After finally sending off Ishigami, the house fell silent. The peaceful chirping of birds outside the window became distinctly audible.
This time, with no further interruptions in sight, Kanade headed straight to the bedroom to call out the angelic guest who had been hiding for so long.
He gently pushed open the door, only to find the room quiet, with no immediate sign of Mahiru.
At first, he thought she might have hidden in a corner out of fear someone might discover her. However, after scanning the room, his eyes landed on her lying peacefully on his bed, her eyes closed, seemingly fast asleep.
It was obvious she wasn't pretending. Her posture suggested she had shifted during sleep, leaving slight indentations on the bedding. Her soft hair spread across the pillow like a flowing river, and her small, curled-up frame looked even more endearing in this vulnerable state.
Listening to the faint "huu… huu…" of her gentle breathing, Kanade instinctively softened his movements. Quietly, he approached the bedside, crouching down slightly to observe her sleeping face.
Mahiru was always cute, but there was something about her serene, innocent expression in slumber that amplified her charm tenfold. Perhaps because she often maintained a composed demeanor at school, seeing her relaxed at home always filled Kanade with a profound sense of satisfaction. The contrast made it feel like this softer, sweeter side of her was a secret privilege only he could witness.
And now, he had unlocked a new "CG" in his personal gallery—Mahiru, peacefully asleep on his bed. At this moment, she seemed less like a beautiful girl and more like an utterly adorable little creature.
The thought made Kanade itch to reach out. He wanted to gently stroke her silky hair and maybe—just maybe—poke her soft cheek.
So he did.
The smoothness of her cheek felt just as soft as he remembered, yielding slightly under the pressure of his fingertip before bouncing back into shape. It was irresistibly addictive.
Kanade couldn't help himself and lightly pressed her cheek again, his fingers relishing the tender sensation.
"She's way too cute…" he murmured under his breath.
The sensation was so pleasant that his original plan of stopping after one touch quickly crumbled. Before he realized it, he was lightly brushing her cheek as if petting a kitten.
Even though he was careful to be as gentle as possible, his actions caused the sleeping Mahiru to stir. She let out a faint "Nn…" that was both hoarse and sweet, a sound that tugged at his heart.
Before Kanade could retract his hand, her caramel-colored eyes began to flutter open.
Initially unfocused and drowsy, her gaze landed on Kanade's "mischievous" act. Her expression was loose and hazy, with a childlike hint of grogginess lingering on her face.
Kanade froze for a moment, unsure of what to do. Thinking quickly, he began to withdraw his hand, hoping she wouldn't fully register what had just happened.
However, before he could escape, Mahiru tilted her head slightly, her expression confused. Then, as if reaching a conclusion, her brows softened, and she closed her eyes again.
Kanade thought this might be his chance to retreat, but instead, Mahiru surprised him. She leaned her face into his hand, rubbing against his fingers while letting out a soft, kitten-like "Mmm…"
Kanade's eyes widened in disbelief.
But there was no mistaking it—Mahiru was actively pressing into his hand, as though silently pleading, Don't leave.
Kanade's mind reeled. Is she…? No, there was no need to guess—he knew the answer.
Mahiru was clearly still caught in a dreamlike daze. She would never act this way when fully awake. This was akin to a normally aloof and proud cat suddenly curling up and purring for affection. Her current state could only be described as "adorably sleepy."
And Kanade? He wasn't sleepy at all. He was fully aware of what he was doing—and how "wrong" it was. He knew full well that once Mahiru fully woke up, she would likely scold him for teasing her while she was vulnerable.
Should he stop now?
No. Of course not! There was no way he could stop now.
His heart and instincts were united: he had to continue cherishing this rare, soft moment. He gently indulged her, stroking her hair and cheek, marveling at her warmth and sweetness.
"Mm… Mm…"
Kanade lost track of how long this moment lasted. His entire focus was on appreciating Mahiru's incredible cuteness.
Eventually, though, Mahiru's eyes fluttered open once more.
"...Huh?" she murmured, her voice soft and melodic.
Their gazes locked for a brief moment before Mahiru's eyes shifted downward, noticing his hand still resting against her cheek. Her entire body froze in place.
"!"
A split second later, she pulled back abruptly, sitting up straight with a start.
"G-Good morning!" she stammered, her cheeks a deep shade of red.
"Good morning… Actually, shouldn't it be 'Good evening' by now?" Kanade corrected her with a mix of amusement and regret. Despite her flushed face, her reaction was far calmer than he had expected.
"Ugh…" Mahiru averted her gaze, her cheeks still tinged with embarrassment. Kanade suspected her confusion from just waking up might have contributed to her awkward response.
"…"
Mahiru seemed uneasy, occasionally glancing at him and then at his hand, which he hadn't fully retracted. Her expression wavered between a subtle pout and something harder to decipher.
"What's wrong?" Kanade asked, feigning innocence as though he hadn't been caught red-handed.
"…Do you really enjoy touching my face that much?" Mahiru asked quietly, pulling the blanket up to cover part of her face.
"Huh?"
"Because… you've done it before. And now you're doing it again…" Mahiru's caramel eyes flickered as she spoke, recalling the earlier scene in her mind.
When Mahiru had first woken up to find Kanade gently stroking her face, she had thought she was still dreaming. The warmth and comfort had lulled her into compliance, and she had even begun to enjoy the sensation. But now, fully awake, her mind was a whirlwind of embarrassment. Yet, unwilling to admit her fault in the matter, she instinctively sought to shift the blame onto him.
"Ah… maybe… I do like it," Kanade admitted hesitantly, feeling a little awkward. Being called out so directly by the person involved left him less confident than before.
"I knew it… Kanade, you're such a dummy."
"Huh?" Kanade blinked in surprise. Mahiru rarely "insulted" him like this, and yet… why did it sound oddly satisfying?
Hearing "dummy" from her lips felt less like an insult and more like playful teasing. It even carried a faintly affectionate undertone. Emboldened by her reaction, Kanade's mischievous streak resurfaced.
"Sure, I admit I did something wrong, but isn't this partly your fault too?"
"...What?"
"Well, who told you to be so cute and completely defenseless? Of course, I couldn't help myself." Kanade coughed lightly, realizing his explanation sounded incredibly shameless. Blaming her for his actions? Truly despicable behavior. He had only intended to tease her a little, but now he worried he might have gone too far.
"Besides, I was going to pull back, but then you grabbed my hand and wouldn't let me go."
"Wha— That's not true!" Mahiru protested, her tone pitiful and vulnerable, a mix of indignation and embarrassment. Her puffed cheeks and slightly wrinkled nose only made her look even more adorable.
Kanade couldn't help but notice that despite her flustered appearance, she didn't seem genuinely angry. In fact, she seemed far too kindhearted to truly hold this against him. Even if she realized she had been "tricked," her "punishment" would probably be limited to a soft glare, which she would consider more than sufficient retribution.
"But Kanade," Mahiru countered, her lips pouting slightly, "you still bear some responsibility for this, don't you? I mean, you're the one who actually went through with it."
"Hmm?" Kanade tilted his head curiously.
"I mean… I thought you wouldn't do something like that," Mahiru said, her voice growing quieter as she continued, "so I pretended to be asleep… just to make sure."
"...Is that so?" Kanade's expression grew complicated.
From his perspective, Mahiru's reasoning was laughably adorable. She claimed to have trusted him, yet also said she was testing him. But the truth was obvious—she hadn't been pretending to sleep; she had genuinely been fast asleep. Now, she was spinning her little fib to make herself sound clever.
Goodness, how could she be this cute?
Kanade was touched by her trust, but he also felt it was necessary to "teach" her a lesson. He couldn't have her showing this vulnerable side to anyone else, even by accident. It was important to emphasize that this kind of behavior should be reserved exclusively for him—even if he never had the chance to experience it again himself.
"I appreciate the trust, Mahiru," Kanade said, nodding seriously, "but you know… I'm still a guy. With such a cute girl sleeping in my bed—my bed, no less—it'd be impossible to not do something. I mean, I'm only human."
"I… I understand that much!" Mahiru retorted, lightly patting the blanket in mock protest.
"Oh?" Kanade raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. "Then… does that mean you actually wanted me to do something?"
"What?! Of course not!" Mahiru's face turned bright red as she vehemently denied it, her voice filled with flustered indignation.
Kanade chuckled softly, thoroughly enjoying her reaction. Watching her cheeks flush and her expression shift between embarrassment and frustration was endlessly entertaining.
But when Mahiru noticed his laughter, she misunderstood, thinking he was mocking her. With a soft groan, she shot him a mild glare that failed to intimidate him. Feeling even more embarrassed, she let out a quiet whimper before pulling the blanket over her head and diving under the covers like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.
From beneath the blanket, muffled grumbles and incoherent muttering could be heard.
"Uh…" Kanade scratched the back of his head, unsure whether to laugh or apologize. He bit back the urge to comment, Isn't this my bed? After all, it was his teasing that had driven her to hide in the first place.
If he went any further, there was a real chance she'd refuse to speak to him for days—something he couldn't afford, considering his dependence on her for meals.
For the sake of preserving their relationship, Kanade decided it was best to let her cool down.
However, just as he resolved to give her some space, his stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble.
"Grroooowl~"
Kanade instinctively clutched his abdomen, silently praying she hadn't heard it.
Unfortunately for him, the sounds from under the blanket ceased immediately. Moments later, Mahiru poked her head out, her caramel eyes staring directly at him.
"..."
"Uh…" Kanade froze, caught in her gaze.
Then, unexpectedly, Mahiru burst into laughter, her melodious giggles filling the room.
"You're hopeless," she said with a smile, her earlier embarrassment giving way to fond amusement.
"..."
Kanade's cheeks flushed faintly as he scratched his head, muttering under his breath, "Guess I can't argue with that…"