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Ikuno lay perfectly still on the sheets, face up with a serious expression. A certain mare had woken her up. The bed was sagging where the sheets lay. Little could be made out in the darkness. Thanks to the air conditioning, she didn’t feel as hot as she should have. Just the usual warmth that McQueen used to provide her. Curled up next to her lay someone who bore little resemblance to her former nervous self.
Double beds like that one usually measure 135 × 190. For two girls standing 1.59 m and 1.63 m tall, it was more than clear that they could both fit. These estimates were much better than what the hotel had initially offered regarding the rooms. The tournament had filled the hotel to capacity; they’d already been warned at the front desk that there might be changes regarding the single, double, and king-size rooms. So, they found that, instead of two beds, there was only one.
Needless to say, McQueen was strongly against it. She started with, “This is unacceptable!” and even suggested alternatives like sleeping on the floor or curled up in the humble, solitary wooden chair—suggestions Ikuno disagreed with on practical grounds. For practical reasons, in fact, she also suggested keeping their distance once they were lying on the sheets.
And they kept their distance, yes—only now, where exactly were they? From the edge, McQueen had ended up on her chest. One arm was wrapped around her waist, and her face was nestled against her. Their legs were also intertwined. Ikuno, now subtly awakened by the sudden change of heart, could tell she was still asleep. The logical conclusion would be that it was due to the air conditioning setting, since McQueen seemed to be seeking a source of heat. Who could be closer at hand than Ikuno, right?
“My heart rate is over 110. Body temperature rising… No symptoms like fever or dizziness. There’s no doubt—all of this is being caused by McQueen-san,” Ikuno thought to herself. “And these physiological and chemical reactions have followed a specific pattern for long enough to draw an undeniable conclusion: high compatibility with romantic attraction.”
As she reached this realization, a blush crept back onto her cheeks. Yes, something inevitable and uncontrollable. After all, Ikuno and she had shared space for long enough for it to be plausible. Familiarity breeds affection, as the saying goes. Familiarity, in fact, just as Ikuno’s hands were now caressing a side of her. Her left hand was resting on her back, and the other was gently brushing her hair away from her face. It was light enough for McQueen to find it pleasant without waking her. That little smile was the most telling sign of all.
“Well, after all, McQueen is determined and elegant. She’s also especially adorable and attractive…” From her hair, she tried to push up a pair of nonexistent glasses. Not knowing what to do with it, she left it resting on her roommate’s shoulder. “I should stop moving to minimize the risk of waking up; after all, romantic feelings and their variables are especially unpredictable.”
And yet, Ikuno rested her head on McQueen’s. Drowsiness overtook her once more, causing her to squint her eyes. Her eyelids felt heavy despite how fast her heart was pounding. But at the same time, they also drew her back into her interrupted sleep.
Perhaps McQueen would make a racket again in the morning, or maybe she herself would be the one screaming in her sleep. But until that happened, the two of them would stay there, holding each other close.