The Beautiful Girl I Accidentally Helped Who Has Somehow Become Attached To Me. - Chapter 27: Urging Me To Come Home.

Urging Me To Come Home.

The next morning.

Even though it’s a weekend with no school, I’ve developed the habit of waking up early because of her visits.

I sometimes wish I could sleep in until the afternoon on my days off, but thanks to Mikami-san, I’ve been able to maintain a reasonably healthy lifestyle instead of lazing around.

I glance at the clock on the table: it’s 7:50. My morning routine feels just like a school day. I bite into a slice of bread spread with jam while boiling water for coffee.

Two cups… Just in case. If I prepare it a little early, it should be at the perfect temperature for Mikami-san when she arrives.

Our agreement was for after 8 o’clock, but… knowing her, she’s probably already here. I can easily imagine her standing by the intercom, waiting for the clock to tick over.

“Oh… there she is.”

Curiosity got the better of me, and I checked the intercom monitor. There she was, Mikami-san. I commend her for being punctual, especially since we made that deal. But standing in front of my house, looking around nervously… well, that’s just a little suspicious.

Guess I’ll have to go get her.

“Hey.”

“Eep! Is that you, Kirishima-san? You startled me!”

“It’s your fault for acting all suspicious out here.”

“How rude! I was just a little restless, that’s all!”

I open the door to greet Mikami-san, and her exaggerated reaction to the suddenly opened door is adorable.

“Standing out there must be tough, right? Come on in.”

“But there are still a few minutes until 8…”

Mikami-san has a strange sense of propriety. It’s funny how she listens to this kind of thing when she usually ignores what I say.

“Uh, then never mind. Let’s meet again in a few minutes.”

“Wha… what?”

I close the door, just to tease her a bit. Her confused expression vanishes with the sound of the door, replaced by a series of knocks.

“What’s the deal? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t come in?”

“I… didn’t say that.”

“Then come on in… wait, what’s with your hand?”

As I invite Mikami-san in and start to head back inside, she grabs my hand, pulling me back.

What is she planning this time? I wait for her to make her request, but she stays silent, holding onto my hand tightly.

What’s going on? What does she want from me at the entrance like this?

“Hint.”

“Kirishima-san, I think you have something to say to me.”

“Something to say? Good morning!”

“Yes, good morning!”

This back-and-forth is just wasting time.

Not knowing what Mikami-san is thinking isn’t a new experience. In situations like this, trying to think it through only leads to more confusion, so I might as well give up and ask for a hint.

The hint is about what to say to her. In other words, there’s a specific phrase I need to say. It seems like we’re playing a game where I have to guess what she wants to hear.

Since it’s morning, I start with a simple “Good morning.” Mikami-san responds with a smile, but her grip doesn’t loosen. Looks like that wasn’t the right answer.

“Um, welcome?”

“Yes, thank you for having me.”

“Uh, did you cut your hair a bit?”

“I didn’t cut it.”

“…You look cute today, too.”

“Wha!? Th-thank you…?”

Hmm, none of these seem to be right.

By the way, the last compliment was completely sincere. For a moment, Mikami-san’s grip on my hand loosened, but she quickly tightened it again, so it wasn’t the correct phrase.

Since that last comment seemed to have an effect on her, I stare at her intently, thinking about what the right answer could be. Why won’t she let go of my hand? Is it that she doesn’t want to move from this spot… the entrance? If that’s the case, then maybe the words she wants to hear are related to this specific location…

Oh!

“Take care on your way out.”

“Have a good day…?”

Yesterday, when I left, she said that.

Which means…

“Welcome back…”

“Yes, I’m home.”

Looks like I got it right. Mikami-san finally lets go of my hand, looking quite pleased with herself.

“Welcome back…” I say. This is my home, after all, but to her, it seems like a place to return to.

Well, whatever. Not that it matters too much.

***

Mikami-san, now invited—or rather, having returned—plopped onto the couch filled with cushions.

She sank into the cushions, hugging one tightly, and instantly switched to relaxation mode.

“So, what’s the plan for today?”

“Well, let’s study for the morning. You’re planning to do the same, right, Kirishima-san?”

“Yeah, if I lose to you, it’ll be a disaster, so I need to prepare properly.”

“Thanks to yesterday’s deal, I’ve gained a favor from you, so I don’t need to worry about the test’s outcome… but I’m not going to throw the match either!”

“I’m not asking for any rigging. I have to rely on my own abilities; otherwise, it wouldn’t mean anything.”

The midterm test is also a competition against Mikami-san, but fundamentally, it’s a proper measure of how well I’ve retained what I’ve learned so far. Honestly, I don’t understand the favor from yesterday, so it’s a battle I can’t afford to lose, but I’m not so desperate that I need her to go easy on me.

“Still, I think you’ll be fine, Kirishima-san. Based on how you’ve been studying, you’ll definitely score high in every subject.”

“Thanks for saying that. I owe it all to how clearly you’ve taught me.”

Since I started studying with Mikami-san after school and on weekends, I’ve felt the impact many times. This girl is smart. I’m benefiting from her help, but when it comes to a score competition, it’s going to be a tough battle.

“I’ll start first.”

“Got it. I’ll join you in about five minutes after I cuddle with these cushions a bit more.”

“…Don’t fall asleep, okay?”

“When you say that, I’m starting to feel sleepy. Kirishima-san, could you give me a lap pillow?”

“…You’ve got plenty of soft cushions over there. Use those.”

“I can’t hear you.”

“Hey.”

“Come on, it’s not like it’s going to hurt anything.”

“It will. Mainly my mental state or something.”

“In that case, I’ll use my favor here.”

I thought she was being a bit absurd again… Does she really want a lap pillow that badly? A guy’s lap is just hard; I think the cushions would be much better.

However, Mikami-san kept insisting, and it seemed she wouldn’t stop until I gave in.

If I could cancel out the favor with a relatively reasonable request, then maybe it’s worth it.

I set my pen down, grabbed an English vocabulary book, and headed over to the couch.

Mikami-san, ever polite, raised her head and waited. To go so far as to use a precious favor just for a lap pillow… I really can’t wrap my head around it.

“Alright, fine.”

“Thank you very much!”

Her head settled on my knee—or rather, my thigh.

Ignoring the warmth slightly radiating from her, I opened the vocabulary book to block Mikami-san’s line of sight, but she quickly snatched it away.

Then, she took my empty hand and guided it toward her head, maneuvering my hand to pet her.

“Kirishima-san, your hand is big. Please… keep stroking my head like this.”

***

Mikami-san murmured that and closed her eyes.

Before long, I could hear her peaceful breathing, and I felt utterly helpless.

She was far too defenseless. I wanted to wake her up right away and scold her, but when I caught sight of her content sleeping face, that urge quickly faded away.

With my vocabulary book taken from me, I couldn’t even go grab something else.

Feeling aimless, I ultimately had no choice but to comply with Mikami-san’s request.

“This is a service, just so you know.”

It felt somewhat wrong to touch a sleeping girl, but since it was Mikami-san’s request, I had to accept it.

Justifying my actions to myself, I continued to stroke her head in a steady rhythm.

But… this was turning out to be quite costly…

I’ve learned my lesson well about accruing favors from Mikami-san.

***

Halloween Theme

“I’m going to play a trick.”

“Mikami-san… can’t we at least say ‘trick or treat’ first?”

“Trick!”

“Only one choice!?”