I slowly opened my eyes, the morning light streaming through the gap in the curtains feeling a bit too bright. I wondered what time it was; I felt like I’d been out for a while.
Though I’d initially taken the glow for the morning sun, it was quite possible that noon was already fast approaching.
I made a move to sit up, but my gaze immediately fell to my right. Alice was there, clinging to my arm as if she were hugging a stuffed toy, still deep in sleep.
Seeing Alice like this was a rare treat. While she’d mentioned that sleeping was a habit she’d kept since her days as a human, her naturally cautious and shrewd nature meant she almost never let her guard down enough to sleep in front of others.
Her defenseless state was a testament to the absolute trust she placed in me from the bottom of her heart.
I considered opening the curtains, but it seemed a pity to wake her. Should I stay like this a little longer? Just as the thought crossed my mind, the curtains were drawn back. I looked toward the window to see a familiar cat kigurumi give me a light wave before it vanished.
It seemed that while her Main Body was asleep, her Split Body was wide awake and keeping watch over the area. It was just like her—never truly leaving an opening.
"...Mmm... Kaito-san?"
"Oh, good morning."
"Mmm... Good... morning..."
The sudden brightness in the room seemed to have roused her. She spoke my name with her eyes still half-closed, her voice thick with drowsiness.
With a dreamy, sleep-addled gaze, she wrapped her arms around my back and snuggled up against me.
"It’s a little chilly... Please, stay close."
"Like this?"
"Yes... squeeze me tighter... Haaah, I’m so happy."
She was definitely still half-asleep. She clung to me, rubbing her cheek against mine in a cloying, pampered tone she would never have used normally. The way she acted was incredibly cute, reminiscent of an affectionate cat.
As I hugged her back and gently stroked her hair, a look of pure comfort settled over her. She gave a languid, melting smile and spoke again.
"Kaito-san, give me a kiss."
"Wait, you mean on the lips?"
"Yes... I want to be much more lovey-dovey with you, you know?"
I had a feeling she was so out of it that she thought she was in a dream. This was an incredible level of proactivity compared to her usual self, but it was likely her true feelings finally coming through once the barrier of her embarrassment was lowered by sleep.
Alice was usually a morning person. Even when I’d stayed at her place or during the Six Kings Festival, she hadn't been this dazed upon waking. But after mustering every shred of courage she possessed last night, she seemed to have reached a state of total mental exhaustion.
She was going to be mortified when she finally woke up properly, but I had no reason to turn her down. Seeing her act this cute only made my own desire to dote on her grow. I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers.
"Mmph... Kaito-san... I love you... muah... I love you so much."
She looked truly blissful as she repeatedly whispered her love between kisses. My own sense of happiness swelled to match hers.
Of course, this sleep-addled trance couldn't last forever.
"...Wait, this... it feels a bit too real for a dream..."
"...Well, it’s not a dream."
"Is that so? I had a feeling halfway through, but... this... isn’t a dream... is it?"
As the realization dawned on her, her face turned pale as if all the blood had drained away, only to be replaced a second later by a vivid, burning crimson.
"...K-K-K-Kill me, please. I’m going to die of shame..."
"Hey, calm down. It’s not like you were saying anything weird."
"N-No, b-b-b-but! All the things I usually keep locked away just came spilling out and—ah, anyway—mmph!?"
I silenced her frantic, panicking attempts to explain herself by leaning in and sealing her lips with mine. It was a forceful way to quiet her, but it proved effective. Though she was shocked at first, she eventually closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around my back.
Since I wanted to be lovey-dovey just as much as she did, I decided I would be affectionate enough to drown out her embarrassment entirely.
Machina: "Speaking of mornings, it’s time for Morning Coffee! I like mine with just a little sugar, but what about My Children? Thanks to Serious-senpai, we aren’t hurting for sugar, so maybe a Sweet Coffee with extra sugar would be nice for a change."
Serious-senpai: "...(This woman... she eats my sugar-transformed self with such casual indifference every single time... Does she have no hesitation whatsoever...)"