The next morning.
Sunlight wound its way down the carved window and quietly fell across the white bed curtains.
Sakayanagi woke groggily.
She glanced at Oreki beside her.
"Time to get up."
"Mm. Did I sleep that deeply?"
"...You're pretty cute when you're like this."
Sakayanagi got out of bed.
She went over to Oreki's bed and started playing with his cheeks.
Poke... poke...
They were so springy. It was fun.
"...How much longer am I supposed to keep pretending to be asleep?"
"Eh... So you're saying you let me poke you on purpose?"
"That's because you're only wearing your pajamas..."
Oreki's face reddened a little.
He tried to turn his gaze away, but for some reason,
the more he didn't want to look, the more he wanted to.
This really was best.
Just a glimpse.
Seeing everything would be no fun.
"Come on, it's already past seven thirty."
"Right."
Oreki glanced at Sakayanagi.
When he was sure she wasn't going to turn away, he promptly threw off the covers.
Good thing he slept in pajamas.
If he'd slept naked, he'd have been done for.
Sakayanagi would definitely have gotten something to hold over him.
Besides, normal guys wouldn't do something like that in a girl's room.
At least, Oreki wouldn't.
"Did you talk to the dorm supervisor yesterday?"
"Don't worry. He said you could arrange your schedule however you liked and not bother with those tedious rules."
"...He just doesn't want to upset you, does he? Besides, living together is something couples do."
"So you do know."
"Wouldn't it be strange if I didn't?"
"Is that so?"
"Of course it is..."
Oreki shook his head helplessly.
He couldn't tell whether Sakayanagi was putting on an act or genuinely didn't know.
Oh well.
He hadn't done anything to feel guilty about.
Why overthink it?
—What time was my date with Hiyori...?
—Was it six tomorrow evening...?
—I should find a chance to ask. But would that make me seem rude?
He'd forgotten everything in just half a day.
Sigh...
So when you got close to a girl, you stopped caring about everything else, huh?
What happened to staying single for life?
"What are you thinking about?"
"N-nothing!"
"That big of a reaction... Don't tell me you were thinking about another girl?"
"H-how could I be? Ha... haha..."
Oreki gave an awkward laugh.
He guiltily looked away.
"The sun's really nice today."
"It's supposed to be cloudy all day, Oreki."
"...I give up."
"That's more like it."
Sakayanagi cheerfully lowered her beret.
She smiled and said:
"You were thinking about Shiina Hiyori, weren't you?"
"I was..."
"Mm, I don't blame you. She's quiet and cute, after all. And she likes mysteries, just like you."
"That's true."
"I wasn't asking you to agree so proudly."
"Oh!"
"Sigh, you idiot."
Sakayanagi really wanted to punch Oreki.
But she let it go.
She looked at the shared bicycles nearby, an idea forming in her mind.
"Hmm..."
"What is it?"
"I think my foot hurts a little."
"Want to take the day off and get it checked at the infirmary?"
Oreki's expression was serious.
Serious matters were serious.
Jokes were jokes.
He wouldn't joke about something serious.
"It's not that bad."
"Is that so?"
"If I rest for a bit, it should get better."
"Then... I'll carry you."
As he spoke, Oreki crouched down.
Sakayanagi didn't know what to make of it.
No, wait.
She'd only meant for Oreki to take her on a bicycle.
Carry her?
She wasn't a little kid anymore.
If someone saw them, she'd be so embarrassed she wouldn't want to look up.
"What's wrong? Can't you move after all?"
"N-no, that's not it..."
"Then hurry up and climb on. I may not look it, but I'm pretty embarrassed too."
"Idiot..."
Sakayanagi murmured.
In the end, she let Oreki carry her on his back.
"You're surprisingly light."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ah... Oh, no. I didn't mean you were heavy or anything... Ahem."
"Idiot, hurry up."
"That's so unfair. I'm carrying you."
"Idiot, idiot, idiot..."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't move around, or it'll be hard to walk."
"Hmph..."
Blushing, Sakayanagi turned her head away.
Apart from her own father, no one had ever carried her before.
And Oreki was her age, no less.
Of course she was embarrassed.
Yesterday, when she'd met Oreki in her yukata, she'd only been acting tough to scare a lamb.
Just putting on a show.
She'd only wanted to tease Oreki.
Because Sakayanagi understood.
Oreki only dared to think about it. He wouldn't dare try anything funny.
But now...
Her ___ was being supported by Oreki's hands.
Just a little more... Just a little more and they'd reach ___.
How could she possibly stay calm?
She should've known better than to pretend her foot hurt.
She should've just asked Oreki to take her on the bicycle.
Meanwhile,
Oreki was thinking below her.
—Not enough energy. I haven't even had breakfast...
Sakayanagi wasn't very heavy.
Carrying her was like carrying a little cat.
That might be an exaggeration.
But it wasn't far off.
According to Oreki's memory,
the cafeteria was nearby, but there was basically nothing good to eat there.
That was because they served different kinds of people.
A high-end restaurant could cater to one person.
The cafeteria couldn't.
They cooked in huge pots and boiled things in huge pots.
Unless you were someone's son or daughter.
But if you had that kind of status, who would eat at the cafeteria?
Oreki had two options in front of him.
Either save himself some effort and make do with the cafeteria,
or keep going a little farther.
There was a well-reviewed Chinese restaurant not far away.
All right.
Which one would he choose?
The cafeteria?
Or the Chinese restaurant on the other side?
—Saving energy comes first...
Oreki made up his mind.
He headed for the cafeteria.
Sakayanagi frowned.
Didn't Oreki usually go to the Western restaurant?
What was going on today?
Was he actually planning to go to the cafeteria?
Wait!
Where was he going?!
"Hey!"
Sakayanagi grabbed Oreki by the collar.
She hurriedly whispered a reminder:
"You idiot, how are we supposed to go like this?"
"We'll walk."
"That's not what I mean."
"Then what?"
Sakayanagi pointed at herself.
She sighed.
The lunch ladies in the cafeteria were terribly nosy.
"You don't want nasty rumors spreading either, do you? So hurry up and put me down, and then... Eh—w-what are you doing..."
"We can just avoid the cafeteria."
"...I guess you're right."
As soon as Sakayanagi was set down, Oreki scooped her up again.
She completely lost the ability to think.
Her whole face turned bright red.
As I thought, carrying her is better.
Oreki thought.
He quickly headed for the Chinese restaurant.
--To be continued
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