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The futon had always been my safe zone. No matter how rough school was, I could come home, wrap myself up in the futon in my pitch-black room, and shut out the world. Inside that cocoon, there was no pain, no sadness, no struggle.

But now, that sanctuary of mine had officially been breached.

“Mmnn… huu…”
“W-Way too close…”

The room was completely dark, with the curtains blocking even the faintest moonlight. As an ordinary human, I couldn’t see a thing—not even an inch ahead. Yet, even with my vision rendered useless, I could tell. My heightened sense of touch, compensating for my lack of sight, made it painfully clear who—or rather, what—I was pressed against.

My face was buried in the valley between two very noticeable peaks, leaving no doubt about their size.

When I tried to hug back against the firm embrace locking me in place, I felt a waist so much slimmer and more toned than my own. There wasn’t a hint of excess fat, yet it wasn’t uncomfortably bony either. It was… frustratingly perfect.

“Mmm…”

Even asleep, she kept squirming, and now her tangled legs were moving dangerously close to… places they shouldn’t. Since we were both wearing short loungewear, her bare skin was fully pressed against mine. Despite eating the same thing as me and more than I did, her legs were so much slimmer than mine. Was this what being favored by the gods looked like?

“Too close… This is too much. I can’t handle this!”

I’d stayed over at Ibuki’s place countless times before. Including the times when she still lived with her family, I’d probably spent more nights with her than sleeping alone. But back then, I’d always refused to share a bed with her, given how I looked at her. I couldn’t trust my self-control.

And yet, here I was now, lying beside Ibuki on a ridiculously oversized queen bed, practically glued to her.

It had been at least an hour since she dragged me into her bedroom. After she’d boldly declared she’d make me fall for her, she said she was sleepy and promptly hauled me off to bed with her. She’d looked so cool when she was saying those things, but the second she was full and content, she became sleepy and laid-back again—classic Ibuki. Honestly, it was comforting in a way.

Since I needed time to collect myself, her announcing she was tired came at just the right moment. Usually, we slept in separate rooms, which gave me the perfect chance to clear my head of any impure thoughts. But then Ibuki had to go and say, “I’m not getting enough Yukinonium, so tonight, we’re sleeping together.”

And now, thanks to her ridiculous need for something as incomprehensible as “Yukinonuim,” she was using me as a human body pillow. This was absolutely not okay.

“Yukino, can’t sleep?”
“Ah, did I wake you up…?”

Unable to sleep while being hugged like this, I’d been wriggling around trying to escape. Apparently, that movement had woken Ibuki up.

“It’s kind of strange having you here when I’m going to sleep.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re the one who dragged me here.”

Even though we were both awake now, Ibuki showed no intention of letting me go. In fact, she tightened her hold on me even more, as if she wasn’t even considering my discomfort. It didn’t hurt, but her intensified scent made my heart scream in protest.

“Well, it’s just that we’ve never actually slept together like this before. You’ve always hated the idea.”

When we were kids, there were times when she suggested we sleep together—like after watching a scary movie. Back then, we’d stay in the same room but sleep separately. Even as a child, I’d been more afraid of losing control and having her hate me than of any ghost.

“Why do you hate sleeping together so much?”
“That’s because…”

If I told her it was because I’d been in love with her all this time, how would she react? Would she be happy? Knowing Ibuki, who boldly declared she’d marry me, she probably would be.

But even if she did react positively, it wouldn’t be because she wanted to be with me. It’d be because she saw me as the perfect housekeeper—a convenient companion to keep around. Marriage would just be a means to legally tie me to her. On paper, we might become a couple, but the thing I truly wanted would never be mine.

“Let’s sleep together from now on.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know… Feeling your warmth just makes me feel calm. If you really don’t want to, I’ll give up. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep doing this.”

It’d be a mistake to read too much into this. Knowing her, this was probably the same as saying it feels nice to hug a hot water bottle in the winter.

“Right, it’s been getting cold lately.”
“Hm? Yeah, I guess so.”

Instead of trying to make me fall for her, she should just fall for me already. If she were the one asking me to marry her with genuine feelings, if she handed me a marriage certificate out of love, I’d sign it without hesitation.

“So, do you hate it? Sleeping together?”
“…It’s not that I hate it.”
“Then from now on, let’s sleep together every night.”
“Not every night. Only when I stay over.”
“That’s fine for now. Good night, Yukino.”

The only thing that frustrated me was that Ibuki didn’t see me that way. Here we were, lying in the same bed, holding each other like lovers. Yet my feelings were still one-sided.

This smooth-talking, dashing heartbreaker of a woman had completely wrecked my emotional stability. I knew full well that her heart wasn’t mine to claim. And still, when she whispered “Good night” and kissed my forehead, I couldn’t help but hope.

That tiny bit of hope sparked something in me—made me dream of wanting more. I’d reach out, only to find nothing in my grasp. And yet she stayed so close, just out of reach. Ibuki really was a sinful woman. They say the one who falls in love first is the one who loses, and my loss had been sealed over a decade ago.

“Good night.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Maybe if I slept, I’d wake up to a miracle—maybe she’d return even a fraction of the feelings I had for her. With that hopeless fantasy swirling in my mind, I drifted off to sleep.

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