Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 287, Section 4: "Turning their backs on people after getting what they wanted."

March 8th, Wednesday.

When Masumi opened her eyes, she heard crows cawing outside the window.

Morning light streamed in through the gap in the closed curtains, making Masumi squint. Why was there such a large gap?
He searched his memory of last night and saw Mami tightly gripping the curtains with her fingers... So that's how it was.

Speaking of which, where's Mami?

Masumi picked up her phone from beside her pillow. It was 6:03. She was amazed that she could still wake up so early after that, and even though she didn't feel like she had slept at all, she felt very energetic.

He threw back the covers and got out of bed. As soon as he left the blankets, the floor felt as cold as if he were standing on ice.

Suddenly, something felt off in one corner of my field of vision.

As Masumi looked around, searching for the cause of the problem, she inadvertently stopped on one of the only two heating appliances in the room.

"Hmm... Masumi-kun... don't get too cocky..."

Hearing what sounded like a groan in her sleep, Masumi became even more focused on her target, knelt down behind the kotatsu table, and pulled back the covers.

In the space illuminated by a hazy orange light, two fair and alluring legs were bent at the knees like a baby's. If one's gaze were to move a little further forward...

grunt.

Masumi heard herself swallow.

After he stared at her for a full half minute, the girl who had turned into a hermit crab on a heated table seemed to twitch as if she were cold, and raised her knees even higher.

Masumi quickly put the blanket down, got up and walked to the other end, looking at the sleeping beauty—Mami—who was sleeping soundly with only her head sticking out of the blanket.

He actually fell asleep in a place like this.

Mami's body writhed under the kotatsu table, uttering indistinct moans.

"Ugh... Masumi-kun... are you a stray dog...? No, I'm leaving, ugh—!"

Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

Mami quietly lifted her eyelids, staring sleepily at the ceiling.

"Unfamiliar ceiling..."

Then he looked at Masumi beside him.

Good morning, you're awake.

"Going to...the toilet..."

Their eyes met, and when Mami responded to him, she still had a half-asleep expression, but the next moment she suddenly opened her eyes wide.

She finally figured out where she was in.

"Hey! Masumi-kun! What are you doing here!"

"This is my room."

Masumi said it was only natural.

“Yes, yes.”

Asami murmured blankly, her lower body still nestled in the kotatsu table, staring intently at Masumi's face—then turning her head away as if in a huff.

"Humph!"

She snorted loudly through her nose, deliberately showing her displeasure.

What's wrong with you?

Masumi peered at her expression, puzzled. Did she turn her back on her now that she got what she wanted?

Asami, with the back of her head facing Masumi, simply clenched her teeth and tilted her head forward, letting out soft moans from between her lips.

"...that's it..."

"What did you say?"

Masumi instinctively asked a question in return, and this time Mami finally turned her face towards her.

Her eyes widened, and she opened her red lips to utter unfriendly words.

"This is so annoying! Don't talk to me, you scum, pervert, sadist!"

"Huh? What's going on all of a sudden?"

Masumi was completely bewildered, unable to understand Mami's inexplicable anger.

Is it just morning grumpiness?

"It's all Masumi-kun's fault! He didn't know his own strength."

Mami blushed and explained the reason: the person deeply regretted what happened last night.

"No, you were the one who provoked me first."

Masumi sighed, her expression quite innocent.

"I'm just responding to your wishes, like... Santa Claus or something."

"What kind of Santa Claus is that? Masumi-kun is clearly mistaking me for a reindeer!"

Asami gritted her teeth, releasing her emotions.

Recalling how delicate and vulnerable she looked, having her hands pinned behind her back was incredibly uncomfortable, and with Masumi-kun covering her mouth...

The waist, which had initially resisted stiffly, suddenly slumped down, forming an incredible arc.

"It's all Masumi-kun's fault! He doesn't consider other people's feelings and does whatever he wants! When he feels he's done enough, he starts to push his luck and act recklessly. That's the one thing Masumi-kun can't do!"

Mami suddenly started complaining.

Rather than saying she was constantly venting her anger on Masumi, it would be more accurate to say she was using it to alleviate her inner shyness.

"Huh? I don't want to be lectured by a fussy person."

Masumi is very dissatisfied with Mami's current condescending attitude.

"Aren't you just all talk and no action? You get shy when it comes to actually doing something. What right do you have to criticize others?"

"That, that's..."

Asami was stared at by Masumi's strong and powerful gaze, and suddenly choked up, unable to speak. She turned her head away to avoid the main point.

“……￥&#……”

The knotted tongue produced a sound that would be absolutely impossible under normal circumstances.

Masumi's expression was strange. Had Mami taken the opportunity to scold him?

"What did you say?"

Masumi tilted her head slightly.

"If only you were gentler... you idiot..."

Mami concentrated all her strength in her neck and finally managed to say those words.

Masumi listened quietly as she finished speaking, a gentle smile on her face.

"Mami looks so cute."

"I'm sick!"

Miss Mami buried half her face under the covers, staring at him with a sullen look in her eyes.

"stare--"

"You'll catch a cold if you sleep here."

"Doesn't Masumi-kun always say that idiots don't catch colds...?"

"Is it precisely at this time that we choose to accept this viewpoint?"

"I didn't."

Her voice, with a slight nasal tone, sounded like she was being coquettish.

"Masumi-kun, help me find some clothes I can wear."

"You mean that bath towel?"

Masumi knew that the bath towel was lying behind the headboard, right where she had torn it off last night.

"Isn't there anything else?"

Asami pursed her lips.

"Who told you to only be around that one last night?"

"Fool."

"Why are you even criticizing me for this?"

"I'm talking about myself, of course Masumi-kun is an idiot too."

Miss Mami sighed sadly.

"I was such an idiot yesterday! Looking back, what stupid things did I do?!"

She frantically covered her head.

You're disturbing my ears!

Masumi sighed.

"And I think it wasn't just yesterday."

"Ok?"

"It's nothing, I'll go to your room to get it. You stay here and wait for me."

"understood."

Mami answered in a dazed voice.

Gently closing the door, Masumi, avoiding making too much noise to wake Haizuki next door, tiptoed out, as the temperature difference between the corridor and the room was not significant.

"what?"

Suddenly, a soft, marine-like sensation came from the soles of my feet.

"Haiyue!?"

That's right, the marine creature he almost stepped on was a jellyfish—no, it was a moonfish.

They all sound the same.

The girl, wrapped in an orange-yellow lion mascot costume, rubbed her eyes and propped herself up.

Because the hood is shaped like a lion's head, when you wear the hood, it looks like teeth are stuck in your head.

"What are you doing here? You didn't stay here all night, did you?"

“Just… a little while… I want to… wake Masumi up…”

"Just tell them you don't need that kind of service!"

Masumi pressed her temples in exasperation.

"Mami...is in Masumi's room..."

"Huh? Did Haiyue hear everything?!"

The lion girl nodded quietly.

That's true, after all, her hearing is quite acute.

However, if we put it this way—

"What about last night?"

The lion girl continued to nod.

"Something felt... off... I was leaning against the wall... I heard something..."

At this point, Haizuki, who always had a blank expression, frowned in displeasure. "Masumi... that's so mean..."

"Huh? What's going on?"

"It's just... really too much..."

Haiyue swayed gently, pinching the hem of his clothes with her fingertips, her eyes filled with resentment.

Masumi thought she felt ignored, so she spoke up:
"I didn't mean to ignore Haiyue, because as I said before, I like every single one of you, so..."

Masumi's earnest explanations and comforting words were completely in vain, because Kaigetsu wasn't listening to him at all. Instead, she was staring intently at his pants, as if trying to glean something from them.

"Haiyue? Are you listening to me?"

"Um……"

Haiyue unconsciously licked the corner of her lips.

◇

"It's just going to pick up some clothes, why did it take you so long, Masumi-kun?"

Asami poked her head out from under the clothes that Masumi threw at her, complaining.

"Your room is so messy, it must take you a long time to find something."

Masumi gave a casual remark, not daring to look directly into Mami's eyes, afraid that her guilty conscience would show in her eyes.

"That's slander! Finding other things might be difficult, but clothes and stuff are everywhere."

Asami said this with a straight face.

"You seem quite aware of the state of your room."

"Because I don't think it's a problem at all. Even though my room is messy, everything has its designated place."

She emphasized this point with conviction.

"Yes Yes Yes."

Masumi sighed helplessly; he had long been used to Mami's terrible personality.

"Hurry up and change your clothes."

He sat cross-legged on the kotatsu table with his back to Mami, avoiding any unnecessary impulses.

"Hmph~ He's completely different from yesterday. Masumi-kun is such a hypocrite."

Asami said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Whatever you say."

"This is irrefutable evidence, right?"

As she said this, Mami put on the shirt that Masumi had given her, while giggling mischievously.

"Speaking of which... why did Masumi-kun choose this outfit for me? Of all the clothes available, why did he pick this one?"

She seemed very dissatisfied.

The clothes Masumi gave her weren't thin, cropped tank tops that revealed her belly button, but rather long white shirts that covered her shoulders and stomach.

The lower half of her outfit wasn't short hot pants that were so short they exposed her buttocks, but rather a pair of cropped pants that covered her knees.

"Aren't these your clothes?"

"That's right, but this is only for going out. Since we're in a store where there are no outsiders, I want to dress as casually as possible."

"You should really tone down your unruly behavior."

"Is Masumi trying to discipline me again? Ugh, he's so controlling. That's why I always say being with a serious guy is the worst."

"Indeed, you proved that to me well last night."

Poke.

Mami poked his lumbar spine from behind as he sat cross-legged with her toe.

"Masumi-kun, turn your face around."

"What—uh!"

In the instant she turned around, Mami threw something at Masumi, hitting him squarely in the face.

He calmly removed the small, lace-trimmed piece of fabric that had hit his face, and raised an eyebrow when he saw Mami's attire.

"Why are you only wearing a shirt... and without even buttoning it up? Don't just throw it on like that."

"Never."

Ms. Mami, who was only wearing a white shirt, wore her usual mischievous smile.

"How about it? Masumi-kun, aren't you tempted? The only difference is a white shirt, which is a classic CG from bishoujo games, right?"

Masumi nodded and said.

"I didn't really look at your body carefully during the process, I only saw your face, the back of your head and your back."

"I didn't even get to see Masumi-kun's face!"

As she spoke irritably, she repeatedly poked Masumi's knee with her foot.

Whenever Masumi showed an expression of utter annoyance and silently pushed back the foot that Masumi had stretched out to cause trouble, a smug smile would bloom on her lips, and she would continue to repeat the process.

Masumi didn't know what she was up to, but he wasn't one to suffer in silence.

He seized the opportunity and quickly slipped his hand under the blanket on the kotatsu table, grabbing Mami's bare foot as she reached out.

"ah……!"

Mami couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

Masumi grasped her delicate foot, then immediately used her other hand to tickle the sole of her foot.

"Mmm! Masumi-kun, don't do that... Mmm~!"

Mami twisted her body and struggled, making soft sounds.

But Masumi wouldn't let her go; he wanted to hear more of that sound, so he continued to tickle her.

The sound of skin being rubbed. Moist eyes. Breathing that gradually becomes heavy.

"It itches! Masumi-kun, stop it!"

Mami blushed to the roots of her neck, made a sound of protest, and begged for mercy.

A thin layer of sweat seeped from her trembling neck—

...Oh no, something feels strange here!
Masumi suddenly remembered that when she was camping in Gunma, she applied medicine to Mami's armpits where she had been bitten by mosquitoes, and Mami's reaction was almost exactly the same as now.

"You're way too ticklish."

He looked up at Mami.

The silly beauty opened her mouth, only to find that she couldn't make a sound, only muffled noises.

"call--"

When Masumi finally stopped scratching, Mami looked into Masumi's eyes with resentment.

"Masumi-kun has such a twisted sense of humor."

"You're the one who always provokes me first."

"Huh, really?"

Mami snorted dismissively, and then, as if she were being coquettish, she began to rub the soles of her feet against Masumi's knees.

This time, Masumi didn't make a move. She just stared directly into Mami's brown eyes, saying nothing, and calmly accepted Mami's teasing.

"Sigh—"

Mami sighed deeply and said:

"It's really come to this, hasn't it, with Masumi-kun..."

"Do you regret it?"

No, not at all.

Asami placed her bare feet on Masumi's knees and looked up at the ceiling.

"Although I was a little scared when I saw Masumi-kun's appearance, I realized it was better than I had imagined after it was over..."

"Comfortable?"

"Fool!"

With sharp eyes, Mami glared at him fiercely.

"Masumi-kun is so lewd."

You were right.

There's no need to hide it anymore.

Seeing his impeccable demeanor, Mami sighed.

"To be honest, I don't really understand those things yet... I just feel like the connection between me and Masumi-kun is stronger than ever before..."

Masumi nodded.

"I can understand that."

The feeling of no longer being alone.

Mami smiled affectionately, then suddenly yawned.

"sleepy."

Her voice gradually became soft and dull, as if she were being overcome by sleep.

Do you want to go back to sleep?

"No, it's already this late, let's go down and take a hot shower."

As Mami spoke, a radiant smile appeared on her face.

"Do you want to wash it together?"

"Now? Everyone could wake up at any moment."

"Isn't it exciting?"

"Anyway, you're just saying it for show."

Masumi understands her personality: knowledgeable but lacking in experience, sharp-tongued but weak-willed.

The second sentence can now be changed to "one", but the overall effect remains the same.

"Speak up!"

This remark made Ms. Mami kick him in displeasure.

—It's just an ordinary, everyday scene.

For couples living together in mutual affection, life's moments are naturally fleeting.

In this peaceful life where she was content with the status quo, Masumi felt a warmth lingering in her heart.

There seems to be no clear dividing line between the beginning and the end of the seasons.

Viewing cherry blossoms at night in spring, gazing at the stars in summer, admiring the full moon in autumn, and experiencing the first snow in winter—these are merely artificial markers established to define the seasons.

Humans can only perceive changes in temperature.

Even so, Masumi is still able to notice the changing of the seasons.

This may be because something happens to you or someone around you at every turning point.

So for Masumi, winter was about to end.

(End of this chapter)