This is not the date I wanted.

Shidou looked down and saw a little girl with green hair sleeping soundly on Mengyue's thighs in the kotatsu.

"I originally wanted her to hide in another room. But she got so flustered that she just huddled under the kotatsu and wouldn't come out."

Hearing Mengyue's words, Shidao couldn't help but frown.

"It's a pity that Miku didn't notice this."

"Really...my heart is about to jump out..."

Yoshino sighed with lingering fear. To be honest, when she saw Miku wandering around Mengyue, she was so scared that she couldn't say a word.

"Really? Nanashi-chan, the person involved, fell asleep in the kotatsu. I really don't know what to say. Oh! Oh! Wake up~"

Having said that, Shiona crawled into the kotatsu and waved her fierce little fists at Nanashi's face.

"Well, if I just lie here, I can't move. Shidou, could you please take Nanashi back to the apartment?"

"Ha... okay."

Nodding with a wry smile, Shidou reached into the kotatsu, held Nanashi's knees and shoulders, and intended to carry her out.

"..."

In the warm kotatsu, looking at Mengyue's slender and elastic legs, Shidao couldn't help but swallow secretly.

"Shidou?"

“No, nothing’s wrong?”

After hearing Mengyue's voice, Shidao came back to his senses, carried Nanaza out of the kotatsu and carried her on his back.

"I'm here to help too... I'm almost going back..."

After turning off the TV and coming out from the kotatsu, Yoshino said in a low voice.

"Thank you, Yoshino."

After thanking Yoshino, Shidou turned his gaze to Mengyue who was still curled up in the kotatsu and couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

"Mengyue, are you planning to stay in the kotatsu all day? Don't forget, you are responsible for cooking tonight."

"Don't worry... I certainly won't forget it."

Although she made the promise, Mengyue still lay on the kotatsu table in a sloppy manner.

"My legs are numb now because of the Seven Sins... When I recover... I will come out to cook..."

"Really?"

"Really~"

Although he felt somewhat uneasy, Shidao finally chose to believe Mengyue.

"call……"

Exhaling slowly, Mengyue lay on the ground, tucked her limbs into the kotatsu, leaving only her head exposed.

"It's so quiet..."

Staring blankly at the ceiling, Meng Yue couldn't help but sigh.

(But... not annoying.)

There is a light, elegant fragrance in the air. The light coming in from the windows fills the room with warm colors. Looking around, one can see traces of life left by everyone in any corner.

"...Ha...I'm so sleepy."

Meng Yue yawned slowly and felt her eyelids drooping uncontrollably.

There was something wrong with me today. Even without anyone pointing it out, Meng Yue knew it herself.

I don't want to work, I'm too lazy to work, and I lack motivation to do anything. I want to leave all the tedious tasks to others and spend the day leisurely. The reason why I stay in the kotatsu is just to find a reasonable excuse to be lazy. Why is this? Mengyue herself can't explain it.

(Sorry... Shidou... I'll leave today's dinner to you...)

Dream Moon New Year (Saturday)

==============================

After sending Nanashi back to the Elf Apartment, Shidou was a little concerned about Mengyue's situation, so he told Yoshino about it and returned home.

"I'm back. Mengyue, what's for dinner today..."

After entering the living room, Shidou was slightly stunned.

"Huh...huh..."

He saw that the girl with long brown hair was lying on her side in the kotatsu, breathing gently.

"He fell asleep after all."

Shidao couldn't help but sigh helplessly. When he left just now, he had some premonitions when he saw Mengyue's sleepy look. Obviously, when he came back, the situation was just as he expected.

"Hey~ Mengyue, get up. The sun is about to set. Isn't it your turn to cook tonight?"

Squatting beside Mengyue, Shidou gently shook her shoulders and shouted loudly in her ear.

"Well……"

As if reacting to Shidao's voice, Mengyue frowned slightly, turned over, changed her sleeping position to lying on her back, gently holding a strand of hair between her lips, and muttered in her sleep.

"Shidou... I want to eat... soba..."

"No, I'm not asking you what you want to eat. If you want to eat, just get up and make it yourself."

Shidou couldn't help but sigh helplessly after making a funny remark.

"Really? You seem to be sleeping so soundly that I don't want to wake you up."

His fingers lightly touched Mengyue's cheek, as if he was stroking a piece of soft silk, and Shidao carefully brushed aside Mengyue's brown hair.

"..."

As if enjoying Shidou's touch, the sleeping Mengyue revealed a reassuring smile. That happy expression made Shidou think of the cat sleeping in the quilt.

It was nearing evening, and the setting sun was sinking slowly behind the hills. The soft red light passed through the gaps between the houses, through the transparent windows and doors, and shone on Mengyue's body, covering her with a layer of hazy gauze.

It's just like a famous painting, Shidou couldn't help but think.

If he were a painter, he might not be able to help but pick up the paintbrush and capture the scene on the canvas.

"Hey, Mengyue, you've been in the kotatsu all day. If you continue lying there, you'll become a lazy bum. I'll help you with dinner, so hurry up and get up."

"call……"

Shidou urged Mengyue beside him, and then seemed to be immersed in the magic of the kotatsu, while Mengyue was still sleeping comfortably.

The white cheeks were tinged with a blush by the setting sun, and the rosy lips sparkled like gems under the reflection of the red light.

Shidou felt that his cheeks seemed to be slightly warmed by the setting sun, and the sound of his heartbeat was like the beating of a drum, echoing in his ears.

"...Hurry up and get up, Mengyue...otherwise..."

After giving a warning to the sleeping Mengyue, Shidou slowly bent down.

(I’m about to…play a prank on your face…)

"Young man! I am here to disturb you!"

"——!?"

At this moment, the voice coming from the door made Shidou suddenly wake up.

(What was I going to do?!)

In an instant, a strong sense of shame and guilt surged over him like a tide, and Shidou almost ran away from the living room.

"Hey, young man. Sorry, the door was not locked. I came in first."

Taking off her leather boots at the entrance, Niya greeted Shidou who was rushing over. But when she saw his expression at this time, Niya was stunned and asked a little embarrassedly.

"Could it be that... I really disturbed your good thing?"

"No...I am very grateful to you for showing up at the critical moment."

After answering slowly, Shidou let out a breath and let the emotions in his heart gradually calm down.

"Then, what do you want, Niya?"

"Yeah, if you want to say there's something wrong, you should say it's something wrong, and if you want to say there's nothing wrong, you should say it's nothing wrong. Oh - that's right!"

She answered Shidou's question in an ambiguous tone. Suddenly, Niya seemed to have thought of something and took out a stack of white envelopes from her pocket.

"Here, the Royal Year Jade. (Similar to the red envelopes we have here, the so-called lucky money.)"

“Hey… this…”

Shidao looked a little surprised. Although he received New Year's money from his parents and relatives every year, he had never thought about receiving New Year's money from an elf.

To be more precise, I never thought that I would receive New Year's money from a girl who looked about the same age as me.

"That's not necessary... Erya..."

"What do you mean it's unnecessary? This is a New Year's custom. Don't look at me like this. I am already a member of society."

As if she understood what Shidou was hesitating about, Niya sighed helplessly, took a step forward, and half-forcefully stuffed a seal of the Imperial Year Jade into Shidou's hand.

"Here. Happy New Year."

"Oh, thank you."

As if he had not yet completely accepted what Niya said, Shidou looked at the New Year's money in his hand and answered a little hesitantly.

"Very well. Sorry to bother you then."

Without paying any further attention to Shidou, Niya called out softly into the house and strode towards the living room.

"throat……"

Looking at Mengyue who was sleeping soundly in the kotatsu, Niya seemed to have realized something. She turned her head and gave Shidou a meaningful smile.

"Is it really okay, boy? If I really bother you, I can leave right now~"

"Not at all, please have a good rest!"

Shidou said this with a bit of self-abandonment.

"Thanks."

After getting Shidao's approval, Nia didn't hesitate and just sat down in the kotatsu.

"Ah~ Kotatsu is really nice. My family uses air conditioning, so I rarely have the chance to experience this kind of thing."

Erya sighed lazily.

"It really is a hotbed for laziness."

"You apologize to every kotatsu in the world."

Shidou complained speechlessly.

"Hey hehe~"

Scratching his hair a little embarrassedly, Erya glanced at Mengyue beside him and asked curiously in a low voice.

"Speaking of which, young man, I'm surprised you're so relaxed, is this how you usually act?"

"No, it just suddenly became like this today."

Shidou shook his head and explained to Niya what happened to Meng Yue today.

"Oh, I see..."

Niya held her chin with her hand, looked at Shidao, then looked at Mengyue, and nodded as if she understood something.

"Young man. In my opinion, Bilijiang is probably that type of person."

Erya pushed his square-framed glasses and spoke mysteriously.

"That type?" Shidou had a confused expression on his face.

"Hmm... where should I start? Let's assume that Bilijiang lives in the girls' dormitory at school, and her roommates are a bunch of lazy and sloppy people who quickly mess up the room. What would Bilijiang do at this time?"

"How to do it...clean it up, of course."

Shidou thought for a moment and answered affirmatively. In his impression, Mengyue would definitely not allow her dormitory to remain dirty.