Chapter 41
Uhhhh… how did things end up like this?
I was imagining living with Ian… No, putting it that way makes it sound even weirder.
Anyway, I was so busy rationalizing things that before I knew it, I was inside the dormitory.
Thankfully, it seemed like no one had caught me…
‘I-I should get outside first…’
-Today's fight was amazing, huh?
-Yeah.
They're already here?!
I sensed the other students arriving at the dormitory.
If I took Ian out now… I'd never live down being called a pervert.
Hmm… Can't be helped.
For now, I laid Ian down on my bed.
I couldn't keep holding him, and he was my guest(?) after all. I couldn't very well leave him on the floor.
And as for me… Hmm…
Maybe I should just go to sleep?
The sun had already set, and I was tired, too.
I quietly sat down on the edge of the bed.
Hmm… Come to think of it, I haven't even changed my clothes.
He was asleep, but it felt a little awkward to change with Ian here…
I guess I'll just sleep like this tonight.
I looked at Ian's face.
He was sleeping with an expression that said he didn't have a care in the world.
Looking at him like that… stirred up a strange feeling inside me.
I didn't really understand it, but it wasn't a bad feeling.
Could this be…? No, there's no way.
There's no way I'd feel something like that.
I slowly lay down beside Ian.
Sleeping on the floor would be fine, too, but… my back would hurt.
That was the only reason, nothing more.
Feeling a strange warmth and a flutter in my chest, I fell deeply asleep.
…
I must've been out of my mind.
The next morning, I cursed my past self.
Why did I suddenly get so sentimental?!
When I opened my eyes, I found myself sleeping in Ian's arms.
That's right! In his arms! Ian had me wrapped up in a tight hug!
It was awkward to get away because he was holding me so tightly it was almost suffocating.
…Though I can't say I disliked the pressure. Anyway.
If I tried to force my way out, Ian might wake up.
He must've had a rough time yesterday, so I felt bad about waking him…
Maybe I should just stay here.
I probably can't get up anyway, right? Wouldn't it be fine to just keep lying here?
-Rustle
I quietly turned over and burrowed into Ian's arms.
I could feel the warmth of his body and his scent all over me.
He probably hadn't even had a proper wash yesterday, but for some reason, I didn't mind Ian's scent.
No, actually, I kind of like it…
‘What am I saying, you pervert!’
Ahem… What's gotten into me today?
Anyway, I stopped sniffing him and looked at Ian's face.
His brilliant blond hair and handsome face.
And his eyes were golden, too. They were so pretty… Huh?
‘His eyes?’
Ian's golden eyes were looking right at me.
So that meant… he was awake?
“Um… good morning, Plia?”
…
-Bam!
“Keurgh!”
I kicked Ian and scrambled under the blankets.
Why are you waking up nowwww!!!!
As a patient, shouldn't you be asleep until lunchtime…
…
Right. He's a patient, isn't he?
“…Are you okay?”
“No… I feel like I'm going to die…”
When I finally came to my senses, Ian was sprawled on the floor.
“…Sorry.”
“It's okay. I think I was the one who hugged you first…”
“Um…”
Well, that was true.
“Ahem. How are you feeling?”
“Aside from just getting kicked by you, I think I'm okay.”
“Ugh… Still, they said you should rest for a week, so don't overdo it.”
“I won't.”
Ian answered and sat back against the bed.
Sigh… What am I supposed to do with this?
“By the way, Plia. Where are we?”
“Here? My dorm room.”
“Your dorm room?”
“Yeah.”
Ian looked quite surprised when I told him it was my dorm room.
Well, waking up in a female classmate's dorm room would be surprising.
“Why am I here?”
“That's…”
I didn't know where your dorm was, so I was at a loss. Then I started imagining us living together, lost track of myself, and ended up bringing you to my room…
…There's no way I could say that!
“Um…”
“Hm? I asked why I'm here.”
“…I don't know!”
“Wait, Plia?!”
I pulled the blankets over my head.
Ugh… Why did yesterday-me have to do something like that…
-Sniff sniff
‘Ah. Ian's scent.’
Ian's scent was strong on the bed.
Well, he'd been lying here all night. It made sense for his scent to rub off.
I should wash the sheets…
‘Tsk… Sigh… I'm too lazy. I'll wash them later.’
I'm really just too lazy, that's all.
…
A little while later, we headed out to meet Arin at the place we'd agreed on.
How did we get out when the others were around? …We jumped out the window.
“Arin! Over here!”
“Ah! You two are together again! Did you sleep in the same room or something?!”
-Flinch!
“Ahaha… No way.”
How did she know?
“Ahem. Let's get going. My treat today!”
“Great! I'm going to order tons of expensive food! You're rich anyway!”
“Umm…”
She seems a lot less hesitant around me now… That's a good thing, right?
“Plia. Shall we go get something to eat first?”
“Let's. Arin wants something expensive, so let's go get something expensive.”
“Yay!”
I still had plenty of the money I'd brought with me.
Enough to live lavishly for at least a few months.
“Yay! There's a place I've been wanting to go. Let's go there!”
“Sure. Where is it?”
“Follow me!”
The place Arin led us to was an ordinary restaurant.
It might've been a little expensive for a commoner, but it was nothing to us.
“…Why here?”
“It's the most expensive place I know!”
“…Come with me.”
She'd brought us to this kind of place and called it expensive…?
Was she cute or just naive?
“Ah! You're running away because you don't want to buy us expensive food!”
“I'm not. Just hurry up and follow me.”
I took Arin to the most expensive place in the area.
It was decorated with marble from the entrance onward, and was on a whole different level from the restaurant we'd just left.
“…Plia. Isn't this too expensive? Even nobles probably can't come here often.”
“Don't underestimate how deep a noble's pockets are. Now, let's order.”
I took the menu the server handed me.
When I opened it, Arin's eyes went wide.
“Ah! The price is more than my monthly living expenses…”
“That just means it's delicious.”
The menu was simple: a steak set meal.
Before long, a luxurious steak set arrived. Every piece of cutlery gleamed brilliantly, and drizzled over the meat was an aromatic
truffle sauce.
It wasn't quite as good as the meals at the hot springs, but it was pretty satisfying.
For the price, the meal was quite delicious.
Arin took one bite, then silently focused on eating her meat.
Watching her cheeks puff up as she ate… she looked like a hamster.
“Hehe. Take your time, Arin. If it's not enough, I'll order more.”
“Really?!”
“Of course. Ian's paying.”
“Hey?!”
Ian had been quietly eating his meat when he got caught in the crossfire.
His dumbfounded expression was pretty funny.
Teasing him was so rewarding.
…
After we finished eating, we wandered around the shopping district like normal.
Oh, and of course I paid. I'd promised I would.
“Plia. Doesn't that look fun?”
“Dart throwing? They have that here, too…”
“Huh?”
“It's nothing. Let's go check it out.”
Throwing darts to pop balloons.
I never would've expected to find that in this world. It wasn't even something that appeared in the game.
“Step right up! Pop five balloons in a row and win a prize!”
“Heh. Ian, want to make a bet? Let's see who can hit more.”
“Sure. Watch closely, because I'm going to win.”
Ian paid and threw his darts.
-Pop!
As expected, he hit every target perfectly.
The owner had rigged the game somehow, but not enough to stop a Swordmaster's throw.
“Hehe. How's that?”
“That's only natural. You should at least be able to do that much.”
Right. Would a Swordmaster really fail at this?
More than that…
-Pop-pop-pop-pop!
“What?!”
“Ah! Plia, you're amazing!”
“Hehe… How's that?”
I threw all five darts at once and hit all five balloons.
Hehe. I should at least be able to do this much, right?
“Um… The prize…”
“It's fine. I was just doing it for fun.”
The prize would probably just be some ordinary plushie anyway.
It's not like I particularly wanted one…
“Here.”
“Hm?”
Ian handed me a huge rabbit plush.
A plush even bigger than me.
…Huh? This scene feels familiar.
“Take it, Plia. It's a present from me.”
“Ah! Ian! Don't flirt with her so openly!”
For now, I ignored Arin.
“…I just gave up the prize. Is it really okay for you to give it to me?”
“Well… You like it, don't you?”
“I don't dislike it…”
“Then you like it.”
Does it really work like that?
More importantly, why had he suddenly gotten so smooth?
“Well… Thanks anyway.”
“Sure. Put it next to the teddy bear.”
“…You gave me that one, too.”
“Ah! When did you give her a teddy bear? I've never seen it!”
“Before I enrolled?”
That was when we first met.
I hadn't thought much of it back then…
…
“What's wrong, Plia?”
“It's nothing.”
I never thought we'd get this close.
And maybe even closer…
“Ah! Plia, your face is red!”
“Ugh… It's not like that!”
Well, why not? If it feels nice, that's all that matters.