I opened my eyes to the soft light streaming through the window, and the first thing I saw was Aoi lying beside me. I stayed there, just watching her, feeling the familiar warmth of her close by. There was something about the way she looked while she was asleep that made my heart skip a beat every time. Her cheeks were a soft pink, and her hair spilled across her face in a way that somehow made her even cuter.
I couldn't help but reach out and gently brush a few stray strands from her forehead. She was so small, so gentle-looking, and yet every morning, she had this effect on me—reminding me of how much I cared about her.
As if she sensed my gaze, Aoi started to stir, her eyelids fluttering open. When her green eyes met mine, she blinked, still half-asleep, and then her cheeks started to turn pink. For a second, we just looked at each other, neither of us saying anything.
