I had imagined a cozy pajama party with Hina, but it didn’t take long for me to realize one glaring oversight.
“…Come to think of it, I didn’t bring any pajamas.”
The only things I brought were a swimsuit and a T-party uniform; aside from that, I had a portable hairdryer, some shampoo, a few miscellaneous cosmetics, and a towel. There was no way I had the luxury to pack something like pajamas when I hadn’t even stopped by Trinity.
At least I could easily buy underwear or sanitary pads at a convenience store, and I could always borrow a spare toothbrush from Hina.
But pajamas, which I needed to change into at least two or three times during the week I was staying at Gehenna, weren’t sold at convenience stores, and I couldn’t borrow Hina’s because of the size. After the chaos of wearing that SRT uniform a couple of days ago, it was quite a pickle.
“…Then should I lend you one of mine?”
“Oh, is that okay?”
The one to propose such a clear solution was Aco. Saying to wait just a moment, Aco quickly went somewhere and returned, handing me a set of pajamas. It was a soft silk negligee. Aco is slightly taller than me, but it wasn’t a big deal.
“I hope you wear it carefully, since I’ve never worn it before! At least being from Trinity is a relief, so I don’t have to worry too much.”
“Haha, thanks Aco-chan. Hmm, but it feels a little awkward to receive it bare-handed… How about we plan a shopping trip together with Hina-chan later?”
“Does that mean I can take that as you offering to be my sponsor…?”
Aco tentatively asked. Even if I was to ask for something from high-end brands, it wouldn’t be a big burden on my bank account, so there was no real need to be this careful.
“Of course! What else would I have in return for being in Trinity besides money? I could buy you a few outfits at least.”
“…Alright then. I’ll definitely find time for it this weekend. Actually, I think having a friend or two from Trinity might not be such a bad idea.”
“Wait. Aco, I haven’t agreed yet?”
“Eh? Are you saying you won’t join, especially not when it’s Misono Mika who suggested shopping?”
“…No, that’s not what I mean.”
Seeing Aco directly argue against Hina’s words was quite rare. Of course, what she was really interested in was getting Hina into the clothes she wanted, but in fact, I felt the same way.
Exchanging glances with Aco, we nodded towards each other, unnoticed by Hina. That was the moment we united as one to take Hina as our daily model, crossing the walls of the academy.
*
My first impression upon seeing the inside of Hina’s house was… lonely.
For people like Nana or Hina, who were always busy without any holidays, home was just a place to wash, sleep, and stay until it was time to go out again. Even that might be more for me than for Hina, as her house felt devoid of warmth.
That much was true for Hina’s room, but it didn’t even look like a typical high school girl’s room. Even without comparing it to mine, it was still the case.
…Honestly, compared to my room, most students wouldn’t even dare to show their face.
“Sorry. It’s not that nice, is it?”
“Sometimes I feel like Hina-chan has low self-esteem by the way she organizes everything so neatly.”
“…Me?”
“Yeah, that’s how I see it. Just looking at how there’s not a single thing out of place shows that despite her busy life, Hina-chan makes sure to keep her room tidy. I won’t deny the empty feeling, but for me, it just means that Hina-chan lives so earnestly that there’s barely a moment to breathe.”
People who lack peace of mind often struggle to pay attention to trivial things around them, and in that sense, it’s hard to say Hina has a lot of room to breathe.
“Mika. I feel like your mouth is the problem. If you keep saying stuff like that to others, one day something huge might happen… but somehow I don’t think it’ll be an issue.”
“Whoa—oh… But Hina-chan isn’t just anybody, right?”
“It wasn’t the case then either… no, forget it. Since Nagisa was already given up on, it wouldn’t make a difference if I said something.”
“Hahaha…”
“I didn’t mean for you to laugh.”
Even as Hina glared at me, it was obvious she was putting on a front, and it was regrettable that it didn’t quite come off convincingly.
“You know, Hina-chan, for some reason, you seem a little cold today☆ Were you perhaps nervous about sleeping together?”
“…Ugh. It’s loud so go wash up first. If we keep this up so late, we wouldn’t get any sleep.”
“Hahaha, you’re cute☆”
None of us brought up the option of “washing together,” as neither was prepared for that. This situation, due to our status as lovers, made it even more delicate than just being regular friends.
After showering faster than I ever had since coming into this body, I put on the panties I bought from the convenience store and slipped into the negligee Aco lent me. The silk felt luxurious, and the softness reminded me that it was definitely new.
I pulled out a new toothbrush that Hina had shown me, squeezed some toothpaste, and stepped out.
“Hina-chan, I’m all done washing!”
There was no immediate reply, but as I brushed my teeth at the kitchen sink, I heard the bathroom door click shut shortly after.
The sound of the water started bringing about a peculiar feeling. I took a sip of water and thought about the word “lover,” which made me conscious of the faint sound of the shower coming from Hina’s bathroom right until I returned to her room to dry my hair. No matter how much I pondered, I couldn’t come up with an answer to what it meant.
After drying my hair, I looked around the empty space of Hina’s room. If she just put up a few frames… or simply hung a line on the wall with photos, it might really liven up the atmosphere.
If I placed photos taken with Nana or Aco, Hina would undoubtedly appreciate it. Or perhaps a picture with Himuro from Gehenna’s emergency medical department? If my memory serves, the two of them seemed to have a good rapport.
After a while, the sound of water stopped. When I checked the time, surprisingly it was just past 1:30. At this rate… by the time Hina finishes drying her hair and lays down on the bed, it’ll be nearly 2 o’clock.
I wasn’t sure how early Hina’s day starts, but from my perspective, she wouldn’t be getting even five hours of sleep. At least here, I could take solace in knowing she could afford to sleep in a little.
I stood up lightly and headed to the bathroom. Gently knocking on the door, I called out to Hina.
“…Mika? If it’s an emergency, I’ll be out quickly.”
“No, no, that’s not it. Just put on some clothes and come out; I’ll dry your hair for you.”
“That would be too rude…”
“Come on, it’ll be faster if I do it myself, trust me. If you want to sleep even a little earlier, just let me handle it☆”
“Alright, I guess I’ll take your word for it this one time.”
It didn’t have to be just once, though. Personally, I wished Hina would let herself indulge just a bit more… maybe a 0.5 level of Hiyori?
After a moment of silence, the door opened. And then Hina appeared, dressed in her bathrobe with a towel wrapped around her head…
“Why does your face look like that…?!”
“So cute…”
The expression of her angelic face was far beyond the level I had grown accustomed to since coming to Kivotos. Without even realizing it, I found myself wrapping her in a hug and expressing my excitement.
“Hina-chan, should we date?”
“…Aren’t we already dating?”
“I don’t know about that. Just give me a quick answer.”
“Stop being silly and don’t you have to dry my hair?”
“Oh, right!”
I wanted to keep doing this, but it was getting quite late. Since Hina wasn’t taking the day off tomorrow, I had to rein in the jokes a bit.
I moved to sit in front of Hina and took my time drying her hair, suddenly becoming aware of how we both smelled alike. Being someone with little romantic experience, I couldn’t help but find meaning in every little thing.
“Um, Mika. Can you just look the other way for a moment? Just for a second.”
After I finished drying her hair, Hina said that as she reached into her closet to take out her underwear and pajamas. It seemed like Hina was just as aware of how she presented herself.
Rustle. Rustle.
“It’s okay to look over now…”
Hina who had shuffled closer, shyly spoke and tugged on my shirt. It was clear without a doubt that she wanted me to look at her, asking for my opinion on what she had changed into.
The first thing that caught my eye was a familiar polka dot pajama. It was an iconic outfit she had worn, revealing her unexpectedly soft side behind the tough image of the student council president.
Yet, I could see more of an expression of anticipation than anxiety on Hina’s face. Having heard my thoughts about her several times before, it seemed like her doubts were starting to fade away.
“You look so lovely. I just want to hug you tight and never let you go, is that okay?”
“Mika, as sweet as that sounds, it’s hard to promise forever like that.”
“Haha, but you’re just too adorable! It’s Hina-chan’s fault for being this cute.”
“Hehe… I’m happy to hear you say that.”
The silence fell upon us as we prepared for sleep, settling on the bed side by side. All of the previously postponed tension surged at once, leaving us both at a loss.
“Haha, what should we do, Hina-chan? My heart is pounding so much it feels like it’s going to explode! Can you feel it?”
Turning towards Hina, I held her hand and placed it on my heart. Hina looked back up at me with wide eyes, clearly startled.
“Wow…”
Hina mumbled as she gazed down, her small hand moving around softly against my heart, creating strange sensations.
“This is bad… I can’t keep going on like this…”
“…”
“Um, goodnight, Hina-chan…?”
“…Good night, Mika.”
As Hina quickly retracted her hand, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of cuteness wash over me.
More than that, I realized that for my wings, lying on my side would be more comfortable. But choosing to face Hina instead of turning away wasn’t the right choice now.
So, I faced Hina while tightly closing my eyes. Then, realizing that it would be impossible to sleep like this, I opened my eyes slightly to find Hina was also looking at me.
I felt relieved that I hadn’t turned away; however, I couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed for being so nervous.
Truth be told, given my age, I should be the one in charge here, and I had to show some semblance of maturity.
“Sweet dreams, Hina-chan☆”
I thought about adding for her to dream of me too, but it felt a bit too forward, so I swallowed that back. Instead, I gently tucked Hina’s hair behind her ear and brushed a light kiss on her forehead.
“Ugh, Mika…”
As I said everything on my mind, I started to drift off to sleep. What kind of dream would be better than this moment? It was a difficult question.
*
My heart kept pounding, filling my mind with a haze. All this was a result of Mika unilaterally taking my hand, igniting this whole affair. Even before that, my heart had been racing, but after that brief contact, my heart was racing with the same speed and intensity as Mika’s.
It would have been one thing if it stopped there, but to leave a kiss on my forehead while saying goodnight? It was no wonder my mind was so clear even now, long after the moment. It was an environment where sleep was utterly impossible.
Definitely, while working, having Mika beside me improved my focus. But during a time meant for sleep, her presence was entirely counterproductive.
Though it felt awkward to take back something once said, strangely, I didn’t entirely dislike this time spent together. Ultimately, Mika was the cause of it all, but she was just too adorable to resent.
After a moment of hesitation, I reached out. How unfair it was that I couldn’t sleep while Mika, who had created this sleepless night, had already fallen into dreamland.
I lightly caressed Mika’s cheek, who was peacefully sleeping beside me.
The phrase “angelic face” existed for a reason. Only someone who had personally witnessed the face of a slumbering angel up close could truly understand its meaning.
“…How unfair, Mika.”
You toyed with my heart and then just fell asleep so easily. Though deep down, I couldn’t help but think that while I was conscious of her, she didn’t seem to think about me all that much.
…Even though the pulse I felt during our earlier connection directly contradicted that thought, I decided to shamelessly ignore it.
On my end, I looked like a kid despite my age, so I knew that Mika’s affection for me wasn’t based on my physical appearance but my inner self—though with Nagisa, I couldn’t know for sure, at least I was certain that there was no lust involved in her regard for me.
I felt a twinge of jealousy. Why did my body show no signs of growth whatsoever?
Moving my fingers from Mika’s cheek, I became captivated by her soft lips.
“…”
Gulp.
My gaze traveled upward over Mika’s head and then back down, grateful for the absence of her halo that proved she was still fast asleep.
Slowly, I leaned my face closer to hers.
Peck.
Once. Unlike my hurried breath, Mika’s breathing remained annoyingly steady.
Peck. Peck.
Twice. Three times. I hoped that perhaps, in this situation, Mika might wake up and understand my eagerness, leaning in a bit longer for the next kiss.
Yet even after seven kisses, Mika showed no sign of waking.
“Heueng…”
As I was about to get a bit greedier, Mika hummed, prompting me to check on her once more.
“…?!”
Mika’s arms wrapped around me. Being pulled into her embrace made me feel a rush of embarrassment for a fleeting moment.
Mika’s scent mixed with the body wash filled the air, strangely calming my heart.
My heartbeat should have raced even more in this situation, and yet…
My eyes began to slowly close. Bravely, I managed to pull the pillow from under my head to rest it below us.
I thought about pushing my luck a bit more tomorrow—a thrilling feeling of sin washed over me simply imagining it.
“Honestly, I really like you a lot, Mika.”
…For the week I had been given, I decided to take a little more than I should, and I planned to do it in secret, away from her gaze.
