Chirp, chirp.
"Haa... suu..."
The sound of birds chirping and the quiet breathing of someone other than myself woke me up. Thanks to getting a deep sleep last night, I felt much better.
There was no lingering discomfort, no sign of a fever.
Could I say I'm fully recovered?
(Still, she's really close...)
I peeked at Hachikuma-san's sleeping face. Even in sleep, she was stunningly beautiful.
Last night, I had practically forced her into bed with me, but thanks to how much we had warmed up in the bath together, I had passed out instantly, and nothing more had happened.
On paper, Hachikuma-san was my second wife, yet she still seemed to be holding back.
(Well, I was the one who caught a cold in the first place...)
I sighed at my own frailty.
(Not that I would've minded if she had made a move...)
In that sense, Yata-chan was much more... proactive. It was almost as if she could read my mind and knew exactly when to take advantage. But with Hachikuma-san sleeping right here, that wasn't even an option. Even just thinking about it felt like a breach of etiquette.
When courting someone, when getting intimate, I believed one should focus solely on the person in front of them.
(That means if anything is going to happen, it should be me who makes the first move.)
Gently, I brushed aside her bangs and placed a kiss on her forehead.
Her skin was warm—like a hot water bottle.
The moment my lips touched her, Hachikuma-san shuddered.
"Did I wake you?"
Her reaction had been too big to pretend otherwise.
"...Yes."
After a moment of hesitation, she slowly opened her eyes, looking slightly embarrassed.
"By the way, did yesterday's kiss give you my cold?"
Thinking about it, getting kissed by someone with a fever sounded pretty unpleasant.
"I'm fine! My normal body temperature is 37.5°C, so I never catch colds!"
"That's... high."
She said it with such confidence that I was momentarily speechless.
A one-degree difference in body temperature was said to double a person's immune response. This must have been what Toki-san meant when she boasted that she never caught colds.
"My deep body temperature is actually around 38°C."
"That sounds... intense."
She added that tidbit as if showing off. A 38°C fever from illness and a 38°C natural body temperature were worlds apart. I was honestly jealous of her resilience.
(It must feel nice, being that warm all the time...)
"Well, you certainly seem healthy... Anyway, speaking of which, I'm ready now. Care to help?"
I shifted slightly under the covers, pressing my morning stiffness lightly against her.
There was still fabric between us, but given how loose and thin our yukatas were, she was bound to notice immediately.
"Umm... Is this...?"
Hachikuma-san hesitantly reached out, touched it, then quickly pulled her hand back.
"It's a guy's... main feature. It happens automatically when it's fully charged."
"Is it... okay?"
"There's no harm in releasing it. It's only a problem if I have to force it up again after it's gone down, or if I have to keep going for too long. But right now, it's just naturally full, so it's easy to let out."
I knew I needed to train my endurance more, but for now, I could only do my best with what I had. There might even be a queue forming, and I didn't want to keep anyone waiting.
"So, any requests?"
It was time for the customary question—what would she ask for?
Hachikuma-san, meanwhile, kept hesitating. She would reach out, only to stop herself. What was on her mind?
"You don't have to hold back. You can hug me as tight as you want."
I made a guess and said it casually.
"No! I might break you!"
She sounded genuinely worried.
"I'll be fine. You won't break me."
I laughed, reassuring her.
If a woman's embrace could break a man, then that would just be proof of his devotion—an honor, even. At least, that's the ridiculous thought that crossed my mind.
"Well, even if it hurts a little, I won't get mad. Just... avoid the vital areas, okay?"
I spread my arms wide, inviting her in.
In the end, I didn't quite break.
She came close, but I managed to endure it with a laugh.