The Correct Japanese Terms of Homestay Seems to Be Marriage - Chapter 17

Overslept Way Too Much

After a while, Keitaro woke up.

“…Mmm… Huh?”

Thanks to a very comfortable sleep, he woke up feeling refreshed, which immediately made him sense something odd.

“What’s this? So soft… A cushion? A body pillow…?”

The fluffy elasticity pressing against his face was incomparably comfortable, suggesting it must be made of some rare material. Unfortunately, Keitaro had no memory of owning such luxurious bedding.

But if asked whether he had absolutely no recollection, that wouldn’t be entirely true. More accurately, it wasn’t bedding he was recalling, but a person.

“…Mmm… Kei… taro…”

Hearing a soft murmur laced with a breathy sigh from above, Keitaro’s suspicion transformed into certainty.

“…Wait… Why is Sophia in my bed…?!”

When he pulled his face away from the soft “cushion,” there was Sophia, sleeping peacefully beside him.

Realizing he had buried his face in Sophia’s chest again, Keitaro felt embarrassed. “What a pervert I am,” he chastised himself.

“Could it possibly…??”

The precarious conclusion that a healthy teenage boy and girl were sharing a bed together sent a lightning bolt of turmoil through him, but Keitaro managed to reel in calm reasoning just in time.

(Calm down, don’t panic. Be cool, Keitaro Ayasaka. First, I need to grasp the situation… I’m counting on you… me.)

Keitaro started by lifting the blanket cautiously, afraid of what he might find.

(Let’s see… Sophia is sleeping in my bed. Fortunately, we’re both fully clothed. There’s some disarray in the sheets, but I don’t see any stains. Ah, it’s okay. Nothing happened.)

He was somewhat relieved. No mistake had occurred. If he had crossed a line with a girl on the night of their homecoming after years apart, being disowned by his parents would be the least of his worries.

Having avoided that bad end, Keitaro breathed a sigh of relief.

Next, he summarized the information he observed and deduced the series of events that led to this moment. After pondering for about five seconds, Keitaro quickly arrived at the truth.

(I see, I’ve got it now. First off, the reason Sophia is in my room is obvious from her attire. She must have come to wake me up after finishing breakfast. As for why she’s in bed… It’s highly likely I pulled her in. Probably, when I reached out to stop the alarm, my hand must have touched Sophia. It’s not uncommon for me to wake up holding my smartphone. This is just the Sophia version of that scenario.)

Keitaro understood everything. He was no longer flustered, not at all. However,

“…11:06, huh. The breakfast Sophia made must be completely cold by now…”

He felt disappointed.

He felt terrible for Sophia. He had set the alarm for 8 o’clock, meaning more than three hours had already passed. It wasn’t hard to imagine Sophia’s lovingly prepared breakfast now trembling in loneliness.

Knowing he was always up past noon during spring break, trying to wake up at 8 was ambitious, yet he scolded himself for not having the willpower to do so. After five years, the lazy version of himself had seemingly taken over the diligent boy he used to be.

“…Kei… taro… ehe…”

While Keitaro was drowning in self-loathing, Sophia, completely oblivious, snuggled against him like a puppy in her sleep. Of course, with a blissfully relaxed expression.

“Ah, waking her up feels almost cruel with that sleeping face… But I must be strong.”

Interrupting someone’s peaceful sleep is a serious offense, sometimes even a capital crime, Keitaro truly believed. However, the situation called for action.

“Sophia, wake up. You became the mummy you were trying to catch.”

Keitaro gently shook Sophia’s shoulder, neither too softly nor too roughly, finding the perfect balance to wake her.

“…Eh, what…?”

“Ah, you’re awake?”

Sophia’s eyes fluttered open. Her unfocused blue eyes met Keitaro’s gaze squarely. It seemed she had woken up. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Sophia slowly sat up.

“Sorry, I must have been really out of it. I caused you trouble even though you came to wake me up.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not trouble at all. Rather…”

As Keitaro quickly apologized, Sophia immediately shook her head in denial, then mumbled something softly.

“Rather…?”

“Rather, what?” With his exceptional brain, Keitaro couldn’t fathom what she meant. It seems Keitaro has his moments of brilliance and obliviousness.

“N-nothing…”

Sophia hastily waved her hands in front of her face.

Then, as if remembering something and trying to divert the topic,

“…Ah, right, Keitaro. Breakfast is ready!”

She clapped her hands together, introducing a new topic of discussion, which was precisely what Keitaro was most concerned about.

“Yeah, I know. I’m really sorry for letting your breakfast get cold because of me.”

Keitaro bowed deeply, almost ready to prostrate himself in apology.

Sophia grabbed Keitaro’s hands and forcefully lifted his head.

“It’s nothing, really. No need to worry at all. We can just warm it up again. Come on, Keitaro. I’m really proud of this morning’s menu.”

With a cheerful expression, Sophia pulled Keitaro’s hand, leading him out of bed and standing up.

“…Well, that’s something to look forward to.”

Led by Sophia, Keitaro was pulled out of the room.

“…Whoa, what a wonderful smell…”

As they proceeded down the hallway and descended the stairs, an appetizing aroma tantalized Keitaro’s nostrils. If it still smells this good after some time, how amazing must it have been fresh? Except for overnight curry, it’s universally acknowledged that freshly made dishes taste the best. The thought made him feel regret.

Determined to wake up early tomorrow, Keitaro stepped into the living room.

Upon entering, Keitaro found himself almost forcibly seated at the dining table. Sophia quickly reheated the breakfast dishes and efficiently arranged them in front of him. Today’s menu included miso soup with potatoes and onions, rolled omelet, and stir-fried spinach and bacon.

Each dish looked incredibly delicious.

“Keitaro, please eat a lot.”

After placing all the dishes, Sophia also took her seat, naturally next to Keitaro, close enough for their shoulders to nearly touch.

“Thanks, Sophia. Let’s eat.”

Before Keitaro could even join his hands together, Sophia grabbed her chopsticks. She quickly picked up a piece of the rolled omelet, cut into bite-sized pieces,

“Here, Keitaro. Say ‘ahh.'”

She offered it to Keitaro’s mouth as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Uh… Sophia? Are you really planning to feed me like this every day…?”

Keitaro had thought it was a joke, but Sophia seemed seriously intent on feeding him like this daily.

“…Do you dislike it?”

“It’s not that I dislike it, but…”

Seeing Sophia’s expression turn forlorn, Keitaro awkwardly, yet clearly, denied disliking it.

“Then there’s no problem. Open wide, Keitaro.”

“…Ah, mm…”

Sophia’s smile returned, and Keitaro, somewhat resigned, allowed the chopsticks into his mouth.

Sophia’s cooking was… indeed incredibly delicious.

Rich in flavor, packed with umami, and soft in texture. It was a supreme rolled omelet that wouldn’t be out of place in a high-end restaurant. Too delicious.

“How is it? Tasty?”

“…Incredibly delicious…”

“Ehehe, I’m glad you like it.”

In the living room, bathed in a warm, spring-like atmosphere, Keitaro was tenderly fed by Sophia. It was almost like a rhythm game, with chopsticks repeatedly entering his mouth.

Delicious. Everything was incredibly delicious. But,

(…Is this really okay…?)

Keitaro couldn’t help but wonder.