Chapter 38 Feeling a Bit Warm...

Feeling a Bit Warm…

—A late summer afternoon, with the heat steadily building.

The sun, as assertive as ever, beat down relentlessly, its glare screaming, “Feel my power!”

Even inside the train, its rays managed to sneak through the windows, and without the air conditioning, I probably would’ve melted under its piercing heat.

Summer is really in full swing now…

The cool, air-conditioned train felt like a small oasis, a perfect escape from the blazing outdoors.

The gentle swaying of the train, accompanied by its rhythmic clattering, acted like a cradle, lulling its passengers into sleep. Scanning the car, I noticed several people nodding off.

They all looked so at peace.

Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile softly, letting out a small sigh.

Shifting my gaze, I turned to the scenery outside the window, letting my mind drift as the tranquil countryside unfolded.

“Ariga-cchi…”

A warm weight leaned against my shoulder.

Tilting my head slightly, I caught the faint, sweet fragrance of her hair, tickling my nose as I glanced at her.

“…I thought you woke up, but you’re asleep again?”

I asked quietly, though I already knew the answer. She didn’t respond.

A chuckle escaped me as I looked at Kanade, leaning against me, sound asleep.

Her sleeping face felt so different from her usual lively self—soft, innocent, almost childlike.

The steady rhythm of her quiet breathing made me smile involuntarily.

…She has the kind of sleeping face that makes you want to take a picture.

Her features were so delicate, and her relaxed expression added an endearing charm to her usual vibrance.

That contrast—it tugged at something deep inside me.

Hoping to distract myself, I turned my attention to the train’s overhead advertisements.

But no matter how much I tried, the warmth radiating from her leaning on me kept pulling my focus back.

It’s odd—I don’t feel this way when we’re at home.

Is it just because we’re out in public that everything feels so different?

“Still, it’s unusual for her to fall asleep this quickly…”

Kanade, for all her carefree energy, doesn’t usually let her guard down.

Yet here she was, dozing off barely ten minutes after we got on the train, completely unguarded.

Right beside me, no less, looking so vulnerable.

—She must’ve been really exhausted.

I know her well enough to understand.

She always gives her all, is endlessly resilient, and hates to lose. Above all, she’s deeply considerate of others—

That’s Kanade.

Emotionally, she’s always been ahead of me, as if she views the world from a higher plane.

—The lingering tensions with her sister.

—The struggles with her family’s expectations.

—The difficulty of living authentically.

Overcoming all of that must have shaped her into the strong person she is today.

“Only her appearance hasn’t changed much from those days…”

Her sleeping face reminded me of the time she’d fallen asleep at her desk, sparking a wave of nostalgia.

I recalled something she’d once asked me when she was still a student.

“Sensei, why are you always smiling and kind? Doesn’t it get exhausting, always doing things for others?”

I don’t remember how I answered back then.

But what she said afterward still lingers vividly in my mind.

“Then, who’s going to save someone as kind as you, Sensei?”

Her words had caught me completely off guard, and I could only respond with an awkward smile.

Looking back, maybe that was the moment it all started.

The moment Kanade became so attentive and nurturing toward me…

To her, it’s probably second nature by now.

Even today, she must’ve thought everything through for our date.

“…Thank you, Kanade. If I’m still standing, it’s because of you.”

Before I knew it, I’d said those words out loud.

She was asleep, so she couldn’t have heard me.

Which means I should properly tell her when she’s awake.

But… was it just my imagination?

Her cheeks seemed a little red.

“…Are you secretly awake?”

“…”

Only the sound of her steady breathing answered me.

Smiling to myself, I glanced at her peaceful sleeping face once more.

Then, I turned my attention back to the scenery outside the train window.

Maybe it’s the summer heat, but… I feel strangely warm.

Fanning my face with my hand, I tried to shake off the odd sensation as the thought crossed my mind.