Chapter 101 – The Angel and the Bolster

Amane opened his eyes to find Mahiru’s shirt before him.

It appeared he had fallen asleep again. The excessive comfort was so blissful that he fell asleep. Truth be told, he had no idea how long he slept, so he was feeling really uneasy.

Mahiru had stopped combing his hair.

He cautious got up, and found Mahiru leaning on the sofa, sleeping away.

*Suu, suu, *once he heard her steady breathing, he muttered. She’s so defenseless. He looked at the clock, and his face twitched.

It was 11pm. The lap pillow started after everything else was done, and that was 9pm. In that case, Amane enjoyed about 2 hours worth of the lap pillow.

Mahiru probably fell asleep because of the time, and because she could not move.

Surely she dared not wake Amane up, and maintained this posture until she too fell asleep.

He hoped Mahiru would be a little more wary, given that she was in a boy’s house. Ultimately though, he too should bear responsibility as he fell asleep on her lap.

He did not know what to do, and after staring at her sleeping face for a little while, he decided to take a bath.

It appeared Mahiru had bathed, but Amane did not.

He could bathe first and let Mahiru sleep for a while before waking her up. Perhaps she might wake up once he was done.

Once he decided so, Amane hurried back to his room, and took his change of clothes.

Once he was done bathing, Amane had a look at the living room, and gently sighed.

It seemed Mahiru remained in dreamland, and even the noise from the blow dryer did not wake up her.

“Mahiru, wake up.”

Amane called out as he gently shook Mahiru, but she showed no signs of waking up. Perhaps she really did lose consciousness, for her body tilted increasingly, and Amane could only hold her up.

The continual lap pillow might have tired her out, or perhaps she was simply sleepy. In any case, Amane understood that she probably was not waking up.

I think something similar happened before.

He remembered it was during the End of Year. Mahiru accidentally fell asleep, and Amane lent his bed to her.

He felt the same was about to happen again.

Once again, Amane shook her vigorously, but she did not wake up.

Nnn. A soft, sweet voice entered his ears. It seemed to be a sleeping sound, rather than a voice however.

It was not the first time the sleeping Mahiru looked so defenseless out of trust, but Amane wondered if this was really fine.

Goodness me, he cussed as he poked at her cheek. It appeared she was not waking up anytime soon however, and there was only a soft, smooth feeling.

Again Amane poked at Mahiru’s face, and the result remained. Left with no choice, he could only pick Mahiru up.

It was Spring, so even if Amane lent her his bed and slept elsewhere, he would not get sick. Truth be told, he really wanted to sleep while cuddling her, but in that case, the next day would be disastrous. Thus, he could not enact on it.

He knew he was a coward, but he did not want her to hate him, and could only endure. He carried her horizontally, and placed her on the bed in his room.

He tidied his bed before putting Mahiru down. All he had to do next was to put a blanket over her sleeping back.

“…I wonder if I have to give Mahiru a talk, that she shouldn’t be sleeping in a guy’s house.”

Amane could force himself on her if he never considered the consequences, and then develop the relationship from there.

He did not do so as he wanted to treasure Mahiru, and was thinking whether there was a reason to attack her. Not to say that he was a safe person to be with, there was no guarantee that he would not discard his sanity to enact on Mahiru.

He just hoped that Mahiru would not be so defenseless just because of the comfort and trust in his personality.

Mahiru was a very wary person, but in contrast, she loved to fawn towards those she opened her heart to. That was why she showed such a defenseless and innocent side, and for his sanity’s sake, Amane hoped she would change.

He sighed as he patted her sleeping face. Mahiru’s body started to twitch.

“…Nn.”

A soft voice rang.

Her eyelids beneath the fine eyelashes started to open at a really slow pace, and revealed unfocused caramel-colored eyes.

The groggy, sleepy eyes appeared to be looking nowhere, and were distinct of one who had just woken up. Perhaps her mind was still delirious, for she was the type to not get her mind running after waking up.

Amane leaned to look at Mahiru’s face. She did not wake up, and instead was spacing out, looking completely relaxed.

“You awake? You were sleeping when I woke up, so I moved you to the bed. If you’re up, go home, or I’ll use you as a bolster.”

Man, I’m a coward for just thinking of using her as a bolster. Amane thought, but if he said that he would attack her, there was a chance that she would hate him and cry, and he would be so devastated. He really could not bring himself to say so.

Also, he had a little wish.

He tapped the groggy Mahiru on the cheeks, wanting her to wake up and go home, but Mahiru remained delirious.

She turned her eyes towards Amane instantly, and then closed her eyes and tucked herself under the blanket, clearly showing how tired she was. Perhaps she just wanted to sleep there.

“Oy.”

“…Nnn…”

If her mind was still up and running like usual, she might listen to Amane. She was completely groggy however, and sought the blanket. It appeared even Amane’s words would be ineffective.

Amane’s face twitched, and he snuggled under the same blanket, wanting her to feel some danger.

He slept next to Mahiru, and patted her head while she sought warmth beneath the blanket. He could have shaken her awake if he wanted to, but he could not bring himself to do so when she was so worn out.

“Alright, wake up, or else I’ll really use you as a bolster.”

“…Nnn.”

Once he whispered so to her ear, she gave a vague reply, and leaned over.

It was too sudden, and he froze. However, Mahiru did not appear to mind as she fidgeted about, trying to find a more comfortable position.

She wriggled like a caterpillar, and finally buried her face onto Amane’s chest.

This position appeared to be most suitable for her, and she stopped to sleep.

WHY IS SHE SO DEFENSELESS!?

She fell asleep–onto a man’s chest at that, perhaps oblivious to her own actions. If Amane reached his hands out towards her, he could use her as a bolster, as he had declared.

It would be great if his heartbeat could wake her up. However, he was merely excited, and could not wake up the slumbering Mahiru.

Amane heard a little breathing sound.

“…Spare me already…”

Given how defenseless she was, she really could not blame anyone even if somebody did enact on her. Amane groaned once he saw that, and looked over at her who was clinging onto him.

Her breathing was steady, and she was in dreamland. Amane could only chuckle dumbfoundedly.

…Seriously, she.

She was unconscious, but typically speaking, she should not be giving full trust to a boy she trusted, cling onto him, or even allow him to sleep with her.

Amane realized that she had some fondness for him, but perhaps she did like him as he had hoped, or so he hoped.

He did not know what the real situation was like, but at the very least, she could sleep on Amane’s bed without resisting, even if it was unwitting. She did not resist him being next to her, nor did she resist his patting.

Can I interpret it in a way convenient to myself?

Amane asked himself, and Mahiru naturally would not answer.

She was merely sleeping peacefully.  After an internal struggle, Amane reached his hands out.

He reached his arms around her back, embracing her body that was already leaning onto him.

“…I warned you though.”

Amane muttered what sounded like an excuse, but nobody blamed him. Present here was a completely defenseless kitten and a wolf becoming powerless against it.

Amane enjoyed the soft body, and apprehensively leaned his lips onto the forehead above her bangs.

…I’ll take this as lodging and tuition fees.

It might be despicable of him to do so while delirious and defenseless, but if she remained awake, he could not have done so.

After all, the girl he liked was sleeping on his bed, completely defenseless. He really hoped someone would have praised him for enduring this much.

Like usual, Mahiru quietly slept in relief, “This idiot.” Amane muttered, and closed his eyes.