Chapter 156

“What’s this? You liked this kind of movie?”

As soon as I sat next to Ria and said that, she let out a laugh, as if to say, “Are you serious?”

“Why can’t I like this kind of movie?”

“No, it’s not that you can’t like it….”

I just thought Ria would prefer movies where things go boom and get smashed more often.

……..

But really, when you think about it, I don’t know that much about Ria. Given the time we’ve known each other, it makes sense. It hasn’t even been a year yet since we started hanging out.

Even with school friends, you think you know them really well until you poke your nose into their family matters and realize you’ve been clueless about so much. People don’t usually talk about what they don’t want to share, and they don’t feel the need to spill everything either.

In Ria’s case, I probably know some unnecessary details just because I read about her in a novel.

Thinking like that made me feel a bit guilty. It felt like I had forced my way into areas Ria didn’t want to talk about.

Did I hurt Ria’s feelings? I felt a little anxious.

“Oh, right.”

Ria said that as if she’d forgotten something, then briefly put her tablet on my thigh.

Before I could even react, a pleasant smell wafted by. Ria’s freshly washed hair brushed past my nose, smelling of delicious shampoo.

Or maybe I only felt this way because it was Ria.

In that fleeting moment of fragrance, I leaned sideways, pushed by Ria.

Huh!? Oh!?

Not even able to make a sound, I just flopped onto Ria’s lap. My arm brushed against Ria’s… well, you know. It looked soft and big on the outside, and it felt just the same. I had already felt that way several times before.

“Ri, Ria!?”

When I finally registered what happened, Ria said,

“Oh, sorry.”

She said that while grabbing the bag she had set down next to the bed.

Then she sat up straight.

Though it happened in an instant, my heart was still racing.

Ria pulled out a few bags of snacks from her bag. Since we were watching a movie together, obviously, one of the snacks was popcorn.

“Could you put the bag down?”

“You should’ve just asked me from the start….”

I took the bag from Ria and set it down on the bed.

Then I stood up and sat down next to Ria—

“Hey, you can sit a bit closer. I won’t bite.”

Uh, didn’t you just try to take a bite earlier?

Of course, it’s a bit unfair to judge Ria like that, but honestly, I was a little scared. Not scared in a bad way.

“!?”

Ria slipped her hand around my waist, pulling me even closer to her side.

I desperately tried not to let out a weird sound.

It was definitely autumn now. It wasn’t super cold yet, but nights were starting to cool down. I made sure to wrap myself up in my blanket when I went to bed at night.

However, even now, I could feel a slight sweat starting to bead on my skin. Ria’s body was probably the same. Her thin clothes were starting to cling to her, and the gap between us was slowly closing.

Ria seemed completely unbothered.

……..

It was infuriating.

Only I seem to be aware of Ria, and it was driving me nuts.

“I thought sitting like this might be more comfortable.”

“……”

I wrapped my arm around Ria’s waist from behind. Ria didn’t even flinch.

“……Why?”

When I looked up at Ria, she tilted her head.

“……It’s nothing.”

Feeling a strange sense of defeat, I wrapped my other arm around Ria’s waist fully. Well, haven’t I done this multiple times before? It actually felt surprisingly natural.

Like we’ve been through all this fighting side by side.

Ah, I see.

In a way, she’s not just a simple friend. We’ve gone through dangers together, so I could even call her a comrade.

Thinking like that eased my mind a bit.

After I had wrapped my waist around Ria, once I settled in close enough, she rested her hand on my shoulder. Is that more comfortable?

The tablet was propped up on my legs with the cover flipped back, and Ria lifted up a bag of popcorn, tearing it open with her hand that she stretched over my shoulder. Naturally, that moment turned into Ria hugging me tightly, which made my heart race a bit.

But despite being so close, we actually watched the movie quite calmly.

Calmly and normally—

“No, no, no, wait a minute.”

I shook my head.

“Why is the movie like this?”

“Well, it’s a romance movie.”

“But they’re both girls?”

“Exactly, that’s the kind of romance movie it is.”

Thanks to Ria’s nonchalant answer, I almost let it slip my mind for a moment.

“…They’re undressing!”

“It’s an adult romance film.”

“Excuse me!?”

“Shh.”

Because Ria so naturally immersed herself back into the movie, I had to close my mouth.

But why?

Well, I guess it’s possible for someone to watch a movie like this… They might watch it in a convent. Maybe they like the actor, or they could be a fan of the director. Just because it’s a woman doesn’t mean they won’t watch a movie like this. In fact, it’s often the case that these types of films are targeted towards women.

So then… what’s so strange about it? Is it really weird to watch this kind of movie while mashing your body up against a Saintess next to you? I’m not sure. I mean, I should have watched a movie like this in a theater before.

Besides, Ria was being completely unfazed by it. Even with me glued to her side.

In the end, I couldn’t help but grind my teeth through the entire movie.

In fact, everything about the film fit my taste, the theme and the actors, but I ended up dozing off despite the leisurely pace of the movie.

When I woke up the next day, I had Ria tightly hugged in my arms.

……..

Rebirth, should I try it just one more time?

＊

That night, Ria’s heart was almost about to burst.

It was so close to exploding that she didn’t even touch the popcorn she had ripped open because she was too tense.

And honestly, it couldn’t be helped.

In fact, when she told me to get close, it was pretty much a casual suggestion. Of course, there was some intent behind it regarding the possibility of ‘that,’ but she still thought Anna would probably be more freaked out than anything else.

But Anna was so completely at ease, even leaning against Ria.

That made Ria happy. The warmth of Anna’s body felt delightful.

But at the same time, she felt complicated emotions.

Anna wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about sexual matters. More accurately, even though she somewhat knew how sexual relations worked or how girls could date each other, she acted as if it had nothing to do with her.

She probably had a bunch of dirty thoughts swirling in her head, but true to her status as a Saintess, none of that ever reached those around her.

Being drawn in like that, Ria had no doubt it was because Anna relied on her trustingly.

If Anna were to find out what Ria was truly thinking, how would she react?

The girl who acted like Ria was the safest person in the world—what kind of fear would she feel next to Ria? Would she still have the same reaction once she realized that all the things Ria had done in front of her were driven by desire?

It’s hard to say anyone would handle it well.

Isn’t that the dilemma of someone hesitating to confess? Even after hearing ‘let’s stay friends,’ how many people could truly manage that?

“……”

A bit arrogantly, Ria thought she was a necessary existence for Anna.

How many people in the world can genuinely protect Anna? Sure, there might be some. But Ria couldn’t count on that. To keep Anna safe in peace, Ria needed to be there by her side.

If such a situation arose where Ria couldn’t be next to Anna—

When Anna decided to sacrifice herself, who would rush in to stop her?

With that thought in mind, Ria sat there watching the movie with her body in high tension, hardly absorbing the content. Some of the intimate scenes stuck with her, but—

“…Co….”

Anna, unable to bear the movie’s boredom, fell asleep on Ria’s shoulder.

Her arms wrapped tightly around Ria’s waist, like a child hugging their mother.

She looked beautiful. An angel.

For a moment, Ria wondered if Anna was truly a being sent from heaven.

The light from the tablet screen illuminated her lips.

Ria knew those lips were soft. She’d experienced it once.

“…No, but that doesn’t mean I should.”

She swore to protect.

If that’s the case, she needed to uphold that promise. In any way, Ria couldn’t let her desires take hold and touch Anna’s body.

……..

But then again, with her tightly in her arms like that, wasn’t it okay for them to cuddle up a bit while sleeping?