I sat by the window, letting the night air cool my skin, still flushed from the bath. Though the night was deep, the stars were out in full force, casting enough of a glow to illuminate the world outside.
The indoor lights were dimmed, which made things a bit difficult to see, but it provided a perfect view of the starry sky.
Sieg-san was currently in the washroom. The whirring of a hair dryer-like magic tool reached my ears, suggesting she was still busy tending to her hair.
As I sat there gazing at the stars, her voice called out to me.
"How does the sky look tonight?"
"The stars are beautiful, though I can't see the moon from this angle."
"It might be higher up by now, given the hour."
"Oh... Sieg-san, are those pajamas new?"
As she took the seat opposite me, I noticed that her attire was different from what she had worn during our last overnight stay. Her previous pair had been a simple, functional design, but these were adorned with soft frills. They were, for lack of a better word, incredibly cute.
"Yes, I bought them recently. What do you think?"
"They suit you perfectly. It's a bit different from your usual style, but I think this kind of cute look really works for you."
"Thank you. Since they're so unlike my usual clothes, I felt like I was being quite adventurous... I'm glad you like them."
Sieg-san usually carried herself with a mature, composed air, but she looked wonderful in something so charming.
"We shouldn't let ourselves get too cold. Shall we get into bed?"
"Yes... let's."
While I enjoyed watching the stars, the heat from the bath had subsided, so we moved toward the bed.
Though the room was technically a twin, the beds were nearly double-sized, offering more than enough space for the two of us.
I climbed under the covers first, followed shortly by Sieg-san. We ended up lying face-to-face, and for a moment, I found myself at a loss for words.
Bathed in the pale glow of the bedside lighting magic tool, Sieg-san's face was flushed a deep crimson. She looked breathtakingly lovely.
"Being like this... it reminds me of our trip to Rigforresia."
"It does. We shared a bed back then, too. Come to think of it, the bed was about this size as well."
During that trip, Rei-san’s meddling had forced us into the same bed. We had already become lovers by the second night, but that didn't mean we were ready to dive into anything intimate. I remembered being so agonizingly nervous that sleep was impossible.
As the memory played in my mind, Sieg-san slipped closer to me. Her face was mere inches from mine, and as my heart began to race, she let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle.
"To tell you the truth... I was only pretending to sleep back then. I was far too nervous to actually close my eyes."
"Really? To be honest, I didn't get any sleep either."
"Hehe, then we were the same."
"I guess so."
I had genuinely believed she was asleep at the time. Since I make it a point not to use Sympathy Magic on her while she's resting, I hadn't realized she was wide awake.
"I’m just as nervous now as I was then, though."
"Well, I can't argue with that... but..."
"Ah... mm..."
Wearing a faint, nervous smile of my own, I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers. I embraced her gently, trying to soothe the tension in her rigid body as I savored the soft sensation of her lips.
After a long moment, I pulled back just enough to look at her before pulling her into a tighter embrace. Even though we were nearly the same height, she felt incredibly delicate in my arms.
"Sieg-san, I love you."
"Ah... K-Kaito-san..."
"Thinking back, you were the one who confessed to me, and it feels like you've always been the one to lead the way."
"Well, I am older than you..."
"If we're going by age, I actually have very few friends who are younger than me."
Off the top of my head, only Orchid and Cattleya-san came to mind. Amalie-san had been the same age as me, but she had technically pulled ahead while I was back in my old world. If anything, Sieg-san was on the younger side of my social circle.
"I suppose I just felt like... I wanted to be the one to lead, for once. It's hard to put into words, but that's how I feel."
"I see... Then... p-please, lead the way."
Her face was burning hot. I placed a hand against her cheek and kissed her again. I traced the seam of her lips with my tongue, a soft, tentative knock.
Her lips, which had been pressed tightly together, parted slightly to welcome me. As I deepened the kiss, I pulled her even closer, holding her more tightly than I ever had before.
Serious-senpai: "..."
???: "She really did melt, didn't she? What are we supposed to do about this? I wonder if she'll return to normal if I put her in a container and stick her in the freezer?"