Be careful with the laid-back beauty who took a liking to me. Otherwise, it will be too late! - Chapter 32: No... If I Kiss You, I Won\'t Be Able to Hold Back

Chapter 32: No… If I Kiss You, I Won’t Be Able to Hold Back

I’m worried. Since parting with Saya and returning home, I’ve been constantly anxious about her.

When she said, “I’ll be fine alone,” she didn’t seem fine at all. She wore that forced smile I had seen before.

We didn’t have plans to eat dinner together today. Usually, we would text about what we were doing, but there’s been no word from her.

“Should I go check on her?”

While I debated between leaving her alone or visiting to see what was up, I received a message from Saya: “Can you come to AMAOTO now?”

She had mentioned having something to do, but I wondered if she was going to meet Nyannyan. No, if that were the case, she would have told me openly.

After replying that I would go, I quickly got dressed and left the house.

I ran to the café AMAOTO, and when I entered, Chisato noticed me while she was busy serving and heading to the kitchen.

“Ah, Kawai-kun! If it’s Saya, she’s in the back room.”

“Thank you!”

Following Chisato’s directions, I made my way to the back room. I opened the door, and there was Saya, sprawled out on the bed with a cat.

(She’s sleeping with the cat… so cute.)

I took out my phone and snapped a picture of Saya and the cat. My hand acted on its own. I knew it was wrong to take a photo without permission, but I couldn’t help it.

I came here because she invited me, but if she’s sleeping, what should I do?

I quietly approached her and gently stroked her head, causing her hand to twitch.

“Hmm… Hinata, thank you for coming… I was awake until just now, but I lost to sleepiness. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Good morning, Saya. You said to come, but is something wrong?”

I found a chair nearby and sat down as Saya slowly sat up and stretched.

“It’s nothing, but I just wanted to see you.”

“…You just wanted to see me?”

“…Yeah, just wanted to see you.”

There was a strange pause, but it didn’t feel right to pry into her thoughts. I decided to wait until she felt like sharing.

“I see. I wanted to see you too. Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“No, not yet. I was thinking of having a hamburger here at this café.”

“Oh, really? This place serves more than just sweets?”

I had been to AMAOTO several times, but I had never eaten here, so I didn’t know what the menu was like.

“We have Western food. What about you, Hinata?”

“Hmm… I was just going to grab something to eat, but I think I’ll join you here instead.”

Since my parents would be home late again today, I decided to eat at AMAOTO. Saya hugged me tightly.

“Thank you, Hinata.”

At the café AMAOTO, Saya and I enjoyed hamburger meals together.

Afterward, we played a little with Nyannyan before deciding to leave the café and head to the station.

Feeling lonely, Saya moved closer to me and tightly squeezed my hand.

I gently squeezed back her small hand, afraid I might break it, and intertwined our fingers.

When I glanced to the side, our eyes met, and we smiled at each other. I knew we would have to part ways when we reached the station, but I wished to stay by her side a little longer. Just then, Saya spoke up.

“Hinata. Do you want to come over to my place today?”

“Thanks for having me.”

“Come on in.”

Today, I decided to stay over at Saya’s place. I had gone back home first to prepare for my overnight stay.

I had already received permission from my parents, so everything was fine. My mom had sent a strange message saying, “Just think carefully about what you’re doing if you’re going to do it.”

Saya told me I could leave my overnight bag in the designated spot. As I placed my things down and checked inside, I felt her embrace me from behind.

“I filled the bath before you came. We couldn’t do it before, but how about we take a bath together this time?”

“W-wait, together!? I don’t mind, but… that might be a little too fast for us. I can go last, so you take your time.”

“Fast… Oh, so it’s fast, huh? In that case, I’ll take advantage of your offer and go first.”

She pressed against me, and it was a bit dangerous, but Saya went to the bathroom, leaving me behind.

(That was close…)

I knew it was risky to sleep in the same place as her, having learned from our previous overnight stay.

Saya went first, followed by me. When I finished and returned to the living room, she was reading something on the couch.

To avoid disturbing her, I quietly sat next to her, and Saya looked up at me.

“Ah, Hinata, welcome back! Was the water temperature okay?”

“Yeah, it was perfect.”

I had seen her before, but Saya looked exceptionally cute in her fluffy loungewear. I wanted to hug her and feel that softness.

“What are you reading?”

Curious, I asked, and Saya showed me the cover of her notebook.

“This is a recipe book that Fujimura-san taught me.”

Fujimura-san was the housekeeper, right? I had heard she was a good cook.

“Can I take a look?”

“Of course! Let’s look together. Everything I cook well, Fujimura-san taught me.”

“Really?”

As I looked through the notebook, I noticed that every recipe was handwritten, all lessons from Fujimura-san.

(Saya is so hardworking… I should learn from her.)

“I’m really happy, you know. That you’re willing to eat dinner with me. No one has ever eaten with me before… Thank you, Hinata.”

I couldn’t look away from her eyes as she gazed directly at me.

“Thank you too.”

She closed the notebook, and I noticed she had taken my hand in hers. Feeling the warmth, I intertwined my fingers and squeezed back gently.

There was no one to interrupt us. Just the two of us in this space.

As I leaned in closer to her face, Saya seemed surprised but quickly shut her eyes.

I didn’t know the right way to do this, so I just pressed my lips against hers.

When I pulled away, Saya was left with a dreamy expression, her hand covering her mouth.

(That was soft…)

I kissed her. Just recalling it made my body feel warm.

As the urge to touch her swelled inside me, Saya gently squeezed my hand.

“It feels strange… Hinata, let’s do it again?”

This time, Saya leaned in and kissed me. The kiss lasted longer than the last, and a silver thread seemed to connect us as we pulled away.

As I tried to catch my breath, Saya lifted her feet onto the couch and came closer to me.

“No… If I kiss you, I won’t be able to hold back. What should we do, Hinata?”

“Um, what should we do… Huh?”

I was at a loss for words. What would be the right answer here? Would it be correct to say she didn’t need to hold back?

As I struggled for a response, Saya gently touched my cheek and murmured softly.

“Hehe, you’re so cute when you’re flustered, Hinata.”