Late Night Caramel 4
『Achoo』
It might have been about thirty minutes into their idle chat when he heard a cute sneeze.
“Are you okay? Don’t catch a cold. You’d better stop studying and go to sleep if you’re going to get sick. You’ll definitely get better grades that way.”
In junior high school, he studied so hard that he fell ill with a high fever. It was a fever of 39 degrees Celsius, so there was no way his head could function properly. It ended in a terrible result despite his desperate studying.
『No, I’m fine. I’m just feeling a little cold. It’s already October, and it seems quite cold in just pajamas.』
He could hear the rustling of clothes as if she was putting something on.
“You’re studying in your pajamas?”
『I thought I could study until I’m just about to fall asleep, and then I think I can just flop into bed. Don’t laugh at me, okay? My mom already scolded me for being sloppy.』
“I’m not laughing. I study in my pajamas for the exact same reason.”
If you study late into the night, you’ll naturally get sleepy. Changing into pajamas after being attacked by drowsiness is quite an ordeal. So, he figured, why not change into them in advance?
『Sōma-san too? I thought I was the only one who thought about such things.』
Knowing she wasn’t alone, Chika’s voice lifted slightly with joy.
“I wonder. There seem to be quite a few people who do it.”
It could be called sloppy, but it could also be called rational.
『Hmm, Sōma-san, so right now, you’re in your pajamas…』
Chika murmured slowly as if savoring the words.
“That goes for both of us.”
『That’s true, but…』
An eerie silence came through the speaker, and a bad premonition started to arise.
Although their acquaintance was short, he knew she tended to think up no good ideas at times like this.
And sure enough, Sōma’s premonition was about to be proven right.
『Hey-hey, Sōma-san, could you send me a selfie of you in your pajamas?』
“Huh? A selfie!?”
Caught off guard by such an outrageous request, his voice cracked.
『Yes, a selfie. I want to see what Sōma-san looks like in pajamas. Please send me a photo.』
“Are you crazy!? No way! Why would I do something so embarrassing!?”
He yelled while his face turned bright red despite it being late at night.
『You don’t often get to see other people in their pajamas, right? The only time I’ve seen someone else’s was probably at a sleepover with Miki-chan.』
“Of course, you don’t. Pajamas aren’t something you show to others.”
『I’ve seen girls’ pajamas when buying my own on online shopping sites or in stores, but I’ve never seen boys’ pajamas. So please show me yours, Sōma-san!』
“Just search online if you’re that curious. There’s plenty out there.”
『No, I want to see Sōma-san’s pajamas right now. I’ve become curious. So please show me.』
“This girl is talking nonsense…”
『Come on, it’s not like you’ll lose anything by showing me.』
“My mental state is being whittled away here.”
The act of showing a girl his pajamas feels ethically borderline, almost like a step before showing underwear or being naked. It brings a sense of immorality.
No, no. This is definitely not good.
Just imagining taking a selfie in pajamas and sending it was too much. He felt as if steam was coming off his face from embarrassment.
『Are you embarrassed to be seen by me?』
As he nearly writhed in his imagined self, she said something that seemed to read his mind in a teasing mature tone.
“Seriously, if there’s someone who isn’t embarrassed by that, I’d like to meet them. Why do I have to show you my pajamas, Chika?”
『It’s just pajamas, it’s not a big deal.』
“It’s not a ‘just’ kind of thing at all!”
『Fu-fu-fu.』
This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
Though he spat the words out bitterly, only an amused laugh came back.
“She’s really getting a kick out of this, isn’t she, this bastard…”, he muttered.
He never imagined he could be teased over the phone like this.
He has to tip his hat to Chika’s persistence in trying to embarrass him.
But, however, that being said.
Chika’s outrageous requests are, after all, just over the phone. It’s all over once the call ends.
He pops another caramel into his mouth to forcibly calm himself down.
“Stop talking nonsense and let’s get back to studying. This break has been way too long.”
『Ah, right you are. But-but, I still want to see Sōma-san in his pajamas—』
“I’m going to hang up now.”
Chika tries to persist, but he ends the call without further discussion.
The room suddenly becomes quiet.
“Seriously, what a ridiculous idea she came up with.”
He glares at my smartphone, whose battery has significantly drained.
Even though she’s not here, she manages to embarrass me. Chika’s S-like tendencies are formidable.
“The next time she comes over, she’s definitely going to say, ‘Please let me take a picture of you in your pajamas.'”
Ge resolves to refrain from making sweets like freshly baked soufflés for her for a while.
With that promise in mind, he started solving the math problems he had tossed aside earlier.
“I hope I can score at least eighty points.”
Since he’s certain to be dragged down by his weakness in classical literature, he wants to push up his average with his strengths in the sciences and math.
The only sound filling the room is the scratching of my mechanical pencil against the notebook.
He concentrates solely on solving the quadratic functions in front of him, blocking out sweets, Chika—all of it.
Scratch, scratch, scratch. Scratch, scratch, scratch.
How much time has passed?
He has lost all sense of time. He can’t tell how many minutes have gone by since he resumed studying.
Then his phone suddenly rings with a notification.