Bookwalker SS: A Joyful Morning

The morning after staying over at Amane's place was Mahiru's golden time. Would Amane wake up first, or would Mahiru?

Since they were both morning people, there was no telling who would wake up first. When Mahiru would wake up before Amane, she would happily watch his sleeping face until he stirred. On the other hand, when Amane woke up first, he would quietly watch over her, and even after Mahiru got up, she would continue to stick to him, indulging in his warmth for a while.

This morning, Mahiru was the first to wake up, rightfully earning the privilege of gazing at Amane's sleeping face to her heart's content. Last night, she had fallen asleep wrapped in his embrace, but now Amane lay on his back, peacefully dozing off. Carefully, Mahiru sat up from her spot beside him, making sure not to rouse him before looking back down at his sleeping face as he journeyed through his dreams. At seventeen, his features had matured compared to when they first met, but his sleeping face still held a boyish charm that she found nothing short of adorable.

Amane often thought that he had a harsh look in his eyes, but in reality, it was just his higher sense of caution. His eyes turned soft around those he was close to, and with Mahiru, he wore a gentle, warm smile. Perhaps tired from his recent busy schedule, Amane hadn't noticed Mahiru waking up. His peaceful, boyish expression remained as he quietly breathed in his sleep.

Since he had no work, plans, or even his usual morning jog today, Mahiru thought it would be best to let him sleep a little longer.

Amane continued to sleep like a baby, looking utterly content, and Mahiru couldn't resist just a little mischief. She held up her phone carefully, pressing her finger against the speaker to muffle the sound, and snapped a picture—then another. Since she knew Amane had secretly taken a picture of her sleeping once before, she figured this much was fair game. After adding the new, adorable photos of him to her collection, Amane still didn't wake from his sleep. He shifted slightly on the bed, rolling over to face her with a little shiver.

Though the heater was on, they had kept it on low overnight. After Mahiru sat up, a gap had formed in the covers, leaving Amane cold. His arm instinctively reached out for Mahiru's warmth. The sight was so endearing that Mahiru felt a mix of guilt for letting him get chilly and a tiny bit of naughty pleasure from watching him reach out for her. However, her rational side quickly scolded her for such thoughts, reminding her not to tease him. So, quietly, she slipped back under the blanket and nestled close to Amane, becoming the source of warmth he sought.

It wasn't long before Amane's arm reached out, and Mahiru found herself gently pulled into his now stronger embrace, just as he had unconsciously sought. What differed from how they slept last night was their position. Mahiru was now lying in a slightly different spot with Amane's arm wrapped around her back, causing his face to naturally nestle into her chest. It would be a lie to say it didn't affect her at all, but somehow, it felt entirely different compared to when he did something like this while awake. She even found the action sweet, which surprised her.

If Amane intentionally did this while fully awake, Mahiru was sure her heart would be racing so fast she might just drop dead from the shock. But right now, her heartbeat had only quickened a little.

Sleepyhead Amane-kun is so cute…

Her feelings were calm, and that was the only thought in her head.

…I can see him apologizing as soon as he wakes up.

Mahiru chuckled at the thought of Amane waking up with a bright red face, trying to apologize on his knees. Almost immediately after, he released a low, sleepy "Mmmm…"

As she glanced at the clock on the bedside table, Mahiru noticed that their usual wake-up time was approaching.

Now, what will he do…? She gently stroked Amane's hair with a playful smile as he unconsciously snuggled even closer. As expected, the first thing Amane did once he fully woke up was immediately apologize.

"I'm really sorry."

Amane sat upright and bowed his head so low it practically touched the mattress. Mahiru couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. I knew it, she thought. She gently patted his head again and reassured him, "Don't worry about it."