148 - A Boyfriend’s Duty

RAW

Ayaka clung to Haruto from behind as they watched a drama together.

According to her, hugging Haruto made the scary scenes less frightening. She also happily explained that if a scene got too terrifying, she could peek at the screen over his shoulder, which made it much more bearable.

Being so close to the person she loved, even a horror-heavy drama became an enjoyable experience for Ayaka.

On the other hand, Haruto was mentally exhausted.

The girl he was head over heels for was hugging him from behind. That alone was enough to make his heart feel like it would burst out of his chest.

And when a particularly scary scene came on, Ayaka would press her face against his back and wrap both her arms and legs around him as tightly as possible.

To make matters worse, he couldn't ignore the undeniable sensation of two soft things pressing into his back.

His only saving grace was that the drama itself was incredibly engaging.

The gripping storyline pulled him into its world, allowing him to momentarily push aside his impure thoughts.

Still, he found himself stuck in a cycle—flustered by Ayaka’s embrace, then distracted by the drama, only to be snapped back to reality whenever she playfully nibbled on his earlobe, forcing him to suppress his rising emotions.

Haruto regretted his earlier teasing, realizing the price he had to pay. Even so, he continued watching the drama with Ayaka clinging to him.

By the time they finished the fourth episode, Ayaka glanced at the clock.

“How should we do this? I really want to keep watching…”

“It’s already past midnight.”

“Yeah… It’s way too late to start another episode, right? But I can’t stop thinking about what happens next… What do you think, Haruto?”

Ayaka rested her cheek gently on his shoulder from behind, looking up at him with an uncertain expression.

If Haruto turned his head just slightly, he could easily steal a kiss. His heart pounded as he shifted his gaze to the clock.

“Hmm… I’m curious about the next part too, but…”

“Should we just watch one more?”

“Nah, we’ve got things to do tomorrow. Let’s call it a night.”

“Oh, right. We have to make sweets, and it’d be tough if we’re sleep-deprived.”

“There’s that, but… I also think it’d be a waste to watch everything all at once.”

Haruto scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed.

“If we binge it all in one go, the time I get to spend with you will run out too quickly… and I don’t really like that.”

Ayaka’s eyes widened at his quiet confession, her gaze sparkling with joy.

“I feel the same! I love spending time with you, Haruto!”

Beaming, she planted a kiss on his slightly flushed cheek, deepening its color.

“Well then, let’s call it a night and go brush our teeth.”

“Okay!”

Ayaka nodded enthusiastically, still smiling, as Haruto got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

The rest of the Tōjō household was already fast asleep, leaving the house in complete darkness.

“…You know, after watching that drama, the dark feels kinda scary,” Ayaka admitted, clutching Haruto’s arm as they walked.

“Yeah, horror shows tend to have that effect. Makes you not want to look in the mirror while taking a shower.”

“No way! I’m not showering now, no chance!”

“Good thing we bathed earlier, huh?”

As they continued chatting, they made their way downstairs to the sink.

“But, well… That drama is just fiction.”

“R-Right! There’s no such thing as zombies in real life!”

Ayaka nodded vigorously in agreement.

As Haruto squeezed toothpaste onto his brush, he casually spoke.

“Well… Zombies themselves might not be real, but the idea isn’t entirely impossible.”

“…Huh?”

“I mean, not the kind from that drama, but there are viruses and pathogens out there that could turn people into a zombie-like state.”

“…What? What?”

“Like rabies—you’ve heard of it, right? Once symptoms appear, it has a 100% fatality rate. That’s why people have to get vaccinated before it progresses. Sounds kind of like a zombie virus, doesn’t it?”

“W-Wait! Hold on! What!?”

“There are also tons of undiscovered viruses and bacteria that could trigger pandemics. Who’s to say a zombie virus isn’t one of them?”

“H-Hii!? W-What!?”

“And then you’ve got parasites that can completely control insects, making them move into dangerous areas or drown themselves. Isn’t that kind of like turning them into zombies?”

“……………………”

“If something like that infected humans and forced them to attack others, wouldn’t that basically be a zombie? Although, I guess they wouldn’t be rotting, so maybe not… But what really defines a zombie? Just a moving corpse?”

Holding his toothbrush, Haruto pondered aloud.

Then, he heard a faint, trembling voice.

“H-Haruto…”

He turned to look at Ayaka, who was now deathly pale and visibly shaking.

“Z-Zombies… Are they real?”

“Oh, no—sorry! They’re not real! Definitely not real!”

“But… you just said—”

Zombies were just a fantasy.

They only existed on screens.

That was what Ayaka kept telling herself to suppress her fear—until Haruto brought up the possibility of their existence, skyrocketing her anxiety.

“It was just a hypothetical! The chances of it actually happening are basically zero!”

“But not completely zero, right?”

“Uh—No! It’s zero! Absolutely zero! Even if there was a chance, it’d be like winning the worst lottery ever!”

“Ugh…”

The possibility that zombies might actually exist sent chills down Ayaka’s spine.

Even while brushing her teeth, she kept her gaze firmly away from the mirror, holding tightly onto Haruto’s hand.

After finishing up, they returned upstairs.

Haruto glanced at his still-captured hand, then hesitantly spoke.

“So… Goodnight?”

“…Ugh.”

Ayaka still looked terrified, staring at him pleadingly.

“…Sorry for bringing up zombies.”

“…Hey, Haruto.”

“Yes?”

“You said earlier that you’d do anything to make me happy, right?”

“I did.”

“Then…”

With teary eyes, Ayaka grasped both of his hands tightly.

“Can we sleep together tonight?”

“…Alright.”

Haruto had a feeling she’d say that. He paused for a moment, then nodded.

After all, it was his fault she was scared.

As her boyfriend, it was his duty to take responsibility and ensure she felt safe.

He repeated this logic in his mind, trying to suppress the improper thoughts rising within him.

Unaware of his inner struggle, Ayaka beamed brightly.

“Yay! So, whose room should we sleep in?”

“Uh… Probably yours. Your bed’s a semi-double, right?”

“Oh, right.”

Ayaka’s bed was a semi-double, while Haruto was staying in what would eventually be Ryōta’s room, where he slept on a futon.

Smiling, Ayaka grabbed Haruto’s hand and pulled him toward her room.

“It’s late, so let’s sleep quickly.”

She paused by the bed, blushing slightly as she turned to him.

“…Do you want the wall side?”

“Nah, you can take it.”

“Okay.”

Ayaka climbed in and looked up at him expectantly.

Haruto swallowed hard as he lay beside her.

“…Excuse me.”

“Welcome.”

Giggling, she snuggled closer.

“This is kind of exciting.”

“Yeah. Think you can sleep?”

“Mm… But I feel safe, so I think I’ll be fine.”

She looped her arm around his.

“Not scared anymore?”

“Nope. I’m completely happy now.”

“That’s good.”

Ayaka let out a soft, drowsy smile, and Haruto couldn't help but smile gently in return.

"The drama was really interesting, wasn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Let's watch the rest together."

"Sounds good. That drama has six seasons, so we still have plenty to enjoy."

"Yay."

Ayaka murmured happily, then let out a cute little yawn.

Since it was already past midnight, sleepiness was clearly overtaking her.

"If I get scared again, will you sleep with me?"

"Of course."

"Fufufu, thank you..."

Ayaka happily rested her head on Haruto’s shoulder and slowly closed her eyes.

"I'm looking forward to making sweets tomorrow too."

"Yeah. We’ll get to eat lots of delicious brownies."

"It feels... like a dream..."

Ayaka murmured softly, her voice trailing off.

A few minutes later, the sound of her peaceful breathing filled the room.

Haruto glanced at Ayaka, who was now sleeping soundly beside him. Careful not to wake her, he slowly sat up and gazed down at her with a gentle expression.

"Honestly, you're just too cute. Do you even realize that?"

He gently brushed away the strands of hair covering her face.

"Sleeping with such a defenseless expression... What do you expect a teenage boy to do, Ayaka?"

Saying this, Haruto tenderly stroked her cheek.

Perhaps tickled by his touch, she murmured a soft "Mmm..." and shifted slightly in her sleep.

Haruto watched her for a moment before carefully slipping out of bed, making sure not to make any noise.

After all, he was a perfectly normal high school boy.

Sharing a bed with the girl he loved stirred up all sorts of feelings within him. But he held himself back.

The peaceful life he had in the Tōjō household was built on the trust given to him by Shuichi and Ikue. He had no intention of betraying that trust.

More than anything, Ayaka was incredibly precious to him. That’s why he wanted to build their relationship in a way that neither of them would ever regret.

Suppressing the faint longing that lingered inside him, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek before heading toward the door.

"Good night, Ayaka. See you tomorrow."

With those parting words, Haruto quietly left Ayaka's room.