Chapter 207: Can I sleep with Noah?
"Cheers!"
Noah, Imari, and Julie raised their cups at the same time. The cups clinked.
There are snacks piled into a neat little hill on the table. It looked like the trio is about to have a slumber party.
But, the trio is actually doing a private and small-scaled parting ceremony.
"Finally, tomorrow is the weekend."
Imari leaned forward after refilling her cup.
"Now, Julie and I are going to register as Duo. The dormitory arrangement will be shuffled once more. How does it feel to lose two cute roommates, huh? Can you give us some thoughts on the matter?"
"My feelings, you say?"
Imari's reporter-like approach slightly annoyed Noah.
"I just want to say how nice it is that I don't have to tiptoe around the bathroom when a certain cute roommate of mine forgets her undergarment and places it haphazardly around."
"I-I don't!"
Imari got flustered as she shrieked.
"I just couldn't store them away on a timely basis!"
"So says you."
Noah said nonchalantly.
"I hope in your case that is true. Otherwise, Julie is in for 3 long years of picking up after you."
"Yaa~"
Julie chimed in.
"I hope Imari will work on this too."
"Why don't you look after yourself better too!"
Imari sized up Julie's petite body. Rather, she made that comment after glancing at her attire.
"How many times do I have to say this? Noah is a guy, you should watch how you dress when we have company over."
Noah also sighed in frustration.
Julie came from Gimle to study in this country.
Noah heard that Gimle is a cold country. It is common to snow all around the year.
After adjusting to her home country's climate, she felt hot whenever she is a country with slightly warmer climates even if the weather is something people would call chilly.
It is common for Julie to strip down to her shirt and wander around in her room like that.
Noah felt incredibly bad to have this girl behave like this.
Julie herself didn't find her own behavior weird.
Against Imari's nth caution, Julie did the usual head tilt, her bells rang.
"I can't?"
Julie is very cute. She's so cute she looks like an exquisite doll.
She gave off a puppy feeling even if her expressionless face gave her a feline feel. This double cute whammy sank Imari.
"Ugh..."
Imari turned her head the other way with a red face.
"I-it's the last night, I guess we can take it slow."
"Yaa~"
Julie's ahoge danced back and forth like a puppy's tail. She is glad to hear Imari give her the green light.
Noah grabbed the cup near him and he gulped down its content.
Next, Julie started saying something that almost made Noah spit out the soft drink he just drunk.
"I can't live with Noah starting tomorrow?"
Julie looked like she had a lot to say.
"Then, can I sleep with Noah tonight?"
Pfft
Noah spat out his drink as if someone just hammered him in the solar plexus. Imari got a whole face full of Noah's spray.
With Imari's reflex, it should have been easy to dodge.
However, she is so stunned that she didn't dodge.
The air turned still before the air exploded.
"S-sorry! Imari!"
Noah grabbed a handkerchief near the girls as he started wiping Imari's face.
Imari looked like she is still trying to process what she heard just now. She chuckled awkwardly.
"Julie-chan, you mind repeating what you just said?"
"Eh?"
Julie tilted her head in confusion.
"I said I wanted to sleep with Noah, anything wrong?"
Imari would have shot her down with her usual "Yeah, everything's wrong!", the kind of yell that would attract the attention of everyone in the dorm.
Imari knew better than to explain her logic to Julie who needed tons of courses on common sense.
Imari inhaled deeply to keep her cool. She tried to get Julie to clarify.
"Julie-chan, when you said sleep together, do you realize the meaning of your words?"
Noah wanted to say that too. He abstained from doing so because past experience told him in situations like this, it's best to stay mum. Let Imari deal with her.
Julie lowered her head slightly.
"At home, I always slept mother. It's embarrassing but I feel lonely whenever I sleep alone."
"I-I see..."
Imari continued.
"Bu-but, I am here, I can accompany you, no?"
"Yaa~"
Julie's red eyes turned bright.
"Sleeping with Imari reminds me of my mother. But, when I am with Noah, I remember my father."
She said longingly.
Talking about her mother only aroused familial affection.
Talking about her father made her very nostalgic.
"What about your father?"
"..."
Julie lowered her head.
"He passed away a few years ago."
Imari couldn't stop Julie in time.
Noah could guess this outcome so he rubbed Julie's head.
Julie found her father's image in Noah. This is why she developed an attachment to him.
This also changed Noah's mind.
"Alright..."
Noah continued rubbing her head. He scratched his cheek.
"If Julie doesn't mind, I shall sleep together with you, just for tonight."
Julie lit up instantly.
"Yaa~"
"Eh?"
Imari reacted after a few seconds, she yelled out loud.
"EHHHH!!!"
The silver glow of the moon gave the dark room an ethereal feel. The light is out now.
At the bottom part of the bunk bed, three individuals huddled together.
Snore suu
Julie clung onto Noah's shirt while soundly sleeping.
Noah tried to not think about Julie's soft sensation and her fragrance.
Stare
Near them, Imari leered at Noah with a defensive gaze. She looked like a guard trying to prevent someone from sneaking into the house to steal stuff.
"So, why are you here?"
Noah said with annoyance audible in his question. Imari responded with a hostile grin.
"You think I am just going to sit there and watch you two go to bed together?"
Noah looked at the foundation of the top bunk bed. He couldn't find the words to retort.