[Interlude Part 2] Misono Mika: The Artist in the Morning Glow

It happened all of a sudden.

In other words, it was a bomb dropped on me without a moment's warning.

"Esumi-chan, when you sleep in bed, do you wear underwear, or go commando?"

"......Excuse me?"

1-2

One day, Esumi was out for some private business and, unfortunately, got caught in a downpour on her way home.

Ever since remembering the cause of her death in her past life, she had developed a trauma regarding rain, regardless of scale. To her, rain—something others might call a blessing of nature—was the greatest natural enemy in her life.

Because of this, she was agonizing over how to get home when she bumped into Misono Mika, who had just finished shopping. Esumi took her up on the offer when Mika said, "It is close, so come over to my room!"

For the record, this was the second time Esumi had experienced the flow of events leading to ending up in someone else's room after being caught in the rain—the first being the time Kirifuji Nagisa saved her on the street last year. However, unlike Kirifuji, who was driving home, Mika—who was out walking—did not have a car, so Esumi ended up sprinting desperately with Mika through the driving rain.

As a result, by the time they reached Mika's room, both of them were drenched, and in fear of catching a cold, they ended up jumping into the bath Mika had quickly prepared. That was when that question suddenly escaped Mika's lips.

As an aside, Mika's bathtub was meant for one person, so Mika, with her large wings, was hugging Esumi from behind as they bathed, leaving Esumi in a "back-hug" position. Because of this, Esumi could not read Mika's expression at all, so she had no idea if the question was serious or just a joke.

"Or rather...... setting aside those choices, what about pajamas?"

For the time being, Esumi brought up a "third option," as she usually wore pajamas to bed; she was neither in underwear nor naked. Unless one were sensitive to heat, that would be the norm.

However, Mika mercilessly pushed back, saying, "Those are no good this time!" and tightened her arms around Esumi's stomach, pulling their bodies even closer. Mika's ample bust, the exact same size as Esumi's, pressed against her back, changing shape with the pressure.

Even so, Esumi did not lose her composure, despite being hugged from behind by an innocent, active beauty.

"Misono. I cannot move if you press against me like that."

"It is okay, it is okay! We are both chilled to the bone from the rain, so let's soak in the tub together for a while. Since I went to the trouble of running a hot bath, we have to soak until we are nice and toasty. Right? That is fine, isn't it?"

"Haa...... fine. But only if you release your arms before I get lightheaded."

"Hehehe, yay! I am so happy, I think I will hug you even tighter! It is rare for us to hug while naked. Since we have the chance, maybe I will take this time to fully enjoy Esumi-chan's body?"

"No, what kind of phrasing is that? That sounds like something a pervert would say......"

"That’s mean. You know, I know Esumi-chan's body better than anyone else, besides Nagisa-chan. We are the only ones you hang out with that much, after all."

"......We have only showered together a few times in the past."

"Exactly. That you have a small mole on your thigh, or that you actually have a large chest even if it does not stand out in your uniform, or that your skin is pure white because you do not tan—those are all secrets that only Nagisa-chan and I know!"

"Kirifuji, who has showered with me, did not try to look at my body at all, though. If anything, I wish Misono would learn from her gentlemanly conduct."

"Ahahaha, what is that...... Nagisa-chan is always missing out on things. She could legally see Esumi-chan naked, you know."

"Stop acting as if Kirifuji is always trying to see me naked illegally. Besides, Misono, do you not think anything of me seeing you naked? Even between people of the same sex, there is usually some sense of shame, right?"

"Nope, not at all. If anything, why would I? If it is Esumi-chan or Nagisa-chan, I would not feel embarrassed even if you saw me naked."

"Ah, is that so...... let's end this conversation."

She sighed, as if resigned. Then, she pulled her hand from the water and began gently rubbing her own cheek. Setting aside whether that action had any meaning, she simply rubbed her cheek absentmindedly. After a while, she submerged her hand back into the tub and looked up at the ceiling.

"......Anyway, to get back to the point, why did you ask that question earlier? Usually, no one goes to bed in underwear or naked. You wear pajamas when you sleep, don't you?"

"Oh, wait. Don't tell me, Esumi-chan...... you did not realize?"

"Realize what?"

"Our clothes got soaked in the rain, but Esumi-chan, you do not have a change of clothes, do you?"

"......Ah."

Hearing those words, Esumi realized everything. Yes, that was correct. It was all a series of unexpected events—ending up in Mika's room, getting caught in the rain, and taking a bath together. Consequently, Esumi, who had no intention of staying out overnight, had clothes—let alone underwear—that were completely soaked and unwearable. Furthermore, there was nothing for her to wear once she left this bathroom.

In that case, Esumi's next move would be to either stay the night at Mika's room or have someone come to pick her up with a change of clothes. Normally, the latter would be the safest and most sensible option. But in this heavy rain, which showed no sign of stopping, making someone bring her clothes would be far too cruel.

Therefore, as Mika had already proposed and Esumi had agreed, she was staying at Mika's room tonight.

However, as mentioned before, Esumi had no change of clothes. And since it was still pouring outside, she could not have anyone bring them over. Theoretically, she could borrow Mika's personal belongings, although it was not her preference, but due to the difference in their height and build, it would likely be a tight fit. In particular, Mika, who was still a first-year in the high school division, had not finished growing, whereas Esumi, almost a third-year, had finally reached 160 centimeters, so the height difference between the two was obvious.

Some people might think, "As long as it fits, it is fine," but since she would be borrowing Mika's things, she could not risk damaging or breaking them. This meant she might indeed have to sleep in bed in either underwear or naked, just as Mika had asked. Though the latter would certainly result in catching a cold......

(That said...... I cannot go stark naked, and I do not know if Mika's underwear or clothes will fit...... plus, Mika does not even have a dryer, so it is impossible to dry my underwear in a hurry...... am I, by any chance, cornered?)

Esumi had no hesitation about sleeping in other people's rooms anymore, but this was the first time she had been without any clothes at all. Although unexpected firsts happen in everything, Esumi leaned her body back against Mika and closed her eyes to ponder a better plan.

"Hmm...... should I just wrap myself in a bath towel and sleep?"

"Esumi-chan, I think that would be pretty dangerous looking. It will probably fall off while you are sleeping."

"Well, that is the same as sleeping in underwear or naked so...... haa, then...... how about I make a makeshift outfit using cloth?"

"Are you good at sewing?"

"Not at all. I am terrible."

"Eeh, that is surprising. I thought you could do anything."

"Misono, you seem to think I am some kind of perfect superman."

"By the way, I am excellent at sewing!"

"......Hmm."

"Eh, what is that reaction...... hey, look. Don't you think it is a brilliant idea for me, someone skilled at sewing, to make clothes for Esumi-chan!? It is impossible to make anything like store-bought clothes, but simple things that wrap around your body are easy to make in no time!"

"......I will pass. If I wear something you knit, I feel like I will turn into a bug unable to move."

"I would not do that!"

"Really? I have never seen you sew, so honestly, I cannot believe you......"

"Geez, that is mean, Esumi-chan! If you are going to say that...... take this, yah!"

"Heh!? Wa, wait, just a moment!?"

Mika, slightly angry that Esumi did not trust her sewing skills, started kneading Esumi's large breasts with the arms she had wrapped around her stomach. It was an act only possible because she was hugging Esumi from behind, but honestly, it was nothing much. It was just a trivial, ordinary prank from someone who tends to act on intuition.

Besides, Esumi was used to Mika squeezing her chest from time to time, so her reaction had dulled lately, and essentially she took zero damage from being squeezed. However, the worst part was that they were currently in the bathtub, exposed to the air.

In other words, Mika's small, slender fingers were not only digging into her soft breasts, but also touching sensitive areas usually protected by underwear or clothing without restraint. In short, the Esumi being pranked had a reaction that was completely off the charts.

"I-idiot!! What are you thinking, groping me in this situation—gyaa!? Wait, wait, that is dangerous—nn, ahh...... t-this, hey Misono!! Are you listening!?"

"I hear you. But sorry, I am definitely not listening to what Esumi-chan says! Here, take this, take this!"

"Hya!?...... L-like I said, that hand is indecent...... s-stop that hand—hikk, n-aah...... s-stop...... h-hey, h-hey, seriously!!"

"Hmph. You are at fault, Esumi-chan, for not being grateful to me at all even though I let you into my room and gave you a bath because you got soaked in the rain! Here, here, Esumi-chan, this is your weak spot, right? I know because I have squeezed it plenty of times before!"

"No, that is a different story—gyaa!! L-like I said, don't squeeze that part hard, you idiot!!"

"No arguments allowed! Yaah!!"

Perhaps because she usually treats Esumi as just a friend, Mika likely has no "intentions" toward her. Given the posture of hugging Esumi from behind, perhaps she was just focusing on squeezing her chest while holding down the struggling girl, and did not even realize that Esumi was currently in a very lewd state.

Moreover, they were in a bathroom where sound echoed easily, and the "sounds" Esumi made—which were not suitable for educational purposes—were hard to hear over the splashing water caused by her desperate struggle to escape Mika's restraint...... It was unclear whether Esumi would reach her limit first, or if Mika would realize the danger of the situation first.

The only thing that was certain was that the bodies of the two, which had been chilled by the rain, were already plenty warm. Although, only one of them had a face bright red for a clearly different reason......

1-3

"......Do you have anything to say?"

"I am sorry."

A while after the little incident in the bathroom.

What happened to Esumi after that...... unfortunately, for the sake of her honor, I will keep that a secret, but Esumi, who could neither escape nor stop Mika's punishment, found herself lightheaded in the bathtub, perhaps because her state of excitement had lasted too long.

When that happened, even Mika realized something was wrong, and her expression flipped from the happy, prank-playing girl to one of pallor, and she hurriedly pulled Esumi out of the tub. Currently, Esumi was lying in bed in Mika's underwear, with a cold, wet towel on her forehead, being nursed by Mika—who, for some reason, was also in her underwear just like Esumi.

Regarding the underwear, it was Mika's own judgment because it was an emergency. However, thankfully, while the size was a bit tight, it was not particularly uncomfortable to wear. Mika had debated putting her own pajamas on Esumi, but held back because Esumi's body heat was not subsiding. In the end, until her lightheadedness settled, Esumi would not be able to wear anything other than underwear for a while. Though, it was completely unclear why Mika was also in her underwear......

Esumi, playing with the towel on her head with her fingertips, looked at Mika, who was sitting seiza-style by her side.

"For now, I am fine, but...... it would be trouble if something like this happened again, so absolutely no doing that kind of thing in the bath from now on. Understand?"

"Ah, so you will still take a bath with me next time. Esumi-chan, you are so kind! Could it be...... that you like me a lot?"

"......Shall I forbid us from meeting too?"

"I am sorry. I am reflecting deeply. I apologize."

"......Haa."

Getting carried away even a little is her bad habit, and at the same time, it is her adorable side. Even now, she is only a first-year in the high school division. Age-wise, she is just a young girl who has barely turned fifteen. This time, thankfully, it did not reach a life-threatening situation, but Esumi, still not back to her full strength, stared blankly at the room's ceiling, hoping that Mika would use this failure as a chance to grow. The ceiling right before her eyes was clean, without a single speck of dirt.

"......Esumi-chan, you are looking at the ceiling, is there something there?"

"Nothing...... just, well, it is surprisingly clean for Misono's room."

"Ehehe, right? I do clean it properly from time to time...... nn, wait a second. Don't tell me, did Esumi-chan have an image of my room being messy?"

"The room isn't cluttered, and the clothes are folded in the shelf...... it is completely different from what I imagined."

"What kind of lifestyle do you think I lead in Esumi-chan's head!? Is it that degenerate!?"

"You aren't lying on the bed with clothes and personal items scattered all over the room?"

"I don't do that at all!! Geez, even I am a member of the Tea Party, you know!! I am careful about my private life and behavior in my own way!!"

Mika puffed out her cheeks in protest. Esumi, turning to look at her, smiled slightly.

"Fufu, sorry, sorry. That was just a joke. You are the type whose emotions move before your thoughts, but underneath, you are a serious, solid child. I know that you are growing, even if I don't look closely enough."

"What is that, trying to assert seniority? You were born only a year earlier than me and Nagisa-chan, Esumi-chan is also still a child."

"But it is a fact that I am older than you."

"Well, it is true that Esumi-chan has a much more mature atmosphere compared to other seniors, but...... hmm. If I copy Esumi-chan, will I look more mature than I do now?"

"That is impossible."

"Couldn't you have avoided answering that so immediately!?"

As Mika hung her head, looking shocked, Esumi felt a bit sorry for her and rested her hand on her head, gently patting it.

"I am doing nothing but teasing Misono today, aren't I?"

"......Are you aware of that?"

"Because when I tease you, your reactions are interesting. Your expressions change constantly, your emotions are easy to understand, and I never get bored watching you. When I tease you while I am stressed, I naturally calm down."

"So up until now, I have just been casually dragged along to help with Esumi-chan's stress relief!?"

"See, that part right there. You react immediately...... honestly, it is fun."

When she let out a giggling laugh, seeing her look so genuinely satisfied—no matter how rough her treatment was—made it impossible to get truly angry, even if she wanted to. Having no choice, Mika puffed her cheeks, turned away, and announced in a high voice, "Hmph. I don't know you anymore, Esumi-chan!!" while crossing her arms, expressing her dissatisfaction.

(......I might have gone a bit too far......)

Seeing Mika's attitude, Esumi scratched her cheek with her fingertip, looking troubled, then removed the towel from her head and slowly sat up. Her body heat had subsided, and she felt better. There was no nausea or headache. Esumi confirmed she was back to normal and called out to Mika.

"......Misono."

"......Hmph."

"......Aa—...... what can I do to put you in a good mood?"

"......If Esumi-chan sleeps with me, I will forgive you."

"......Eh...... i-is that all?"

"Yeah, just that."

"But that doesn't feel much different from usual......"

"That is enough for me."

"I see, then...... uh...... c-come here?"

If all it took was sleeping together to put her in a good mood, Esumi did not mind at all, so she spread her arms wide in a welcoming pose. Seeing that, Mika broke into a radiant smile, threw herself at Esumi, and pushed her down onto the bed.

"Whoa...... you're going to knock me over?"

"Ehehe, but we are on the bed, so it is fine! Now then, if we stay like this, our bodies will get cold, so I will pull the blanket over us too............ there, and...... uun...... the feel of the fluffy blanket and the feel of Esumi-chan's skin is so nice, it is happiness...... the way you feel when I hug you is also the best☆"

"I-is that so?...... I am not quite used to this, but......"

Because she usually slept in pajamas, she had never been conscious of it, but with so much skin exposed in this underwear state, the elasticity of Mika's skin and the texture of the bedsheets mixed together, feeling a bit strange. By the way, Mika was entangling her legs, wrapping her arms around Esumi's back, and even wrapping her large wings around Esumi's body to embrace her, so even though they were both in underwear, their bodies were sufficiently warmed up.

"Your clothes that got soaked in the rain...... I am drying them in the bathroom, so you will probably be able to wear them by tomorrow noon. Though I suppose they won't be very comfortable to wear......"

"That is fine. As long as I don't have to walk outside stark naked...... and, I will wash these borrowed underwear and return them later."

"They look good on you, so it is fine if I just give them to you as a present, you know?"

"No, I will pass...... it is embarrassing to have pink patterns."

When she flatly refused, Mika replied lightly with an "Okay" without being particularly dissatisfied, and then buried her face in Esumi's chest...... well, that was the usual. Except for the part where she was burying her face directly into her skin, that is.

"Hey, that is ticklish, so stop it this time."

"......Since we took a bath together, your body smells like the detergent I usually use. But...... I see, so this is what Esumi-chan's smell is like...... yes, it smells nice."

"You are not listening to me at all...... Misono, if you do anything weirder than that, I will forbid us from sleeping together. Is that okay?"

"Weird things...... by any chance, do you mean things like this?"

"Eh, wait, what are you planning to—gyaa!?"

At that moment, along with a faint sucking sound, a sharp stimulus ran across Esumi's chest. Furthermore, that sensation, which was like a surprise attack, was enough to make her body twitch in reaction. Esumi, who immediately guessed the cause, turned bright red.

"Hey, you really did it—hey, Misono!!"

"Ehehe. Look, look Esumi-chan, on your beautiful white skin, look...... it left a mark☆"

"No, 'it left a mark☆' is not the point!! What are you doing!? Leaving marks on someone's skin!!"

"This is, punishment☆"

"Hah!? P-punishment!?"

"Yeah. Because Esumi-chan, you teased me a lot today, right? So this is punishment to correct you, the bad girl Esumi-chan who teases me☆"

"You idiot!! Just because of that, leaving marks on my skin—and anyway, I already got my payback in the bathroom, so that is enough—gyaa!?"

Ignoring the furious Esumi, Mika, fired up with "It is punishment☆," pressed her lips to Esumi's chest and neck, leaving mark after mark. It was an act of pressing lips to skin and sucking strongly—what you call a "hickey"—but whether Mika was unaware of that, or was doing it on purpose while knowing, she was truly enjoying the act from the bottom of her heart.

However, Esumi, who was entangled in Mika's legs while in her underwear, wrapped in her wings, and had absolutely nowhere to run—just like in the bathtub—was at the mercy of the storm of kisses raining down on her body without mercy, and a mysterious sensation close to pleasure welling up from the depths of her body. She endured the endless "punishment" while unconsciously hugging Mika's body tight.

Though she had been touched by Mika before, who would have thought she would even be given hickeys?

(Aren't we doing things that lovers would do, not just acquaintances!? Are you an idiot, what are you thinking, Mika!!)

In the first place, seeing as she had already slept with other Blue Archive characters like Nagisa and Seiya several times, the "acquaintance relationship" Esumi always insisted on was practically already broken, but is she just blind, or does she just not want to realize that fact?

Before long, after Mika—who claimed it was punishment—finished and showed a very refreshed smile, it was only natural that Esumi's "Iron Fist of Anger," having reached its limit, would come crashing down on her head.

1-4

"......Suu...... suu......"

"............"

Midnight.

After receiving Esumi's Iron Fist of Anger, which had finally reached its boiling point, and enduring the headache that had yet to subside for several hours.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion from the two battles in the bathroom and on the bed, Esumi was fast asleep, while Mika, the owner of the room, was still unable to fall asleep.

"............"

In front of her was Esumi's beautiful face, eyes closed, having traveled completely to the world of sleep.

Before, she had dark circles under her eyes, perhaps due to lack of sleep, but lately, she seemed to be getting enough sleep, so there were no noticeable circles. Mika stared blankly at her face, gently stroking her cheek with her fingertips.

(Esumi-chan today...... she seemed different than usual......)

Moving her hand from her cheek to her ear, Mika fiddled endlessly with the ear, which had cooled down as the fever subsided. Esumi's body reacted slightly to the ticklishness of the act, but she did not wake up. She seemed to be in a very deep sleep.

(......Hey, Esumi-chan............ why were you shivering so much while looking at the rain that time?)

What Mika suddenly remembered was the sight of Esumi shivering slightly in the rain, staring blankly at the sky.

(It was the first time I had seen such a weak Esumi-chan...... she is always calm, giving off an adult-like atmosphere, which is why she is so adored by Cheri-chan and Nagisa-chan...... yet...... even Esumi-chan has things she is afraid of......)

To Misono Mika, the existence of Kayama Esumi was a kind of object of admiration.

She was always calm, using sophisticated words to navigate against political organizations like the Tea Party, using her position as an information broker and her own reputation as weapons.

To put it simply, she was a perfect superman. A supergirl who would fend off any danger that came her way.

That was the figure of the girl named Kayama Esumi that Mika had seen for a long time since junior high school.

However, that image could be said to have crumbled as of today.

It was just heavy rain.

If you used an umbrella, you could easily avoid it, and if you didn't have one, you could just run home in the rain.

Therefore, as Mika returning from shopping, there was no need to bring an umbrella, nor did she need to go out of her way to procure one at a nearby store in a hurry. In fact, residents other than her were complaining about the rain, but getting by by running or using umbrellas.

But in that situation, only one person...... Esumi alone was staring blankly at the sky, unable to do anything.

She had taken refuge in a nearby building to avoid getting wet, but that was all.

She did not buy an umbrella. She did not call for a ride. She was not talking to anyone, nor was she killing time looking at her smartphone.

That figure was like a doll whose consciousness had been shaved away in the face of an object of fear, and even to Mika, Esumi's state at that time was clearly strange.

Could Mika just silently overlook her?

No, she could not.

Just like with her childhood friend Nagisa, to Mika, Esumi was another best friend and a precious existence. Rushing to her side and talking to her about this and that was almost unconscious.

Though, as Esumi, who insisted on calling their relationship "just acquaintances," might have thought, Mika's actions at that time might have been an unnecessary meddling.

But Mika did not regret the action she decided on at that time.

That said, Mika was reflecting on the fact that she had been a bit too pushy by "lying" to Esumi that her room was close by, and running home in the heavy rain without even using an umbrella. However, Esumi's right hand, which had been holding Mika's hand at that time...... had gripped it desperately, as if to say, "I will not let go of this security." Even if she pursued that point, Esumi herself would probably just deflect it......

(Does that mean, the fact that Esumi-chan was teasing me all day today was not to vent stress...... but perhaps to hide her anxious feelings?)

This is second-hand information from Nagisa, but it seems that people sometimes act brighter than usual to hide their anxious feelings, sometimes interacting excessively with others.

Basically, Esumi is not the type who likes to talk much, but today she enjoyed talking with Mika from start to finish, teasing her about various things. Of course, venting stress, which she mentioned, was likely one of the reasons. But if one were to believe Nagisa's words, that might have been an attitude close to a defense instinct taken to prevent others from seeing her weaknesses.

(......If so, she should have just said so honestly...... can she not trust me that much?)

Whether that was her true intention, who knows.

All the previous thoughts were nothing more than Mika's speculation, and she could not wake up the person fast asleep before her eyes to ask. Mika stared at her face, then moved the finger that had been fiddling with her ear to her lips.

And with her fingertip, she touched Esumi's soft lips.

"......Even if Esumi-chan only sees me and Nagisa-chan as mere acquaintances...... I am different, you know...... Esumi-chan is one of my very important friends...... Someday, I want you to show me that weakness too...... it is a promise, okay?"

The girl smiled slightly there, then gently brought the finger she had touched to her own lips.

"Besides...... you need to notice Nagisa-chan's feelings sooner or later...... if you don't, I will seriously go for Esumi-chan."

Esumi, who was still breathing quietly and fast asleep, did not reply to those words.

But Mika did not expect an answer; instead, she looked satisfied to have said what she wanted to say, and pressed her face strongly against Esumi's chest.

(......Actually, when I think about it now, Esumi-chan's voice today was really lewd and cute...... even though I intended it to be a normal punishment at first, as I heard that voice gradually, I started to feel strange too, that was dangerous, that was dangerous...... I am glad I still had my reason left.)

Esumi always has a calm face, with an air of looking ahead. The joy of seeing such an unexpectedly different side of her, or should I say, the joy of opening a new door.

Either way, Mika would not forget Esumi's figure, showing a reaction so different from usual, for a long time. Just this once, she intended to keep this matter quiet even from her childhood friend, Nagisa. Esumi was not the type to open her mouth and tell others either, and depending on the situation, it could cause misunderstandings among others.

However...... if that were the case, this day's events felt like a "secret I cannot tell anyone" known only to the two of them, Mika and Esumi, and honestly, Mika's heart began to pound with happiness.

Though, even setting aside the "act" in question, just the fact that they took a bath together and slept together in their underwear was more than enough of a secret that could not be told to others...... it was definitely not something done in a relationship less than friends. It is doubtful whether even a couple would do such things.

But perhaps this distorted relationship was permitted precisely because the other person was Esumi.

"......Have a good dream, Esumi-chan...... if you can, let's sleep together as friends again next time."

Hugging Esumi tightly again, Mika closed her eyelids.

Esumi's body temperature felt through skin against skin. The heartbeat heard slightly through the vibration. Was it Esumi's heart, or Mika's own, that was pulsing at such a high speed?

"......Good night...... Esumi-chan......"

Looking satisfied...... no, Mika traveled to the world of sleep, gradually letting go of the tension in her body while wearing a happy smile.

1-5

"......A morning spent sleeping together...... how many times has this been now......?"

Perhaps due to just waking up, or perhaps because her throat was affected by the temperature difference from sleeping in her underwear. Esumi leaked those words as soon as she sat up, her voice a little lower and raspier than usual.

When she glanced to the side, Mika was sleeping while hugging Esumi's waist.

"......Nnya-nya...... nuu...... suyaa......"

"......She is fast asleep. Well, that is usual, but............ look, I am getting up, so let go of that hand."

Sleeping with Mika is not the first time, so it is not that difficult to escape from Mika's restraint while sleeping.

The only exception is that this is the first time they both slept in underwear.

Because they are hugging skin-to-skin, it feels strangely ticklish, and in addition, Mika's breath is hitting her directly, so she honestly cannot calm down.

But Esumi, who was able to escape from the restraint safely this time too, began to poke Mika's cheek with her fingertip, as if for payback for the other day, while she was still enjoying her dream journey.

"......Mu...... n, n—?...... nuu...... suu......"

"......She won't wake up even after this."

Even though she was being poked on the cheek, Mika—perhaps because she went to bed much later than Esumi last night—did not seem likely to wake up with this level of stimulation. She was completely fast asleep.

Well, in reality, there had not been a single time so far where she woke up earlier than Esumi.

"More importantly...... what should I do about these marks?"

After letting out a deep sigh, Esumi turned her gaze down to her own chest.

There were countless marks left by Mika last night...... in other words, a large number of hickeys.

Whether the number could be counted on both hands or not. At that time, she had no room to care, but now that she checked her own body like this, it seemed Mika had left quite a lot of marks.

Moreover, all the marks were left from her chest to her neck...... covering a fairly wide range.

Even if she put on clothes, it was honestly questionable whether they would all be hidden.

It is a strange story, but even after ending up in such a state, Esumi and Mika did not "cross the line" last night.

If one were to believe Mika's excuse, this was just punishment, but would anyone believe that if she explained it to those around her?

Rather, from a social point of view, this was definitely "after the fact," and furthermore, since they were both still children and of the same sex, rumors of that kind would spread among those around them in no time.

"I hope it doesn't become a troublesome matter," Esumi thought as she let out a small yawn.

"For now, I have to prepare something to wear...... ah, come to think of it, were you drying my clothes?"

While shaking her hair, which had bedhead all over, Esumi quietly got off the bed so as not to wake her up. First, it was a priority to find her own clothes, which she was presumably drying.

By the way, because the room's curtains were closed, she didn't know the situation outside in detail, but for now, the heavy rain from the other day seemed to have passed. Her smartphone, which she had brought, had run out of battery and couldn't be used, so when she checked the clock in the corner of the room, surprise...... the time was approaching noon.

"......I am glad today is a holiday."

Even though she was living her second life, it was still true that oversleeping on a weekday was the worst thing for her heart.

Because it was a holiday, she figured no one would worry about her, so Esumi moved around here and there in search of her clothes. But for some reason, she couldn't find her clothes anywhere in the room. Weren't they supposed to be drying?

"......I forgot. The clothes are in the bathroom."

At that moment, Esumi remembered.

Mika said last night that she was drying all the wet clothes in the bathroom.

It was laundry drying using a so-called bathroom dryer, but how dry were they? While recalling the embarrassing memory of being treated as Mika pleased in the bathtub, Esumi stepped into the bathroom where the laundry was hung.

"Hmm...... a little more, I guess......"

It seemed Mika had prioritized drying only her clothes, so only Esumi's clothes were left alone in the bathroom.

But when she touched them with her hand, unfortunately, it couldn't be said that they were completely dry just by half a day passing, and Mika's calculation, who had said they would be dry by noon, missed the mark spectacularly. Esumi let go of her clothes, shrugged her shoulders, and smiled bitterly.

"It is a holiday anyway, so maybe I will wait until they are dry......"

There was no need to hurry.

Since she didn't have any other urgent business, it would be nice to wait for time to pass slowly once in a while.

Esumi left the bathroom and returned to Mika's bedroom.

"......Nnn~...... n, nya...... suu......"

"......Haa."

The owner of the room showed no sign of returning from the world of dreams for now. Whether she was having a good dream or not, her sleeping face was cute.

That said, it was already noon.

It was unclear what time she went to bed, but it is not good to be sleeping past noon. Esumi straddled the bed again and began to gently shake Mika's body to wake her up.

"Look, it is noon. Time to wake up soon."

"......Nn—...... n, ya......"

"No. You are sleeping too much, you know?...... Come on, wake up. Let go of that blanket too."

"Mu...... if you...... give me a kiss...... I might...... wake up......"

"That is about your forehead and cheek, right?"

"......Ehehe...... suu......"

"Eh, no way. You ask just to hear, and then go back to sleep?"

Even when she patted her head gently or shook her body, Mika did not try to wake up in the end.

In the first place, it wasn't even certain if she was actually conscious during that previous conversation. Was she being woken up by Esumi even in her dreams? That was quite too greedy to beg for a kiss.

"......Haa. I am opening the curtains, okay?"

For the time being, it is not good that the room is still dark.

Although she did not expect an answer, Esumi, who had called out to her, opened the room's curtains without mercy.

By the way, perhaps for privacy protection as a student belonging to the Tea Party, Mika's room's window glass all had a special blind film so that the inside could not be seen from the outside, so there was no need to worry at all about people outside seeing Esumi in her underwear covered in marks......

"............Mu, uu...... nn—......!!"

Well, the heavy rain of last night had long passed, and it was midday. In addition, the current weather was sunny.

The window, which had no obstruction since she finally opened the curtains, began to fully welcome the bright, dazzling sunlight from outside.

Naturally, that warm sunlight poured into the bed installed near the window, but Mika just frowned at the glare and changed her posture, ending it there, and unfortunately, she could not wake up with the sunlight.

"Good grief...... I will wake you up again later. Wake up properly next time, okay?"

Esumi took her hand off the curtains, wandered around the room aimlessly again, and then left the bedroom for now.

(Come to think of it, considering the time, it is noon now, so I should cook something...... what does Mika want to eat? I hope there are ingredients I can manage to cook with......)

Perhaps because she had entered Mika's room many times, it had become a normal scene for Esumi to rifle through someone else's refrigerator on her own.

Others might strongly think that at the moment of that action, it was impossible to say "the relationship with Mika is just acquaintances." But unfortunately, there was no one in this place who could point out such a fact.

"Let's see, cheese and ham...... and eggs...... and this is milk. And what is there...... tomatoes?...... Aren't there too many sweet things in this refrigerator?"

Well, Esumi was rifling through the contents of the refrigerator to make lunch, but it seemed that for her, who was very bad with sweet things, the things in the refrigerator were not very pleasing. She closed the refrigerator door and began to ponder, putting her hand on her chin for the time being.

Honestly, her figure, standing defencelessly in her underwear in front of the refrigerator, was far too ridiculous, and from another's point of view, it was a scene to doubt one's eyes, but Esumi, who was completely reassured that "it is fine, it is fine" since only she and Mika were in this room, did not mind it at all. In addition, perhaps because the weather outside was sunny, the room was moderately warm, and in truth, this outfit was the most comfortable.

However, sometimes the situation changes easily.

"Excuse me, Mika-san. We are supposed to have a meeting at the Tea Party together today, but until when are you going to sleep............ Esumi-san?"

"......Eh?"

Suddenly, the door to the entrance of the room opened, and Kirifuji Nagisa, wearing the usual Tea Party uniform, appeared.

"............"

"............"

Perhaps, judging from the previous words, they still had work at the Tea Party even though today was a holiday.

Then Mika, who belonged to the Pater branch, one of the three major factions of the Tea Party, also had an obligation to participate in it. Unfortunately, the person herself was still fast asleep in bed, but Nagisa, her childhood friend, might have noticed that and come all the way to wake her up.

And considering how close they were, it would be easy to imagine them sharing spare keys to each other's rooms.

But it would have been a great surprise for Nagisa to find Kayama Esumi, covered in marks and wearing underwear, in a room where only Mika should have been.

"......Nn?...... Eh??...... No...... ha???"

Nagisa looked around Mika's room widely as if she couldn't grasp the situation well, then stared intently at Esumi, who remained in her underwear, and blinked both eyes many times without even turning her face red. She must have found the scene before her unbelievable. It was no wonder.

On the other hand, Esumi, who was experiencing a very awkward atmosphere, also stopped thinking about what to say to Nagisa here, only digging her own grave deeper, so she looked away and kept her mouth shut.

Even though that reaction was misunderstanding Nagisa even more.

"Nnuu~!! I slept well~...... Ah, good morning Esumi-chan!! You must have been tired because of me yesterday, I am sorry!? I am aware that I went too far, so I was worried about Esumi-chan's body...... eh, why is Nagisa-chan here!? And that attire...... by any chance, was there Tea Party work today!? Ah, no wait, the fact that Esumi-chan and I are in underwear is not like that...... eh, uh...... that...... p-play...... type......"

However, very unfortunately, Mika, who had finally woken up from her sleep, appeared before Esumi and the others, saying lines that looked like they would invite a misunderstanding.

Esumi, who had been silent until now, murmured "it's over" in a small voice just at that time, and Mika also quickly grasped the situation they were in now, and unlike usual, she began to panic, saying words that were not clear.

Then, Nagisa let out a small sigh.

"Esumi-san...... and Mika...... please explain...... in detail. Right now, I am about to lose my composure."

And Nagisa, with a smile, tilted her face slightly, and asked the two for a detailed explanation regarding this situation.

"......Esumi-chan."

"......Misono...... let's be prepared."

Mika asked Esumi for help, wondering if there was any way to break the deadlock, but she just shook her head left and right and replied that she should accept reality.

"Since it's awkward to talk standing up, let's sit down first...... ah, don't worry about the time. I will cancel the meeting scheduled for today on my end."

After that, Esumi and the others would spend about half a day...... several hours in time, clearing up the misunderstanding that Nagisa had held.