Don’t Hold it Back
“Thank you for the delicious meal!”
“Thank you for the meal. Thank you, Kamijou-kun. It was really delicious.”
“You are welcome.”
After they give their thanks, Nanase-san stands up.
“I will do the dishes.”
“Eh, you don’t have to do that, you know?”
“It’s alright. Since you are letting me stay, I have to do at least this much.”
Nanase-san quickly gathers the tableware and vanishes into the kitchen.
Then, Tina inquiries in a low voice.
“Why does Iori Oneechan look that sad?”
I think a little and say.
“…… She was probably reminded of her hometown.”
“Her hometown, is it……”
“Yeah. Nanase-san has a lot of important people back in her hometown……”
Ah, I cut my words without thinking.
Tina has an absentminded look that looks somewhere far in the distance.
I regret stepping on a land mind.
“Tina, are you alright?”
“Eh, ah…… yes. I’m alright!”
A smile returns to Tina’s face.
I slightly bit my lip and mutter “Then that’s good.”
“Nevertheless…… this country does some terrible things.”
Tina who knows my and Nanase-san’s circumstances says.
She tightly closes her fists and looks sorrowfully.
“Yes, that’s right.”
I deeply agree.
◇◇◇
“Now then, about today’s biggest problem.”
I fold my arms in the bedroom.
A king-sized bed is in front of me.
As the owner of the church, I cleaned it properly.
Only this bed is in the room.
To say it further, this whole church has only this bed.
When I explain to Nanase-san,
“…… That means that you, Kamijou-kun, sleeps with Tina-chan every day here?”
“First of all, won’t you stop looking at me like a criminal?”
I desperately try to explain the situation with Tina.
“Tina-chan, is it the truth?”
“Yes! Rather, it’s me who snuggles to Takuma-sama when he goes to sleep!”
I sigh and make a proposal.
“For the time being, use this room as you please, Nanase-san. I and Tina will sleep in the living room.”
Let’s sleep in separate rooms.
I wouldn’t do anything strange, but in addition to the mixed bathing, I can’t let Nanase-san let suffer any more mind damage.
I thought so, but
“Wait a second.”
“N?”
“Why is it that Tina-chan has to go sleep with you, Kamijou-kun?”
Crap.
I went with the flow as usual.
“Iori Oneechan, are you lonely?”
Tina asks while looking into Nanase-san’s face.
“I, it’s not like I’m lonely…… but, I thought if Tina-chan sleeping together with Kamijou-kun is ethical.”
“Et, hical……? Hmm, I don’t quite understand, but…… ah, right!”
Tina takes a step forward.
Huh, why does this feel like a deja vu?
“How about everyone sleeps together?”
If I say that I haven’t had delusions of sharing a bed with a girl in my 16 years of life, I would be lying.
As a healthy male high school student, it’s only natural that I would dream about sharing a bed with a girl I like.
It can’t be helped.
“To think such a day would really come.”
On a bed in a dark bedroom.
I mutter lightly so Tina and Nanase-san won’t hear me.
There are Tina and Nanase-san right beside me.
A slight rustling noises.
A bittersweet scent of girls.
If Tina wasn’t in bed, I may have already lost my reasoning.
“Alright? Kamijou-kun. This is only Tina-chan’s education measures, alright? It’s not because I had thoughts of wanting to sleep together with her, alright?”
“U, understood.”
I slightly salute to Nanase-san who’s face is blushing red.
“I’m sorry, Takuma-sama, Iori Oneechan…… I said something selfish.”
Tina says to me and Nanase-san.
She has the futon over her lips like a child that did some mischief.
“It’s alright, Tina-chan. Don’t mind it.”
Nanase-san pats Tina’s head quietly.
“…… Thank you.”
Nanase-san’s expression melted from patting Tina’s head.
…… Well, it will be alright like this?
Of course, I and Nanase-san objected to Tina’s nodesu remark that we all should sleep together.
However, Tina insisted that she wants to sleep with us both.
Not with the black feeling Liz and Eiri did, but with pure, genuine feelings.
As if younger kid brought a friend and wanted us to play together.
In addition, Tina was an orphan so she’s an extremely lonely person.
Nanase-san was greatly troubled, but she agreed to sleep together after a barrage of Tina’s demands.
The fence between a man and a woman might have been broken in the bath so the resistance may be fading.
As a man, this would be a delightful situation, but I can’t help, but feel guilt.
From the edge of the bed, it’s me, Tina and Nanase-san. We are lined up like this.
Like the character for the river. (川)
Since the bed is king-size, there’s plenty of space.
The sleeping comfortableness seems to be okay.
“Nevertheless, patting here feels the best~”
“Kya…… it tickles.”
Nanase-san delightfully plays with Tina since a while ago.
A very picture of a high school girl patting a cat.
How about causing a little mischief.
“Tina, you can get spoiled by Nanase-san to your heart’s content today, you know?”
“Really!? Then……”
Gosogoso…… gyu.
Tina moves her small body closer to Nanase-san and buries her head into her bosom.
“Waaaaaau……”
There probably isn’t anyone in the class who has seen Nanase-san like this before.
My cheeks are loosened.
Ah, how heartwarming.
“G, geez…… what a hopeless child……”
She says with a smile.
Nanase-san awkwardly pats Tina’s back.
“Ehehe~…… bosom buddy~”
What is this warm yuri scene?
I’m getting healed just by watching.
By the way, that I’m slightly envying Tina’s position is a secret.
A lot of things happened today, un.
“Iori Oneechan…… you smell very good.”
Surisrui, Tina rubs her cheeks against Nanase-san.
Like a baby clinging to its mother’s chest.
“Is that so? I have used only a little of soap though.”
“How to say this…… you smell similar to Takuma-sama.”
“Kamijou-kun……?”
No, I will get troubled if you look at me like that, Nanase-san.
“Yes…… So gentle, that when I sniff I feel at peace…… that…… sme, ll…”
Still just a growing child.
Tina who couldn’t handle the attack of drowsiness slowly closes her eyes.
“She fell asleep, huh.”
“She did, huh.”
Supi, supi, she cutely breaths, like a sleeping angel.
I feel like I might even defeat a Demon King for this smile.
“To think it would end like this.”
“I’m also surprised. Soon, I will have no choice, but to ride the flow.”
“Ride the flow…… I’m a man, more or less, though?”
“I already somehow understand that Kamijou-kun is a gentleman who wouldn’t do anything bad.”
I’m a chicken virgin anyway.
“How is the castle? Won’t anyone say something?”
“It was really strict here and there for the first month, but it’s much better now. Bandou-kun and Miyake-kun haven’t returned for a week.”
“Is that alright? Aren’t those two quite dangerous fellows?”
They were notorious bullies with a bad reputation.
By the way, I have ended up entangled with them several times too.
They are bullies who abducted my Noguchi-san and three others from my wallet.
“…… Honestly, I also don’t understand. They would have been arrested if their used skills in the downtown, but……”
All is okay if not found, huh.
They are advocates of such childish evil deeds.
I strongly feel that they are committing crimes silently.
Rather, isn’t the castle too lax?
They should have been expecting my summoned classmates to indulge themselves in the power of their skills.
Just how much irresponsible are they?
“Kamijou-kun, you also be careful.”
“Why?”
“Since Hot Springs is a hot topic in the town, they also might sniff it out.”
“Aah……”
Certainly, it would be troublesome if they get interested.
I have to take some precautions.
“Ah, she’s drooling.”
Nanase-san takes out a handkerchief and wipes Tina’s mouth.
“You seem to be quite used to handling children.”
“I have a little sister. Her name is Airi……”
I listen to Nanase-san’s story.
Her little sister had birthday three days prior to the summoning, Nanase-san gave her a handmade muffler as a present.
Her little sister was so pleased that she got a portrait made the next day, Nanase-san talked joyfully.
While hearing her story, I thought.
This is Nanase-san’s true character after all.
I really like this Nanase-san way better than the cool Nanase-san who always distances herself from the others.
Nanase-san quitely pushes Tina’s bangs aside in nostalgia.
“You really somehow look like sisters.”
“Tina-chan isn’t my little sister. She’s my beloved little sister.
“The fact didn’t change, though.”
When I say so, Nanase-san tightly holds Tina in her arms and says,
“…… They are, really similar. Her straightforwardness…… her sparkling eyes……”
“Nanase-san……?”
…… Pota, pota.
Something fell on Nanase-san’s pillow.
Nanase-san suddenly opens her eyes wide.
“A, are you okay?”
“I, I’m sorry…… today’s me is really hopeless……”
Goshgoshi, she wipes her eyes numerous times.
But, that doesn’t stop warm drops falling down on the bed.
──Tina has reminded her of her imouto.
When I sympathize, Nanase-san covers her head with the futon.
I can’t be showing such an appearance in front of people.
She speaks with a muffled voice while desperately trying to suppress her tears.
──Just how much feelings did Nanase-san suppressed in her heart?
A feel pain deep inside my heart.
How should I comfort her?
What should I tell her?
While thinking so in my mind, my hand unconsciously landed on Nanase-san’s small head.
The sobbing Nanase-san jolts her shoulders in a startle.
“See, in here. No matter how much you cry, it won’t be spread to our classmates……”
On that day.
The smile Nanase-san showed me that day crosses my mind.
I thought that I don’t want to see Nanase-san like that anymore.
“Therefore, umm…… If you are alright with me, that. I will listen to as many complaints as you have. Don’t hold it back and cry just as much as you want.”
I push Nanase-san’s hair slowly aside while talking.
The delicate touch tickles my stomach.
There’s only one thing I want to say.
“At the very least, you don’t have to work so hard in front of me.”
Most likely, to Nanase-san, I’m the only irregular.
I don’t want Nanase-san to wear that mask in front of me who is aware of her true image.
I don’t know why, but that’s what I thought.
That was the moment Nanase-san’s dam of feelings collapsed.
Nanase-san cried while letting sobbing voice.
Not as the cool, flawless class president who can handle anything.
But as a single frail girl.
While stroking the head of such Nanase-san, my heart started beating fast without noticing.
No matter how much I think about it, my heart didn’t slow down.
While trying to calm down my heart in confusion,
“……I’m so, rry……”
“D, don’t apologize. I don’t think that you are an annoyance or anything.”
“No…… you are wrong…… what I want to apologize for is……”
That time, Tina slowly opened her eyes.
“Nu……?”
It seems she has woken up.
“Are you crying, Iori Oneechan?”
The drowsy Tina rubs her eyes after seeing Nanase-san’s disheveled face.
“Ah…… sorry…… I have woken you up……”
“Don’t, mind~……”
The cat slips inside the futon again and buries herself in Nanase-san’s bosom again.
And then, Suu, Suu, she fell asleep again.
“Kamijou, kun.”
“What is it, Nanase-san.”
“C, can I hold your hand……?”
“…… Sure.”
With a slight rustling sound of clothes, Nanase-san extends her white hand.
I grasp that hand.
With the chilly touch, I felt a certain warmth.
“Thank…… you……”
“N. You are welcome.”
After that, Nanase-san began silently shedding tears.
I kept holding her hand until she fell asleep.