Chapter 39: My Beautiful Underclassman Manager Patted My Head.

“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?” “Something like that.”

Even as Takumi tried to prod for an answer, Kana remained vague.

(Kana acts like a goofball, but she’s actually quite sensible. It’s past nine-thirty; I don’t think she’d come over just to kill time, but…)

Sensing she had some sort of ulterior motive, Takumi invited her inside.

“Takumi-senpai—”

Kana sat on the sofa and patted the spot right next to her. When Takumi sat down as instructed, she began to gently stroke his hair.

“Um… Kana? What is this?” “It’s just something I want to do. I’ll stop if you hate it.” “I don’t hate it, but…”

Bewildered at first, it didn’t take long for Takumi to realize her intent. She was comforting him—comforting him for the tears he had shed earlier when he remembered his mother.

“…Thanks, Kana.” “You’re always doing the same for me, after all.”

Kana gave a soft, airy smile. Being patted on the head and consoled by a younger girl was, admittedly, a bit ticklish. But more than that, he was happy for her kindness.

As he felt the gentle rhythm of her hand, a wave of drowsiness began to wash over Takumi. His eyelids grew heavy.

(I can’t… After everything I’ve said to her, I can’t be the one to fall asleep…)

He tried his best to resist, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to tell Kana to stop. Gradually, both his thoughts and his vision began to haze over.

(…Well, I’m in my own home. I guess it’s fine…)

The moment that thought crossed his mind, Takumi’s consciousness flickered out.

***

It was a few moments later when Kana realized Takumi had drifted off.

“…Huh? Takumi-senpai?”

(Wait… did he seriously fall asleep?)

Even when she stopped stroking his hair, he didn’t react. From his slightly parted lips, the faint, rhythmic sound of peaceful breathing escaped. His sleeping face looked significantly younger than usual.

“He—He’s so cute…!”

Kana desperately suppressed the urge to writhe around in agony from the sheer adorableness of it. She tore her eyes away from him and took a deep breath, regaining a semblance of composure.

(Even though the trouble with that gorilla Takeoka has settled down, he spent the whole day playing and now he’s hosting someone at his house… It’s only natural he’s exhausted.)

Kana felt a pang of regret, wondering if she had pushed him too hard. The image of Takumi crying after tasting Ran’s miso soup—the taste of his late mother—flickered in her mind.

(I mean, it’s not just for a day or a week. It’s forever. He must be so lonely…)

If even one of her parents were to pass away, Kana was certain she would cry all night long. In fact, just imagining it now brought tears to her eyes.

(And Senpai is alone every single day…)

Even Kana, who knew for a certainty that her parents would return home every night, felt lonely being by herself. The reason she practically lived at Takumi’s house wasn’t just because she had feelings for him; a big part of it was that being with him chased away her own loneliness.

(He seems to keep in touch with his dad every now and then, but… maybe the reason he welcomes me so much is because he’s lonely too. If that’s the case, I want to be the one to fill that void.)

Until now, she had done nothing but depend on him, but from now on, she wanted to support him too. Seeing him in this vulnerable state made Kana’s resolve harden.

Unaware of her newfound determination, Takumi continued to breathe in a steady, peaceful rhythm. She considered letting him sleep on the sofa and covering him with a blanket, but then she reconsidered, thinking that wouldn’t truly relieve his physical fatigue. As a manager, she had to be mindful of an athlete’s physical condition.

“Ta—”

She started to call his name but stopped herself.

(But wait. A chance to see Takumi-senpai this defenseless… might never happen again in my entire life, right?)

Thinking that way made it feel like a waste to wake him up just yet. She didn’t intend to do anything like doodle on his face. Only one specific action crossed her mind.

(B-Body stuff is obviously off-limits, but his hair should be okay, right? I-I’ve already smelled him before while he was awake anyway!)

With such a “feast” laid out before her, it was impossible for her to suppress her impulses as a scent-fetishist. After carefully confirming that Takumi was deep in slumber, she brought her nose close to his head and took a soft, silent sniff.

(As I thought… it’s so calming…)

It wasn’t just about the air entering her lungs; it was as if her very soul was being nourished. Part of it was likely because he had already showered, but Kana had never once thought Takumi smelled bad, no matter the timing.

Sometimes, when she handled his uniform or passed him during club activities, she would find her nose twitching to catch a scent—hopefully without him noticing—but even the smell of sweat didn’t bother her.

(I’ve heard that if you love someone’s scent, you’re physically compatible… wait, w-what am I thinking?!)

Kana shook her head violently, her face flushing crimson. They weren’t even a couple yet; her thoughts were jumping way too far ahead.

(…Right, I should wake him up now.)

Judging that it was dangerous to leave herself to her own devices any longer, Kana moved to wake him.

“Takumi-senpai—! Please wake up—!” “Mnn… hng…”

She cupped her hands like a megaphone and called out, but Takumi only let out a low groan in his throat.

“R-Right… It’s your fault for falling asleep, Senpai!”

Muttering that half-baked excuse, Kana slipped her hands under Takumi’s armpits and moved them at high speed.

“Wake up, Takumi-senpai—!” “—!? Wait, wha—!? What?!”

The moment Takumi managed to form coherent words, she stopped and gave him a bright, sunny smile.

“Good morning, Takumi-senpai! Well, it’s actually night, though!” “Ah… wait, did I fall asleep?” “Yes, soundly. So, I took the liberty of tickling you!” “I see… Sorry. I’m always the one telling you to stay awake, and here I am sleeping.”

Takumi scratched his head, looking genuinely apologetic. Since it was usually Kana doing the apologizing, it felt rather fresh.

“No, no. Your opponent was me, Kana-sama, a Level 1 Certified Head-Patting Professional. It couldn’t be helped. Besides, this is your house, Senpai.” “Well, that’s true… but still, sorry. Thanks for waking me up.” “I-It’s fine! I shall graciously forgive you, just this once!”

In the face of Takumi’s sincere gratitude, Kana felt a slight prickle of discomfort and guilt. She could never, ever tell him that she had helped herself to a sniff of his hair right before waking him up.