Episode 9: I Can’t Sleep, and It’s Hanamori’s Fault
Missing the last train, we’d ended up at an internet cafe.
“The private rooms are all full… but we do have one couple’s seat room available.”
Hanamori and I exchanged a look.
“…Should we look somewhere else?”
I said it, and Hanamori thought for a moment.
“It’s fine here, isn’t it? Might as well.”
Her answer came surprisingly easy.
“Eh, you’re okay with it?”
“I’m tired. Looking for somewhere else sounds like a pain.”
“But a couple’s seat is…”
“Eh, Asami-san, are you planning to jump me or something?”
Hanamori took a step back from me, looking faintly suspicious.
…Excuse me?
“Wh—who’s— I would never…!”
“Then there’s no problem, is there?”
Cutting off my words, Hanamori turned back to the front desk clerk.
“That one, please.”
“Understood.”
The clerk started the paperwork.
I watched, strangely unsettled.
Hanamori’s profile looked faintly red.
Maybe she really was nervous. Or maybe she was just drunk.
As for me, I was oddly tense too.
The couple’s seat room they showed us to was smaller than expected.
For two people to sleep, the distance between us was undeniably close.
“I’ll sleep on this side, then.”
Hanamori sat at the edge of the bed.
“Okay.”
I sat on the opposite side.
Sealed into a private space together, my heart suddenly wouldn’t shut up. Why.
“It’s kind of hot in here.”
“Yeah, a little.”
Without warning, Hanamori started taking off her hoodie.
Wait, she’s taking it off?
I looked away on reflex. Nothing shady about it at all, and yet.
The rustling sound of her pulling off the hoodie sounded strangely loud. My eyes drifted toward the sound despite myself.
Underneath, Hanamori was in a black camisole.
Slender shoulders. A pale, delicate frame.
The line of her spine traced faintly visible through the thin fabric.
She turned around and our eyes met. I looked away in a panic.
“Asami-san, you’re staring too much.”
“I—I wasn’t looking.”
“Our eyes met just now. You were definitely looking.”
Hanamori said it flatly, giving me a cold, narrowed look.
Hanamori lay down on the bed. Facing away from me.
I lay down on the opposite side too. My back to her.
Even so, the distance was close. Too close.
I could hear Hanamori’s breathing. Could feel her body shift with each breath.
Come on, why am I this worked up. This is annoying, boy-crazy Hanamori we’re talking about.
About thirty minutes later, Hanamori sat up.
“Gonna go to the bathroom real quick.”
“Okay.”
Hanamori pulled back the curtain and left.
Alone, I stared up at the ceiling.
What is this feeling.
My heart wouldn’t calm down.
Why, so much.
After a while, the curtain opened again.
I was about to turn to face the wall, when—
“Whoa!”
Hanamori tripped over something and came tumbling forward.
“Eh!?”
Thud.
Before I knew it, I was underneath, and Hanamori had collapsed on top of me.
Her face, close.
Close enough that our lips could touch.
And then—her chest was pressed against mine.
Soft, I thought, unable to stop myself.
Hanamori’s eyes were wide open.
Both of us stopped breathing.
“…Ah.”
Hanamori let out a small sound.
Her breath brushed against my cheek.
My heart wouldn’t shut up.
Pounding so hard it felt like it might come out of my mouth.
“Asami-san…”
Hanamori whispered it. Her voice strangely sweet, strangely charged.
I couldn’t say anything.
Hanamori’s gaze slowly dropped to my lips.
Slowly, her weight sank lower.
Her hair brushed my cheek.
The scent of shampoo tickled my nose.
Our lips, about to—
That day’s kiss flashed through my mind.
Hanamori’s red ears.
Her lips, drawing closer.
*
And at that exact moment—
Footsteps came thundering down the hallway.
”!”
We both froze at once.
Hanamori scrambled to sit up.
“S-sorry!”
Her weight lifted off me. The softness from a moment ago vanished.
The footsteps passed right by without stopping, but Hanamori was already on her feet.
“…I’ll, um, go get some drinks.”
Hanamori bolted out of the room.
Left alone, I stayed sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
“…What was that, just now.”
My heart was still pounding.
My face burned.
The sensation of Hanamori still lingered on my body.
Her chest, pressed against mine.
Our lips, so close to—
(…No. Stop it. What am I even thinking.)
I covered my face with both hands.
After a while, Hanamori came back.
“…Here, this one’s yours.”
She held out a paper cup of juice.
Her gaze fixed somewhere off to the side.
“Ah, thanks.”
“Whatever.”
Hanamori answered curtly.
But her ears were bright red, all the way to the tips.
An awkward silence.
Hanamori lay back down on the bed. As far against the wall as physically possible.
Clearly putting more distance between us than before.
“Well, let’s get some sleep.”
“…Okay.”
The lights went off again.
In the dark, all I could hear was the sound of our breathing.
“Asami-san.”
“Hm?”
“………..Never mind.”
Her voice was small.
Hanamori’s voice sounded, somehow, a little lonely.
Well, maybe that was just my imagination.
“Goodnight.”
“…Night.”
I closed my eyes.
But I couldn’t sleep at all.
Hanamori’s weight, her warmth, her breath.
The softness of her chest.
That distance where our lips almost touched.
All of it still felt like it was lingering on my body.
Beside me, Hanamori was tossing and turning too.
Maybe she couldn’t sleep either.
It was a long, long night.