Prologue
After returning home alone from the Himeragi residence.
Charl and I had finished dinner and bathing, and were sitting snugly together on the sofa.
Emma-chan had been whisked off to a hotel by Sophia-san, so she wasn’t here.
Honestly, it was pretty embarrassing that Kanon-san and Sophia-san caught me French kissing, but I was lucky they let it slide so easily.
Thanks to that, I escaped any teasing.
“Well then, shall we head to bed…?”
Charl’s cheeks were faintly flushed, her eyes shimmering with a hint of heat as she gazed at me.
It felt like—she was expecting something.
“Yeah, let’s go to bed.”
Still holding hands, I gave Charl a smile.
The bedding was already laid out, so we headed to the bedroom—.
“We’re not married… but since we’re engaged now, does that make this our wedding night…?”
Charl dropped an absolute bombshell.
No, that phrasing is just…!
I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart, and steeled myself.
I couldn’t let myself get swept away like usual.
Christmas was coming soon, and it was Charl’s birthday.
I wanted to make it a memory to last a lifetime, and do it properly then.
“Since we’re not married, it’s not quite a wedding night…”
I somehow forced the words out of my parched throat.
And then—.
“…”
Charl’s expression visibly fell, clearly disappointed.
But that wasn’t all—she gripped my hand tightly, rubbing it gently, making silent pleas. It was heartbreakingly cute, but—I resolved to hold firm and wait until Christmas Eve.
