After Picking up a Runaway Girl From the Same University on My Way Home From Work, We Started Living Together in Secret - Chapter 27

A young girl and her mother were walking hand in hand.

The girl was wearing a dress that fluttered like flowers, the kind of dress a princess in a fairy tale might wear.

The girl’s expression was bright, and she was happily tugging her mother’s hand.

I knew who that girl was.

She was a second-grade elementary school student—me.

And this was a dream that recreated the day I could never forget.

I had seen it many times before, so there was no way I could be mistaken.

The ending was always the same, and it had never changed even once.

So, I was sure this time too would end the same way.

Even knowing that, I couldn’t stop myself from having this dream.

Eventually, the girl and her mother reached an intersection.

While waiting for the red light to change, the girl couldn’t hold back her overflowing happiness and was excited, while the mother gently calmed her.

A typical, but special moment for the girl.

Because of that, neither my mother nor I noticed what was happening.

In that instant, a truck came rushing through the intersection, ignoring the traffic signal.

There were many pedestrians waiting for the light to change on the crosswalk.

But those who sensed the danger quickly fled, scattering like bees.

The only ones left were us.

And the girl hadn’t noticed yet.

By the time the mother sensed something was wrong and turned around, the truck was already right in front of us.

“――――!!”

The mother’s face turned pale when she noticed the truck.

It wasn’t because she was about to be hit, but because the girl was in the truck’s direct path.

But the mother made up her mind and pushed the girl far away――

“…What a terrible sweat.”

A slightly hoarse voice came from my dry throat, echoing in the dark room.

It seemed I was shaken out of the dream world when I saw the girl get hit by the truck.

The dream had a continuation, but it seemed like today, it ended here.

If I went back to sleep right away, I felt like the dream would continue.

But, I had sweated so much that I felt uncomfortable.

The feeling of my pajamas sticking to my back.

As I peeled my bangs from my forehead, I sat up and glanced over at the bed next to me.

If I had been tossing and turning, I might have woken Minato, but luckily, he was sleeping peacefully, breathing quietly.

He was sleeping with his back turned to me, but I didn’t think he was awake.

Seeing that, I felt relieved and quietly slipped out of bed so I wouldn’t wake Minato.

After quenching my dry throat in the kitchen, I returned to the room and searched for a change of clothes, then headed to the changing room to wash off the sweat.

After the previous incident, I had been leaving my underwear in the changing room.

I took everything off and closed the bathroom door. As I was about to turn on the shower,

“…I hope Minato doesn’t wake up.”

Feeling a little guilty about waking my roommate, I took a shower with weak water pressure.

The warm water soaked my hair and flowed down my skin.

Finally, something that had been stuck in my chest seemed to loosen, and I let out a sigh.

Then, I took my time and carefully washed off the sweat.

I thought about the water bill later, but I could just pay a bit more… though Minato probably wouldn’t accept it.

It had been about half a month since I moved into Minato’s house, right?

I had gotten used to life here… or maybe “settled in” was the right word.

I was truly grateful to Minato for letting me stay for so long, even though I had no relation to him.

Even though I was sharing living expenses, it was nothing in comparison.

At first, I had intended to pay with my body.

I couldn’t think of anything else I could offer.

But Minato had rejected that and seemed to want to treat me as an equal roommate.

I didn’t know if I should say this, but he was really too kind.

I thought that was to give me a reason to not hold back.

If I were to pay with my body for food, shelter, and clothing, it would be warped according to the general view of society.

But, that was that.

“I wonder if I’m not attractive enough.”

I sprayed the fogged-up mirror with the shower and cleared it, then looked at my reflection from top to bottom.

My long white hair, wet with water droplets.

My dull blue eyes.

Even at my age, people often mistake me for a middle or high schooler, or sometimes even a grade schooler. Apparently, others think I look like a doll.

My skin was pale, though it had some color from the shower.

When I touched my cheek, my finger sank in, and when I pinched it and pulled, it stretched like mochi.

My slender neck connected to delicate shoulders.

I had weak-looking arms and a thin chest.

Right below, my ribs faintly showed, leading to my smooth stomach.

“…Am I really that light?”

I suddenly remembered the time Minato had princess-carried me during a photoshoot.

Minato had said I was light, but as a girl, I was a little worried.

The reason was that I had been eating more than before.

The food Minato made was so delicious.

So, it wouldn’t be strange if I had gained a little weight, I thought, as I pinched my belly.

It was squishy.

…Did I gain weight?

“…………No way. It’s fine. I’m not fat.”

For now, I avoided facing the reality and returned my thoughts.

I was aware that I was considered cute by the general standard.

After all, I had been told that many times, and I had even done modeling jobs, so denying it would just sound like sarcasm.

And Minato also admitted that I was cute.

Yet, he never seemed to make any moves, which was strange.

I thought that it was normal for a guy to have such desires, and Minato himself had said so.

And while living together, I had unknowingly shown some skin.

I’d probably been seen naked many times.

Minato would turn his eyes away each time, but I didn’t think it helped.

I didn’t blame him at all.

Even now, if Minato wanted my body in exchange for a favor, I would be willing to offer it.

Though I didn’t think Minato would ever ask… But even if he did, I didn’t think it would turn out badly.

Minato was a kind person who helped strangers without expecting anything in return.

He wasn’t the type to be rude or violent like in those manga or anime.

“…That’s why it’s warm here, and so comfortable, I’m getting more and more unable to leave.”

Minato was my roommate, my friend.

I knew that, but this closeness reminded me of the family atmosphere I had forgotten.

Of course, Minato wasn’t my family.

But if I started thinking of him like family, would it bother him?

…If I casually mentioned this in front of Minato, would he start noticing me a little?

“…What am I thinking? I’m a little strange.”

I had some inkling of the cause, but I still chose to ignore it.

I couldn’t burden Minato with something like that.

After my thoughts had moved far enough from the dream, I turned off the shower and left the bathroom.

The air that hit my heated body felt just a little cold.