Arc-1 Ep-09
After taking a bath, I wait in Nozomi-chan's room for her to finish hers. Unfortunately, it seems we haven’t yet reached the stage in our relationship where we can bathe together.
Well, if I were to bathe with a beautiful girl like her, I honestly don’t know what would happen to me. In a manga, I’d probably spurt a nosebleed and collapse right there.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mikuri-chan.”
“Welcome back.”
After bathing, I stretch a little before sitting down on the couch, sipping mineral water to rehydrate. As I’m doing this, a knock comes at the door, and when it opens, Nozomi-chan appears in her pajamas.
“Phew…”
She walks over to the bed and begins stretching, just as I did earlier. Her usually fair skin, now flushed from the bath, carries a strange sort of allure. As my gaze lingers on her, she glances at me and speaks while stretching.
“Mikuri-chan, when you stare at me like that, it makes me a little embarrassed…”
“S-Sorry!”
This is bad. My gender identity is still that of a man, the same as in my previous life. Maybe the way I was looking at Nozomi-chan carried a hint of something suggestive. To brush it off, I bring up the beautiful girl we met for the first time today.
“…By the way, that Noriko-san? She was really stunning, wasn’t she?”
“Mmm… Itsuki Noriko—Noriko-san—is a distant relative, and it seems she’s also close friends with my older sister…”
“I see. She was on par with Takechi-san in terms of beauty, wasn’t she?”
“…From Nozomi's perspective, I think Mikuri-chan doesn’t lose out to them either.”
Honestly, I think so too. In the vast world of entertainment, I can’t think of anyone whose beauty clearly surpasses mine. Of course, there are probably a handful of people who could be considered equals. I’d love to meet such an extraordinary beauty, get to know her better, maybe even become close.
“She was talking about wanting Takechi-san’s autograph or something.”
“Hehe. Noriko-san is actually a huge fan of Takechi-san. She even goes to handshake events.”
“Wow, that’s kind of… unexpected, or maybe unusual.”
“…Now that you mention it, it wouldn’t be surprising if she became a fan of you, Mikuri-chan.”
“If someone that beautiful became my fan, I’d be pretty happy.”
We lock eyes and smile at each other. While stretching during our conversation, Nozomi-chan stands, moves to the fridge, and takes out a bottle of mineral water. Holding it, she sits down next to me on the couch. The sweet scent of her body soap drifts over and tickles my nose.
“But if we’re talking about fans, I feel like I’d end up becoming Nozomi-chan’s fan.”
“Hmm… I don’t know about that. I think Takechi-san would still be number one for me.”
Sitting side by side, we continue our lighthearted chat. I savor the joy of being next to a beautiful girl fresh from the bath, listening intently to her words.
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“—Mmm, yawn… It’s already this late?”
Nozomi-chan, mid-conversation, raises a hand to her mouth and lets out a cute yawn. I can’t help but feel thrilled that we’ve grown close enough for her to show me this unguarded side.
“When you’re having fun, time really flies, doesn’t it? Should we call it a night?”
“I’d love to keep talking, but staying up late is bad for your skin.”
“That’s serious. To protect Nozomi-chan’s beautiful skin, let’s get some sleep.”
“Hehe. Alright, shall we head to bed?”
I know she doesn’t mean it in that way, but being invited to bed by a beautiful girl makes my heart skip a beat. If only I’d been reborn as a man, like in my previous life, and invited like this…
“…That’s a pretty big bed.”
“I like to sleep comfortably and spread out.”
“In my room, this bed would probably take up all the space.”
Even with both of us lying down, the bed is so spacious that there’s still room to spare. When she sleeps alone, it must feel too big, since there are two large stuffed animals placed on it.
“Should I take the wall side?”
“Yeah, that works.”
I climb onto the luxurious bed and move toward the wall. Even if I need to get up for the bathroom, there’s enough space at the foot of the bed that I won’t disturb Nozomi-chan.
I rest my head on the pillow and lie on my back. The pleasant scent of Nozomi-chan, who always sleeps here, makes me wonder if I’ll be able to fall asleep at all.
“…What about the lights? I usually keep the nightlight on.”
“That’s fine. Do whatever you normally do.”
At home, it’d be one thing, but in an unfamiliar place, complete darkness might be a little unnerving. I might even end up stepping on her if I had to get up during the night.
“Thanks… I’ll turn it off now.”
Nozomi-chan picks up the remote from the bedside table and switches the room to the nightlight. In the dim glow, she climbs into the bed and lies on her back beside me.
“Phew… Goodnight, Mikuri-chan.”
“Goodnight, Nozomi-chan.”
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'I can’t sleep.'
It’s been about fifteen minutes since we got into bed. I’ve pulled the thin blanket up to my chest and closed my eyes, but I’m far too aware of Nozomi-chan lying next to me, and sleep just won’t come. Well, I knew this would happen.
Sharing a bed with a girl beautiful enough to be an idol? With my male heart, there’s no way I could stay calm. If I just reached out a little, I could touch her. But of course, I could never actually do that. I’m enduring this restless, agonizing moment when—
“…Are you awake?”
“Eek!? Y-Yeah, I’m still awake…”
Nozomi-chan suddenly speaks to me. Startled, I answer and glance at her. She’s rolled over to face me. Seeing that, I turn to my side to face her as well. In the soft glow of the nightlight, lying in the same bed and staring at a beautiful girl feels… strange.
“Do you have trouble sleeping when you’re not used to the pillow, Mikuri-chan?”
“…Maybe. If I’m going to be an idol, I’ll have to get used to it, though.”
“You’ll probably have more chances to travel to different places too.”
We face each other, whispering quietly. Then, an idea pops into my head.
“Nozomi-chan.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Can I hold your hand? It might help me fall asleep.”
“…Are you secretly a bit clingy, Mikuri-chan?”
She smiles softly and extends her hand toward me. I wrap both of my hands around hers, feeling her warmth and softness.
“…This feels like it might really help me sleep.”
“Well then, I’ll say goodnight for real this time.”
“Goodnight.”
Nozomi-chan gazes at me for a moment before closing her eyes. I watch her face a little longer before shutting mine. Her hand in mine feels incredibly smooth. If anything, I’m even less likely to sleep now, but I take a deep breath, filling my chest with Nozomi-chan’s sweet scent.