Episode One Hundred and Twenty-Six

“It’s forbidden.”

Wiping my damp ears with an antiseptic alcohol wipe, I declared with unwavering resolve.

“No ear-licking. No pampering either. Because I’m an adult. Right?”

“What?”

Sitting on the bedside, Ibara clutched her bespoke pillow like a stuffed toy and voiced her discontent.

“Don’t ‘what’ me.”

“But you looked like you were enjoying it, Shigure-san.”

“That’s not the point.”

A single, clear cough.
To be honest, having my ears touched felt good.
In a purely innocent sense, of course. And then… probably in a less innocent sense too.
But I couldn’t say that out loud. It would surely make us both lose all restraint.
　That wouldn’t be good.
I’d decided not to do that sort of thing until Ibara graduated.

…Sometimes, it makes me a little scared though.
What would happen to Ibara after graduation, once the shackles were off?
Would the pent-up energy cause her to run wild instead?
………….
…….
Yeah. Best not to imagine it…

“Anyway, self-restraint and moderation, you see…”

“But but, I think it was Shigure-san who made the first move~”

She raised her hand abruptly in protest.
Please don’t say things that make me sound bad.

“It was just tickling, wasn’t it?”

“Well, maybe from Shigure-san’s perspective~”

She pouts her lips. Oh, she’s just adorable.
Truly, whatever expression she wears, her face is picture-perfect.
The corners of her mouth relax slightly.

“Well, yeah, but maybe I really did get in that mood. Shigure-san having her ears played with was incredibly cute.”

“Hah?”

“Mmph. Your eyes were all misty, and I just couldn’t help wanting to tease you.”

Ibara bent down, peering up at my face.
My heart skipped a beat.
Half from her words, half from the sudden closeness.
With the most natural gesture, a hand came to rest on my cheek.
Slender fingertips traced the curve of my cheekbone.

“Mmm.”

Then, she took my lips.
My second kiss today.
A soft, light suck on my upper lip before she pulled away.
It was a kiss devoid of any lewdness, filled only with pure affection.
Like an aftertaste, the sweet-sour scent of lemon lingered at my nose.

“…Hold on. Why did you do that just now?”

“Huh? Because I wanted to?”

　Hugging the pillow, she declared it nonchalantly.
This adolescent girl.
Well, it’s not that I dislike it, mind. This kind of light thing, it’s fine.

“Anyway. You don’t need to think about soothing me or anything like that, Ibara.”

Ibara’s tawny eyes clouded over with displeasure.
Before she could voice her objection, I continued.

“Because, Ibara, you’re a student preparing for exams, aren’t you?”

“Ugh.”

Ibara groaned.
Right. This girl is in her third year of high school. She’s an exam candidate.
And now it’s July. The decisive summer.
If she has the energy to worry about me, I’d rather she spent it poring over her reference books.
Ibara looked away from me, stammering.

“W-well, I’m not aiming for such a high-level place. I’m studying properly, so it’ll be fine.”

“I know. I know you’re working hard at your studies.”

Ibara doesn’t really have any hobbies to speak of. At most, she follows the content on ‘Charles’.
So, (incredibly enough), she sometimes studies simply because she has free time.
I can’t imagine her lying to me, so she really must be doing well.

“That’s really admirable. Properly admirable.”

“Hehehe.”

When I reached out and stroked her head, Ibara’s face melted into a soft, gooey expression.
Aaaah, adorable. Troublesome. No, not troublesome. Actually, troublesome.
But still.

“Still, you know.”

Having focused solely on art school, I’m unfamiliar with the typical exam war.
But I don’t think she haa the luxury to be careless or slack off.
As far as I can tell, she’s not even attending a cram school at the moment.

“At least until the exams are over, you don’t need to worry about me. Right?”

“But the twenty thousand points—”

“I’ll get those back in due course.”

Upon hearing this, Ibara stared intently at me.

“…………Shigure-san. Are you really all right?”

“What about?”

“Aren’t you tired?”

Her voice carried a tone of concern, tinged with affection and worry.
That warmth seeped into my heart like water soaking into dry earth.
Ah, I am loved.
How embarrassing to think such a thing.

“──Of course. So don’t worry. Right?”

“……Alright.”

Ibara nodded, looking thoroughly reluctant.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
This was fine.
After all, leaning on others just wasn’t my nature.
I didn’t even know how to do it properly.

“You’re staying for dinner, right? I’ll make something. What would you like?”

“…Then pasta.”

“Pasta, eh? I wonder if I’ve got any tinned tomatoes…”

I stood up and rummaged through the cupboards above the kitchen counter.
There were no tinned tomatoes, but there was still a tin of tuna left. I’d manage with whatever vegetables I could find.
Pouring olive oil into the frying pan, I stir-fried the slightly wilted cabbage while thinking.

Yeah. I’m fine.
It’s alright. —Still alright.