I Was Hired As A Tutor By A Cute Little Devilish Junior - Chapter 50 Morning

In the morning, my eyelids opened slowly.
Normally, I would be awakened by a tinkling alarm, but for some reason, I awoke in the quietness of the room today.

My head was still a little fuzzy, I suddenly turned over in my sleep. Then I saw the face of a cute kouhai in front of me.

“…!?”

I gulped and stiffened.
The distance between me and her was so close that if I moved my body a little, I could touch her. My heartbeat wildly at this unfamiliar distance.

Her skin was translucent white, her lips were plump, and her eyelashes were long and well-groomed. Everything about her was beautiful, and she was more than pretty enough to catch my eye.
Shiina slept defenselessly, breathing quietly in her sleep. I poked her cheek with my finger.

I had touched her a while ago, but it was a different kind of pleasure to do it to her defenseless body.

“Nnnn…”

She mumbled when I poked around in a good mood. I stopped myself, but she didn’t seem to have woken up yet.
I continued to poke her cheek, but Shiina suddenly grabbed my hand.
I was worried that she had woken up, but she still sounded as sleepy as ever.

“Nn, Senpai…”
“…”

Apparently, I was in her dream. Naturally, I was not certain what it was about, but it was very cute to see her mouth relax happily as she said my name.

“Senpaiiii…”
“What is it?”
“Ehehe, I like you…”
“W-What…”

It was a complete surprise.

The words were stuck in my throat, and I felt my body stiffen and my face heat up.
Unaware of my situation, she was still holding my hand and enjoying the world of her dream.

No, it was just one of her sleep talks. It was not the only thing it could mean.
Besides, it was as if I had been told this kind of thing all the time. What was the use of getting surprised now?

As I tried to calm my heart while making excuses like that, my heartbeat showed no sign of slowing down.
As time passed, I became more and more embarrassed, and I couldn’t look at Shiina’s face.

However, she still wouldn’t let go of my hand.
I felt like running away right now, but I couldn’t move because I can’t wake her up in this situation.

In the meantime, her consciousness began to awaken.
Then, her large eyes slowly opened and met mine.

“Good morning, Shiina.”
“Nn…good morning…”

Shiina rubbed her eyelids sleepily and made a fluffy voice.

“Sorry, did I wake you up? We’re off today anyway, so you can sleep a little longer.”
“No, I’m fine. If Senpai wakes up, I will wake up too.”
“Really?”
“Yes… By the way, Senpai, did you do anything strange while I was sleeping?”
“…I didn’t.”
“Wait a minute, why does that sound like there was something deeper?”

Shiina’s eyes, which had been sleepily half-open, snapped open.

“I-I was only joking…b-but I didn’t think that Senpai would want me that much…”
“W-Wait. I’ll be honest with you, I did, but I definitely didn’t cross any lines, okay?”
“…What did you do?”
“Uh…well, you know, a little poke on the cheek… Sorry.”
“Is that really all?”
“That’s all I really did.”
“…The way you say it, it sounds like I did something to you.”

Shiina, who was awake in her sleep, was very sharp.

“…”
“Why are you quiet, Senpai?”
“I exercise my right to remain silent.”
“What the heck did I do?”

I couldn’t talk about all this. I was at fault for having listened to someone talk in their sleep without permission, even if it was an uncontrollable force to begin with.
If that sleeping talk was something that fell out of her true heart, I should not have picked it up without respecting her consciousness.

“I’m sorry, Shiina. I can’t say it for Shiina’s sake.”
“…I guess I won’t force it if Senpai doesn’t want to say it.”
“Well…thanks, Shiina.”
“No, I’ll have a lot of things for Senpai today to make up for that.”
“Please go easy on me.”

Then we both got out of bed and did our respective morning routines.
It had been several years since I had spent a morning at someone’s house like this.

Feeling nostalgic and a little nervous, I got ready for the morning.
Then, Shiina and I sat down at the dining table for breakfast. Today, we decided to have toast to match my usual breakfast.

“What would you like to drink, Senpai?”
“Hot cocoa, please.”
“Coming right up~”

Standing in the kitchen, she made cocoa with a skillful hand. Meanwhile, I finish my chores, such as taking out the dishes and wiping the table.
After that, the aroma of sweet cocoa and the smell of toast burning wafts through the air.

We both say “Itadakimasu” to each other and bite into a piece of toast that has been toasted to perfection.

“How do you like it? How does my bread taste?”
“It’s delicious. It tastes gentle, like Shiina’s love.”
“Fueh…I-It would have been nice if I had baked it myself…”

Laughing at the immediately flustered Shiina, I drink the cocoa with the toast. The simple toast, the flavor, and the not-too-sweet cocoa are exquisite, and my cheeks relax.
We finished our breakfast, put away the dishes, and immediately start studying.

“Are you alright? Shiina.”
“Eh? What?”
“Aren’t you tired from all the studying you’ve been doing since yesterday?”
“I’m fine. I can do a lot with Senpai next to me. Is Senpai alright with that?”
“Yeah, thanks to Shiina’s endurance.”
“Ehehe, compliments don’t get you anywhere, you know?”
“Can’t you at least be motivated?”
“That’s up to Senpai~”
“What do you mean?”

I asked her back, and suddenly her hand was placed on mine.
We intertwined our fingers tightly and leaned closer together.

“Don’t you understand?”
“Understand what?”
“If Senpai pampered me a lot, it might motivate me.”
“That’s an inconvenient motivational switch.”
“Is it? Isn’t it very convenient that it can be turned on anywhere and anytime for Senpai?”
“Not really.”

On the flip side, it was a product with no availability whatsoever that would never be turned on without me.
I knew this when I was with her and it was not a surprise to me now.
However, when I was made aware that I was necessary for her, I felt a little embarrassed.
…Well, maybe that’s a mutual thing.

“Ahhhh. I’m kind of unmotivated today!”
“Hey, where’s your initial enthusiasm?”
“If Senpai would give me more attention, I’d be more motivated.”
“Shiina, you…”

Somehow, I felt that Shiina’s behavior has become unstoppable lately.
It was a plausible opinion that it was too late for that, but it was also true that the closer I got to her, the more heated the content of her behavior became.

“Don’t you want to spoil your pretty kouhai student?”
“I’d be lying if I said I don’t, but as a tutor, I can’t afford to spoil my students.”
“Then you’re forbidden to be in tutor mode just now. As a senpai, please indulge your kouhai to the fullest.”
“What am I doing here for then…?”

Even though I had spoiled her so much last night, Shiina’s desire knows no bounds.
The night was over, yet yesterday’s heat still hadn’t cooled down inside me.
I really doubt if I can keep my reason any longer.

“Anyways. Let’s start from where we left off yesterday.”
“Boo, Senpai’s petty.”
“I’m sorry I’m such a petty senpai.”
“If you say that, I have a hand in it. For Senpai who is not interested, this is what I have for you!”

With that, Shiina stood up and jumped behind me, and hugged me.
I could feel her body heat and softness directly, and my heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

“Did you know? I’ve heard that hugging reduces the stress of the day considerably. I’ll make Senpai’s years’ worth of stress disappear.”
“No hug from me, but does that really make us both less stressed?”
“Mmm. Not only petty but also using poor reasoning? If you say that, then Senpai should give me a hug too.”

Shiina got off my back once, then turned to face me with her arms outstretched.

“If Shiina would take her studies seriously, I’d be less stressed.”
“Ugh…it’s not fair, Senpai.”
“If you’re serious, I’d be willing to reward you a little, right?”
“Senpai, I have a question about a problem here.”
“…How fast.”

In a way, I don’t agree that this change was a result of a little flirtation with a reward.
There was nothing wrong with being focused, but I also felt that it was a problem if that was the only way to motivate her.

For now, I watched over Shiina as she resumed her studies and flipped through the textbook I had brought for myself.
As I do so for a while, the intercom rings unexpectedly.
I told Shiina that I was going to answer it and headed for the front door.

“I’m coming now~”

When I opened the door, the person standing there was—

An elderly man with a surprised look on his face that resembled someone else I know.