Three people sleeping together, for Kaito, could not be considered a kind of novel experience.
Before, when traveling with Nijika and the others in Hoori Town, after the, except for Bocchi, ended, the few of them had also collectively laid bedding on the floor in his room. Four squeezed together as if holding a pajama party. Compared to that time, the scene before him could only be considered small-scale.
Anyway, his bed was big enough, and the two girls were both petite in build, lying side by side didn't feel crowded either.
However… when actually lying in the middle position, the empty spaces on both sides occupied by slender girls, still made Kaito have a kind of illusion of being sandwiched, just like a hot dog sausage tightly clamped between bread slices.
———
As if the scent of dewy lime was right at hand, natural and fresh. Making one relate with that coolness brought when mint leaves are soaked through by a cold spring. A scent that no matter how precious a perfume, cannot exude.
'This is… the president's scent?'
Sakiko had never had this kind of experience.
As a girl as pure as blank paper, from small to big not even having held a little boy's hand, all her theoretical knowledge only came from that thin booklet in physiology class. Practical knowledge was directly zero.
Even if they did nothing, pajamas still properly worn, just simply sharing the same bed and pillow with the boy she liked, still made her body tense, even breathing was nearly forgotten.
She simply couldn't sleep. Even harder than that night she left the Togawa family.
When people get nervous, they can't help but look for some topic to chat about, at least to break this awkward atmosphere, Secretary Sakiko was no exception, worried about waking up Mutsumi, she quietly asked, "President, are you asleep?"
Kaito opened his eyes, pondered for two seconds, "Now awake."
"...", Secretary Sakiko weakly said, "S-sorry… I disturbed the president's rest."
"Just joking, haven't slept yet, Sakiko is there something?"
The original intention was just to let the little secretary relax a bit, don't be so nervous, now it seemed this joke's effect wasn't too good, Kaito skipped this topic, likewise lowered his voice.
"N-nothing important really…", Sakiko was a little embarrassed, "Just, a bit unable to sleep, so I wanted to chat with the president."
"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"
Kaito did not refuse, for him sleep was just a way to imitate the lifestyle of ordinary people. Since Sakiko wanted to chat, accompanying her to talk for a while was no problem. Caring for employees' mental health was also what a good boss should do.
"Speaking of which, I still have never seen the president's father and mother…", Sakiko had long been curious about this question, couldn't help asking, "Uncle and aunt are also in Japan? Or stayed back?"
'If the president's father and mother are also in Japan, maybe… I can find time to visit? If I can get the recognition of the two elders, won't that directly guarantee to the finish line?'
The little secretary was still plotting in her heart about the shortcut plan, when she heard Kaito calmly say, "They've passed away."
"Eh?", Sakiko couldn't react, in the darkness, the blue-haired girl's expression was a bit dumbfounded.
"Just the literal meaning, car accident," Kaito wasn't particularly sad, he was that kind of person with very faint familial bonds. First life he was abandoned, grew up in an orphanage from small, later crossed over to cultivation world, picked up by master into Courting Death Sect, only then had a kind of home feeling.
In this third life, the original body's parents had both long died in a car accident. He had never even seen them, naturally there was no talk of any feelings.
"Sorry sorry, I didn't know about this matter," Sakiko did not know these inside stories, but the girl's face was full of awkwardness. Her heart both anxious and guilty. Though the president acted seemingly calm, in her eyes this was just pretending to be strong.
'The president must have spent a long time to get over this blow, as if the hard-healed wound is once again torn open by me…'
'Wuwu, now I really won't be able to sleep!'
"Onii-chan, I'm still here," A slender hand suddenly pressed against his palm, soft and warm, the light-green-haired girl turned her face, those golden eyes glowed slightly in the dark, as if silently saying, "Don't be sad."
'Why is even Mutsumi joining in the fun?', Kaito felt a bit helpless. He felt that, in the girls' eyes he seemed to have turned into some kind of lacking-love and lonely. In short urgently needing protection endangered species, but the fact was completely the opposite.
"That's right, Mutsumi and I are both here," Sakiko also tightly grabbed his other hand. Children who lost their parents often had serious loneliness issues. They easily gave up on themselves, even closed off, like a ship that lost its port, drifting on the sea with no support. She was worried the president would be like that too, just trying hard to hide it.
In the dark the girl's porcelain-white cheeks faintly flushed, but still mustered all her courage, never so determined, "We will always stay by president's side. Be your new family. Never be separated again!"
'Family…'
This word for Kaito was a bit familiar. It made him suddenly remember many years ago when he had just come to the cultivation world, unfamiliar with life, no relatives, the vast world with no place to settle, someone also once held his hand like this, told him, ("Take me as your master. Where master is, that is your home.")
He was silent for a while, finally silently smiled, "I know. Now, rest early, we still have class tomorrow."
"I-I really wasn't joking," Sakiko as if not at ease repeated once again, tightly hugging his arm, tone rare in seriousness, "This journey, we will not abandon nor give up, until the end of life. So president you are no longer alone, absolutely must not do silly things and fall into despair."
Mutsumi also leaned over, hands encircling his waist, expression especially serious, "Onii-chan must not do silly things."
Kaito took quite a while to barely convince the two, that he was far from as fragile as they imagined, even less would give up on himself because of this, yet could not convince them to let go of their tightly hugging his arms. As if afraid he would sneak away.
He sighed, at first like a hot dog sausage between two bread slices, now even more squeezed like a sardine can. Even breathing took effort, let alone maintaining this posture to sleep.
'Forget it, let it be.'
Even if it was a night without sleep, for him it didn't matter.
Moreover…
'This kind of feeling of being cared for… actually isn't bad.'
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y