After seeing Ishigami Yu off yet again, the house finally fell into a peaceful silence. The hustle and chatter that had filled the rooms moments before vanished, and in their place came the soft chirping of birds outside the window—an almost cinematic quiet.
Natsukawa Kanade let out a quiet sigh. "Yare yare… finally," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned toward the hallway. No more unexpected guests, no more chaos. Just him and the angel.
Without wasting another moment, he made his way back to his room, ready to call out the person—or rather, being—who'd been hiding quietly inside all this time. As he pushed the door open, he half-expected a startled yelp or the flurry of wings. But the moment the door creaked inward, he was met instead with stillness.
The room was quiet. Almost too quiet.
Kanade blinked, scanning the interior. "Mahiru?" he called out softly.
There was no reply.
At first, he wondered if she had squeezed herself into a closet or hidden under the bed to avoid detection during all the commotion. But as his gaze shifted toward the neatly made futon, his breath caught for a second.
There she was—sprawled gently across his bed, sleeping.
She wasn't pretending either. One look at her peaceful expression, the soft rise and fall of her chest, and the delicate fluttering of her lashes was proof enough. Her long, silky hair fanned across the pillow like flowing caramel, and her body curled in slightly on itself, like a kitten finding comfort in a warm corner. The impression she gave off was so serene, so kawaii, it almost hurt to look at her for too long.
Her quiet breathing, soft and rhythmic—"fu... fu..." like the gentle breeze through sakura petals—filled the air.
Kanade instinctively softened his steps as he approached. He crouched down by the bed, elbows on his knees, letting his eyes trace the gentle lines of her face.
"She's... really sleeping," he whispered.
Mahiru's usual aloof demeanor—so dignified, like a noble angel fallen into the wrong world—was completely gone. In its place was this pure, unguarded innocence. The sharp tongue she usually wielded with surgical precision had been replaced by a soft, unspoken trust. It was such a rare sight, Kanade felt like he had stumbled upon a limited-time event in a gacha game—one you could only witness if the RNG gods smiled upon you.
And now, he had unlocked a new CG: Mahiru the Sleeping Angel.
"Unfair," he muttered, unable to stop the small smile that tugged at his lips. "You're way too cute like this…"
His hand, seemingly moving on its own, reached out toward her. Gently, with the same reverence one might show a sacred artifact, he brushed a lock of hair away from her cheek. His fingers hovered for a second… and then, temptation took over.
He poked her cheek.
Just once.
The soft skin gave way ever so slightly under his touch before bouncing back like mochi. He stared, eyes wide. Then he poked again. Boing.
So soft. So satisfying. It was like he'd found a stress ball blessed by the gods.
He whispered, "Kawaii..." like an awestruck shrine-goer witnessing a miracle.
Of course, Kanade didn't intend to keep doing it. Just a few pokes, that's all. But once he started stroking her cheeks and brushing his fingertips along her hairline, it was like a spell had been cast. He couldn't stop. Her skin was so warm and smooth, he wanted to stay like this forever.
And then—
"...Nn…"
A small sound escaped her lips. It was soft, a little hoarse, but incredibly sweet. His entire body stiffened. Had he gone too far?
He quickly began to retreat his hand, hoping to avoid getting caught red-handed. But the moment he tried, Mahiru's caramel-colored eyes slowly blinked open. They were still glazed with sleep, slightly unfocused, like she was drifting between two worlds.
For a second, her gaze met his. Kanade froze.
Her eyes were like mirrors reflecting his mischievous guilt. She tilted her head ever so slightly, expression dazed and unreadable… then her lashes fell shut again.
Just as he thought he was in the clear, that she might have slipped right back into her dreams, she did something completely unexpected.
She leaned into his fingers.
No mistake—she nuzzled her cheek softly against his hand, her sleepy face brushing along his palm like a spoiled cat asking for more.
"Uu..."
The sound was barely audible, but it shot straight through Kanade's heart like a sniper bullet.
He blinked. "Did... did she just—?"
There was no denying it. Even in her half-asleep state, she was rubbing her face into his hand, clearly wanting him to stay. No rejection. No scolding. Just the vulnerable, sleepy expression of a girl who trusted him completely.
Dame da… she's too cute…
Kanade nearly short-circuited. She was like one of those tsundere heroines who turned into pure fluff when the guard was down.
And what about him?
Kanade knew full well what he was doing. He wasn't sleepy. Not even a little. His mind was perfectly clear—clear enough to recognize that if the angel beside him were fully awake, she'd most definitely wag her finger, puff her cheeks, and call him baka for daring to mess with her in her sleep.
And yet… was he going to stop?
Ha! As if.
There was no way he could stop now—not when this sleepy, affectionate version of Mahiru only came out once in a blue moon. He had no choice but to follow his instincts and bask in this rare display of softness. His heart, his emotions, even the little devil on his shoulder, were all screaming the same thing: Cherish her!
After all, when else would he get to see this adorably spoiled side of her?
With Mahiru subconsciously leaning into his touch, Kanade continued to stroke her cheek, his fingertips dancing lightly across her skin. Each little motion brought with it a new wave of warmth—both from her and from the creeping heat rising up his neck. His face flushed slightly before he even realized it.
"Hmm… hmm…" came the soft murmurs from the angel beside him.
He didn't know how much time had passed. The world outside could've stopped, for all he cared. His entire focus had narrowed to the angel in front of him, the soft feel of her skin, the warmth of her breath, the tiny reactions that made his heart skip beats like a broken rhythm game.
And then… it happened.
Mahiru's eyes fluttered open again—this time, slowly but with more clarity.
"…Eh?"
Her voice, light and gentle, slipped out like a surprised whisper.
Her eyes met his, still dazed from sleep. But as awareness returned, she glanced downward—to his hand still grazing her cheek. And just like that, her entire body froze.
"!"
Then, in a sudden jolt, she sat straight up, the blanket rustling around her like startled wings.
"G-Good morning!"
Kanade blinked, still crouched by the bed. "Good morning... though technically, I think it's already evening."
There was a tinge of disappointment in his voice, but also curiosity. Her reaction wasn't exactly what he had expected. Not anger. Not panic. Just… flustered calm?
Mahiru's cheeks were pink—rosy in a way that was definitely not from leftover sleep. She looked like someone who'd just remembered she'd been talking in her sleep and had no idea what embarrassing things she might've said.
"…Umm…"
Her eyes flickered toward him… then down to his hand, which still hadn't fully retreated. Her brows twitched slightly, but her lips didn't form a pout. Her expression was strange—caught somewhere between scolding and sulking.
Kanade tilted his head. "What's wrong?" he asked, acting as if he hadn't just been committing an ultra-dangerous play.
"…Does Kanade like touching faces that much?" Mahiru asked softly, pulling the edge of the blanket up to her chin and covering part of her face like a shy kitten.
"Huh?"
"Because… it's not the first time… and today too…" she muttered, her eyes darting to the side like she was trying to escape his gaze.
She was clearly remembering it—the moment she woke up and found herself snuggled against his hand, completely at peace. She had even rubbed her cheek against it like a spoiled cat. It had felt so comforting at the time… so safe. She hadn't questioned it. But now that she was fully awake, her mind was screaming how embarrassing! and yet… she wasn't willing to admit it was her fault.
So instead, she aimed her tiny revenge at him.
"...A-Ah… Maybe… yeah, I guess I do," Kanade admitted, scratching the back of his neck. Now that she'd said it out loud, it did sound kind of suspicious.
"As I thought… Kanade's a complete idiot," Mahiru murmured under her breath.
"Eh!?"
He looked genuinely surprised. Mahiru calling him an idiot? That was rare. But oddly… kind of nice?
But… man, he had to admit—it was kind of exciting.
The way the angel called him "idiot" didn't sound like a scolding at all. In fact, it was more like a soft pout… a spoiled sort of frustration, like a kitten swatting your hand after you poke its cheek too many times.
So naturally, Natsukawa Kanade's mischief switch flipped on again.
"Sure, I did something kinda bad…" he said with a sheepish chuckle, "…but Mahiru is also at fault, isn't she?"
"…Eh?"
"Who told you to be so cute? So defenseless? I couldn't just let that slide!" He coughed into his fist, feeling just a bit guilty after hearing himself say it out loud. That really sounded like a villain's excuse. Trying to shift the blame onto the girl? Shameless! Truly the actions of a scumbag protagonist.
"But seriously," he added quickly, "I was going to stop… I was. But then someone pulled my hand closer and wouldn't let go, remember?"
"E-Eh?! T-That's not…!" Mahiru's voice cracked as her entire face turned pink, her eyes glistening with confusion and embarrassment. "How could that be…"
Her tone grew softer, her expression pitiful, like a scolded puppy. She wrinkled her little nose and pouted lightly, as though the world had wronged her. It was absolutely criminal how adorable she looked right now.
Kanade watched her quietly for a moment, heart pounding.
Despite her flustered reaction, Mahiru didn't seem angry. No sharp glare, no icy tone, not even a real attempt at pushing him away. If anything… she was just embarrassed. And even that looked kind of staged, like she knew she should be mad but wasn't sure how to commit to it.
She's really too kind, he thought, amused. Even if she had been tricked a little, she probably wouldn't yell or throw a fit. The most he'd get was a light pout and a sigh, and maybe a small glare that said, You're hopeless, Kanade.
"But still," she muttered, puffing out her cheeks slightly, "if you're doing that kind of thing, Kanade is also responsible, right?"
"Eh?"
"I thought… I thought Kanade wasn't that kind of guy… That's why… I-I was pretending to be asleep to see if you'd do something weird…"
Kanade froze.
"…You what now?"
His face twitched in confusion as he processed her words. In theory, what she said was very touching—she trusted him, enough to test him even in a vulnerable state—but…
Wasn't she… just completely asleep?
There was no way that peaceful, dozing Mahiru from earlier was pretending. The way her breathing had slowed, her body relaxed, the way she'd unconsciously leaned into his touch—yeah, no way she was faking that.
Still, watching her try to justify it like that made Kanade smile to himself.
This angel… she's way too cute.
She trusted him enough to fall asleep around him, and now she was scrambling to save face by saying it was a test. Even if it was a clumsy lie, it warmed his heart more than anything.
"Yeah, I'm really glad to hear you say that," he said honestly. "But, Mahiru… I'm still a guy, y'know?"
"Of course I know that…!" she huffed, thumping the quilt with her hand in protest.
"Then you should also know," he said, smirking as he leaned in just slightly, "when a super cute girl is sleeping on my bed… the one I usually sleep in, no less… it's only natural some thoughts might cross my mind."
"Th-that kind of thing…!" Mahiru's eyes widened as her face turned bright crimson. "B-baka…!"
"Oh?" Kanade raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. "Does this mean… Mahiru wants me to do something?"
"Wha—n-no! Absolutely not!" she snapped, nearly tripping over her words as her cheeks caught fire.
He burst out laughing, the smug satisfaction practically radiating from his face. Her reaction was exactly what he was expecting—and it was adorable.
But then, her expression changed.
Her shoulders tensed. Her mouth puffed into a soft pout, and her eyes narrowed in embarrassment. "Uu…"
Ah. I might've pushed it too far this time…
Her glare wasn't very threatening, but combined with the tiny squeak she made—"Guu…"—it was enough to make him back off a bit. Not because he was scared, but because…
She was just too precious when she was like this.
Finally, with nowhere left to run, Mahiru let out a sigh of defeat, grabbed the edge of the quilt, and pulled it over her head like an ostrich hiding in the sand.
"Glug glug…" came the muffled groans of shame from beneath the covers.
Kanade blinked. "Uh… You do remember this is my bed, right?"
He held back a sigh. This was his fault, no doubt. If he yanked the blanket away now, she might actually explode—no, worse, she might ignore him for days. Again. Like last time.
He knew better than to poke a shy angel too much when she was cornered.
So, for the sake of his sanity—and his meals for the next few days—he chose to retreat… for now.
Still, his body betrayed him.
"Grumble~"
A loud growl echoed from his stomach, completely uninvited.
Kanade froze, hand instantly slapping over his belly. Please don't let her hear that… he prayed desperately.
But fate, as always, was not on his side.
The angel's wriggling stopped. There was a pause. Then her head slowly peeked out from beneath the quilt, her hair slightly messy and her eyes… wide with amusement.
She didn't say a word.
She just stared.
"…Uh."
Their eyes locked.
A beat passed.
And then—
"Pfft—!"
She burst into laughter, covering her mouth with one hand.
"I just can't do anything with you…"
Kanade's face turned pink as he glanced away in embarrassment. But deep down, despite the teasing, the awkwardness, and the chaos… he couldn't help but smile, too.