His eyelashes were very long, casting a small shadow below his eyelids, and the lines of his lips appeared much softer than usual.
As she watched, Yanami Anna's cheeks turned red bit by bit without her even noticing.
Her heart was also racing erratically.
In her mind, the scenes of today played back uncontrollably.
All sorts of emotions—grievance, anger, guilt, embarrassment, and... a tiny bit of joy—intertwined, making her brain a bit muddled.
Looking at his sleeping face so close at hand, a bold idea sprouted from the depths of her heart.
Yanami subconsciously looked back at the blue curtain, then listened carefully to the movements outside.
Everything was quiet.
Her heart was pounding as if it were about to jump out of her throat.
Reason told her 'no', but her body was completely out of control.
She bit her lower lip and slowly leaned down toward Imaizumi Keita on the hospital bed.
Ten centimeters.
Five centimeters.
One centimeter.
She could clearly feel the warm breath he exhaled, gently brushing against her cheek, carrying a scent that made her feel at ease.
Her lips, like a dragonfly skimming the water, lightly imprinted themselves on Imaizumi Keita's cheek.
A touch and then gone.
Yet the warm, soft sensation instantly spread through her entire body.
Boom—!
Yanami Anna's mind went blank, and her face turned red all the way to her neck.
She covered her burning cheeks with both hands, not daring to look at Imaizumi Keita again, and frantically buried her head in the edge of the bed, curling herself into a ball.
I... I just... what on earth did I do?!
T-Too bold!
What if he finds out?
No... he definitely didn't find out, right?
He should be asleep... right?
It's not like he's pretending to sleep just to see me make a fool of myself, right?
She lay there by the bed, her mind racing with wild thoughts, one moment regretting her impulse, the next unable to help but savor that brief touch.
Various thoughts whirled in her head, making her feel dizzy.
And the fatigue brought by today's running around and the emotional ups and downs also surged in like a tide in this quiet and reassuring atmosphere.
Gradually, her chaotic thoughts began to blur, and her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Without realizing it, she fell fast asleep, resting her head on the edge of the bed.
...
When Imaizumi Keita woke up, the first thing he felt was a wave of numbness running through his entire left arm.
He subconsciously wanted to move, only to find that his arm wouldn't obey his commands at all; it was being pressed down from above.
He opened his eyes, and what came into view was the familiar ceiling of the Infirmary.
The air was filled with the faint smell of disinfectant and... the fresh scent of a girl's shampoo.
He turned his head and saw Yanami sleeping soundly by his bed.
Her whole head was resting on his left arm, her cheek slightly deformed from the pressure, her mouth unconsciously pouting as she made steady, faint breathing sounds.
A few stray strands of hair trembled gently with her breath.
So that's how it is.
Imaizumi Keita looked at the head pressing down on his arm and finally understood the source of the numbness.
He didn't wake her up immediately, just quietly observed her sleeping profile.
He took out his phone; the time displayed on the screen was already twelve-thirty.
Without realizing it, it was already lunch break.
Imaizumi Keita's gaze fell back onto Yanami Anna's face.
He reached out with his right hand, which he could still move, brushed away the hair by her cheek, and then lightly traced the contour of her face with his fingertip.
A delicate, warm sensation traveled from his fingertip.
He could clearly feel a certain impulse within himself.
A desire to establish a deeper and closer connection with the girl before him.
A desire to see more of her unknown expressions that belonged only to him.
This thought was so strong it even surprised him a little.
But a voice of reason also sounded in his mind.
He wasn't clear on what Yanami's views on feelings or romance actually were; in all likelihood, they wouldn't be the same as his.
If he were to crudely and directly establish a romantic relationship with Yanami, he feared he would be completely entangled by her, as she would want to possess him entirely.
He didn't plan on being a single-minded 'good man'...
Just as Imaizumi Keita fell into this brief contemplation, the girl under his fingertip suddenly gave a slight flutter of her eyelashes.
As if sensing something, Yanami Anna gave a vague murmur in her sleep.
She slowly opened her bleary eyes, still filled with sleepiness, and looked dazed at the face so close to her; her consciousness didn't seem to have fully returned yet.
She blinked and gave a sweet smile, her voice carrying the hoarseness and laziness unique to someone who had just woken up.
"Good morning, Keita..."
Imaizumi Keita couldn't help but chuckle at her completely clueless and dazed look.
He withdrew his hand and spoke slowly with a hint of teasing in his tone.
"It seems you had a nice dream, Yanami."
"However, it's already lunch break now, not morning."
"Eh...?"
Yanami Anna sat up straight and looked out the window in shock.
The bright sunlight was indeed what it should look like at noon.
"L-Lunch break?!"
She let out a short cry of alarm, her face instantly filled with regret.
"Oh no! My bento! I left it in the classroom and didn't bring it over!"
She made a bitter face, then turned to look at Imaizumi and asked with concern:
"Ah, right! Never mind that! What about you? Do you feel better? Are you still uncomfortable?"
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