Volume 1 - CH 52

We both went into my room.

The room was furnished with a bed and a futon in one room. An environment in which both of us can sleep is prepared.

“Well, let’s go to bed. And no jogging tomorrow morning.”

Himekawa quickly slipped into the futon she had brought and prepared to go to bed.

I watched Himekawa’s actions with a stunned look on my face.

At any rate, I sit down on my own bed and call out to Himekawa, who is lying down next to me.

“Hey, I’m fine on my own, and I’ll call you if anything happens, so why don’t we sleep separately?”

“We have separate futons, you know?　Besides, what if something happens and I can’t call you?”

Himekawa, half tucked under the covers, looked at me and replied in a rather strong tone.

She is very pushy. I don’t think she’s going to give up easily.

“In the first place, sleeping in the same room is not a good idea, is it?”

“No, it’s not like that. We have been under the same roof for a long time. No problem.”

“No, that’s true, but you know what? I’m a man, too.”

“That’s right. Tendo-kun, you are a man. So what?　You are still an injured man. Because of me, Tendo kun is injured.”

She speaks with her shoulders slumped a little. Hmmm, even if I tell her this much, she still won’t fold.

I wonder if Himekawa feels responsible for my injury.

“It can’t be helped. It’s just for today.”

“Yes, just for today.”

Himekawa’s mouth is a little bit smiling. The most important thing to remember is that you should not be afraid to ask for help.

“Okay, I’ll turn off the light. Good night.”

“Good night.”

The lights in the room were off, and the ceiling was lit only by a nightlight.

I snuggled under the covers and concentrated on sleeping, trying not to think about anything as much as possible.

How much time had passed?

A while after I turned off the light, I heard her breathing in her sleep from next door.

Himekawa was sleeping as if nothing was wrong next to me who was struggling to sleep.

In the room with a dimly lit nightlight, I slowly turned over so as not to make as much noise as possible and shifted my eyes toward Himekawa.

There, with her eyes closed and illuminated by the nightlight, lies Himekawa.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen a girl sleeping.

With a little bit of nervousness, I stared at her sleeping face for a while.

—

I can’t sleep… I’m not sure I can sleep at all.

I look at the time displayed on my phone and the date has already changed.

I can still hear the cute sleeping breaths from next door.

Himekawa must have been telling the truth when she said she was a good sleeper.

I got up from the bed so as not to make any noise and slowly got off the bed.

I picked up the parka that was hanging on the chair and went out to the porch through the window of my room.

It is a little chilly outside. I look at the sky and see the moon.

The area around me is residential, so it is much quieter than in the daytime.

I sit alone in the night breeze, looking at the sky.

Thinking about it, I’m in the same room with a girl.

There is no way I can sleep normally. No matter how hard I try to sleep, my brain is still awake.

A little breeze would cool my head and I would be able to sleep.

While I was staring at the sky in a daze, I heard the window behind me open.

“Can’t sleep?”

Himekawa, wearing pajamas, was standing there.

“Hm? Yeah, I just can’t sleep for some reason.”

Himekawa sat down next to me and brought her face close to mine.

It is very close. So close that our noses were almost touching.

“Is it possible that you have pain somewhere and can’t sleep?”

“Oh, I don’t have that much pain. Don’t worry. Can’t you sleep either, Himekawa?”

“I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t. I kept closing my eyes and trying to sleep, but I couldn’t seem to…”

Was that sleep different? Himekawa couldn’t sleep either, for whatever reason.

“I just couldn’t sleep either. I’ve never slept in the same room with a girl before.”

“Me neither. I’ve never slept in the same room with a boy. It’s the first time for both of us.”

Time passed in silence for a while.

The reflection of the moonlight on Himekawa’s profile is fantastic, and her long hair is swept away by the occasional breeze.

Her hair touches my cheek and I feel a slight tickle.

Himekawa’s shoulders are shaking a little and she is fidgeting.

Is she cold? She’s still in her pajamas, and the night wind is a little chilly.

“Here, let me lend you this.”

I take off the parka I was wearing and offer it to Himekawa.

“It’s all right. Tendo-kun, you’ll get cold, won’t you?”

“Men are made to be strong. Just put it on. If you catch a cold, I’ll be in trouble.”

I forced Himekawa to put the parka on her shoulders.

This will keep the cold at least a little bit at bay.

Himekawa ruffles through the sleeves of the hoodie he was forced to put on.

As expected, it is oversized. Only four fingers are sticking out of the sleeves.

Even her wrists are completely tucked into the sleeves.

“It’s big.”

“Isn’t that normal? All men’s clothes are like this.”

“Yes, they are. But it’s warm. Thank you.”

“Don’t be shy, okay? Not now, not ever.”

“Yes, I do. I will not hesitate to do so.”

Himekawa answers with a smile. I took off my hoodie and was a little cold, but nothing serious.

I originally went outside to cool off my head. It would be more convenient to lose at least one jacket.