Have You Started to Like Me a Little? (3)
Have You Started to Like Me a Little? (3)
I woke up naturally, feeling that the sunlight coming through the window had risen a bit higher.
"...Uung."
I tried to move my body a little, but I flinched for a moment, feeling like I was being held by something.
It was warm, unlike usual. Both in front of me and behind my back.
"...Ah."
I slowly opened my eyes and looked up, and my face turned slightly red because I could see Seo Arin's chest right in front of me.
And a moment later, I fully understood the situation.
"..I was being held."
As I muttered this, a voice came from above my head. It was a slightly lowered voice, so as not to startle me.
"Are you awake?"
"..Yeah."
A slightly groggy voice came out of my mouth.
And after answering, I burrowed into her a little more. Then, Seo Arin looked at me as if she were momentarily flustered.
"Hey."
"Why..?"
"Don't burrow any further."
"I'm cold, you know."
Of course, I wasn't cold at all; I just felt good in her arms, so I just burrowed in a little more.
"You're not cold."
"...I'm cold."
While saying that, her arms tightened slightly.
I didn't want to let go, because this state felt much better than I thought.
I hadn't really lied much before, so it must have been obvious, but Seo Arin just let it slide.
"..."
Seo Arin didn't say anything for a moment.
Then she let out a short breath, as if sighing.
"..Ha, fine. Just stay there."
"...Yeah."
I got permission, and that fact alone made me feel good for no reason.
So I stuck closer to her, just a little bit more.
Some time passed after that, and it was nearing noon.
The sunlight was still warm, and the sound of breathing was close.
Just staying like that. Strangely, I felt good even without doing anything.
"...Hey, I have to go out today."
"Why?"
"I have some work to do, so I need to go out for a bit."
"...Outside?"
"Yeah."
Seo Arin gave a short answer as always, but for some reason, I didn't like it very much today.
"...I don't want to."
It came out almost reflexively.
To the point where even I was slightly surprised by what I said.
"..."
Seo Arin looked down at me.
"Why?"
"...Just because."
My words became short too, not because I was becoming like her.
It wasn't because I didn't want to explain, but because there weren't really any words to explain it.
"There are lots of people, it's noisy...... and it's dangerous, ..so I don't like it."
"...So you're not going to follow me?"
"Yeah."
I burrowed in a little more.
As if hiding my body in the blanket and Seo Arin's arms.
"I'll just stay here."
"Alone?"
At that, my head shook immediately.
I hate going outside, but unlike before, I was also afraid of being left alone at home.
"...I don't want that."
"Then."
"..."
I couldn't answer.
I don't want to be alone, and I don't want to go outside. Even though I know it doesn't make sense, I just didn't want it.
"Ha."
Seo Arin let out a breath again and continued.
"I'm taking you with me for my business anyway, so you'll be coming along."
"...What?"
"Stick by my side, don't leave me."
"..."
I thought about it for a moment. Home and outside.
I like home, but I don't like being alone. I don't like outside, but I like it because Seo Arin is with me.
After a moment of contemplation, I opened my mouth with difficulty and spoke.
"...Do I really not have to leave your side?"
"Yeah."
"...Can I stay by your side the whole time?"
"Yes."
It was short and firm. A tone of voice that was exactly like Seo Arin's usual self.
That's why I trusted it more.
"...Then I'll go."
"Alright."
Seo Arin seemed relieved and let out a breath. And a moment later, she got out of bed and prepared to go out.
"Right. If you're coming, you need to get ready too."
"Why?"
"When we go out, you have to be properly dressed."
"...Ah."
Right, this thing I'm wearing is the shirt Seo Arin gave me.
Thinking back to when she just lent me her shirt because she didn't have any children's pajamas, I thought it was very like her.
And I also realized that what I'm wearing now is like... pajamas?
"...Then something other than this?"
"Of course."
"...It's a hassle."
"Hey."
"..."
I thought for a moment, then raised my head.
I could feel Seo Arin looking at me with a troubled expression; I don't like that look..
After that, words came out with some difficulty.
"...Then."
"Yeah."
"You pick it for me."
"...What?"
"...I don't really know about clothes."
I said it honestly.
I didn't really know what I should wear, and I wondered how I could pick and wear women's clothing when I didn't even know how to put it on.
I'd forgotten about it recently, but since I was originally a man, I didn't really have any opportunities to encounter women's clothing.
"..I want to wear clothes that you like."
At that, Seo Arin paused for a moment.
"...Ha."
Then Seo Arin let out a breath, not sure if she was dumbfounded or just deflated.
After that, she smiled slightly and continued with a short laugh.
"You really leave everything to me."
"..Do you hate it?"
"No. Wait a moment."
After a short denial and telling me to wait, about 5 minutes passed after she left.
"Get up. Time to get dressed."
Seo Arin opened the door and came to get me.
Was getting dressed always this difficult?
For starters, it seemed much harder than I thought.
"Hey, that's on backward."
"...Huh?"
"No, you put it on the wrong way."
"Ah.."
Take it off and put it on. Take it off again and put it on again.
"Your arm doesn't go there, wait... here."
"...Hold on."
I kept getting confused about where to put my body parts.
"Stay still."
"You just told me to try it myself."
"Since you can't put it on properly, I'm trying to dress you, aren't I?"
"..."
There were many things that happened after that, but in the end, Seo Arin dressed me for about half of it.
"...It's weird."
Clothes that fit my body perfectly; come to think of it, did she say these were clothes she wore when she was young?
Eventually, exhausted, I sat down as if lying on the floor and made a small protest that wouldn't even work on Seo Arin.
"It's uncomfortable."
"You'll be fine once you get used to it."
"...Still, it's weird."
I missed the shirt I had just taken off.
It was comfortable when I lived wearing just a shirt, but it wasn't easy to return to civilized life again.
I fidgeted with the clothes I had finished putting on.
It definitely felt different from what I had worn until now.
"..."
Seo Arin saw me fidgeting with the clothes because I wasn't used to them.
"It suits you well."
"..."
She gave me a light compliment.
I calmed my heart, which was thumping again at those words, and asked.
"Really?"
"Yeah. It suits you much better than I thought."
There's no way it should feel good to be told that women's clothes suit me well.
But for some reason, it felt strangely good.
"Is that so..? Then that's fine."
After that, we went outside.
Of course, there was a small happening when we went outside too.
"..I don't like it."
At the air coming from outside, I immediately stuck to Seo Arin's side.
What kind of courage did I have when I tried to go out last time? I felt impressed by myself from back then for a moment.
"Sigh.., hold on to me."
Saying that, Seo Arin gently offered me her arm.
I grabbed her arm, a little tightly.
"I'm not going to abandon you, so don't be scared."
"...Yeah."
Only after hearing that did I loosen my grip a little.
Still, I didn't let go of her arm with both hands.
Streets, people, sounds, gazes.
Everything bothered me. Is it because my body has become much more sensitive than before?
I could clearly feel people around me staring at my ears and tail.
If it weren't for Seo Arin, they would have definitely taken me away and experimented on me. With that thought, I stuck tightly to Seo Arin and didn't let go.
"..It's noisy outside."
"Just bear with it a little."
"...Yeah."
I lowered my head slightly. And I stuck right next to Seo Arin, looking only at her as I walked.
Her blonde hair, soaking in the sunlight and shining healthily, was showing off its presence.
As we were walking like that.
"Oh? Aren't you Seo Arin-ssi?"
"Yes."
A stranger talked to Seo Arin.
"Thank you so much for helping me back then."
"Ah, it was nothing. It was the natural thing to do."
"No, really—"
Seo Arin answered naturally.
As if such treatment and attention were familiar to her.
"Are you okay with your injuries?"
"Yes, thanks to you!"
Smiling, she was receiving that person's love without a care.
"..."
The stranger who talked to Seo Arin also looked happy, so I just watched quietly.
"Thank you so much!"
"It's nothing, please take care."
The conversation ended like that. The person left, but I felt a bit stifled.
"..Hey."
"Why?"
"..That person from earlier."
"Yeah."
"They like you."
"They're just grateful."
"..Is that so?"
"Yeah."
"..."
It was strange. Words didn't come out well.
I didn't know what this feeling was, so my chest felt a bit tight.
"Why?"
"..It's nothing."
I didn't know, so I just let it pass.
But my hands were again gripping Seo Arin's arm a little tighter.
Earlier, I was definitely happy just being with her, but now it felt a little lacking.
That a stranger other than me was looking at Seo Arin and smiling.
For no reason, I didn't like it.
"..It's weird."
"What is?"
"...I don't know."
I expressed my dissatisfaction to her with a slightly sulky feeling.
It wasn't Seo Arin's fault, but for some reason, I felt annoyed.