April had arrived before I knew it.
The Academy students began to bustle about. The midterm exams were approaching soon.
Whether freshmen or soon-to-be graduates, everyone without exception began their desperate struggle to secure good grades. Among them, Karen was working the hardest.
Unlike Sera or Aria who sent messages occasionally when they had free time, Karen didn't contact me at all, so I could only assume she was deeply focused on her studies.
It made me feel somewhat proud thinking about how concentrated Karen was.
The corners of my mouth turned up slightly at the thought that I might have contributed something, considering Karen had received useful information and book recommendations from Sera and Aria in the Study Group to accelerate her learning.
I had plenty of free time.
Although I was at the Academy, I didn't feel the urgency or anxiety that others there experienced.
Perhaps this is what they mean by a carefree Academy life—free from assignments and exam periods. Since I didn't need to worry about grades, I could pay attention to interesting parts of lectures, skip the boring parts, and just focus on my language studies.
"Professor, what are you doing?"
"...Making exam papers. Need them for each year."
"Oh... so five of them?"
"No, three. The Institute Students have a different schedule."
The Professor was staring intently at his laptop screen. I watched him quietly for a while, then yawned.
Whether in the laboratory or here at home, he was always focused on the screen, leaving me with nothing to do. But I couldn't exactly ask him to play with me.
Since everyone, professors and students alike, was busy with upcoming exams, I didn't want to disturb them and cause any problems, so I waited quietly.
I had nothing to do. Without my phone or conversation, I kept my mouth shut and looked around. Since it seemed like meals and washing up would be delayed, I found myself pondering what to do.
I got up. Feeling bored, I headed toward the closet.
It was time to take out the cat pajamas Sera had bought me before.
I usually just wore a t-shirt and dolphin pants because they were more comfortable, but at times like this when I had nothing to do, having something like this seemed nice.
I squeezed my eyes shut and reached behind my back. The zipper on my back didn't seem to close properly. After struggling for a while, I decided to be satisfied with it only halfway up and relaxed my shoulders.
"Phew."
I hung up the clothes I'd changed out of and left the closet. I held my phone with both hands and tapped the screen. I was thinking of taking a selfie this time.
Ding!
It was different from the usual camera shutter sound. Without panicking, I calmly rolled my eyes. Somehow my hand must have slipped, and it switched to video mode instead of photo.
How many people take selfies in video mode? Is that how people who record videos do it?
At least I didn't. I stopped recording and switched back to photo mode in the menu below.
In the process of fumbling around, my shoulder was slightly exposed. The animal pajamas weren't oversized, but the problem seemed to be that I couldn't zip up the back all the way.
I adjusted it on my shoulder to keep it from slipping. After that, I smiled again and pressed the shutter.
Click.
After taking a photo, the natural next step was to touch the recently taken picture to check if it came out well. I'd only stop once I was satisfied with the result.
"..."
Something felt awkward.
Pouting, I returned to the camera screen. I stared intently at the selfie mode, using it like a mirror.
I wasn't sure if my expression was always awkward, or if my face just tensed up whenever I took photos.
Just in case, I made various expressions at the screen.
"Hee—"
I exaggeratedly pulled up the corners of my mouth. As I slowly lowered them, it became an uncomfortable smile, then a forced smile, then a stiff smile.
"Uuuung."
This time I tried making an annoyed expression. Since it just involved contorting my face, this one seemed to come out as intended.
I turned my head this way and that. Looking at my face from various angles became strangely addictive, and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen.
"Ah, eh, ah-eh-ee-oh-oo."
I kept holding my phone and making different expressions. As I kept moving my mouth around, I caught the Professor's attention from the living room.
"Urr, what are you doing...?"
Since I was holding my phone and making strange expressions, that reaction wasn't unreasonable.
But still, I didn't want to look like I was doing something weird, so I immediately explained.
"I-I was trying to take a photo, but my expression looked awkward, so I was practicing...!"
I showed him the screen. Seeing my phone in selfie mode, the Professor's expression changed to one that said, "Ah, so that's what it was."
Relieved, I picked up my phone again. After glancing nervously at the Professor, I carefully pressed the shutter.
Click! Click! I took several photos. My expression came out even more awkward than before. It might have been because I was conscious of the Professor watching, so I quickly slipped into my room.
I flopped onto the bed. The fabric of the pajamas rubbed against me, making my crotch itch.
"Nngh..."
It felt strange. I moved my legs again, uncomfortable.
Maybe because the outfit was one piece instead of separate top and bottom, whenever it got caught somewhere, it immediately stimulated my crotch. I mumbled and adjusted my position.
As I felt the cool yet cozy sensation, I moved my hand to take a photo, but by then I'd lost interest and tossed the phone aside.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, I pressed my legs together, reminded of the subtle tingling sensation that had remained in my crotch earlier.
For some reason, my first conversation with Sera came to mind today. Was it because I was thinking about my crotch?
No, if I became interested in such things with this body, I wouldn't be able to live a normal life.
I shook my head. Since this wasn't even my original body, it would be problematic to pay too much attention to it. I thought it best to just spend time as the situation allowed.
It was comfortable.
A body that could live without sleeping or eating. And yet, I could sleep when I wanted to sleep and eat when I wanted to eat. What an amazing body this was.
But separate from the comfort, I sensed that people disliked it.
As I zoned out, I found myself reflecting on what had happened at the Academy during March. What stood out most were my first meetings with everyone.
Actually, there wasn't anyone who wasn't unusual. Karen was before the entrance ceremony, Sera talked about lewd things, ...and among the second-years, there was someone who frowned upon seeing me.
I still didn't know their name, but it was possible they hoped I'd never find out, which made me feel a bit sad.
If someone simply disliked me, I could probably let it go, but facing hostile emotions made me increasingly conscious of it.
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head again.
Since all the encounters were unusual, it only led to strange thoughts. I sighed involuntarily. Sprawled out on the bed, I stared at the ceiling. After sighing deeply, I quietly muttered:
"I hate exam period..."
I thought I was separate from exams. When everyone was caught up in assignments and exam periods, I felt somewhat superior having all this free time.
But that turned into loneliness when I was the only one with free time.
It felt like everyone else was running busily while I alone walked, stopped, and sat repeatedly. Having all this leisure time to myself while everyone else was gone didn't seem so great after all.
Pouting, I suddenly sat up. Then I dashed to where the Professor was.
"Professor!"
The Professor, who had been typing on his laptop, looked up in surprise at my voice. After briefly making eye contact, I approached and took a seat beside him.
"What's wrong? Couldn't take a good photo? Want me to take one for you?"
"Ah, no..."
"Then?"
He must have thought I came back because I got stuck taking photos. But once I went to my room, I didn't even think about photos anymore.
Originally, I was just looking for something to do because I was bored, and taking photos was what I found, not because I particularly enjoyed it.
"Just... umm."
It felt too childish to say, so I hesitated.
I leaned slightly against the Professor's body and peeked at the exam papers he was working on.
"I was wondering when you'd be done...?"
As I looked up at the Professor while speaking, he gently embraced me. The feeling of his arm around my shoulder made me feel like I could fall asleep at any moment.
"Were you bored, Urr?"
"Yes."
When I nodded honestly, the Professor chuckled.
"Then I'll play with you after I finish a bit more, okay?"
"Let's just wash up and go to bed together."
I stretched out my left arm and wrapped it around the Professor's waist. The Professor had his arm around my shoulder, and I leaned against him in a collapsing embrace.
The Professor stroked my head once and then continued working in this position.
"Isn't it uncomfortable?"
"It's warm and nice."
The Professor told me it was fine to stay like this.
It seemed he wasn't just saying it to be nice, as he continued working without showing any signs of being bothered, which I found surprising.