Episode 11: Is Sleeping Together Just… Too Convenient?
The rain didn’t let up.
The evening downpour just kept going strong, straight into the night.
If anything, it felt like it was getting heavier.
A low rumble echoed somewhere in the distance, and Makina glanced toward the window.
“…Thunder, too.”
A flash of white light spilled briefly through the living room window.
“Man, it’s really coming down.”
My phone kept buzzing with a constant stream of weather alerts and news notifications.
I look over at Makina — she’s still staring fixedly out the window.
Turning her phone screen on and off, over and over, fidgeting with it without really doing anything.
Something feels quieter than usual about her.
“…Makina?”
“…Guess I’ll head to bed.”
We said our usual “goodnight” and each went to our own rooms.
…That was an hour ago.
◇◆◇◆◇
“Man… that’s really loud. Is this ever going to let up?”
Lying on my bed, the rain outside playing like background noise, I stared blankly at my phone screen.
No matter how far forward I scrubbed the rain radar, that solid red blob of storm cloud sitting directly over us showed no sign of moving.
KRAAAAKOOOOM!!!!
A violent crack of thunder shook straight through my eardrums.
“Eep— y-yikes…!”
My whole body flinched despite myself. And right after that—
A faint knock, almost swallowed by the sound of the rain, came from my door.
“…Yotsuka, are you awake?”
“Makina…? Yeah, I’m up.”
Her voice through the door was trembling, just slightly.
“Can I… come in?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong?”
The door eased open, and Makina’s face peeked through the gap.
Both hands gripping the front of her checkered pajamas, her shoulders shaking, just a little.
“…um… so…”
“Yeah?”
“C-could you… sleep with me tonight…?”
Her voice was on the edge of disappearing entirely as she looked at me.
◇◆◇◆◇
At first, I might have been a little too relaxed about it — figuring this was just “scared of thunder, ran to her childhood friend’s room” territory.
When the sky rumbled again, Makina’s shoulders, sitting on the bed, jumped in a small, stiff flinch.
Something about it struck me as off, in a way I couldn’t quite put into words.
Because her profile, sitting next to me, had clearly drained of color.
“…Hey. Are you, like… not good with thunder?”
“…Yeah.”
Makina went quiet for a moment before speaking again, quietly.
“Do you remember, Yotsuka? That night we went glamping together, back in elementary school.”
“Glamping… oh.”
An old memory surfaced.
That distant summer night.
While the two adults were having fun in the dome tent, we’d snuck outside together and sat side by side, looking at the stars.
But partway through, it started raining, drop by drop.
“I’m getting sleepy… I’m gonna go to bed first, Makina.”
“Okay. Night, Yotsuka.”
I’d gone back into the tent and fallen asleep almost instantly.
So I never knew what happened after that.
“I remember that, but… did something happen afterward?”
“Yeah… after you fell asleep, lightning struck a big tree across the river.”
Makina’s eyes dropped slightly, as if picturing the scene again.
“It was so loud. The tree caught fire, crackling, and then it fell with this huge sound… I watched it happen. Alone.”
“…I never knew that. Not at all.”
“Ever since that day, I haven’t been able to handle it. Whenever I hear thunder, I can’t stop thinking about that night.”
Makina curled up small, gripping the edge of the sheet tightly.
I’d been right there this whole time, and I never even knew she was carrying something like that.
This close to her the whole time, and I never knew.
“So, on nights like this, I always used to sleep in the same room as Dad. But now he’s not here, so…”
“Then I’ll grab a futon from your room and bring it he—”
“That’s not it.”
Makina cut me off, quietly.
“Once I started high school, I told myself I shouldn’t worry Dad anymore, so I held it in. …But honestly, Yotsuka. I’ve always wanted someone to just hold me tight…”
Her voice was shaking.
This wasn’t the Makina I usually knew.
None of her usual boldness, none of that faintly mischievous edge.
Just a small girl, standing in front of me.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I wrapped both arms tightly around Makina as she trembled on the bed.
“Eep— Yotsuka…?”
“It’s fine. It’s okay. I’m right here. I’ll knock every last bit of that thunder away for you.”
“…Okay. Thank you, Yotsuka…”
Normally, this alone would be enough to make my heart explode.
There’s no way I could stay calm, holding the girl I love like this.
But right now was different.
I just wanted Makina to feel safe. That was all.
From now on, on every night she’s scared like this, I’ll be right here.
I made that quiet promise to myself.
“It’s okay.”
“…Okay.”
“I’m here.”
“…Okay.”
I could feel the tension slowly draining out of Makina’s body.
Thunder rumbled again, but her shoulders didn’t jump this time.
We climbed into the bed together, and before long, Makina’s breathing settled into the soft, steady rhythm of sleep in my arms.
“Thanks… Yotsuka.”
I gently stroked her hair.
Before I knew it, the small warmth in my arms had settled into a steady, even breathing rhythm.
And before I knew it, so had I…
◇◆◇◆◇
Birdsong drifted in from outside the window.
I opened my eyes to bright morning light spilling through the gap in the curtains.
A clear blue sky, like yesterday’s downpour had never happened at all.
I tried to roll over, but my body felt strangely heavy. Something was tangled around me…
My gaze landed on Makina’s face.
“Whoa?!”
Oh, right. Last night, we—
Heat rushed instantly into my cheeks, and my heart gave a hard thump.
Makina’s eyelashes caught and scattered the morning light.
“…Mm… Yotsuka… morning.”
Eyes open now, still a little hazy with sleep, Makina gave a small smile.
“The rain stopped, huh.”
“Yeah. Clear skies, like it’s lying about yesterday.”
“I slept so well, thanks to you…”
“…Yeah.”
“You held onto me the whole time, didn’t you, Yotsuka?”
“Well, up until I fell asleep, at least? No idea what happened after that!”
“No, I’m sure you did. Thank you. I’m really glad you were there.”
Those words landed square in my chest.
(But I’ve felt that way about you for so much longer, Makina.)
“…In that case, how about paying me back by doing my chemistry homework? I really don’t get any of that stuff…!”
“Don’t push your luck! Do your own homework! I’ll make breakfast instead, though.”
“Yay~… wait, hold on, no! Isn’t it your turn for breakfast today?!”
“Oh? Was it~? I wonder~!”
◇◆◇◆◇
That night. Another knock on my bedroom door.
“Yotsuka, can I come in?”
“Sure, Makina. What’s up this time?”
“I want to… sleep together again tonight.”
“Huh? But there’s no thunder today—”
“Actually, I don’t sleep that well normally either… but last night, sleeping next to you, I slept so soundly. Usually I wake up before you, but this morning you woke up first, right?”
“Wait, seriously? Makina, are you telling me the reason you’re good at waking up in the morning is actually that you just don’t sleep well at night…?”
“Exactly! So I thought maybe if we slept together again, I’d sleep well again too… is that no good?”
“No good— I mean, it’s not that it’s no good, it’s just…”
“Yay! Okay, let’s go to sleep! Night, Yotsuka!”
And with that, Makina burrowed her way into my bed.
………….
“O-okay, let’s sleep…”
Even as I said it, the feeling of Makina pressed up right against me had already sent me spiraling.
No! There’s no way this is fine!!
I can feel her! Against my back!!
Hot! But! Not a bad kind of hot!
Soft! Wait, what?! What is this?! What is even happening right now?!
Wait, does this mean — are we going to be sleeping in the same bed every single night from now on…?
This isn’t even “too convenient” anymore, this is a whole different category, isn’t it, god…?!