For two individuals to share a living space, a great deal of compromise is required from both sides.
For example, if a person who likes everything to be tidy and a person who doesn't care about such things at all live together, discord is inevitable unless they find a suitable compromise.
As such, living with another person was not something to be approached lightly.
In that respect, Nagisa and I were prepared to accommodate each other in many ways.
Our personalities were suited for it, and we both had a strong tendency to yield to the other, so after we officially started living together, it was rare to find any disagreements.
"Nagisa, I'm going to go wash up first".
"In that case, would you perhaps like to wash together today…?".
"Ahaha… maybe later. When I'm a little more used to it".
"…I understand. But please don't make me wait too long".
If I had to pick one point of disagreement, it was that Nagisa seemed to want to advance our current relationship a bit further, while I wasn't quite ready for that.
My excuse was that my libido was incomparably lower than it used to be.
It's not that I didn't feel any sexual tension, but I had rarely experienced desire to the point where it affected my body.
The only exception was when Nagisa really pushed for it, and my mind would go blank, and I would feel like entrusting everything to her.
But even that, I felt, was just an emotion of being swept up in the moment.
The truly important thing was that Nagisa was not yet an adult. That, for me, was the biggest brake.
If I were overflowing with desire, it might be a different story, but as I was not, it wasn't easy to ignore that fact and move on to the next stage.
Even as I say this, I know that at some point, I will have no choice but to give in to Nagisa.
If she keeps pushing like this, that point will likely not be far off.
Since we were both biologically female, and in terms of simple age, neither of us could be considered an adult.
The struggles of my conscience to not lay a hand on Nagisa were not that great.
…And besides, even if I didn't lay a hand on her, it didn't seem like Nagisa had any intention of leaving me alone.
To prevent any unforeseen intrusions, I securely locked the bathroom door and enjoyed a leisurely shower.
Morning showers certainly had their merits, but if you liked to take your time, showering at night was the best.
Although we had two bathrooms, one had a shower booth and the other only a bathtub, so my habits naturally leaned toward showering at night.
More than anything, the problem was that we didn't have enough time in the morning for two people to take turns showering.
I could shower in the bathroom with the bathtub.
but then there was the disadvantage of flooding the surrounding area.
After my shower, I came out with a towel on my head and saw Nagisa sitting on the living room sofa, watching TV.
She was picking something up from a plate next to her and eating it.
…It was the langues de chat we had bought to eat together.
"Nagisa~ what are you watching?".
"A movie. It's about museum exhibits coming to life at night.
It's a light watch".
"Hmm… even so. How could you start eating something we bought to share, all by yourself?
I'm hurt, Nagisa".
"Shh. You were the one who started it, Mika. You must accept your punishment for the crime of brutally murdering the mochi roll I had saved for yesterday".
"…You're so petty! If we're going by that logic, you're the one who drank the cafe mocha I bought to drink while studying. And it was just from Angel 24, so it wasn't even that good. If you really wanted coffee, you should have just asked me to buy you a cup from a cafe".
"Would you please be quiet? I can't hear the movie over your voice".
"Aha, so you're saying the movie is better than my voice, nom".
I snapped up the langue de chat Nagisa held out to my mouth and fell silent.
How cheap of her to shut me up like this. She's gotten way too good at handling me.
The crispiness of the thin cookie and the sweet, rich taste of the white chocolate were enough to push our childish squabble from my mind.
We usually dry each other's wings and hair after we shower. We had reached the conclusion on the second day of living together that it was much more convenient for both of us that way.
The act of our hands touching each other's wings was a form of communication… or so I should call it.
This act had a very calming effect. Thanks to that, in just a few days, we had become addicted to each other's touch.
Nagisa placed the plate of langues de chat next to me and began to gently towel my hair.
As she did, I made sure to spear a cookie with a fork and feed it to Nagisa.
"By the way, why didn't you bring the hairdryer?".
"…Ah".
"Mika, sometimes I can't shake the feeling that you're clumsy in the strangest ways.
The stock incident is a case in point".
"Ngh… But I made back everything I lost by getting back in at the lowest point.
before it was acquired by the Saint Nephthys company".
"Honestly, if you get caught doing that, it wouldn't be surprising if you were subjected to some strange slander, so it's best to be careful. More importantly, we'll be a bit busy tomorrow. It's our first external business since visiting the Shanhaijing Senior School at the beginning of the month, isn't it?".
"Ahaha, the trip to Shanhaijing wasn't official Tea Party business, so… I guess this is the first time this month. If this had been scheduled for last month, I think I would have been horrified".
The seasons changed, and for nearly a month and a half, I was able to enjoy the peace that had existed before the summer festival.
I did have to go to Shanhaijing with Haruna at the beginning of the month for personal business, but that wasn't official Tea Party work, so it was a close call, I guess…?.
It had turned into something of a gourmet date, but I had separate business with the Xuanwu Merchant Association, so we would be in contact for some time.
The long-awaited external business wasn't anything special. It was quite a bit later than originally scheduled, but… it was a small meeting to iron out the details of the ETO's trial run in advance.
The attendees were just me, Hina, and Yukino.
and it seemed Yukino had been given full authority in this matter.
By the time the ETO's trial run officially began, the scale of personnel would be much larger….
but that was a story for a little later.
"Phew. Please wait a moment".
As Nagisa, with a towel on my head, left to find the hairdryer.
I secretly speared two langues de chat and devoured them in one bite.
I'm reminded every time, but Trinity's desserts really are the best. When I went to the Xuanwu Merchant Association, I brought a gift from the shop that supplies the Tea Party with desserts, and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
"Hey, how many did you eat in that short time? Four? You really are something".
"Hmm? What do you mean four, Nagisa? It was only two—ah".
"Mika… I sometimes worry. I wonder how a person can be so guileless. Where have all those cool aspects I fell for gone?
I'm at the point where I'm worried I'll hear that you got scammed while trying to do business".
"Ahaha, what are you talking about? Honestly, Nagisa…! I'm definitely not that bad!".
"You are that bad".
"Ugh. This is all your fault, Nagisa".
"…How did this become my fault?".
Nagisa tilted her head at my rebuttal and looked at me as if to say, 'Go on, explain.' But I had my own arguments.
"It means that's how comfortable I feel around you. Have you ever seen me act like this in front of anyone else? Hmm?".
"Well, in my memory, almost never…".
"See? I have an image to maintain in front of others… but there's no need for that between us".
"That's a very proper and nice thing to say, but didn't you say just the other day, 'I always want to show only my best side to my dear Nagisa'?".
Ah. Why was Nagisa so sharp today? This was unfair. In the past, wouldn't this have been the timing for her to giggle and melt?.
"…You know, Nagisa. Can't you just finish drying my hair?".
"Yes, of course. I'll just dry your hair. Is that alright?".
"Haven't you gotten a little too mischievous lately…?".
"Is there anything else you'd like to say?".
"My wings too, please…".
"Fufu. With pleasure".
After this, it would be Nagisa's turn to shower and mine to dry her hair.
I would not forget this humiliation and this grudge, and I would be sure to repay it then.
"Oh, by the way. If you act petty… you know what'll happen, right?".
Hey, what do you mean, 'you know what'll happen'? Are you threatening me now without even spelling it out?.
"…Yes".
But from my experience, talking back when Nagisa was like this was not a good choice.
So, let's postpone the time for revenge a little longer.
Tonight, it's definitely separate rooms, Nagisa. Even if you come to my door with a pillow.
and call 'Mika…' pitifully, there will be no mercy.
"Fufu, this is a first, so it feels new….
Shall we just keep sleeping together in here from now on?".
"..."
Why was I, who had vowed to take my petty revenge by using a separate room.
now lying in Nagisa's bed? A true mystery indeed.
"Mika, your expression…".
"Ah, ahaha. No, it's nothing like that, so don't worry. I was just staring blankly because you're so pretty".
"…I'll let it slide, just this once".
Truthfully, I knew all too well why it had come to this. It was because Nagisa had hugged me tightly from behind and whispered a wish in a voice that could melt my ears.
What other answer could I have possibly given?.
We turned off the lights and lay on our sides, facing each other, about to go to sleep, when Nagisa's finger gently poked my hand.
"What is it…?".
"Your hand… is it okay if I hold it while we sleep?".
"You don't have to ask from next time… But, won't that be a little uncomfortable for sleeping ?".
"I don't care about that".
As she said that, Nagisa intertwined her fingers with mine and closed the distance between us. For a brief moment, we exchanged breaths before she closed her eyes and murmured softly.
"Now that we're holding hands, you can't forget to dream of me ".
…Ironically, and perhaps cruelly, the one who appeared in my dream that night was not Nagisa, but Mika.