The dormitory of the Jupiter Institute ⑤ Elisha’s Secret

＊　Mars’ point of view 　＊

(Well……It’s a rather large bathhouse……)

All the people using this bath here are students from this school.
The public bath was large enough for dozens of people to use.

Since coming to this place, I’m always surprised.
The meals were good, the academy’s like a castle, and above all that I was able to make friends all of a sudden.

(Elisha, what’s going on?)

When I returned to the room thinking such a thing, the figure of Elisha was absent.
Maybe he went to the path without us passing by each other?

(……Well, he’ll come back before long?)

I plop myself onto the bed.
Sure enough, sleepiness attacked me immediately.
This, Elisha is showing no signs of return.

I pounce on the desire to accept falling into a deep sleep.

Gcha–.

(…..Huh?)

Rustle rustle–.

At the sound of the handle, as though it was being fumbled with, I am fully awakened.
Is Elisha is back?

It’s dark in the vicinity.
I wonder when the candle light stopped?

When I rose from the bed and cast my eyesight downwards, Elisha was changing after returning from the bath.
Seeing his back, it looks like he’s not wearing any upper clothing.
He usually had his hair gathered up, but right now it was down so the wet silver hair shook whenever he moved.
His beautiful hair was lit up by the moonlight coming through the gap in the curtain, it almost seemed like it was glittering and sparkling like jewellery.

“Elisha.”

When I call out from the top of the bed,

“Ss—Ma, Mars!?”

I think his upper body just jumped, his voice even rose a little as well.
Was he that surprised ?

“I thought you were already asleep……”
“I woke up just now.”
“Sorry……Is it that I woke you up?”

Elisha speaks without turning to face in this direction.
His hands also stopped in the middle of changing; he’s not making a movement whatsoever.
It’s as though his body completely froze in ice without moving at all; he didn’t even jump in surprise.

“No, I intended to get up when Elisha came, it was exactly what happened.”
“I, I see. But…. Isn’t Mars tired? You’d better sleep today. I will also go to sleep when I’ve changed my clothes.”

I’m certainly a little tired.
Best of all, the bed is comfortable as well.
Because the previous bed I used was all stiff it made my body ache all over.
In the first place, anything would do as long as I am kept away from the wind and rain.

“…..then, we’ll just sleep like this today”
“Tomorrow is the first day after your transfer.”
“That’s true……”

I buried my body back into the bedsheets.
A soft sensation touched my body.

“Goodnight Mars……”

It’s been such a long time since last time I heard that line.
Going to sleep together with someone, that’s also been quite some time.
Living together with someone, that’s… been quite a while too.
Since Master Eine’s death, I’ve been living alone all the time.
I already got used to living alone but, it isn’t bad at all that there is a person calling out to me this way before going to sleep.

“Goodnight Elisha.”

Holding onto this strange feeling after so long, I drifted off away and fell asleep again.

＊　Elisha’s point of view　＊

My heart beat violently.
Though I tried to appeal unsurprised, but deep inside, I was breaking out in cold sweat.
I confirmed that he already fell asleep.
I wasn’t making any loud noise either.
And yet Mars noticed me when I came back.

Is he sensitive to sound and presence……?

I thought about such matters while finishing up changing.

(I……I wasn’t seen……)

I confirmed the situation while changing.
Inside the room was dark, but even if I was seen, it was only my back.
I let my hair down, so my skin shouldn’t be seen too much.

(It was good that I turned the lights off the moment I came into the room……)

This time, I really wanna praise myself for being well-prepared.

(My secret, it mustn’t be known……)

After changing clothes, I’ll go to bed.

(Just in case, I’ll leave earlier tomorrow……)

I hitched the towel so it covered my entire body.
And as my feelings slowly calmed, my consciousness submerged.

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