to pass the time.
Finally, at his wits' end, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He gently pinned her arm beneath his, pulling her close and holding her in an embrace. At least this way, she might stay still long enough for him to get some rest.
From an outsider's perspective, it might have looked like he was cradling her in his arms, but there was nothing romantic about his intent.
He assumed this would settle her down. Yet, no sooner had he begun to drift into a fragile sleep than the alarm he had set blared out mercilessly, cutting his reprieve short.
Natsukawa sat bolt upright, his expression one of utter despair.
"..."
In contrast, Utaha Kasumigaoka was still soundly asleep in his arms, completely undisturbed. Even the noise of the alarm only made her wrinkle her nose slightly before she burrowed deeper into his chest, continuing to snooze peacefully.
Natsukawa stared at her, his expression dark with grievance. How could she be sleeping so comfortably after tormenting me all night? This isn't fair!
Unable to contain his frustration, he shook her shoulder lightly, determined to wake her up.
"Senpai, wake up! Come on, it's morning!"
He knew she had a penchant for sleeping in and was an ardent follower of the "five more minutes" cult. But today, he had no intention of indulging her. If he had suffered, so would she.
"Seriously, wake up, Senpai. You can't just sleep in…"
After much effort, Kasumigaoka finally stirred, slowly opening her eyes. She rubbed her bleary eyes and, with a dazed look, tried to push herself up—only to let out a soft yelp of pain.
"Ah… Kouhai-kun, I think you're on my hair…"
Natsukawa froze. His heart skipped a beat.
He recalled reading an amusing online statistic once: in romantic relationships, the first thing couples say to each other in the morning is rarely something like "Good morning" or "I love you." Instead, it's often something mundane, like "You're on my hair."
One particularly astute commenter had pointed out: "This scenario is idealized. First, you need hair long enough to be trapped. Second, you need to share a bed and sleep close enough for this to happen. It's the hallmark of intimacy. Couples who are distant in their relationship won't encounter such situations."
At the time, Natsukawa had dismissed it as ordinary. Yet now, experiencing it firsthand, he realized how such a seemingly trivial remark could set his heart racing.
Kasumigaoka, noticing his vacant expression, tilted her head.
Her gaze fell on his dumbfounded face, and her lips curved into a teasing smile. She was undeniably beautiful, and yet… did he have to stare at her like a love-struck fool?
Amused, she was just about to tease him when a strange sensation at her abdomen made her pause.
"Kouhai-kun… you're poking me."
Her words broke the silence like a thunderclap.
Kasumigaoka reached down instinctively, only for Natsukawa to grab her wrist in a panic.
"Wait! Don't! Let me handle it!"
"...?"
Kasumigaoka frowned slightly, puzzled by his overreaction. Then, as the pieces clicked together, her expression shifted.
She fell silent.
Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she suddenly looked flustered and unsure.
"Uhm… I-I see…"
One hand pressed against Natsukawa's chest, while the other nervously curled into a fist at her own. Her shy, hesitant demeanor was nothing short of enchanting, and her soft breathing made her chest rise and fall in a way that drew Natsukawa's gaze against his will.
"..."
His breathing grew ragged.
C-could this really be happening?
What they hadn't accomplished during the heated atmosphere of the previous night… Could it actually happen now, in the light of morning?
...