While Wandering Around Naked, I Met An Exhibitionist, The Most Beautiful Half-Nordic Girl From School. - Chapter 5: Midnight Watch.

Midnight Watch.

Now, what is the essence of late-night wandering?

It’s the feeling of liberation.

It’s the sensation of being freed from all constraints, as if you’re the only person in the world, piercing through the silent darkness of the uninhabited night.

In this modern society, where there are so many entanglements, the feeling of liberation is invaluable. People end up choosing death after being bound too tightly by something. There’s no shortage of those who follow that path.

That’s why the pleasure of walking alone through the night, cutting through the wind with your shoulders, was irresistible.

“This is what freedom feels like.”

“What’s gotten into you, suddenly spreading your arms like that?”

“I just felt like trying it out.”

I was met with stares akin to those directed at a lunatic.

“Are you crazy?”

Even the sharp edge of words was directed at me.

“You don’t understand. Being able to act eccentrically as I please without caring about what others think… That’s the true joy of late-night strolls.”

“As expected of a pro. The encyclopedia of exhibitionists who run at night.”

“I’m one of the few ‘Night Walkers’ you can make friends with.”

I was at a loner level where making friends was a big deal since I entered this high school. So, I often passed boring nights by taking walks.

“I have friends now, though.”

“…………”

“Hey.”

“Your ‘I have friends’ act is annoying.”

“Utsumi is a good guy. You’ll definitely get along with him.”

“You’re often with him, right? I don’t want to because his gaze is scary.”

Poor Utsumi. To think he’s being treated with caution just because he started to develop feelings for someone.

“Oh, hold on.”

Suddenly, I felt someone’s presence, so I stopped.

Shirogane looked puzzled, but understanding the situation was more urgent.

It might sound like I have some sort of special ability from a fantasy novel, but it’s just a similar skill. It’s simply the ability to roughly estimate information about the opponent based on years of experience and intuition.

These footsteps… Are they… not human?

“Nyaa~.”

“Oh, it’s a cat.”

It was a cat.

No wonder the footsteps sounded unusually light.

“Ny~aa~.”

Moreover, it seemed unusually friendly. It approached me.

As I pondered what to do, Shirogane smoothly passed by my side.

“Hey, there, little one. There, there.”

“Purr…”

This was true cat-spoiling.

This was truly cat-spoiling behavior. Despite her eccentricities, it seemed that girls, just like cute little animals, were unbeatable.

“You should pet it too. It’s quite friendly and cute, you know?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Why? It’s so fluffy.”

“I’m… not a fan of cats.”

I said with a determined expression.

I’ve never had a good relationship with cats. Whenever I try to touch them, they hiss and run away. Yet, they always come close and bother me when I’m doing something I enjoy.

It mainly relates to the cats we have at home, but I just couldn’t shake off my discomfort with them.

“Hmm, you have a dislike for your own kind?”

“I’m not a cat.”

“If we were to compare you to a dog or a cat, I’d definitely say you’re more of a cat person.”

“…Hmm.”

Perhaps that’s true.

But I couldn’t imagine myself as a dog, so maybe she had a point.

“Meow.”

“Oh!”

As we conversed, the cat seemed to get tired of our attention and wandered off somewhere.

I didn’t particularly like this unpredictable and independent behavior.

“If it were an animal, I’d prefer a Komodo dragon over a cat.”

“What’s with that choice?”

“Dragons… are cool.”

“You really are a boy.”

I used to watch Komodo dragon videos a lot in the past. However, most of the videos online showed shocking scenes of them swallowing small animals whole, which often left my parents appalled.

“That cat from earlier, its ear was clipped, so it might be a pet cat.”

“Really? I didn’t know about that.”

“It had nice hair, so I’m sure it’s well taken care of… It’s quite different from me.”

I think Shirogane’s hair is very beautiful too. Or perhaps, that’s not what she meant.

She stared at where the cat had gone for a while. Rather than thinking about the cat, it seemed like she was lost in thought, feeling something deeper.

“…Shall we go? It’s almost 1 am, so it’s probably best to head back.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Even for a guy like me, late-night wandering comes with its own risks. If a woman, especially someone as beautiful as her, were to do it, the danger would multiply many times over. Despite the late hour, it was undoubtedly better to get back as soon as possible.

“Oh, wait.”

Before we left, I decided to give her something since I happened to see it.

“What is it? …A vending machine?”

“It’s getting a bit chilly, so I thought we could have something warm to drink. I’ll treat you too.”

“Oh, it’s okay, really.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

With a demeanor reminiscent of the Demon Lord from Jurar’s Majesty, I inserted the coins.

Vending machine drinks are expensive. Normally, I prefer to buy larger quantities of juice at a cheaper price from the supermarket. But for some reason, she seemed to be trembling.

Just for today, I thought it’d be nice to buy a warm drink from the vending machine.

“Besides, this is also part of the charm of late-night wandering. Walking in the cold night while warming up with a hot drink… It adds a certain ambiance.”

“I’ll have sweet red bean soup then.”

“Warming up with warm sweet red bean soup… It adds a certain ambiance.”

It seemed she had a sweet tooth after all.

“…It’s warm.”

“Huh?”

It was still too early for the witching hour when even the grass and trees slept, yet the late-night streets were devoid of any human presence. The silence of the world, with only Shirogane and me remaining, felt oddly comforting.

Several tens of minutes passed, and we finally returned to the vicinity of my home.

“Well, I’m heading this way.”

“Ah, yeah.”

We parted ways matter-of-factly. Our relationship was only based on a chance encounter anyway. This level of detachment felt just right.

“Oh, wait. Hey, look this way.”

“Huh? What on earth—”

In an instant, time seemed to freeze. In the middle of the road illuminated only by the streetlights, she stood confidently. She had opened her duffel coat, exposing her body wearing only a bra and panties.

“…So, how was it? As a seasoned exhibitionist, what score would you give my exposure?”

“Hmm…”

As I scrutinized her naked body, I gave my honest opinion.

“The shadows from the backlighting of the streetlights make it hard to see clearly. If you’re going to show off to someone at night, you should be more conscious of the lighting.”

“…Well then.”

It was a classic move for an exhibitionist to suddenly expose themselves like that, but the timing seemed perfect.

I hoped to see even more impressive displays of exhibitionism in the future. That was my wish as I watched her go.