Chapter 39: The Happiest Person

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Late at night, in a dimly lit bedroom.

The boy lying on the bed suddenly opened his eyes.

He stared at the ceiling for a while, waiting until his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, then quietly turned his head to the side.

Though the room was shrouded in shadow, he could just make out the blurred outline of someone lying quietly beside him.

The girl's hair was spread across the bed because of her sleeping posture, with several strands even reaching his neck.

A delicate fragrance wafted over, causing him to close his eyes in comfort.

They both used the same shampoo, but he always felt that Sayu Amamiya's hair smelled much better than his.

No, perhaps it was more accurate to say that Sayu Amamiya herself exuded a unique, enchanting scent.

He greedily took a few deep breaths, then cautiously climbed out of bed, moving slowly and quietly as if he were a thief.

Having left the bed, he carefully pulled the covers back up over Sayu Amamiya, tucking her in before tiptoeing out of the room.

The moment the door clicked shut, Sayu Amamiya, who had seemed fast asleep, quietly opened her eyes.

She silently looked around and, finding herself alone in the bedroom, a trace of disappointment flickered across her face.

She didn’t know what Anhe Yusheng went out to do so late at night, nor did she dare to ask, afraid of hearing an answer she couldn’t bear.

Clutching the blanket tighter, she shifted over to the spot where he had just been lying, curling up and breathing in the scent he’d left behind before closing her eyes again.

All she wanted now was to wake up and find Anhe Yusheng still lying beside her.

...

Elsewhere, in the living room.

Having found the key he’d gotten from Nadeko Kurorai, Anhe threw on a jacket and left the house.

Stepping into the corridor, he paused to take in the nighttime view of Tokyo.

Snow was still falling, though not as heavily as yesterday. After half the night, the city was now covered in a thin white blanket.

But Anhe knew this scene would disappear by morning—a drawback of city life.

Sayu had said she’d never left Tokyo. Perhaps he could take her skiing during the winter break this year?

The thought flashed across his mind, and the more he considered it, the more appealing it seemed.

Suddenly, a cold wind snapped him out of his reverie.

Pulling his jacket tighter, he glanced around, made sure no one was watching, then locked the door behind him and quickly made his way to Nadeko Kurorai’s apartment next door.

After another quick look around to make sure he was alone, Anhe took out the key, unlocked the door, and slipped inside.

The apartment was pitch black, but since all the units in this building had the same layout, he quickly found the light switch in the entryway.

With a click, warm amber light spilled across the room, banishing the darkness and revealing the entire living room to him.

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Changing his shoes in the entryway, Anhe stepped into the living room.

Compared to his own place, the furnishings here were more numerous, though most were old and clearly well-used.

He only glanced around briefly before heading straight toward the bedroom.

As soon as he entered, a faint, alluring fragrance greeted him.

Given how close they’d been that afternoon, he immediately recognized it as Nadeko Kurorai’s scent.

He wondered if it was perfume or something else…

Muttering to himself, he switched on the bedroom light.

The first thing he saw was a double bed draped in purple, followed by a wardrobe and a desk beside it.

Approaching the desk, he opened the drawer and, as expected, found a bank card inside.

After a moment’s thought, he slipped it into his pocket.

He planned to return it to Nadeko Kurorai tomorrow if he could find the time. She certainly couldn’t go home for a while after what had happened today, and her job at the café was most likely gone, so she’d need money.

Closing the drawer, he searched through the wardrobe as Nadeko had described, eventually finding what she wanted at the very bottom.

It was a cylindrical cloth bag, about half a meter long.

When he picked it up, something rattled inside.

What could this be?

He was curious, but since it wasn’t his, he didn’t open it.

Swinging the bag over his shoulder, he grabbed a few changes of Nadeko’s clothes and left the bedroom.

After checking the living room, the bathroom, and the kitchen to make sure all the appliances were off, he returned to his own apartment.

He set the items from Nadeko’s apartment on the entryway cabinet and changed his shoes.

He’d intended to return directly to the bedroom, but as soon as his hand touched the doorknob, he hesitated.

He sniffed himself. There was still a faint fragrance lingering—undoubtedly from having just come from Nadeko’s room.

Remembering how Sayu had complained that afternoon about not liking the scent of other women, Anhe decided to take a quick shower and change his clothes.

When everything was done and he was sure he no longer carried any other scent, he finally entered the bedroom.

On the dimly lit bed, the blanket rose slightly, outlining the shape of a person.

He didn’t turn on the light, but tiptoed over.

It was too dark to see Sayu Amamiya’s face—he could only make out a vague silhouette.

He wasn’t sure why she’d changed her sleeping spot, but didn’t give it much thought. He quietly got into bed and was just about to slip under the covers when a girl’s voice suddenly spoke.

“Where did you go?”

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Though startled by the sudden question, Anhe quickly recovered. He dove under the covers and wrapped his arms around the girl, drawing her close as he whispered softly,

“Did I wake you?”

“Mmm…”

Sayu Amamiya murmured, then turned over to face him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her head to his chest, mumbling,

“I thought you weren’t coming back tonight.”

“Of course not.”

He smiled, rubbing his chin against her hair as he explained, “I just went next door to Mrs. Kurorai’s to help her fetch something. You know she won’t be able to come home for a while after what happened today.”

“I understand.”

Sayu’s voice was muffled, and soon her breathing grew slow and even.

Was she…

Already asleep?

Anhe was a bit surprised, but considering it was already two or three in the morning, he didn’t dwell on it.

Listening to her gentle, steady breathing and savoring the faint fragrance that drifted from her, he draped his leg over her and quickly slipped into sleep.

The next morning.

Daylight streamed through the window.

Blinking awake, he felt the softness of the body in his arms. Looking down, he met Sayu Amamiya’s bright, clear eyes.

As he gazed at her, her lashes fluttered and she pursed her lips, leaning in closer.

In the next moment, a fresh, sweet scent enveloped them.

After a while, the two broke apart.

He licked his lips, still feeling unsatisfied, but when he saw Sayu already out of bed, he could only get up as well.

After washing up in the bathroom, he came to the living room.

Sayu had already prepared breakfast and set it on the table.

Four fried eggs, two glasses of milk, two bowls of porridge.

Clearly, she’d been up for a while.

Remembering how she’d just been snuggled in his arms moments earlier, Anhe couldn’t help but feel a rush of sweetness. He sat down beside her, grinning contentedly.

Breakfast passed in a warm, gentle atmosphere.

After all, tomorrow was Saturday—if they wanted, they could just sleep in.