After enjoying the "breakfast" Akari had prepared so carefully out of guilt, Mingyou savored the memory for a long while before sighing. "If only every morning could be like this."
"Mm... that depends on how you behave."
Akari blushed faintly, her eyes flickering as she answered softly. Seeing that he hadn't complained about last night, she felt relieved.
Then she wrapped herself in the blanket and spoke in her usual gentle tone. "Go wash up first. I'll come over once I'm dressed. And don't worry too much about last night... I'll try to restrain myself."
"Yeah. Don't worry too much about it either."
Mingyou gently stroked her cheek, showing her he was fine, then got out of bed. Perhaps because she had held him all night, her faint fragrance still lingered on him.
Only after he had dressed and left the room did Akari get up. She swept her hair behind her back, pressed a hand to her forehead, and shook her head. "What am I doing? He only touched me, and I reacted that strongly? Turns out I'm just a coward who acts tough... Pull yourself together. I'm someone he looks up to. I can't let him see me like this!"
"..."
After washing up, Mingyou returned to his room. He glanced at Ogerpon and the others sleeping atop Snorlax, then stepped out and happened to run into Cynthia. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a black athletic tank top that showed off her figure.
"Morning, Cynthia. Heading out?"
"Mm. I'm in the habit of going for a morning run. If I ate sweets every day without exercising, I'd have lost my figure ages ago."
Cynthia smiled, then noticed something and asked curiously, "It's only six thirty. Do you usually get up this early?"
"Uh..."