Warmth.
That was the first thing I felt.
Not the sun—not yet—but something softer. Something alive. Something breathing.
Something… clinging.
My eyes cracked open, and for a moment, I thought I was still dreaming.
Because the first thing in my vision wasn't the ceiling. Nor was it a cold, empty bed.
It was her.
Risa's face—peaceful, relaxed, impossibly close—rested on my chest, her cheek smushed adorably against me. Her caramel and messy hair spilled across my shirt in every direction. Her arms were still wrapped around me, tangled like vines determined never to let go.
And—
And her legs—
Ah.
Okay.
She was absolutely using me as a body pillow.
My brain tried to reboot. It failed.
"...You're kidding me…" I breathed.
She shifted.
Not waking—just nuzzling into me, like I was something soft and warm and hers by right.
My entire ribcage stalled.
This girl—
This actual menace—
She's going to kill me by affection alone.
I swallowed, slowly raising a hand to push aside the strands of hair covering her face. It took everything in me to move gently, delicately, like a man handling unstable explosives.
Her eyelashes fluttered at the touch.
Not fully awake—just responding.
Then—
"mrrrn…" She burrowed further into my chest, attempting to fuse into me.
I might actually pass away.
A full-body shiver ran through me, and I tried—tried—to keep my voice steady.
"Risa… it's morning…"
...
"…Five more…" she whispered. "Minutes… hours…"
Her grip tightened.
"I'm… comfy…"
Comfy.
She said she's comfy.
With me.
I let out a shaky breath. My hands hovered awkwardly in the air—unsure where to land, terrified of waking her, terrified of not waking her.
Then—
Her eyes cracked open.
Just barely.
Sleepy.
Unfocused.
Soft.
And then slowly… slowly… they found me.
"…Rion…?" she murmured, voice hoarse with sleep.
My heart somersaulted.
"G... Good morning…" I managed.
She blinked once.
Twice.
Her gaze dropped to my chest—where she was clinging. Then back to me.
Her face ignited.
"E—EH?!" She jolted—
But her arms didn't let go.
She froze, realizing she was still hugging me. Realizing she did not—in fact—want to stop.
Her voice came out tiny, broken, and mortified. "W-We… slept like this…?"
"...You pulled me to bed," I whispered.
Her ears flushed. "I—I didn't—!"
"You... wrapped your legs too."
She buried her face in my chest and whimpered. Utterly defeated.
"I want to die…"
"Huh—?" I blinked. "What? Please don't...?"
"...uuu..." She curled into me.
"I... Uh..." My hand reached her head. "I like waking up like this."
She froze.
Then melted.
Slowly, hesitantly, she lifted her head again—eyes shy and sparkling.
"…Really…?" she whispered.
"...Yeah."
She paused.
Her fingers tightened. "...Did you sleep well?"
"It was... the best sleep I've ever had."
Then she returned to my chest like it's where she belonged.
"…Then…" she whispered, voice trembling with warmth— "…can we stay like this a little longer…?"
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her fully into my chest.
"Yeah," I murmured into her hair. "I want to stay like this too."
In the soft glow of morning, she only held me tighter—like she wouldn't mind if this became permanent.
A deep breath.
She smells nice...
"Rion..." She muttered.
"Mm?"
...
"Don't sniff..."
I've been exposed.
"...You sniffed me first... last night."
She twitched. "T—That was—"
Clack.
Our eyes snapped to the door.
"Ah—"
"Ah—"
"Ah—"
Daiki stood there, frozen mid-step, nearly dropping the neatly folded blankets in his arms.
My soul collapsed.
Risa was still very much pressed on top of me.I still very much had a hand combing her hair and another around her waist.And we were very, very clearly engaged in something… married.
"Huh—?" Daiki blinked.
"Huh—?" We blinked back.
He slammed his eyes shut. Then slowly—like peeking into a garden of light—he opened them.
"Huuuhh..." His shoulders dropped, realizing that he was—in fact—not suffering from Alcoholic Hallucinosis.
A beat passed. One that felt excruciatingly long.
I rolled to my side—bringing Risa along, turning her back towards the door.
"Eh—? Rion—"
I pressed her head into me, shielding her from Daiki's gaze.
He calmly exhaled, and put on the serene expression of a Buddhist Monk reaching enlightenment.
His eyes glinted, "I understand... everything." A column of light shone upon him.
I braced myself for a war between worlds.
Then, he set the blankets down. Walked out. And gently, very gently, closed the door behind him.
...
"Huh?" I blinked at the door.
"Huh?" Risa blinked at me.
THUMP-THUmp-Thump-thumpthump—
"KANA-CHAAAAAAN!!!"
"DAIKIIII!!!" I wailed, reaching my hand out to the door.
***
This is the worst possible outcome...
I sat on the rug beside Risa, stiff as a rock. My eyes twitched at my coffee sitting patiently on the table. Risa was fidgeting, hiding her bright pink cheeks behind her hair.
No... Maybe this isn't the actual worst outcome...
But it sure as hell feels like it!!!
"I told you they'd start cuddling!" Daiki barked. "You owe me 2000 Yen!!"
A vein popped and my hands shot out to his collar. "You made a bet on us?!"
I repeatedly jabbed his stomach.
Kana faltered. "No way... My... My Risa—" Her body started to tremble. "My Risa has been tainted!!!"
"I did no such thing!!!" I barked at her.
Kana collapsed to her knees beside Risa, grasping her hand like a saint rescuing an orphan. "Risa-chan..." Her eyes glinted. "Is it true...? Is he telling the truth...? Have you really not lost your innocence...?"
Risa twitched back. "Huh—I—He—We were—" Her stutters did not help with the situation.
A dramatic gasp. And I heard something snap within Kana.
She fell to her hips. "Rion... Why must you defile my beautiful girl..."
"Nobody defiled anybody!!" I snapped, "And more importantly—we're married!! She's mine!!"
Risa squeaked.
"Aand—"
Clack.
"—cut."
My head snapped to Daiki. He was holding a clapper board he'd pulled out of thin air.
Kana slid right beside him with stars in her eyes. "How did I do? How did I do?"
"Exceptional!" Daiki jabbed a thumb. "You might have talent!"
...
What is this...?
They're doing a play??
Daiki picked his phone from the counter. "And you did amazing, Rion!"
He slid his finger on the screen and I heard something rewind.
"—we're married!! She's mine!!"
Thunder.
"You wretch!!!" I shot forward. "Delete that—"
"Ah. I accidentally uploaded it to the cloud."
Ahh...
This is my end...