Because they knew in advance that they would be staying overnight tonight, Morimi and Hikaru Takikawa both prepared pajamas, while Starfish had to borrow Naoko's pajamas again.

After washing up, and seeing that several people were still sitting on the sofa, Naruse asked, "Is the room divided?" ”

"Hmm." Naoko answered, turned around and pointed to his bedroom, "I'm sleeping with Hikari here, and Starfish and Kazuha sleeping in the guest room next to it." ”

Naruse nodded, yawned, said goodnight and went upstairs.

"Good night."

It wasn't until his figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs that Naoko withdrew his gaze, "Let's rest too." ”

"Hmm."

The group said goodnight to each other, Starfish and Morimi walked to the guest room, and Hikaru Takikawa followed her into the master bedroom.

Lying on the bed, the two got into the quilt and smiled at each other again.

"Turn off the lights." Hikaru Takikawa said.

"Okay."

Click, the room went dark.

She lay down again and squeezed to the side again, "I want to sleep next to Naoko." ”

Naoko chuckled softly, "Okay." ”

Hikaru Takikawa posted a few more points.

"Oops...... she leaned on Naoko's shoulder with her eyes closed, "I feel like I'm going to fall asleep right away." ”

Naoko tilted her head slightly, "It's not early." ”

Takigawa Hikaru answered, and suddenly asked again, "Harumi's mother is coming back today." ”

It was already early morning on the 31st, and Naoko nodded, "Yes, I'll be back this afternoon." ”

"When she comes back, will Naoko still sleep with her here?"

"Nope."

Naoko shook her head, "My mom and dad are coming back today, and I have to go home with them...... Although it's right next door. ”

"Ah, I almost forgot...... Speaking of which, I haven't seen my uncle and aunt for a long time, when will they come back? ”

"Noon or afternoon."

"Then I'll say hello to them and go home."

The two huddled together, chatting without saying a word. And the drowsiness gradually melts under the warm and soft wrap, urging people to fall asleep.

The sleepiness is getting deeper and deeper, and the words are getting less and less, and Naoko and Hikaru Takikawa sink into sleep one after another.

In the next room, Morimi yawned a long time and turned back a little helplessly.

“…… You're a little too excited, too. ”

"I'm sorry." The starfish still had her eyes open, and she didn't know how many times she flipped her body after going to bed, "I'm noisy with you." ”

Morimi shook his head, then turned sideways to face her, "Can't you sleep?" ”

"Hmm...... Very sleepy, but couldn't sleep. Starfish was a little embarrassed, "I'm so happy, as soon as I close my eyes, it's the party just now." ”

Morimi smiled, understanding from the bottom of his heart.

If it was her who had her birthday today, and her friends celebrated it like this, she would probably be so excited that she couldn't sleep.

"As long as the starfish is happy."

"Hmmm......"

Starfish smiled, her hand fumbling under the covers, and quickly took her hand, "Thank you, Kazuha." ”

The corners of her mouth curled, and she clenched the hand in her hand.

"I'm just a participant, and the person you really want to thank is him."

Starfish was silent for a moment, then nodded quickly, "I'll thank him too." ”

Yawning, Morimi touched his phone on the bedside and glanced at it, it was almost half past three.

"Anyway, that's something to think about when you wake up tomorrow, so let's go to bed first."

"Uh-huh, okay."

She was so sleepy that she talked to the starfish for a few more words, and then involuntarily fell asleep.

Resisting the desire to turn over, the starfish listened to her breathing, and waited for a while before slowly moving her body and adjusting to a comfortable state.

And when the attention returned to what I was thinking about over and over again, I didn't concentrate so much.

It's early in the morning, and the day has just begun—and when she wakes up, it's her birthday.

Sleep in peace, Starfish said to herself.

She closed her eyes again, emptying her mind to fall asleep, but after a while she opened them again.

"Hate ......"

I drank a little too much drink just now, and I want to go to the bathroom......

She didn't want to get up, but once she knew, she couldn't sleep.

After lying down for a while, feeling that he couldn't hold it anymore, the starfish got up and slowly got out of bed.

Looking back at Morimi, who was still asleep, she didn't turn on the light, and felt for the door in the dimness.

"Hmm......"

She went to the bathroom and relaxed again, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

When I came back from washing my hands and walked through the living room, Starfish stopped again.

The party is over, but in the middle of the night, of course, the living room has not been cleaned up, and it is still the same as before.

She unconsciously sat on the couch, hugged her legs, her chin pressed against her knees, and quietly savored.

Just now, right here, everyone celebrated her birthday......

It was not the forgetfulness of the day, nor the compensation afterward, but the moment the time crossed zero, they appeared in front of her.

It was the happiest birthday she's had in years.

With a smile on his lips, the starfish curled up in a ball.

In the dimness and silence, there was a sudden loud noise.

“……”

Starfish froze, turning his head to look at the stairs, where the voice came from.

Soon, the footsteps became clear.

It was he who came down.

Starfish curled up on the couch and watched in the dim light as he walked through the living room and towards the bathroom.

It turned out to be the same as her......

After a short while, he came back from there.

Starfish was still hesitating to say hello to him, and when he reached the living room, he suddenly stopped, and seemed to be looking at her.

See her?

The starfish was not sure, thought about it, and said, "...... you"

"Wow!"

Naruse yelled and took several steps back.

"Hmm......"

In the bedroom, a little movement was faintly heard, and Naoko turned her head, but she still didn't wake up after all.

Unconsciously hugging her bedmate buried in her chest, she continued to sleep.

And in the living room, Naruse, who was startled, finally found that the black shadow huddled on the sofa was a starfish.

He took a deep breath.

“…… If you don't sleep in the middle of the night, what are you hiding here? ”

"I just got up too...... "Starfish took out his phone and the screen shone at him.

Suddenly seeing the light, Naruse squinted, and she put down her phone again.

"Just up? Can't sleep. ”

"No...... It's time to go to the bathroom. ”

"Yes." Naruse didn't say much, turned around and prepared to go back to the room, "Then let's rest early." ”

"Wait a minute." Starfish stopped him.

He looked back, "What's wrong?" ”

Starfish bit her lip and said, "Thank you for celebrating my birthday." ”

In the silence, he seemed to smile.

"You mentioned it on purpose, I can't forget it...... Although I was only going to give a gift or something. ”

"Huh? Deliberately ...... "Starfish was stunned," when did I mention it?" ”

He walked over, "When you go to Silver Mountain Hot Springs, isn't the password for the hotel safe your birthday?" ”

“……”

The starfish also thought about it, and quickly explained, "That's just happening to think of it." ”

Naruse smiled.

"Well, let's take it as such."

"It's true!" Starfish subconsciously reached out and grabbed his arm.

Naruse was pulled and didn't break away.

"Okay, I got it."

And when she came back to her senses, she didn't want to let go.

"All in all...... Thank you. ”

He looked down at her, and in the darkness, he couldn't make out her expression.

"It's enough to say 'thank you' once."

"Hmmm......"

She whispered, her palms loosened a little, but she scratched empty as she slid down.

He pulled away before she could clench.

"Rest early."

Naruse turned to leave, and before he could take two steps, there was the sound of his feet falling to the ground behind him.

She grabbed his wrist again.

"Wait a minute."

Starfish's voice trembled a little, "Today is my birthday...... You promised to grant me a wish. ”

"That's what the light says......"

"—You didn't object at that time, you just agreed."

“……”

She always misinterprets other people's words according to her own wishes.

Naruse looked at the dimly lit ceiling and took another deep breath.

"And what are your wishes?"

The girl behind him was silent, but the force on his wrist unconsciously increased.

Before he could ask again, she finally spoke.

"I want to ...... Let you hug me. ”

(End of chapter)