The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 39: An Ordinary Morning Exchange.

An Ordinary Morning Exchange.

When I left for school later than usual, I stumbled upon a rare sight.

A tall female student stood waiting at the signal along the school route.

Her back was as straight as ever, but her weight was slightly shifted onto one leg. Her shoulders seemed just a bit slouched. Even the bun in her hair was leaning to one side.

The left hand gripping the strap of her bag looked relaxed, almost limp. As for her free right hand—it was on its way toward her mouth.

 “Fwaahh…” I heard a yawn.

Sleepy again, huh?

But somehow, running into her in the morning—by pure chance—was enough to lift my spirits. Even though we were already close, I couldn’t help but pick up my pace and jog toward her.

“Good morning.”

“Ah, Amemoto-kun. Fancy seeing you at this hour. Fufufu, is this a hallucination from too many late nights?”

“I’m very much real, I assure you.”

“Ooh, you’re right. This cheek-poking response is unmistakably the real deal. I now have absolute certainty. Good morning.”

“Would’ve been nice if you’d realized before poking me… Is my cheek really that useful for verifying authenticity?”

“It has a one-of-a-kind texture, you know? Along with the cushion in your room, I’d love to bring it back to mine.”

“Pretty sure you’re also one-of-a-kind for thinking of my cheek as a relaxation item…”

I didn’t really mind getting my cheek poked. Even being whispered about—jealously—by nearby underclassman girls (probably fans of Watanuki-senpai) was something I’d come to accept.

Because if there’s one thing I refuse to give up, it’s the title of closest junior to Watanuki-senpai. So even if it means being teased like this, I’m willing to put up with it.

Though, the fact that she stayed up late is a bit of a concern.

The light turned green, and as we started walking, I brought it up.

“So. Why were you up so late?”

“Uwaa… It’s Amemoto-kun in lecture mode. Well, last night, I overheard Shion talking on the phone in her room—it’s rare for her, so I got curious.”

“Ah, that. I figured.”

The person she was talking to… was me.

Shion had suddenly reached out to ask for advice—tips for fitting in with the class. She seemed unusually motivated, saying things like:

“As your rival, I’ll be aiming for that middle-management role, too…”
And

“Making friends? I’ve got it down to seconds. I’ll make them at subsonic speed.”
I couldn’t help but think: Yeah, good luck with that.

As I recalled last night’s odd little conversation, I noticed Watanuki-senpai giving me a squinty, unimpressed stare.

“Hmm… Judging from that tone, you stayed up late talking with my sister, didn’t you?”

“Uh. Yeah, she kept asking for info, and before I knew it, I dozed off mid-convo.”

“Ehh—lucky. Not fair. Maybe for today’s study session, we should just do a voice call instead of meeting in your room.”

Even after the tutoring contract ended, we still held study sessions regularly. And the location was always my room.

Sure, a voice call might work too, but…

“That sounds like you just want to catch me falling asleep again. Should I stock up on energy drinks and power through?”

“Fufu, caught me. But I wouldn’t want to be responsible for your sleep deprivation. Let’s skip the call idea.”

While we chatted, the school building came into view.

This chance morning together—only possible because of a late night—was about to end.

Just as I started feeling reluctant to part ways, Watanuki-senpai leaned in gently and whispered by my ear:

“Then… after school, let’s meet in your room as usual, okay, Touya-kun?”

Her smile was breathtaking—effortlessly beautiful, almost unfairly so—as she walked ahead.

She picked up her pace and entered the school grounds, light on her feet and full of confidence, drawing everyone’s gaze.

“…Alright, time to go.”

I touched my still-warm earlobe, trying to settle the feelings stirring inside me, and started walking toward the classroom.

Silently. Thinking about the girl I like.

I wonder what snacks I should pick up for after school…