As soon as I woke up, I suffered from a dull pain running through my body.

(I don’t want to move today.)

It was so much that I thought so.

I didn’t expect to be pressured my second time, but I was neither angry nor do I dislike it.

In the end, it felt so good that my mind turned white.

…but, regardless of the laziness of my body, I can’t close my eyes.

I’m sure I’ll be stuck for a few days again.

After doing that, I asked Rodo to go tell Ruu that I was going to rest, and Rodo came home very quickly.

I rested for a few days after that…

I’m glad that this is not Japan.

In Japan, if I skip work like this, I’ll be fired immediately.

When we were in the barracks for lunch, did he tell the others that we’ll be back?

But Rodo just told Ren that we’re going home.

…well, it’s common sense to tell it yourself.

Or rather, did Rodo go there while I was asleep?

Maybe since it’s now the middle of the night.

And Rodo, who’s holding me, is dreaming.

(It’s been a while since I saw Rodo sleeping.)

He always sleeps later than me and gets up earlier than me.

Rodo didn’t seem to need much sleep, and he said it’s been like that since long ago.

But after I said, “If it were me, I would fall due to lack of sleep”, I was told to go to bed as soon as I had a sleepy face and to not endure it.

Rodo is still overprotective and anxious.

(I’m hungry, but…I can’t move.)

However, I also don’t want to wake up the sleeping Rodo.

(Wait until he wakes up.)

Maybe it’ll happen in a few hours at the latest.

I can wait for that much.

Then I observed Rodo’s sleeping face from Rodo’s arms.

Because the distance is short, I could only see his face.

(As expected, I like the eyes.)

I can’t see it because his eyelids are closed right now, but his pupils are vertically long and amber.

When his instincts prevailed, I thought it would just make those pupils thinner, but I found that it’s also a little golden.

Remembering Rodo’s eyes while he was embracing me, my face got hot.

(…wait, wait. Don’t remember.)

I told myself, but the more I do so, the more I remember.

The hot palm that crawls on my body, the hot thing that goes in and out of my body, that gaze that looks at me…

It felt like electricity ran from the top of my head to the tip of my toes…

(…damn it.)

I feel like my body is getting hot.

…am I like this?

I thought I’m the plain type.

“…Kou? Are you awake?”

“Hhiiya!?”

I was surprised when I was suddenly talked to.

And…I was so surprised that I felt pain in my lower back…

“Kou? What happened? Are you thinking about something?”

While I was trembling with lower back pain, I heard such words.

“…still, awake, didn’t think, surprised, just that.” (I didn’t think you’re awake so I was just surprised.)

Because it’s midnight and I thought Rodo was asleep.

“…I see.”

Rodo made a lonely face.

I’m sure he’s sad that I didn’t talk to him…

As expected, I can’t say anything this time.

Every time I say “it’s nothing”, I know that Rodo would be sad.

However, there are times when I’m dazed without thinking about anything, and there are times when I’m thinking about something embarrassing, so I don’t think I need to tell him everything.

…but Rodo wanted to talk about everything.

Does that mean he wanted to know everything about me?

“Rodo, stomach, empty.”

“…I’ll bring food.”

That walking back looked sad.

…is it such a sad thing?

I don’t want to say it, but I feel guilty when he’s so sad.

(Should I say something about his eyes?)

I was thinking about that too.

Rodo soon came back.

He brought the food to our room because he knew I couldn’t move.

Seems like there are several stores where you can take out.

Speaking of which, you can also take out the food in the barracks cafeteria.

“Rodo.”

I reached for Rodo to help me get up.

Instead of lying on my back, I asked him to sit behind me like before.

I drank water until my thirst abated then started eating slowly.

When I got tired of raising my hand, Rodo spoonfed me.

I think I’m too spoiled but I’m really comfortable.

I looked up while leaning against Rodo.

“Hn? What’s wrong?”

He squinted and smiled gently.

I don’t hate this face, rather, I like it, but I like those “eyes” the most.

I’m tired, but I raised my arm and put my hand on Rodo’s face.

“Kou?”

I couldn’t raise my hand for a long time so I immediately lowered it, but when I kept looking up, a gentle voice came down.

“…Rodo, eyes, change, like.” (I like it when Rodo’s eyes change.)

“Eyes?”

He asked with a tilted head.

…maybe you haven’t noticed?

“Kou, embrace, time, eyes, color, change. Get angry, that time, too.” (When you embrace me, your eyes changed color. That time you got angry too.)

“…I didn’t know.”

As expected, he didn’t notice.

Did he never get angry at his parents?

…but he said he’s not interested in them, so maybe they didn’t see it?

(It’s golden…I don’t think I can say that.)

It seems like there’s no metal called gold in this world, so I don’t know how to convey it.

…maybe honey-colored?

The concept and name of colors will be different in different worlds, so it’s hard to remember.

“Perhaps, Akinist’s instinct, emerged, time, change, think.” (Maybe when your Akinist instinct emerged, it’ll change, I think.)

“I see.”

Well, that’s what I thought.

Rodo isn’t too interested in himself as well as in others, even his family.

He said he wasn’t interested in his appearance.

…is that why?

Rodo always tells me that I’m “cute”.

His not using too many words because he had a small vocabulary seems true.

Rodo was often alone for a long time, so he rarely talks.

That’s why father-in-law said he had a small vocabulary.

“…but, now, eyes also, like.” (But I also like your eyes right now.)

I don’t hate the gentle eyes that are directed only at me.

To my childish words, he laughed very happily.

“Kou, always, cute.”

He showed me a loose face while gently hugging me.

Then dropped a kiss on my forehead while I was looking up──

I used to feel embarrassed by this sweet atmosphere.

But I don’t want to bring back reality right now.

Now, I want to forget everything I have to do and give all my thoughts to Rodo.

──when did I start thinking this way?

I tried not to get too close to people, but now I’m indulging in Rodo to the point I can’t break free.

…as expected, is it because I can say “I like you” proudly?

…or is it because it’s Rodo?

“Kou, now, number one, happy. …Japan, was, time, than, lot, happy.” (I’m the happiest right now. A lot happier than when I was in Japan.)

“! Rodo also, now, number one, happy.” (Me too, I’m the happiest right now.)

I want to keep watching Rodo laugh happily.

…I’m pretending not to notice the identity of the hard thing hitting my waist.

Because we just did it.

“Kou, I love you.”

Words of love are given every day.

I’ve never liked anyone so much.

My first love is also a “good person” and “gentle” like that.

I had given up early so I never hated being robbed by someone.

But now, I’m──

If Rodo is with another person…I can’t think of it.

But I’m sure I’ll be sad.

I don’t want him to do it while I’m alive, but he can marry another person after my death.

…because I and Rodo are “mates”, that doesn’t seem possible.

But as expected, the common sense of mates is difficult for me to understand.

There seems to be a unique scent on mates, so I tried smelling Rodo…but I don’t know what a mate should smell like, and Rodo said he noticed I’m his mate with my scent.

Those who found their mates, from that point on, seemed to see nobody else.

There seemed to be no exceptions…which I still can’t believe.

Rodo is worried because he knew I don’t know the smell of my mate.

That’s why he’s worried that I’ll like others.

──I’m saying that you don’t need that worry.

I had determined that I would like no one else, and I thought it’s impossible to have the same feelings for two people, so I’ll always choose him.

“Kou, also, love you.” (I also love you.)

That’s why I’m willing to spare no words.

…because the embarrassment hadn’t disappeared, there are some times where I can’t say that.