Somehow, it took until the bell for the end of the 7th period before Umeda stirred. Her eyelashes fluttered against my collarbone, followed by a sleepy groan. "Mmh... Onoda-kun?"
"Good morning, sleepy head. School hours are over." I lightly poked the girl's nose, causing her to scrunch up her face adorably.
Her eyes blinked open slowly, confusion clouding her gaze before sharpening into embarrassment as she finally realized she had fallen asleep while clinging to me.
"E-eh...? Onoda-kun... did I...?" Umeda stammered, scrambling backwards so abruptly she nearly tumbled off the narrow mattress. With my arm outstretched, I prevented her from rolling off before pulling her back to my side.
"Alright. Relax. I don't mind you falling asleep like that. You were exhausted." I kept my voice gentle as Umeda trembled against me, her cheeks flushing crimson.
She glanced down at her almost naked form, then at my exposed chest where her face had been pressed. Her whole body visibly reddened as she started recalling how we ended up . "Y-you should've minded, Onoda-kun! I... this is..."
Her voice trailed again when she noticed our bags sitting on the stool that Satsuki brought earlier.
"... Did someone come?" She asked, her fingers nervously twisting the blanket edge.
I could guess what she's truly trying to ask. She's wondering if the person who brought our bags saw us in this compromising position.
I put on a smile and whispered, "Yes. But you can rest assured. Even if they saw us , they'd keep it a secret."
"How would you know they would? Who was it?" Umeda pressed, her voice tight with anxiety as she somehow pressed herself closer to me.
I guess with this, this girl truly didn't wake up during our activities. She's genuinely unaware.
Upon hearing that name, Umeda's shoulders flinched as she clearly understood the implication, "Y-your girl came and she didn't mind that I was... uhm... sleeping with you?"
The girl bumped her forehead on my chest as though she was trying to burrow in it and hide her embarrassment. Moments later, her soft, muffled voice came, "She must be angry... I should apologize..."
"Well, I'm certain she'll tell you it's fine but you won't let that stop you, right?"
"Y-yeah! I have to!" Umeda mumbled against my skin, her breath warm and shaky.
She stayed buried against my chest for another moment before abruptly pushing herself upright, clutching the blanket tightly around her shoulders like armor. Her eyes darted around the infirmary, avoiding mine. "My... my swimsuit?"
"I put it in a pouch, remember?" I pointed at the plastic bag hanging from the bedside rail.
Umeda nodded, "R-right. Thank you."
She hesitated slightly before looking at me, "O-onoda-kun, my uniform is there, right? C-can you...?" Her blush deepened as she gestured vaguely toward the bags.
I understood immediately. She wanted privacy to change. Follow current novels on novel{f}ire.net
But looking at her acting , I couldn't help but want to tease her.
"Are you still embarrassed? I've already seen you in only underwear earlier." I grinned, deliberately letting my gaze drift down her blanket-shrouded form. "Besides, you clung to me so tightly while sleeping."
"Ugh... Don't mention it. I'm gonna explode..." Umeda groaned, hiding her face in her hands. Her ears burned crimson beneath her damp hair. "H-have you been awake this whole time?"
"Mostly," I admitted, shifting to sit up. The mattress springs groaned beneath us. "Watching you sleep was surprisingly peaceful."
Of course, since she remained asleep, I wouldn't tell her that Satsuki and I made love right beside her. That would only terrify her unnecessarily. Instead, I focused on her current embarrassment. "You were adorable, clinging like a koala. Almost made me lose my resolve."
Her blush deepened impossibly as she squeaked into her hands. "R-resolve? Onoda-kun, you didn't try to... you know... touch me?"
"I was tempted but I respect you too much," I answered truthfully. The ghost of Satsuki's bite still lingered on my collarbone. "Though your trust in me sleeping so deeply... was flattering."
"T-thank you. It was... comforting." Umeda peeked through her fingers, her blush softening slightly. "I truly felt secure. That must be why I didn't wake up at all."
"Yeah. That must be it. But Umeda. Since you have someone you like, you should be wary of other guys. Me included, especially so given how much you knew about my relationships." My tone shifted, losing its teasing edge. "Sleeping so deeply beside someone like me... it's dangerous."
Umeda froze mid-blush, fingers lowering from her face. Her eyes widened slightly, confusion flickering across her expression. "But... Onoda-kun, you're different. I mean, you're not like other boys. You protected me, carried me here and stayed with me without even having any dirty thoughts while I was asleep... You're kind." Her voice softened, almost pleading. "And... I trust you."
This girl. If only she knew. However, I suppose it's fine as it is.
"I'm flattered," I murmured, shifting to sit upright. The towel around my waist loosened slightly, and Umeda's gaze flickered downward before snapping away, cheeks blazing. "But kindness doesn't make me harmless. Remember, Satsuki walked in earlier? She saw us ."
Umeda clutched the blanket tighter. "Y-yes..."
Chuckling softly, I slid off the bed, grabbed my bag and stepped into the neighboring curtained space. "You can change now. I'll change here, then let's go back together. It's already club hours."
The rustle of fabric followed as Umeda scrambled to dress. Her voice came muffled through the curtain, thick with lingering embarrassment. "Onoda-kun... thank you for staying with me. And... I'm sorry for causing trouble."
"It's not trouble at all. Remember, I still owe you a favor." I reminded her as I also dressed up.
"Right. That favor... you can forget about it. You've helped me enough." Umeda emerged from behind the curtain, now fully dressed in her uniform. She avoided my gaze while clutching her swimsuit pouch. "Besides... I shouldn't impose on you anymore."
"What are you saying? That is that, this is this. It still stands. Tell me if you think about what kind of favor you want." I said as I finished buttoning my shirt.
Umeda stood frozen, clutching her swimsuit pouch like a shield.
"You're kinda stubborn, Onoda-kun. I never thought you'd be the type to insist on debts," Umeda mumbled.
I poked her nose again, making her squeak. "It's not about debts. It's about promises. Anyway, shall we? Everyone in your class must've been wondering if I've already laid my hands on you."
"Come on, stop teasing. It shouldn't be like that, right?" Umeda lightly hit my chest before looking up at me with uncertainty.
"What do you think?" I winked as we started walking to the door. "We've been alone here for an hour. It's bound to spark rumors."
"Then, I'll squash the rumors myself! You're nothing but a gentleman all this time, you know?" Umeda declared, puffing her chest slightly.
"Well, it's me. You should know how notorious my reputation is." I shrugged.
Umeda tried to open her mouth to argue but snapped it shut, realizing how right I was.
"Anyway, I'm sure Maaya and Misaki will ask you what happened. They'll help you clear things up once you tell them the truth." I slid the infirmary door open, letting Umeda step out first into the hallway.
"Un... I will. But won't they be jealous of me?"
"Maaya, maybe. But Misaki? That innocent girl will probably think you're one of them now." I chuckled softly as we walked down the deserted hallway, our footsteps echoing. "She'll ask if I kissed you properly."
Umeda froze mid-step, her cheeks blooming crimson. "O-Onoda-kun! Don't say things like that! Nothing happened!" Her voice echoed sharply in the empty corridor before she clapped a hand over her mouth.
"But that's Misaki for you. She's so adorably innocent even tainted, she remained so pure," I chuckled softly, watching Umeda's blush deepen as she fumbled with her swim bag strap. "She'll probably ask if I held your hand gently too."
"Ugh... How do I even explain that?" Umeda groaned, rubbing her temples as we stepped out of the Administration Building.
"Just turn to Maaya for help, I guess?"
"Itou-san, huh? You're right. She'll know how to handle Minamoto-san..." Umeda nodded, finally convinced.
By the time we reached the School Building, the place was already almost deserted. The only students walking around the hallways were those waiting for someone from the cleaning duty or those who had just finished their cleaning duty.