Bad Habit of Sugarcoating

I was looking at the monochromatic ceiling in Shiraishi's room. I was holding an open textbook in one of my arms while my other arm was resting on top of Shiraishi's head, who was lying like a cat on my chest.

"Let me stay like this a little longer…" Her soft voice requested and trailed off, as I lied there looking at the ceiling with dead silence around me.

There was a strange pressure in the silence and it felt like she had many things to say but couldn't muster up the strength to say those words. It was the first time since we met that she was showing this side of her.

She was usually a cheerful and energetic girl with no apparent worries in her life.

But right in that moment, the Shiraishi who was in front of me seemed much more rigid and stern.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around for a moment before sticking my eyes at her. Gently cradling her hair, I asked in a soft tone, "You wanna talk?"