Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/09/27
After taking a bath earlier than usual, Aira makes dinner.
Today they'll be having peperoncino. After finishing the preparations, she waits quietly for Ema's stream to end.
She zones out in front of the TV and at around 7:00 p.m., the door of the streaming studio finally opens.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Mm... Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet."
Aira stands up to unfasten her apron but suddenly gets hugged from behind.
Ema buries her head in Aira's shoulder, causing Aira to squirm about.
"Wha-what?"
"You know, Aira. If you're going to comment on chat during a stream, you should at least use a nickname."
Realizing what Ema is implying, Aira's cheeks turn red.
She thought that Ema didn't notice, but Ema saw the comment Aira sent after all.
"Are... are you sure you didn't mistake me for..."
"Hoshimiya Aira is quite a rare name. So, why did you ask me what kind of girl is my type?"
Aira turns around to find Ema looking at her with a smile.
Her smile is extremely gentle, unlike the one she usually has when teasing her.
"Shu-shut up..."
"You didn't answer my question."
"I was bored... and couldn't think of anything else to write..."
"If I told you, were you planning to try to match my type?"
"No, I wasn't..."
"Ah, is that so?"
After Aira gives an uncute reply, Ema finally releases her.
Aira glances at the cigarettes on the table.
Ema usually likes to smoke after finishing a stream.
"You're not going to smoke?"
"...It's not like I really like to."
"Really? Even though you smoke that much?"
"That's because my mouth gets restless. Besides, when that happens, I could always just kiss you instead, Aira."
"Are you an idiot?"
Despite Aira's uncute reply, Ema is smiling happily.
She accepts Aira for her uncute self.
This place is becoming extremely comforting to Aira.
During fifth period after lunch, many students doze off.
The teacher doesn't seem to mind much, perhaps because they have accepted that most students will end up feeling sleepy after filling their stomachs.
Although Aira usually doesn't pay much attention during health education class, today is different.
She's fully engaged in the current lesson on physical health.
"People who smoke have a higher risk of cancer, strokes, and various other complications compared to those who don't..."
Most of the students are yawning out of boredom. Aira is probably the only one actually listening properly.
Hearing the word smoke makes her think of Ema.
Although she has been smoking less recently, she used to smoke all the time.
"Even if they decide to quit now, they may run into numerous situations where they just want to run away to smoke. That's why if that ever happens to any of you, it's important to have someone you can turn to for emotional support and to have some way to unwind."
With that, the teacher ends the lesson.
"Smoking, huh...?"
Ema looked quite cool when she smoked, so Aira hadn't minded too much until now but smoking is undeniably bad for her body.
It took some time, but Aira becomes worried for Ema's health.
The two of them are having warm tea after dinner when Ema reaches for a cigarette.
Aira immediately remembers the contents of today's health education class about how smoking increases the risk of diseases in the future.
Aira gently grabs Ema's hand that's holding the lighter.
"What?"
"Do-don't smoke."
"Huh...?"
"I learned how bad it is for your health today. I don't want you to die, Ema."
Ema puts down the cigarette and lighter before resting her elbows on the table.
"What's wrong? You're being honest today."
"Because..."
When Aira imagines Ema suffering in pain due to an illness caused by her smoking, Aira's chest tightens.
She wants Ema to remain healthy even if it's for just one day longer.
Suddenly, she remembers what Ema said last night.
"...If you kiss me, then your mouth won't feel restless, right?"
Ema said that even though she doesn't like smoking that much, she does it because her mouth feels restless otherwise.
If Aira can seal that mouth... If that means Ema will quit smoking...
"...I'll let you kiss me as many times as you want... so don't smoke anymore."
1
A hand gently touches Aira's cheek.
Slowly, she turns to face Ema and her lips meet Ema's.
Feeling a soft tongue circling her lips, Aira slowly opens her mouth and Ema inserts her tongue in.
Today Ema smells like fabric softener, perhaps because she hasn't smoked yet.
While being invaded by Ema's hot tongue, Aira gets intoxicated by her scent.
She likes this much more than the smell of cigarettes.
Every time their tongues entwine, they make a wet smacking sound.
Hearing that indecent sound fans Aira's shame as her cheeks grow even redder.
When their lips slowly part, Aira looks at Ema's tongue reluctantly.
"...Alright. I won't smoke when you're around."
"Don't smoke even when I'm not around."
"As long as you don't leave my side, that's not a problem, right?"
She's talking as if they'll be together forever, making Aira's heart secretly flutter.
Hearing it as if Ema is promising that they'll have a future together, she ends up inadvertently feeling happy.
However, this life will eventually come to an end and when it's time, they will have to part ways.
There is no future where they can remain together like this.
What does Ema want out of this relationship?
What exactly does Aira herself want out of this relationship?
Aira pretends to not notice the answer to that question which she had already begun to realize quite a while ago.
Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/09/27
After taking a bath earlier than usual, Aira makes dinner.
Today they'll be having peperoncino. After finishing the preparations, she waits quietly for Ema's stream to end.
She zones out in front of the TV and at around 7:00 p.m., the door of the streaming studio finally opens.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Mm... Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet."
Aira stands up to unfasten her apron but suddenly gets hugged from behind.
Ema buries her head in Aira's shoulder, causing Aira to squirm about.
"Wha-what?"
"You know, Aira. If you're going to comment on chat during a stream, you should at least use a nickname."
Realizing what Ema is implying, Aira's cheeks turn red.
She thought that Ema didn't notice, but Ema saw the comment Aira sent after all.
"Are... are you sure you didn't mistake me for..."
"Hoshimiya Aira is quite a rare name. So, why did you ask me what kind of girl is my type?"
Aira turns around to find Ema looking at her with a smile.
Her smile is extremely gentle, unlike the one she usually has when teasing her.
"Shu-shut up..."
"You didn't answer my question."
"I was bored... and couldn't think of anything else to write..."
"If I told you, were you planning to try to match my type?"
"No, I wasn't..."
"Ah, is that so?"
After Aira gives an uncute reply, Ema finally releases her.
Aira glances at the cigarettes on the table.
Ema usually likes to smoke after finishing a stream.
"You're not going to smoke?"
"...It's not like I really like to."
"Really? Even though you smoke that much?"
"That's because my mouth gets restless. Besides, when that happens, I could always just kiss you instead, Aira."
"Are you an idiot?"
Despite Aira's uncute reply, Ema is smiling happily.
She accepts Aira for her uncute self.
This place is becoming extremely comforting to Aira.
During fifth period after lunch, many students doze off.
The teacher doesn't seem to mind much, perhaps because they have accepted that most students will end up feeling sleepy after filling their stomachs.
Although Aira usually doesn't pay much attention during health education class, today is different.
She's fully engaged in the current lesson on physical health.
"People who smoke have a higher risk of cancer, strokes, and various other complications compared to those who don't..."
Most of the students are yawning out of boredom. Aira is probably the only one actually listening properly.
Hearing the word smoke makes her think of Ema.
Although she has been smoking less recently, she used to smoke all the time.
"Even if they decide to quit now, they may run into numerous situations where they just want to run away to smoke. That's why if that ever happens to any of you, it's important to have someone you can turn to for emotional support and to have some way to unwind."
With that, the teacher ends the lesson.
"Smoking, huh...?"
Ema looked quite cool when she smoked, so Aira hadn't minded too much until now but smoking is undeniably bad for her body.
It took some time, but Aira becomes worried for Ema's health.
The two of them are having warm tea after dinner when Ema reaches for a cigarette.
Aira immediately remembers the contents of today's health education class about how smoking increases the risk of diseases in the future.
Aira gently grabs Ema's hand that's holding the lighter.
"What?"
"Do-don't smoke."
"Huh...?"
"I learned how bad it is for your health today. I don't want you to die, Ema."
Ema puts down the cigarette and lighter before resting her elbows on the table.
"What's wrong? You're being honest today."
"Because..."
When Aira imagines Ema suffering in pain due to an illness caused by her smoking, Aira's chest tightens.
She wants Ema to remain healthy even if it's for just one day longer.
Suddenly, she remembers what Ema said last night.
"...If you kiss me, then your mouth won't feel restless, right?"
Ema said that even though she doesn't like smoking that much, she does it because her mouth feels restless otherwise.
If Aira can seal that mouth... If that means Ema will quit smoking...
"...I'll let you kiss me as many times as you want... so don't smoke anymore."
1
A hand gently touches Aira's cheek.
Slowly, she turns to face Ema and her lips meet Ema's.
Feeling a soft tongue circling her lips, Aira slowly opens her mouth and Ema inserts her tongue in.
Today Ema smells like fabric softener, perhaps because she hasn't smoked yet.
While being invaded by Ema's hot tongue, Aira gets intoxicated by her scent.
She likes this much more than the smell of cigarettes.
Every time their tongues entwine, they make a wet smacking sound.
Hearing that indecent sound fans Aira's shame as her cheeks grow even redder.
When their lips slowly part, Aira looks at Ema's tongue reluctantly.
"...Alright. I won't smoke when you're around."
"Don't smoke even when I'm not around."
"As long as you don't leave my side, that's not a problem, right?"
She's talking as if they'll be together forever, making Aira's heart secretly flutter.
Hearing it as if Ema is promising that they'll have a future together, she ends up inadvertently feeling happy.
However, this life will eventually come to an end and when it's time, they will have to part ways.
There is no future where they can remain together like this.
What does Ema want out of this relationship?
What exactly does Aira herself want out of this relationship?
Aira pretends to not notice the answer to that question which she had already begun to realize quite a while ago.
