Outsider Syndrome | ✓

Chapter 27 - "Morning Cuddles"

This little. . . !

"Hmm? You're not in your room?" Koshiba's voice lofted. Flickers of light switches and doors opening and closing grew louder. "Where are you?"

"Igarashi," I hissed, desperately.

Her footfalls padded closer.

"Igarashi."

By will of the heavens alone, his grip loosened. But only for a millisecond. In the next, his hand was on the back of my head, and my face was propelled into his chest. The blanket fluttered over my head afterward, perfectly concealing me.

Any and all thoughts of Koshiba disappeared from my mind.

The butterflies in my stomach flapped their wings to the turbulent beat of my heart. I couldn't formulate a proper breath—a coherent thought—and uncontrollable heat enveloped my face.

"Stop squirming." His groggy tone sent shivers up my spine. "She'll hear you."

Oxygen no longer entered my lungs.

That was so dirty. He was awake—most likely had been for a while—yet remained that close to me purposefully. Why? Obliviousness? Idiocy? Both?

I was ogling at him for a good couple of minutes, too. Did he notice? He had to have noticed!

Not that this predicament was any less embarrassing. He was way too close. His body heat, the sensation of his skin, the scent of detergent. . .

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

Slow down, heart. I shouldn't be dealing with this. There was a bigger issue at hand.

Koshiba was seconds away from walking inside this room.

Although that in itself was a petrifying notion, there were more important problems.

I, a classmate—a girl—was currently at Igarashi's house at an unspeakable hour. Within the same room as him, for that matter.

Did I mention we were somewhat cuddling? Because we were. I was currently dying of a heart attack, thanks for asking.

Koshiba was going to kill me.

"This is the complete opposite situation from last time."

Not sharing in my panic, Igarashi was mellow. I couldn't tell if it was because he was still half-asleep, or ignorant. Maybe he was just speaking lowly enough Koshiba couldn't hear.

"That day I asked you to hide me from her," he murmured onward. "I was terrified of what she'd do if she saw us together. You knew nothing at that moment, not even that much, but you had my back."

Why was he reminiscing? At a time like this? "If she sees this, she's murdering us both."

"Whatever. It's too late to cover our tracks anyway. We'll just explain the situation to her."

"I-If you're going to explain it to her anyway, there's no point in us being so close!"

"I'm cold."

My blush deepened. "I-I don't care. Let go."

"I did you so many favours yesterday, and you won't do me one in return?"

"Th-this and that are two different things! Besides, if you're cold, you should've grabbed another blanket. Here. I'll get one for you."

He clutched me tighter, erasing my chances.

"If you can free yourself from me, be my guest."

I was losing my sanity.