“Haa…. haa….”
Lying on the floor, I was catching my breath when my lips started tingling.
“…Where’s my lip balm?”
I was about to take it out of my pocket and apply it to my lips when…
“Hold on.”
Lily snatched the lip balm from my hand.
“Lily?”
“Just wait.”
After opening the cap, Lily applied the lip balm to her own lips…and she even put on quite a lot, pressing hard.
“…Could she possibly…”
Then Lily leaned in towards me with her glossy lips.
“Lip balm?”
“Didn’t you want to apply lip balm?”
Well, yes, but this way?
“Moisturizing dry lips with a kiss…”
“Do you mind?”
“…”
There’s no way.
Without saying a word, I pulled her neck closer and kissed her.
Her lips, damp with lip balm, smacked against mine.
Chuock.
With a sticky sound, we pulled apart.
“Hehe, it’s all smeared.”
Lily wiped the excess lip balm from the corners of my mouth with her finger.
“Lily, doesn’t your lips hurt?”
“Me? This doesn’t hurt me.”
…Of course, outsiders just have stronger bodies.
“…If I were an outsider too, could I make out with Lily all day?”
While having such meaningless thoughts, Lily tilted my head up a little.
Soon something soft and warm slipped under my head.
Firm, yet soft, and warm.
‘Th…this is…!’
A knee pillow!!
The soft sensation I felt on the back of my head made my heart race.
“Ri, Lily, this…”
Trying to look up, but…
“Why is it so dark?”
A shadow fell over half my field of vision.
“…?!”
I closed my eyes tightly as I realized what the shadow was.
Trying to calm my racing heart, when…
Sleek.
Lily’s warm hand rested on my head.
“Are you tired? Rest a bit.”
“Eh? Not particularly…”
But it’s true that lying on this cushioned spot and receiving her warm caress was making my body feel heavy.
My stomach was full from Lily’s amazing lunch box, and sleepiness was coming over me.
“…Sorry, Arthur. Am I tiring you out too much?”
My eyes snapped open.
“No! Not at all, never!”
“Phuhh….I’m glad you said that.”
I meant it.
It would be a lie to say Lily’s allure didn’t put any pressure on me at all, but the joy outweighed that pressure.
Precisely because it meant Lily wanted me this much.
I wanted to talk to Lily while looking at her face, but the hand on my head prevented any movement, and the shadow… blocked my view.
But beyond that shadow, Lily peeked out.
“Can I rest like this?”
“No, I’m fine-”
Trying to refuse.
“-Haaam…”
Ah…
Guess I was tired after all.
Without any pretext, a yawn just came out.
“There’s no need to force yourself. If you’re tired, just sleep.”
“But then what about Lily…”
If I fall asleep, Lily will be left alone, right?
“Don’t worry about me. I enjoy just looking at your sleeping face.”
She continued, her soft touch covering my head again.
Then Lily started humming a tune.
The linear flow of notes pressed down on my eyelids.
Through my blurry vision, I saw Lily.
When I reached out my hand, Lily took it and pressed it against her cheek.
The soft, warm sensation of her cheek completely lulled me to sleep.
‘Zzz…’
After about an hour of humming to put Arthur to sleep, the tune abruptly stopped.
Lily looked down at the contract holder sleeping on her thighs.
In sleep, he looked like an angel.
Lily slowly lowered the hand he had raised and placed it on his navel, continuing to stroke his hair until he was fully asleep.
Squeak, squeak.
His chest rose and fell rhythmically.
Placing my hand there, I could feel the gentle warmth and small movements.
Thump… thump…
The heart that had been racing all day today was slowly resting as he slept.
Lily liked not only the fast-beating heart when looking at herself, but also this calm heart.
Then, placing her hand on his white, clear cheek, she gently stroked it upward.
At which point…
“Umm…”
He shifted his body slightly.
Lily, startled, was just about to take her hand away when…
“Lily…”
His voice called her name, and he was smiling softly.
Lily smiled back at him.
Just as she had said, Lily found joy in simply looking at his sleeping face.
Especially when his sleeping face called her name, her heart felt like it would burst –
‘No, don’t use that metaphor.’
Somewhat calmed, Lily gently caressed his cheek.
After a while, when she thought he was deeply asleep and no longer talking in his sleep, Lily pulled a pillow out of thin air.
Carefully lifting his head, she swapped the pillow for her thigh.
He wouldn’t notice he had moved from this series of actions that seemed familiar at a glance.
Having laid him down properly, Lily…
“Haa…haa…”
Struggled to calm her wildly beating heart.
However…
“Huuu…”
Seeing him lying there defenseless nearly drove her mad.
Eventually, Lily slowly placed her body over his sleeping form.
She had cast a weight-lightening spell out of consideration for him so he wouldn’t wake.
“Umm…”
“!!!”
As soon as their bodies overlapped, the sleeping man wrapped his arms around Lily’s waist and back and pulled her closer.
The startled Lily felt her ears ringing as she remained stiff, but…
Seeing the sleeping him right before her eyes, she couldn’t stay still.
First, reluctantly releasing the arms that had wrapped around her and placing them aside, Lily sent his coat away with magic.
Now in a light shirt, Lily trembled as she undid his shirt buttons one by one.
Clack.
When she had undone half the buttons, Lily gently opened his shirt.
Then, his white skin was revealed.
Lily accurately remembered the places where she had left marks with her lips.
Lily buried her face in his collarbone, and soon…
“Slurp… ha… slurp… ha…”
She slowly inhaled and savored his scent.
It was slightly disappointing that he didn’t sweat much due to the winter, but even this was satisfying enough… though not completely.
Lily unknowingly spread her legs slightly.
As a result, her thighs naturally came together around his thigh.
“Huuu…!”
Finally, her barely maintained arms gave way and she collapsed on top of him.
She was glad she had cast the weight-lightening spell at that moment.
Savoring his scent, Lily slowly…
‘Sorry, Arthur. Taking such despicable actions while you’re asleep… would you despise me if you found out?’
Lily shook her head immediately.
‘No, Arthur wouldn’t. Arthur would accept even a me like this. That’s why, Arthur…’
More…
More…
Just a little more…
Then Lily suddenly grabbed his hand with her left hand.
She quietly whispered a story he shouldn’t hear.
“…Yes, I’ll gladly accept the ring.”
The only mirror in the room.
In that mirror, Lily’s eyes shone red.
“I love you, Arthur. Black… love… you… love you… heh… love you, Arthur…!”
I slowly opened my eyes.
How long had I slept?
My head felt as clear as when the clouds had parted.
“Woke up?”
Lily’s voice came from my side rather than above.
Turning my head in surprise…
Lily was lying right next to me, so close that I could almost touch her lips if I moved a little.
Wait, wasn’t I using her knee as a pillow?
Feeling the back of my head, it was a normal pillow.
And looking at it, what was Lily using as a pillow… Ah.
As my line of sight was revealed when Lily raised her head with a slight smile, I saw my arm extended out.
That explained why one of my arms was a little numb.
“Guess you were pretty tired, huh? You didn’t wake up even once while I changed your position.”
I hadn’t noticed at all.
Though I was a little disappointed to have missed lying on Lily’s knees, it was nice to be lying so close to her.
I pulled her into my arms using the arm that had been used as a pillow.
But when I held her, I noticed that Lily was shivering slightly.
“Uh…give me a sec…not now…”
“Lily?”
Her face was red.
“Are you in pain anywhere?”
“No, it’s not that… black!”
Suddenly Lily hugged me tightly and started shivering.
“Lily?!”
“Haa… haa…”
For a moment, Lily held me tightly, then carefully loosened her grip.
Seeing Lily’s face as we separated, it was slightly wet with sweat and her hair was sticking to it.
As I reached out to tidy her hair, her face turned even redder.
“What’s wrong?”
“…I’m okay now.”
What exactly happened…
Although I was curious, I decided not to ask since I thought she wouldn’t answer.
“How long did I sleep?”
“Three hours, thirty-four minutes, eleven seconds.”
“…Huh?”
What, are you calculating to the second? First I’m surprised by the seconds, then the length of time.
“Three hours? Did I sleep that long?”
“…You could have slept longer.”
The expression on Lily’s face implied… disappointment? Why?
“I slept too long. It’s been a while since our date…”
“I’m fine. As I said, I enjoyed just looking at you… In fact, it was good.”
The last part was said quietly like a mutter.
‘…What is it? Did something happen while I was asleep?’
“Date… what do you want to do? Keep playing?”
“Um…”
Honestly, there wasn’t much else to do outside.
In my life, having only been on two dates, I had no ideas on what else to do.
“…Shall we go back to the room?”
“Alright. Let’s eat dinner there too.”
We eventually decided to head back.
‘I should ask other people for advice when school starts. I need to find a better date spot.’
While making that resolution, Lily spoke up.
“Dessert… well, not now, but do you want to eat something? To help you wake up.”
Now that you mention it, this was a dessert shop, wasn’t it?
A couple that booked a room and didn’t order food for three hours… would look suspicious to anyone, and from the shop’s perspective, we were the worst kind of troublemakers.
“…We should order something at the very least.”
We might get banned from entering.
We ordered cake, pastries, and coffee.
Out of guilt, I ordered more than usual.
Not long after the bell rang and when we opened the door, a staff member was there with a tray of food.
The staff member glanced at Lily and me while setting down the food.
Seems like they were suspicious about us not ordering anything for three hours –
But when the employee saw Lily’s face, they nodded as if understanding something.
‘What? What is it?’
The employee quickly left the room, but the uneasiness she left behind was rather bothersome.
“Lily.”
“Yes?”
“Did you do something to me while I was asleep?”
At which point Lily visibly flinched.
Huh? There really was something?
“…Lily?”
“……”
Lily silently turned her head away.
‘Hmm? What could she have done?’
Just in case, I cautiously stuck my hand into my pants pocket.
‘…It’s clean?’
There wasn’t any obvious evidence…
Noticing my slightly wrinkled shirt.
And somehow, I could smell Lily’s scent more strongly…
And the position we had lain down in.
‘Did we hug while sleeping?’
This was the only thing that came to mind.
‘But we do this regularly anyway. Why would she turn red over this…’
Although Lily’s reaction was strange, I decided to let it go for now.
“Lily.”
“…”
“Will you look at me?”
Finally, taking the opportunity when Lily slightly turned her head…
“Gulp!”
I quickly put a tart into her mouth.
Surprised, Lily’s eyes widened comically as she reflexively chewed on the tart.
Gulp.
“What’s this sudden-”
“How does it taste?”
“It’s fine.”
“Good?”
I also picked up a tart to eat.
The outside was crispy while the inside was soft, it was delicious.
“Hmm, it’s good. Do you want more?”
“Yes.”
I handed another tart to Lily.
‘Could she have done something improper while I was asleep…’
While thinking that, I felt a strange itch.
The itch didn’t go away even when I shook off my clothes. Wondering if it could be true, I slightly pulled off my outerwear and inserted my hand into my shirt.
I grabbed something and pulled it out…
It was a long, very long strand of hair.
‘Why is this in my clothes…’
Sneaking a glance at Lily, her unusually red face…
‘…Could it really be…’
“…”
