Chapter 7: Smothering.

Translated and Edited by: ynlucca.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one’s older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

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I almost fell down the stairs. If my ears weren’t playing a prank on me, I could swear she proposed we sleep together. Before I could think deeply about it, she approached me with a worried glint in her eyes.

“Everything okay?” She saw me almost falling.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.”

“Phew, glad to hear it,” she heaved a sigh of relief.

I’m too tired. I mean, auditory hallucinations? I really need to catch up with my sleep, I announced inwardly, deciding it was just a mild case of schizophrenia.

“Good night then,” I announced before jumping down to the floor. After grabbing one of my towels, I started laying it down for my own comfort.

“Wait a second. Just where do you think you’re sleeping in?” She stopped me.

“What do you mean? On the floor, obviously. Didn’t I just say you could sleep up on the loft?”

“You did, but then I told you you should sleep with me, didn’t I?”

So I wasn’t crazy. Scrunching the bridge of my nose, I spoke up once again, “Hey, Saki.”

“Hm?”

“You mean sleeping on the same futon I’d be sleeping in?”

“Mhm.”

I took a few beats before doing a little wave, “Well, g’night.”

Any more questions were futile. And staying with her a second longer would just leave me even more tired, so I tried to run away from reality. However, Saki would not let me off easy.

“If you want to, I can sleep down there with you.”

“Why though?!” I couldn’t help but shout.

However, she wouldn’t budge. “To sleep with you.”

Her answer was so simple, a chuckle escaped my lips. Something I’ve noticed is that she’s pretty faithful to her own desires. Still, I couldn’t just let this happen willy-nilly.

“Look, it’s no good. Actually, a lot of things are already wrong about this,” I would stand my ground come sun or come rain. No matter what she said, I’d hold my own.

“Hmm, looks like it won’t be easy the way Akito is now…” She started muttering incoherently to herself, sensing the seriousness in my eyes.

“That’s right, I won’t budge. So just give up and go sleep on the loft,” I crossed my arms.

“Mm, I won’t give up so easily either, you know~?” Saki scooted so close to me, I had to look down in order to see her eyes. Then, she peeked with them upturned as the gap in her negligee opened ever-so-slightly.

She got me! I screamed inside and snapped my eyes off her. It didn’t take long for me to notice I’d taken her bait. I mean, there’s no way in hell she would miss this golden chance to screw with me. Point in case, the grin crescent on her face.

“Oh, Akito? Why won’t you make eye contact with me?”

“D-dunno.”

“That so? Hm, by the way, Akito, why’s your face so red?”

“Oh, the bath got me a little hot, is all.”

“That’s rough, buddy.”

“Sure is.”

I threw away conversation while avoiding her like the plague. Though, I didn’t lie to myself; she probably knew exactly what I was thinking. Slowly but surely, she hunted me down and pushed me to a corner, and soon enough, I was a frog coiled by a python.

“My, I thought you were blushing because you saw something,” she made sure to emphasize that last part.

“—!”

I knew she knew, but I couldn’t throw in the towel either.

“Yeah, it’s just like you said!” I had an epiphany. “Then wouldn’t it be horrible to sleep with someone who harbors such vile thoughts?”

Hah! How about this?

“Nah. Rather, I’d welcome you with open arms,” and she opened her arms indeed.

“What are you on about?! Anyway, it’s a no! Hard no!”

Honestly, I thought admitting and turning coats would make her give up on this whole idea, but she took a rather accepting stance. Feeling there was nothing I could say, I figured I’d try to wing it with feeling alone.

“Haah,” she sighed. “You’re stubborn as they come.”

“Right? Then give up already.”

“Right.”

Hell yeah! I struck a gut punch in my heart and uncrossed my arms. It was a silly little thing to do, but I did feel a sense of accomplishment in being able to persuade her not to tempt me.

“Well then,” I started before she interrupted me.

“I guess this is not the time to worry about the means.”

“Hm?” What she said didn’t really click until she acted on it. “S-Saki?”

She hugged me from the front, unabashed. However, I am a different man now. With a will of steel, I endured her soft touch, knowing it was just like her usual temptations.

“Akito, I missed you so, so much… I was so incredibly lonely…”

“Eh?” Did she just say she missed me? Really? Saki did?!

Her voice quivered slightly under her breath, though I couldn’t see the expression she made.

“I’ve wanted to do this ever since that old witch forbade me from any contact with you, Akito…”

“Saki…”

“But if you don’t like the idea, it’s fine. I’ll sleep cold and lonely up there… But could you forgive me just this once? Will you sleep with me just for tonight…?”

“B-but,” my steel will rusted.

“Please, big brother, sleep with me~!”

“—!”

Cheating. How unfair of her!

Knowing I could only see her as part of my family, she decided to use that against me. If I dare refuse her now, I’d be finished as a brother who’d abandon his dear sister. And as if that wasn’t enough, she quivered with a waning voice she missed me all this time. How could I possibly say no?

“…Just for today.”

“Mkay. Well then, hurry up! Let’s get some sleep,” she moved away and climbed the stairs to the loft almost immediately, bearing a nonchalant look on her face.

“Whoa, you switch fast!”

I was set up once again. Unfortunately, though, there was no way for me to back out of the deal now, so I sighed in defeat.

“Akito, c’mon.”

“Saki, your eyes are bloodshot,” like those of a hunter.

“Nope, they’re not.”

“…I’m warning you now. No physical contact, capiche?”

“I know, I know.”

I contemplated for a second longer before climbing up on the loft. Looking down at the futon, which was too small for the both of us, I figured where I’d lay. That’s why I scooted to the very end of the thing.

“Good night.”

“Mhm, g’night.”

Not even five minutes later though…

“Saki…”

“What is it?”

“Would you stop smothering my back?”

“Nope!”

Once again, her promise was broken in an instant. And just as expected of her, she shifted into pampered mode in the blink of an eye.

“Ehehe, your back is so biiig, Akito!”

“You’re tickling me!”

She started rubbing her cheeks against my back. Not only that, two big “pillows” rubbed me from behind, and I had to bend forward a little bit in response.

“Haah,” she sniffed. “You’re the best hugging pillow ever! Hehe, I think I’m about to fall asleep.”

“Is it even fine to sleep like that?” I answered without turning back. Honestly, I’d rather have her fall asleep in my arms than have her keep rubbing me up and down like this.

“Aw, but what a waste! The night is just beginning!”

“Didn’t you just tell me it’s important I sleep well?”

“That’s one thing, this is another.”

“Oh, the tyranny…”

“Dictators make their own laws for their own reasons.”

“That so.”

These were the words of the dictator—Saki.

“More importantly, Akito.”

“Hm?”

She basked in her own satisfaction for a moment longer before moving away from my back. “Turn around a little.”

I did as I was asked and…

“Saki! Your clothes! They are too disheveled!”

Due to her rampant hugging, every single one of her clothes was messed up and in disarray, revealing far more than they should. I tried to turn around immediately, but she held my face with an iron grip.

“You’ve been spoiling me lots since yesterday, so now is my turn to spoil you~!”

“Excuse me?”

“Dig in,” she welcomed me with her arms outstretched.

“—!” I panicked. “Stop teasing me! I-I’m going to sleep!” I forced myself against Saki’s grip and turned my back to her. If I had to deal with her for a second longer, I’d go completely nuts.

“Hehe, I’ve teased you lots.”

Deciding I’d ignore her, I started meditating.

“Well then,” she said after a pause. “I’ll be sleeping now. Good night.”

“…Good night,” I answered before I could listen to the rustling of fabric covering one’s head. This time, she must’ve really fallen asleep.

Ugh, I’m tired…

Released from the constant tension, the sleep hit me all at once. Then, I closed my eyelids and fell into a deep slumber.

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