Hwah!
...How long has it been since I fell asleep? It feels like it's been hours, but the sky outside is still bright like midday...
Oh right, the five of us had already boarded one of the horse-drawn carriages we ordered to take us to the place where the fox tribe lives.
After discussing everything last night in the living room, we finally agreed to leave the next morning—not only to save time, but also because this journey might bring us something.
I was a bit confused since Vol-san was the one who suggested leaving early, especially since we made that decision less than four hours before midnight.
Logically... we shouldn't have been able to order a carriage along with its driver that late at night, right?
But what surprised me afterward... when I woke up this morning, there was already a carriage parked out front.
At first, I thought maybe the person who brought it was just stopping to rest for a while, but the truth was—
Early in the morning, Vol-san had gone to the adventurer's guild even as their doors had just opened.
Maybe because he did it with purpose, the result we got matched what he sacrificed to secure this ride.
Everyone inside the carriage was sleeping comfortably, including me just a few minutes ago.
Vol-san was asleep with his head tilted upward, while Luke was trying to remain seated with his arms crossed.
And the one who looked the most comfortable... who else but Yuu-chan? She was lying down with part of her body leaning against Luke, completely at ease like she was at home.
She must have waited for Luke to fall asleep first, then took advantage of the situation to sleep against someone's body.
I didn't expect this either... but after noticing how close I was to Hime, who was sitting to my left, maybe that was the only option.
Hime's head was slightly tilted to the left—not too steep, but enough to make it rest against the partition wall.
No wonder while I was asleep, it felt like I was lying on something soft with just the right size... I must have fallen asleep on her shoulder.
Even though I don't remember asking for it, Hime must have done it herself while I was asleep.
/////
...It's been a long time since I've done something like this… or maybe I've never done it before?...
—
I stared at her sleeping face for a moment before making up my mind to do something while she was still unconscious.
I wasn't sure she would accept it if she were awake, so I wanted to take this chance while she was still asleep.
Sret.
I slipped my left hand into the gap behind her neck and the wall, then touched the edge of her left shoulder.
U-ughh...
I gently pushed her body until her shoulder rested against mine. The warmth of her touch was noticeable, even though our body temperatures weren't that different.
After making her lean on me, I carefully guided her head until it rested on my shoulder.
Doing something like this to her while she was unconscious... she might not accept it if I told her about it later.
After making sure Hime, who was now leaning on me, didn't wake up from my touch, I felt a deep sense of relief.
The feeling of having a girl sleeping on my shoulder... I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling right now.
But one thing is certain... Hime's sleeping face looks incredibly cute. Seeing her like this, resting here, makes me feel like I'm the only one who gets to see this side of her up close.
My face turned slightly red when I wondered if this was how Hime felt when I leaned on her earlier.
I looked at her again as the carriage gently shook while passing over the uneven stone road.
...If I don't support her, her head might hit something hard and hurt—
—
I wrapped my left arm behind her neck, stopping as I held her shoulder so she wouldn't move around easily.
W-woah... This sensation is incredible. It feels like I'm inside a romantic comedy story...
Uhmm... Somehow, I'm starting to feel sleepy again after watching Hime sleep...
Maybe... I'll just fall asleep again...
——
What Yukito felt as he brought Hime closer to him might have been something simple, yet deeply meaningful.
Even though he tried his best to stay awake to watch over Hime in case the carriage shook again, that noble intention didn't last.
The drowsiness inside his body had already reached its limit before collapsing all at once, like a bomb going off.
His consciousness slowly faded as he tried to keep his eyes on Hime, even though it was impossible.
His head weakly rested against Hime's soft hair, and they fell asleep in a position so close that they looked like a couple.
Only Yukito knew what he had just done—no one else knew what he had done to Hime...
But... was it really true that no one noticed?
——
"Yukito-san, are you listening?"
When I heard Hime's voice calling me, I immediately woke up—
I still clearly remembered the position I had been in with Hime, as if it had been engraved into my mind.
But when I woke up this time... Hime was sitting at a slightly farther distance, no longer being held by me.
My left hand was resting quietly at my side—maybe Hime had placed it there so I wouldn't be startled.
"Hime... where are we now?" I asked, rubbing my eyes to wake myself up and see more clearly.
The other three were already awake as well, probably earlier than me.
"I don't know, why don't you take a look outside yourself?" she replied, gesturing for me to look ahead.
O-oh, it seems we've arrived somewhere unfamiliar. I don't think I've ever been to a place like this before.
"Vol-san, what place is that?" I asked, pointing toward something in the distance visible from inside the carriage.
Vol-san focused his gaze in the direction I pointed, then answered without hesitation.
"Ah, that building... Don't worry, if we can already see it, that means we'll be there soon," he said.
"Yukito-sama, may I ask you something?" Yuu-chan suddenly spoke, making me quickly turn toward her.
"What is it?"
Yuu-chan leaned closer and whispered something into my ear very quickly before returning to her seat.
"I saw what you did to Hime earlier~"
W-WHAT?! How could she know that when I was sure she had been asleep along with everyone else?
Was she just pretending to see what I would do?!