The distance closer to the angel

　The next day at noon was normal.

　He seems to have recovered from what happened yesterday, and is sitting next to Zhou with the expression he usually shows. She doesn't have the color of pain, and her face looks calm.

　However, the only thing that is a little different...is that the distance between them is now a little closer.

　In the past, even if we were sitting next to each other, there was basically a distance of about two fists, but today at noon, we are at a distance where our arms are touching each other.

　The sweet smell is closer than usual, and I can feel a slight warmth.

　Thanks to you, I remember how I hugged you yesterday, the scent, and the soft touch, and I want to writhe in agony. I couldn't help but hug her when I saw her in the middle of the day, but I think it was a pretty bold move.

　Mahiru didn't dislike him; in fact, he came to hug her in the end.

　It means that he is trusted and seen as an object to be spoiled, but to Zhou, he is both happy and troubled.

(...When someone does something like that, I want to get carried away.)

　Although I welcome his pampering, I feel like I'm conceited and think that he's liked by someone of the opposite sex.

　How good would it be if that were the case?

　I was already aware that I was attracted to midday to the extent that I could not deceive myself, so I was going to worry about my sense of distance with her from now on.

　I never thought that I would have to worry about whether I should touch it normally, or how far I should touch it.

　Fortunately or unfortunately, Midday is unaware of Zhou's conflict and is praising his calm expression.

　For Shuu, who wants to do something about this urge, it is rather difficult.

　Because of her parents' trauma, she doesn't want Mahiru, who is probably negative about relationships, to know about her feelings. I don't think Mahiru would be looked down upon because of his personality, but there's something scary about him that feels like he'll be gently attracted to her.

　From the perspective of a woman, it would be nothing but fear for a man who wanted to hug him again, touch his body, or kiss him from the front.

　I want to cherish midday, so I don't want to show those feelings.

"... Zhou-kun, what's wrong?"

"N-no, it's nothing."

"is that so?"

　Midday, who noticed that he was thinking, pulled the sleeve of his clothes, so Zhou shook his head with his usual expression.

　As expected, I can't say that I was thinking of something a little guilty, so I want to divert the topic.

"Ah, yes.

"I agree"

　There were only a few days left in spring break, so when I brought it up, he seemed to have forgotten about my previous question and went along for the ride.

"There will be a class change when you become a sophomore."

"Is it a class change?

"... that's right.... I'm looking forward to the class change."

"fun?"

"I wonder if I can be in the same class as Zhou-kun."

　Mahiru smiled slightly shyly, making Shu want to hit his head on the arm rest of the sofa. She also wants to scratch her breasts.

"...It's not like I'm going to talk to you, is it?"

"Even if that's the case, it'll calm you down. Besides...you'll take a good look at me, right?"

"As long as it doesn't become a stalker."

"...I won't get angry if Shuu-kun sees me though."

　Midday, who innocently says, "Please take a look at her," is too pure, and Zhou, who has even a little bit of guilt, can't look directly at her.

　When I say "I want you to watch," I mean "I want you to watch over me," but it sounds like more than that.

　The person in question has no other intentions, so it would be no good for me to take that meaning on my own.

　Hmmm, I cleared my throat and shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm sure other people would feel sick if they saw it. It looks like this."

　It would be fine if it were just the two of us, but if we saw Mahiru at school, he would probably be given the title of being a creepy guy besides the root dark boy.

　In the first place, I'm going to make it almost irrelevant at school, so I don't want it to be known that I'm too conscious of it.

　However, midday was slightly dissatisfied.

"Even if you look like that"

"... Shuu-kun, don't you cut your hair?"

"What's with the suddenness. Even if we have to align it, we don't want to shorten it."

"It's a shame..."

"You know."

"But that's why Shu-kun's cool appearance is a secret that's only mine."

　At midday today, I felt like I was showing a so-called dere, or rather, my attitude towards Zhou was much sweeter than usual.

　What can normally be endured is likely to become a fatal injury to Zhou, who is aware of various things.

　As if to deceive my blushing face, the moment I spilled out, "...I'm not cool," Mahiru slapped me on the thigh with dissatisfied eyes.

　I know what you want to say, but I'm embarrassed and can't make eye contact.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Your aesthetic sense is cool, is this okay?"

"It's not very good, but it's okay."

　Mahiru, who was somewhat satisfied, reached out to Shu and lifted her bangs.

　The clear field of vision reflected the serious eyes of the midday.

"You're the one who looks down on yourself, aren't you, Shuu-kun? He's really cool though."

"... it's embarrassing to be told to cut the front."

"Since Zhou-kun always says this to me, shouldn't he just accept it?"

　I remember Mahiru confidently saying, ``I was embarrassed too,'' and then blushing furiously when he was told that she was indeed cute.

　Midday, when Zhou praises him, is cute, so he speaks of praise, but I guess it's not a good thing for midday to be shy every time.

"...You're the only one who tries to say things like that to me."

"You should be more confident, Zhou-kun, right? It's no good if the person who consoled me isn't confident."

"...Even if you say so"

"Shou-kun helped me and gave me confidence. I'm very grateful to him. ... I want him to gain confidence as well. Zhou-kun is a kind, cool, and wonderful person. It's people."

"...Ou"

　I can't help but feel embarrassed when someone says that directly.

　Shu, who doesn't often receive compliments, was extremely uncomfortable being complimented head on, especially by a woman he liked.

　Of course I'm happy, but embarrassment comes first.

　Or rather, the embarrassment was overwhelmingly greater, and it was frustrating, so Shu reached out and patted Mahiru's head in order to distract him and to cover up.

"Hey, ah, Shuu-kun..."

"noisy"

"... I-I'm fine, but please don't mess with me."

　Thinking that it might have been a rough gesture for a girl, I hurriedly changed it to a gentle stroke, and Midday obediently presented her head.

　The reason why I heard the secondary voice "Please stroke me more" from her was probably due to Zhou's convenient delusion.

　Even so, she didn't dislike it, so I stroked her hair as if to straighten it.

(...I wonder if he's pampering me)

　Until now, there was no one to spoil her, so maybe it was the first time she had a partner who knew everything about her situation and her true feelings, and she wanted to spoil her.

　In that case, I thought I should pamper her even more, so I pushed my obscene feeling of wanting to touch her to the back of my mind and stroked her head as gently as she wished.

　After finishing, Mahiru looked down with a bright red face, and it was only natural that Shuu, who got carried away and stroked him a lot, also turned red.