I wonder how much time had passed since I returned from drinking with Saeko.
For a while, I just drifted in a daze on the sofa, doing nothing.
I definitely drank too much. My head was hazy, and my body felt heavy.
Suddenly, Yuno called out to me from the open kitchen.
“Want some hot milk?”
“No. If I drink milk now, I’ll probably throw up.”
“How about water?”
“I had some earlier, so I’m fine.”
After a moment, Yuno settled herself beside me on the sofa, cradling a mug in both hands.
Since it was a wide three-seater, there was a gap of one person’s worth of space between us.
Wearing oversized pajamas with only her fingertips peeking out to grip the mug, Yuno sipped the hot milk with steady, rhythmic gulps.
She’s like a kitten, I thought, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.
Beside her, I remained slumped, surrendering my weight to the sofa.
Between the fluffy afterglow of the alcohol and the soft embrace of the cushions, I felt as if my consciousness were about to melt away.
“Onee-san, you’re falling asleep.”
“Ngh…”
Damn. How embarrassing.
Caught off guard by Yuno’s voice, a vacant, clumsy sound escaped my throat.
To hide my embarrassment, I gave a small, forced cough.
“…Hehe…”
Yuno pressed her palm against her mouth, her shoulders shaking with a secret giggle.
“What?”
I glared at her and spoke curtly.
“It was just kind of cute. Just now.”
Yuno said this while trembling with laughter.
Her drooping eyes narrowed softly, and a gentle smile floated on her face.
Looking at her profile, I felt a faint ache deep in my chest.
Having finished her milk, Yuno placed the mug on the table and shifted her position on the sofa.
Then, she gave her own thigh a few light pats.
“Here.”
“Eh?”
“Want to sleep here?”
When I looked at her, she had her head tilted slightly, her eyes softly narrowed and her lips curved into a gentle arc.
It was a strange smile—mischievous, yet somehow kind.
For some reason, I really don’t know why. Before I knew it, I was lying sprawled across Yuno’s lap.
I simply couldn’t resist that smile.
Maybe it was because the alcohol was still clouding my judgment.
Contrary to her slender appearance, her thighs were softer and plushier than I expected, and my head sank slightly into them.
Looking up from my back, my eyes locked with Yuno’s.
For some reason, I couldn’t look away.
Yuno reached out and began to stroke my head. Gently, so gently.
All the while, she gazed intently into my face.
Eyes so large they felt like they could swallow me whole, framed by lashes long enough to cast shadows. Flawless white skin, a petite nose, and pink lips that were faintly moist.
I realized I was staring up at her, mesmerized.
Such a calm, gentle expression.
Seeing her this close again, I found myself vaguely thinking about how cute she was, how well-featured her face was.
As I lay there, a memory of that night flashed through my mind.
Back then, too, Yuno had been staring at me intently in bed and before I knew it, our lips had met.
Every time that kiss resurfaced in my memory, a slow throb stirred deep inside my body.
I had to admit that my body was craving “that” again.
But no. I can’t say that.
I absolutely don’t want to say it. It’s pathetic.
I have my dignity as the elder.
And above all, I don’t want to be in love anymore.
And yet, my gaze was instinctively drawn to Yuno’s plump lips.
And then…
Without even realizing it, I reached for her lips. Completely unconsciously.
I traced the pad of my index finger along Yuno’s lower lip. My fingertip sank into the soft elasticity.
Perhaps it was because she had just finished her skincare routine with lotion and moisturizer—the moment I touched her, I could tell her lips were moist and supple.
As it was, I slowly slid the pad of my thumb from the right corner of her lower lip to the left, as if tracing a line.
A moist, smooth sensation that seemed to cling to my finger.
“What is it? That tickles,” Yuno giggled. Her breath hit my finger, feeling warm and damp.
The corner of her mouth, which my finger had been tracing, curled upward.
I realized I was now cupping Yuno’s cheeks with both hands. Her skin, moisturized by lotion, felt as if it were suctioning to my palms.
With both thumbs, I touched her soft lips, kneading them gently.
Following the movement of my fingers, her pink lips parted slowly, like a flower blooming.
“What’s wrong, Onee-san?”
Yuno spoke to me again with a laugh.
A voice like a gentle breeze, yet sweet. A slight vibration traveled through the fingers resting lightly against her lips.
“Do you want something? I won’t know unless you tell me.”
Her voice was coquettish, yet carried a hint of longing.
The slightly slurred, husky quality of her voice tangled itself in the depths of my ears.
I noticed the light had vanished from Yuno’s eyes. Deep within those drooping eyes, a hazy, lustrous sheen had taken hold.
Still smiling, she slowly tilted her head—as if quietly waiting to see how I would react.
As we gazed at each other, a heavy silence filled the room.
I gently pinched Yuno’s slender chin between my thumb and index finger. Then, I pulled her face closer.
Yuno’s breath was so close it felt like it was touching me.
I could see my own reflection in her brown eyes.
Close. Too close.
Our noses brushed, and our lips were almost touching.
—At that moment.
I snapped back to my senses.
My heart gave one massive thud, then began to race wildly. It felt as if all the blood in my body was rushing backward toward my heart.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
I jerked my hand away from her chin and pushed Yuno’s shoulder to create distance.
Just now, what—what was I trying to do to Yuno?
My consciousness returned in a sudden, cold rush.
“I can’t. I’m just drunk.”
I leaped up and muttered the words in a voice barely audible to her.
Without waiting for a response, I practically bolted toward the bathroom.
With trembling hands, I twisted the faucet and let the cold shower blast over my head.
Cold.
In an instant, my head cleared, and the intoxication vanished.
This is bad. It’s the alcohol.
I knew it! Nothing good happens when I drink too much.
What was I doing just now? What was I thinking?
With a woman nearly ten years my junior.
With a mere roommate.
Only words of self-reproach spun in circles in my head.
Even so.
The sensation of Yuno’s lips, lingering warmly on the pads of my fingers, refused to fade.