"...Erm, I am really sorry."
Once Chitose left, Mahiru suddenly apologized to Amane.
Amane had no idea why she had to apologize, and he widened his eyes towards her, who was next to hi. She wriggled and fidgeted, her eyebrows lowered.
"...About the prank."
"Prank?"
"...Chitose-san never did anything to you, Amane-kun...but I..."
"Eh? You did?"
Chitose did mention that she never did anything, and Mahiru said that Chitose never did anything. However, Mahiru never said that she never did anything.
Amane never thought about what Mahiru would have done to her, so he unwittingly absolved her from the possibility. It appeared she did though.
She might be feeling guilty when she decided to confess, and she looked a little restless.
"What did you do?"
"Erm, I poked your cheek..."
"...Is that even a prank?"
"A-and then I ruffled your hair while seeing you sleep, Amane-kun."
"You like to do that huh, Mahiru?"
"...Y-yes."
"Is that it?"
"...Yes."
Mahiru was looking downhearted, and clearly she was showing remorse, but Amane wanted to retort, saying that it was not really a prank.
What Mahiru did was mere skinship rather than a prank.
If that was a prank, then anything he did to her would have been pranks, and he would be troubled by that.
"Look, I'm not angry. If that makes you happy, that's fine. I just got careless sleeping in front of others."
"Th-thank you..."
"I think it isn't fun to see the sleeping face of someone like me though..."
"...I-it is cute."
Mahiru was showing such a face after a boy touched her, and Amane was worried by how lax she was. However, he found it awkward once he thought of how she would never let a boy touch her in the first place.
Once he realized he had some preferential treatment, he had the urge to slam his head into the back of the sofa.
He reached his hand for her chin, trying to suppress his uneasiness and impulse. This time, he tickled her chin as though she was a kitten, and she let out a little shriek.
"...Wh-what is it?"
"Just some practice for the cat cafe."
"What are you thinking, using a human as practice..."
"You're like a cat, Mahiru. Well, like a dog and a rabbit too."
"What do you mean..."
"That's what I mean."
It was recently that Amane realized that Mahiru had elements of all three animals.
When they first met, she was a very wary cat, but once their relationship improved, she would approach him like a dog meeting humans. To those she was familiar with, she would smile and follow.
She was like a rabbit, for Amane felt that rabbits appeared terrified of being alone. Thus, he added that.
*Well, you want to be doted. *Amane stroked her chin before she got sick of it. "The head feels better though." Mahiru muttered, so he patted her hear anyway.
He felt she was like a dog in this sense, but he did not say it.
"...If I am a cat, dog or rabbit...you are a wolf, Amane-kun."
"Do I look the kind to attack females?"
"No, I do not mean that. Wolves are said to care for their companions, those of their pack. Wolf packs are formed through families, so it might be a little different in this sense, but you really do treasure those you can open your heart to, Amane-kun."
"...It might be as you say."
Amane's social circle was really small, and one could use both hands to count the people he was on friendly terms with.
"E-erm...I wish that is the case."
"Wish for what?"
"...No, it is nothing. Your hair is fluffy like a wolf."
"...That's not unique to a wolf though."
It appeared Mahiru had more to say, but she did not. She ruffled Amane's hair, and Amane let her be without asking any further.
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