Chapter 37: The Angel and Passing of the New Year (2/2)

They finished the Toshikoshi soba, and were seated on the sofa, watching the TV concert. Before they knew it, time passed, and a new day loomed.

It appeared Mahiru would not watch the TV unless it was necessary, and did not seem familiar with the trendy songs. He saw her enjoy the concert silently, and time passed faster than he imagined.

The screen then showed the Joya-no-kane, and he was reminded once again that a new year was looming.

Next to him, Mahiru’s eyelids were falling as she silently listened to the bell.

And after hearing the 107th bell—

“Happy New Year.”

The moment the day changed, she straightened her back as she turned towards Amane, bowing down, and Amane too followed suit with this New Year greeting.

“Happy New Year…it’s strange, two of us spending the New Year together like this.”

“Fufu, I guess…please continue to take care of me this year.”

“Same here…I guess I should be the one asking you that.”

“I cannot deny that.”

Amane replied a giggling Mahiru with a wry smile, and then noticed the smartphone on his knees shaking.

It seemed Itsuki and Chitose had sent a few New Year greetings over, there were a few numbers on the app icons.

Mahiru too experienced the same, her smartphone was shaking. She had just known Chitose, and never exchanged IDs, so the messages should be from friends Amane knew not of.

The recent trend of delivering New Year greetings as messages had made things convenient.

“I shall reply to a few messages.”

“Same here.”

It appeared Mahiru had received lots of greetings. For some reason however, he felt she never informed any boy on how to contact her.

As she began replying nimbly, She’s really like a high school girl here, he thought as he replied to Itsuki and Chitose.

The messages were normal, “Happy New Year” and  “Are you spending the New Year with Shiina-san?” They were right on the mark, but he replied denials to them anyway.

“Stop lying now” Itsuki immediately replied, and the process of teasing and being teasing repeated itself again.

Suddenly, there was weight upon his arms. He then had a whiff of sweet fragrance.

Oh no, so he looked sideways tentatively…and found Mahiru leaning on him with her eyes closed.

—Wait wait wait.

He did not voice out, but he was rather flustered.

There were cases of her falling asleep, but who would have expected her doing so next to him, leaning on his shoulder?

No further thought was needed to understand why Mahiru had fallen asleep.

It was past midnight at this point.

It was expected that Mahiru, living the prim and proper life, would not stay up late. Furthermore, she was busy making Osechi the entire day, and though she did not show it, she must have been really worn out.

There was no doubt she had no resistance against the sleep demon.

He understood the reason.

He knew, but he never expected her to do so at this moment.

Mahiru fell asleep while leaning on Amane, ignoring how flustered and gaudy the latter was as she showed a serene sleeping face. The long eyebrows, nice nose, pink lips were all defenseless.

It was not the first time he saw her sleeping face, but it was the first time he did so up close, and he froze up.

“Mahiru, wake up.”

He called out worriedly, but there was no response.

She had fallen into a deep slumber, devoured by the sleep demon as she was too tired. She showed no signs of waking up no matter how he talked to her or shook her gently.

He patted her gently on the thigh, shaking her body, but she did not wake up.

Having done that, she started tilting a little forward, the parts touching him moving slightly and he hastily pulled her up…only to end up embracing her in his clutches, leaving him more flustered than ever.

…That’s a really nice smell.

Mahiru went back home to shower, or something else, after they had eaten. Perhaps the shampoo floral fragrance had blended into hers, for she was giving off a sweet fragrance, leaving him very comfortable.

And also, he sensed something soft on him, and was left really restless as a result.

She was sleeping so soundly, he could not bring himself to wake her up. He had a feeling that she would not wake up unless he hit her more forcibly.

What do I do now?

This happened right after the New Year started, and Amane found himself cupping his head.