Need_More_Sleep
Stories
21
Chapters
1,613
Words
2.1 M
Comments
3
Reading
7 d, 10 h
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As I waited for her to finish changing, I exhaled a puff of menthol-flavored smoke under the exhaust fan. This week, I had to go to the office for the first time in a while, but I made it to the weekend without any work troubles. ...No, it’s more accurate to say I didn’t let any trouble happen. This time, I really wanted to keep my promise. Things outside of work were mostly peaceful too. Although she continued to speak little, her expressions became less stiff, and she showed me her smile more…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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The light seeping through the thin curtains woke me up before the alarm clock rang. Today's weather seemed as nice as yesterday's. Even though I had no plans to go to work, I decided to step outside for a bit, perhaps to buy some cigarettes. That way— "Mmm..." —maybe I could ease my guilt a little. As I sat up, she rolled over beside me and slowly opened her eyes. "...Good morning." "...Good morning. Did you sleep well?" "Yes... thanks to you..." Despite her words, faint dark circles were…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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Reluctantly, I took the smartphone off hold. "This is Kawakami." "Ah, it's been a while." A voice with a somewhat frivolous tone came through the speaker. It was slightly more hoarse than I remembered, but there was no mistaking that it was that man, Seiichi Yoshikawa. "Have you been well since graduating?" "Yes, well enough. So, what do you need?" "Haha, don't be so cold. First, I wanted to thank you for taking care of my daughter." "I see." "Yes. I'm grateful you're looking after my precious…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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Under the exhaust fan, I exhaled a puff of menthol smoke. I felt unusually tired today. There shouldn't have been any issues with my work or otherwise, aside from the call from that man. Tsubaki and I ate lunch in silence, then returned to our respective work and study in the afternoon. Dinner was also eaten in silence. It was a completely normal day. …Tsubaki being silent and expressionless all day was not a problem. We don't have to force conversations or fake smiles. Yet, a vague sense of…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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Looking around the darkened living room, I exhaled smoke towards the exhaust fan. Tsubaki, curled up on the sofa, was breathing softly in her sleep. As I drew another mouthful of menthol-flavored smoke, I recalled tonight's dinner. Using store-bought pasta sauce, the taste was neither good nor bad, but being able to eat something I wanted made it more satisfying than usual. Come to think of it, until today, Tsubaki had never asked for my input on the menu... Perhaps, after today’s events, she had…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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Before I knew it, I found myself standing in a darkened classroom. Outside the window, a storm raged as if the world were ending. In front of me stood her, covering her face with her hands. "…This can't be happening, right?" "…" "Why?" "…" "How come?" "…" She didn't answer any of my questions. She just trembled, her faint sobs barely audible. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the classroom. She had removed her hands from her face at some point. Yet, I still couldn't see her…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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As we left the store and looked up at the sky, it had cleared up more than when we had left the house. It might finally be turning into proper summer weather. The recent string of damp days had been quite dreary, so this was a relief. Still— "......" —Tsubaki's expression as she walked, holding the torn paper bag, kept my mood from lifting. "......I'm sorry about earlier." "......No, it wasn't your fault, Kawakami-san." "Is that so..." Even if it wasn't my fault, it was true that I…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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After lunch, Tsubaki changed from her uniform into the same faded hoodie and jeans she wore yesterday. Then, the two of us headed to the station building where we had watched the movie the day before. Today, there was a bit more sunlight, and I could see patches of light blue sky through the breaks in the clouds. "It's cool today, too," Tsubaki murmured without looking at me. "Yeah. Well, I prefer this to it being too hot. It's more comfortable." "...Yes, it's easier to spend time outside when it's…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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We entered a café near the station building, placed our order, and I headed straight to the smoking room. Through the glass, I could see Tsubaki drinking tea. She was as expressionless as ever. ...Well, she's alone, so it's natural to be expressionless. There's nothing disappointing about that. Still, I want her to smile as much as possible. Even though she refused, maybe ordering a cake might soften her expression a bit? ...What am I thinking? With a deep sigh, I exhaled the menthol-scented…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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After having a light meal at the café, I had another smoke and then returned home. After that, everything was as usual. While I lounged on the sofa, Tsubaki quietly continued studying beside me. When dinner time came, Tsubaki prepared the meal, and we ate together, engaging in a bit of conversation. The night grew late, and it was now 10:00 PM. This was the time Tsubaki always went to bed. "Well, I'm heading back to my room. Sleep whenever you like." "Yes, thank you." Tsubaki bowed deeply, then…
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20.0 K • Ongoing
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