101 - The Morning After Staying Over

RAW

Haruto always wakes up early to study in the quiet hours of the morning.

This habit is so deeply ingrained that even the morning after spending the night at the Tōjō household, he naturally woke up as the sky began to brighten.

Sitting up slowly, Haruto glanced beside him to find Ryota sprawled out in a starfish position, arms and legs stretched to their limits.

“Classic Ryota. Bold even in his sleep,” Haruto murmured with a chuckle.

He grabbed the crumpled blanket from the foot of Ryota’s bed, spread it out, and draped it gently over his friend’s stomach. Taking care not to disturb Ryota’s peaceful expression, Haruto slipped out of the futon. Grabbing his hand towel and toothbrush from his belongings, he headed downstairs to the first-floor bathroom.

Still drowsy, Haruto stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth.

The bathroom in the Tōjō house was as spacious and pristine as one would expect from such a grand residence, with its elegant white decor. Haruto felt a touch of sophistication as he washed his face and dried it with his towel.

After splashing his face with cold water, the last traces of sleep vanished. Haruto let out a small sigh, adjusted his appearance in the mirror, and then noticed something at the edge of the reflection—white water stains.

“Hmm... this is...”

Haruto leaned in closer to inspect the stains, quickly spotting several more.

“Water stains, your time is up. I’ll wipe you out completely,” he declared, the odd excitement of the early morning taking over.

Retrieving cleaning supplies from under the sink, Haruto began his assault on the water stains.

Having handled chores at the Tōjō household over the summer, he knew the place well. The spray bottle in his hand contained his grandmother’s homemade vinegar-based cleaner, a reliable remedy for such stains.

He sprayed the solution, let it sit briefly, and then wiped it clean with a cloth. Since the stains were small, they came off with little effort.

“Behold the power of Grandma’s special cleaner,” Haruto muttered triumphantly with a mischievous grin.

Once he finished with the mirror, his cleaning switch fully flipped, Haruto began tidying the surrounding area. By the time he was done, the entire bathroom gleamed.

As he admired his work with satisfaction, a voice called out from behind him.

“Haruto-kun?”

Turning around, Haruto saw Ayaka standing there in her pajamas.

“Oh, good morning, Ayaka.”

“Good morning... Were you cleaning?”

“Yeah. The water stains on the mirror caught my eye while I was brushing my teeth.”

Ayaka glanced at him, then at the spotless bathroom.

“You cleaned more than just the mirror...”

“Ah... I couldn’t stop once I got started.”

“What kind of switch is that?”

Ayaka chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.

Seeing her like this, Haruto couldn’t help but be captivated.

Ayaka’s pajama-clad figure gave off a rare, unguarded charm. Her usually neat hair was slightly tousled, with a small strand sticking up rebelliously. Her large, expressive eyes appeared a little droopy from sleep, giving her an overall soft, endearing appearance.

Unable to suppress his feelings, Haruto blurted out, “Ayaka, you look absolutely adorable when you just wake up.”

“Huh...? Huh?!”

Ayaka froze for a moment before her face turned bright red. She quickly covered it with her hands.

“D-don’t look! Don’t look at me!”

“Wait, why not?”

“Because my hair’s messy, and I haven’t washed my face yet!”

“But that slightly messy hair makes you even more charming to me.”

Peeking through the gaps in her fingers, Ayaka groaned softly.

“You’re such a tease, Haruto-kun...”

“I wasn’t teasing. I meant it,” Haruto said with a gentle smile.

“...Really?” Ayaka asked, her voice muffled as she pressed her face against his chest.

Haruto nodded. “Really.”

“Then... just for a bit, okay? But don’t look at my face!”

“Alright, I’ll resist,” Haruto replied, chuckling softly as he wrapped his arms around her.

Ayaka buried her face further into his chest, her hands gripping his back.

“Your face is so red,” Haruto teased lightly.

“...I said not to look!”

“Okay, okay,” Haruto said, his laugh echoing softly through the quiet morning.

Later, the two prepared breakfast together in the Tōjō kitchen. The aroma of freshly cooked food soon filled the air, drawing the rest of the family downstairs.

This morning, Haruto would learn just how warmly he was accepted into Ayaka’s family—though their teasing remarks about the couple’s closeness left both of them blushing.