Was it almost time to wake up?
I didn't want to leave this warmth, so I couldn't quite bring myself to open my eyes. As if to weaken my resolve further, a gentle sensation sliding over the top of my head seemed to be trying to lull me back into sleep.
Rustle, rustle...
"Hyan..."
Wait. I had only shifted my body slightly, but I was sure I heard Sara-san's voice. What was that? To confirm the source of this comfort, I moved once more.
Rustle, rustle...
"Ah... Ka-Kazunari-san, you're awake, aren't you?"
As my consciousness gradually returned, the situation came back to me. However, I didn't want to pull away from the soft, pleasant sensation pressing against my face. Acting on an impulse to be pampered, I snuggled closer and hugged her. She tightened her embrace slightly, as if accepting my display of affection.
"Fufu... Kazunari-san is quite the affection-seeker when he first wakes up. I'd like to stay like this a little longer, but... unfortunately, it's almost time to get up."
Despite her words, Sara-san made no move to let go. I doubted she actually had any intention of waking me up. Just as I thought she was pulling me into an even deeper embrace, it turned out her plan was different.
"Kazunari-san... Wa-ke-u-p."
A shiver ran down my spine.
"Fuwa!?"
Startled by the ticklish sensation of her breath and voice against my ear, I snapped awake. However, Sara-san held my head firmly against her, and I couldn't pull away.
"Good morning, Kazunari-san."
She whispered the greeting directly into my ear, sending another ticklish shiver through me.
"Fufu. Is something the matter?" she asked with a mischievous air.
She knew exactly what she was doing. Feeling a bit frustrated, I decided to lean into the indulgence and slowly rubbed my face against her. She felt incredibly soft.
"Au... Ka-Kazunari-san, mischief is not allowed... bad."
Looking flustered and embarrassed, Sara-san placed a finger against my forehead to create some distance. Wait... now that I was fully awake, I realized exactly where I had been nuzzling.
My face heated up. I hurriedly pulled back and looked at Sara-san. She was staring back at me, her face bright red.
Even after we finished breakfast and it was time to leave, Sara-san couldn't quite shake her lingering embarrassment. I might have overdone it, even if I was half-asleep.
When we arrived at our usual convenience store, Natsumi-senpai was already waiting for us. She greeted us with a scornful look.
"Good morning... Hey, do you have something to tell me—wait, what's wrong, Sara?"
Natsumi-senpai noticed Sara-san's flushed face and tilted her head curiously.
"N-No, it's nothing."
Sara-san was still clearly flustered, making the "it's nothing" excuse sound unconvincing. Natsumi-senpai seemed to reach a sudden conclusion and turned a scornful look toward me.
"Takanashi-kun... you did something, didn't you? Out with it."
"No, I didn't really..."
"T-That's right. Kazunari-san was just a little half-asleep."
Sara-san probably meant that as a defense, but it only confirmed that I had done something while drowsy.
"I see... Well, we're going to be late, so let's head out. We'll talk later, okay?"
It was obvious she planned to get the full story while I wasn't around. Given Sara-san's tendency to be bluntly honest, I was extremely anxious.
During breaks, Natsumi always comes to my seat. Lately, the other girls in class have started gathering around as well, making the area quite lively. This didn't used to happen, but I don't dislike it.
The current topic of conversation was about men.
"I'm telling you, no matter what they say, guys ultimately prefer girls with big breasts."
The girl who said this was upset because her boyfriend had been caught staring at another woman's chest during their date. It certainly sounds like a disrespectful story. Kazunari-san would never do such a thing, though.
"I read in a book that boys looking at breasts is an instinct. It happens even if they aren't conscious of it. Unless it's really obvious, maybe it's a bit pitiful to get angry at them?" another girl suggested.
If that were true, it would mean Kazunari-san is constantly defying his own instincts...
"I've heard that, too. Regardless of instinct, boys just like boobs."
I unintentionally recalled this morning. It was... a little embarrassing, but I didn't dislike it.
"What's wrong, Sara? You look like you want to ask something."
Natsumi turned the conversation toward me. Since I had the chance, I decided to ask.
"Um... do men really like women's breasts that much?"
I worked up the courage to ask, but my question seemed to catch everyone by surprise.
"T-To think Satsukawa-san would join in on this kind of talk..."
In the past, I certainly wouldn't have had any interest.
"It probably isn't all of them, but I think most boys are like that. Even you guys eavesdropping over there, right?"
I was surprised when Natsumi suddenly called out to the boys nearby. They looked embarrassed and mumbled things like, "A-Ah... probably," but for some reason, they were staring at me instead of Natsumi.
"Do not look this way. It is disgusting."
"S-Sara, that's a bit harsh..."
"Oh? Did I say that out loud?"
I had intended to keep that thought to myself, but it seems it slipped out. The boys looked quite depressed... not that it matters to me. More importantly, if men in general feel that way, then Kazunari-san is a man, too...
In that case, even if it is embarrassing, if it would make Kazunari-san happy, I could manage that much.
"Does Satsukawa-san care about what boys like, too?"
"I have no interest in boys in general. I only care about Kazu—"
"Stop, Sara! Don't go any further than that."
Natsumi interrupted me for some reason. I didn't think I was saying anything strange.
"Eeeh, Natsumi, that's way too suggestive! Don't tell me Satsukawa-san is actually..."
"No! Anything more than this is dangerous in too many ways!"
I didn't quite understand what Natsumi meant. Afterward, she told me that a "good woman" is someone who makes her man happy in silence rather than talking about it directly.
After school, I stopped by the flowerbed before heading to the Student Council Room. In the summer, watering during the day can burn the leaves or damage the roots, so I make sure to do it after school once the area is in the shade.
I’ve decided to handle this task by myself for a while. It’s hot, and there’s the risk of sunburn; for various reasons, I didn't want Sara-san doing it. She hesitated at first, but I insisted. Since she generally respects my opinions, she’ll usually set aside her own if I'm firm about something.
Still, it was incredibly hot. I was definitely right to keep Sara-san out of the sun. By the time I finished putting the tools away, I was drenched in sweat.
When I opened the door to the Student Council Room, the cool air from the air conditioner washed over me. I felt like I was returning to life.
"Good work."
"""Good work."""
"Takanashi-kun, good work."
The members greeted me as I walked in. Sara-san immediately pulled a towel from her bag and scurried over.
"Kazunari-san, good work. Let me get the sweat..."
"Thank you."
I reached for the towel, but she didn't hand it over. Instead, she pressed it against my forehead and began wiping the sweat away herself, covering every spot she could reach.
"How should I put it... her movements are so practiced..."
"They're as close as ever, aren't they?"
I did my best to ignore the commentary from the side.
"Kazunari-san, the shirt underneath must be soaked. You need to change."
With that, she pulled a clean shirt out of her bag.
""""" !? """""
Yes, it was definitely my shirt. Had she anticipated this? Everyone looked at the shirt emerging from Sara-san's bag with pure shock. I couldn't blame them.
"Let's go to that room so you can change."
"Wait, you're going too, Satsukawa-san!?" a voice cried out in surprise.
"Of course. I need to wipe his back before he puts on the clean shirt."
She looked back as if it were a mystery why anyone would even ask. The room fell silent. In the end, Sara-san stayed with me until I finished changing, making sure I was completely dry.
When we stepped back into the main room, Sara-san tucked the towel and my dirty shirt into her bag before producing a water bottle filled with barley tea. I sat down and took a deep breath as I drank. The others were still staring.
"...Satsukawa-san, why did you have Takanashi-kun's shirt in the first place?"
"Because I knew it would be necessary."
I knew what the girl was actually asking, but I chose to ignore it. Explaining the reality of our domestic life was far too difficult.
"And what are you going to do with the dirty shirt?"
"I'll be doing the laundry for it, of course."
"""""............"""""
The female officers were left speechless. The male officers started to glare at me with envy, but their expressions quickly turned to terror as Sara-san directed a wave of bloodthirst toward them.
Only the President remained a bystander, smirking as he waited for the perfect moment to call the meeting to order.