"Uhm..." I muttered, glancing nervously at Sakuya's sleeping form. My mind raced. What do I do in this situation?
A. Wake Sakuya Up
I swallowed, feeling my heart hammer in my chest. I should probably wake her up...
"S-Sakuya?" I said softly, reaching out to gently tap her shoulder.
Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and for a moment, there was a sleepy confusion in them. Then, realization dawned, and her face turned crimson.
"Wh-WHA?! PERVERT!" she practically shouted, sitting up so fast that she nearly knocked over the bedside lamp.
"WAIT! IT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING!" I yelped, throwing my hands up defensively, panic filling my voice.
And just like that... the awkward chaos unfolded.
A. Scenario Ended.
or
B. Let Her Sleep
I hesitated, my hand hovering just above her shoulder. Her expression was so peaceful, a rare sight for someone as composed as Sakuya. I let out a slow, quiet breath, my hand lowering back to my side. Maybe... it's better to let her rest.
Carefully, I slid out of the bed, making sure not to make a sound. But just as my feet touched the floor, I heard a soft rustle behind me.
I froze.
"Sakuya?" I turned to see her slowly waking, her eyes groggy and unfocused at first. Then she blinked, and the realization of the situation struck her.
Her face turned scarlet as she pulled her arms up to cover her chest, "Wha... PERVERT!!"
"Wait! It's not what it looks like!" I stammered, my face heating up as I threw my hands in the air defensively.
B. Scenario Ended.
Back to reality, I shook my head, feeling the weight of the situation hit me all over again.
What a mess...
A sudden knock on the door jolted me from the chaos of my thoughts.
"Shun, are you in there? Lady Remilia is calling for you!" Meiling's familiar voice called out cheerfully.
My blood ran cold. "Oh, shoot! Meiling!"
Panic surged through me.
If Meiling sees this, she'll spread rumors faster than bullets! I darted for the blanket, fumbling to cover Sakuya before she could wake up and escalate the situation further.
"Just a second!"
"I'm coming in!" Meiling announced, completely ignoring my plea for time.
"No, no, no, no!" I hissed under my breath, spinning toward the door just as it creaked open.
Meiling stepped in, Her expression was blank as she tilted her head at me.
"What are you doing?"
"Uh, nothing! Just, uh... tidying up!"
Meiling's eyes narrowed slightly, a sly smirk creeping onto her face. "Tidying up, huh? With Sakuya in your bed?"
"Oh no," I muttered under my breath, feeling the heat creep up my neck as Meiling grinned mischievously.
"I-I can explain!" I stammered, trying to salvage the situation.
Meiling raised a hand, cutting me off. "Ohh! No need, Shun, I know exactly what's going on here!"
I froze, blinking at her in disbelief. "U-Uhuh...?"
Her grin widened as she crossed her arms triumphantly. "I've seen this kind of thing in those manga I picked up from Kourindou."
"Manga..."
"Yup! You're trying to cover Sakuya with a blanket because you don't want anyone to get the wrong idea, right?"
She hit the nail right on the head. How is she THIS spot-on!?
"I see, I see..." She nodded sagely, then leaned in slightly, her tone dropping into something far more conspiratorial. "But that still doesn't explain why you and Sakuya are in the same bed."
Her grin turned wicked, and I could almost see the gears turning in her head. "Could it be... you two did the deed?"
"What deed?!"
"You know... the deed."
"No! No! That's not what happened at all!"
Meiling laughed, clearly enjoying my flustered state. "Relax, Shun, I'm just messing with you... mostly."
"Mostly?! That's not helping!"
As if sensing the commotion, Sakuya stirred under the blanket, letting out a soft groan. My heart stopped.
"Ohhh," Meiling said, her grin widening impossibly further. "Looks like Miss Sakuya is waking up! Guess I'll leave you two lovebirds alone~"
"Meiling!"
I shouted at her, but she was already retreating, laughing as she shut the door behind her.
I turned back to Sakuya, who was blinking awake, her gaze hazy and unfocused.
"What... what's going on?" she murmured.
"Nothing!" I squeaked, backing away slightly. "Absolutely nothing!"
"Good morning…" I said softly, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to sound casual despite the lingering awkwardness.
Sakuya blinked a few times, her gaze sweeping around the room before settling on me. "Yeah… Good morning. I'm in your room, aren't I? I'm sorry."
"It's alright," I reassured her, offering a small smile. "Actually, I've been wondering… Did I lose last night?"
A playful glint sparkled in her eyes as she nodded. "Mhm~ You did. So, I carried you here."
"Thank you, Sakuya."
She gave a slight nod, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her usual composed demeanor was back, but there was a softness in her gaze that made the moment feel oddly warm.
Then it hit me. Oh right, Lady Remilia!
"I almost forgot—Lady Remilia's calling me!"
"I see," Sakuya said softly, smoothing out her skirt as she gracefully slid off the bed. "I'll be right with you, but since I slept in your room, please allow me to tidy up."
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, thank you, Sakuya."
She offered a small, polite smile. "You're welcome."
I left her to it, stepping into the hallway, my thoughts already shifting toward Lady Remilia.
She's probably at her usual spot.
Given that it was morning, the balcony seemed like the most likely place. Lady Remilia often enjoyed her tea.
Without wasting time, I headed in that direction, the soft sound of my footsteps echoing through the quiet mansion.
I was right.Lady Remilia was seated in her usual spot on the balcony, elegantly poised with her fingers resting on the armrest. The morning breeze played lightly with her crimson hair.
"You're here, Shun," she said, her voice carrying that familiar regal tone.
"I'm here, Lady Remilia," I replied, stepping closer and bowing slightly.
She tilted her head, a sly smile forming. "Given that we celebrated last night, Sakuya managed to clean everything up. Now, may I ask what my naughty butler was doing, letting Sakuya handle all the work?"
I straightened, "Ah… apologies, Lady Remilia. I actually had a one-on-one with Sakuya in the garden… and, well, I lost."
Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she leaned forward slightly. "Is that so? Well, since Sakuya covered for your duties today, I've decided to give her the day off."
"That's great."
"Right? I'm a genius, aren't I?"
"Yes! Lady Remilia is truly a genius!"
She laughed, clearly enjoying herself. "That's right~ Keep praising!"
"Lady Remilia is the smartest person in this mansion!"
"Hehe, you may stop now." She waved her hand, grinning.
I nodded, letting out a quiet breath of relief.
"Well then," she continued, her expression turning mischievous, "since Sakuya is out for the day, I've decided to hire a new maid!"
"Oh… I see…!"
...
"Wait, what?"