“Hahaha… Kyle. Do you want to try this too?”
“… Sophia, isn’t it a bit early for dinner? Aren’t you rushing things?”
“Huh?”
Rushing? Running?
I only had a beer, so what on earth is she talking about?
She definitely hasn’t had a drink; is she tipsy just from the smell?
“Hahaha… I don’t know what it is, but you should give it a shot! It’s super delicious!”
“Sophia, that’s already your third drink.”
“Already?”
Is it because the beer is so good? Three drinks already!
With the festival mood, I might be feeling this way, or maybe the beer really is that tasty.
“Hehe…”
“Ha…”
“It’s a great day, so why not? We can spend time together with my temporary girlfriend!”
Isn’t Kyle and I having an amazing festival?
We’ve both got lovers, and it’s a holiday, so no work for us!
Feels like we’re having a blast.
I bet we’re having more fun than the Duke.
The Duke is probably working hard right about now, just like we did for years.
Maybe all week long?
“Haha… So nice not working!”
We were outside enjoying our beer.
It was a bit chilly, no, freezing, but maybe because I was feeling good, it wasn’t as cold as I thought!
Could it be because the beer warmed me up?
Anyway, watching the snow while drinking made it even better.
Everyone seemed to be having fun too, and the atmosphere was lively.
“Kyle, come on! You’re missing out! Everyone else is drinking; why are you holding back?”
“If Sophia drinks too much and passes out, I’ll have to carry her all the way to the castle.”
“Me? Pfft~ How could I fall asleep while drinking beer?”
That’s just nonsense.
Who falls asleep while drinking? I’m not dumb or an alcoholic; how could I do that!
I was just tasting the beer, and at this rate, I could easily drink about 50!
Well, since we’re having snacks too, who knows? I might be able to drink more!
“Kyle, can I order some more snacks inside?”
“Of course. Just put it on my tab.”
“Okay~”
I got up from my seat and went back inside.
It was super noisy inside, making my head spin, but I made my way to the counter.
I was in a great mood today!
“Hey, could I get four lamb skewers to go on the table outside?”
Snacks have to be meat.
No, everything has to be meat!
Meat is the best!
No, maybe the booze is the real winner?
Meat? Booze?
“… Oh, I’ll put it on Kyle’s name.”
I said that and dashed back outside.
I sat down next to Kyle again.
“Kyle, I’m cold.”
Cold. Super cold!
I was just inside for a bit, but coming back out felt freezing again!!!
“Give me a hug.”
With that, I snuggled up against Kyle, who was sitting next to me.
As expected, his body was warm.
Even warmer than when I was inside the store.
Isn’t this more like a human heater than just a hot pack!?
“Hehe…”
“…”
“Kyle~ It’s a day off tomorrow too, right~?”
“Yes, that’s right….”
“Then we can drink more!”
I’m definitely not tipsy yet, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Both of us are free, so that’s honestly the best.
If it were a working day for Kyle, he would need some rest and could only drink a little, but tonight he can stay out late.
A bit more drinking won’t hurt.
“Kyle~”
“Ugh… why all of a sudden?”
“Huh~? Just because I like it~”
“….”
It felt nice being so warm together.
After drinking, I felt all snug, but snuggling up to Kyle made it even cozier.
Something felt a bit warmer in my lower belly, but that must just be my imagination.
“Hehe…”
“Sophia, you seem a bit drunk.”
“No way! I’ve only had four drinks!”
“It’s already your sixth.”
“Oh, really?”
“Ha…” Did I drink that much…? Maybe the cups were small? I ended up gulping them down.
The beer glasses aren’t the size I expected. Anyway, no big deal!
“Kyle… am I a bother?”
“Suddenly asking that?”
“No, you’re just sighing a lot…” It feels like Kyle has been sighing a lot today.
Is he annoyed because of the booze…? I don’t think I’m acting that bothersome… If I am, I’m really sorry.
I was just enjoying myself while bothering Kyle.
How can I not feel guilty about that?
“Kyle, are you annoyed…? Why aren’t you answering…?”
“… Sophia.”
“Y-yes?”
I pulled away from Kyle’s embrace.
Maybe he was feeling bothered by my clinginess.
That makes sense, moving around would be inconvenient.
I bet if Kyle’s personality were different, he would’ve tossed me onto the floor by now.
“W-why…?”
I looked up at Kyle cautiously.
He was gazing at me with his trademark blue eyes.
Somehow, that made me feel a bit scared.
What if I did something wrong?
“Hmph… Hmph…”
“W-why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just because.”
“… Was I a bother?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then why are you sighing continuously…”
I couldn’t shake the feeling he was truly annoyed.
If I was just having fun while he found it completely boring, that made me feel really bad.
I felt terrible, honestly.
“Just because Sophia is cute. Maybe it’s the alcohol, but you’re being extra adorable today, and that’s all.”
“… Then why the sighing?”
I heard Kyle’s answer, but my curiosity wasn’t resolved.
There’s no reason to be sighing like that.
I was super worried, and if that’s really what it boiled down to, then there was no reason for him to sigh.
“What’s with the sighing though… Am I that pathetic?”
Even if someone thought I was pretty pitiful, I wouldn’t know what to say.
Because I really am a bit pitiful.
I was an idiot for waiting for Kyle while I had no idea how to respond, acting foolishly.
I truly feel like a reckless idiot.
All of a sudden, memories started popping into my head one by one.
“…”
“Sophia?”
Random flashes of memories.
Things I did out of the blue.
I don’t know why I acted that way.
Even though we’re just temporary lovers…
Still, I shouldn’t act so crazily with Kyle.
“Uwaaah…!!!”
Suddenly my actions were spinning in circles in my head.
I couldn’t recall everything clearly because I was a bit tipsy, but I felt like I was really messing things up.
I felt a sudden tightness in my chest.
Tight.
An uncomfortable tightness that was hard to articulate.
“U-uh… Kyle.”
“Are you okay? Do you feel sick…?”
“…”
Seeing him worry about me made me feel a bit calmer and oddly strange.
My heart raced, and my face felt hot.
I couldn’t look Kyle in the eye anymore.
“Kyle, let’s go back to the castle. I want to sleep.”
That’s right, all these sudden thoughts and feelings were just the booze talking and I was sleepy.
If I slept it off, I probably wouldn’t think about this anymore.
That’s what will happen, right?
“Okay. Can you get up?”
“… No.”
I was confused and couldn’t figure out what to do.
I didn’t know if my head was spinning or if my heart was jumbled; all I wanted was to escape this situation.
Kyle gently grabbed my side, not quite my armpit, and started to support me.
I felt his warm hand, but I couldn’t focus on that.
My head was full of strange thoughts.
*
“….”
I woke up early in the morning.
I remembered everything from yesterday.
Suddenly hugging Kyle and blurted out some awkward question, and I did something strange.
I didn’t even know why I did that.
What was clear… was that I definitely did something to feel sorry about with Kyle.
“….”
I glanced at Kyle sleeping next to me.
If someone looked at him, he seemed peaceful, but I could see a hint of worry and unease hidden in his expression.
“….”
Maybe it was because I drank too much yesterday that my head wasn’t working properly.
But now it was different.
My mind was racing too much.
“Ha…. Damn.”
I could clearly remember everything I had done.
Even though we were just temporary lovers, I casually accepted his touches, and I also did things.
Not just casual touching, I even showed him my body and invited him to the bathroom out of nowhere.
And just the other day… again…
“You crazy girl…”
-Ugh…
I weakly tugged at my hair in frustration.
Thinking about what I did made me feel embarrassed and crazy at the same time.
It wasn’t for nothing that Louise scolded me and got angry.
There’s a reason for everything.
And I just realized that now.
“….”
I feel like I’m losing it.
Even watching Kyle’s face made me want to go insane.
What have I been doing all this time?
I told Kyle we’d be temporary lovers, just giving it a try… thinking only of my own convenience.
“Ugh…”
The only good thing is that Kyle was sleeping in, unlike other times when he had to work and felt the need to get up.
If he weren’t sleeping peacefully right now, I would surely have to hide my confusion, feelings, and thoughts.
“Ha… I’m losing it.”
My head just wouldn’t function properly.
I don’t know what to do.
No, to be more precise, I don’t know how to treat Kyle.
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