章節 32: Can we talk?

A comfortable night, or rather, a wonderful one. As the first rays of sunlight hit, another day begins. Feeling the disturbance of the sun's rays, Mateus wakes up. Still a little confused by the sensation of just having woken up, he looks around. As the drowsiness fades away, Mateus finally regains full consciousness.

Looking at the girl in his arms, above all other emotions, Mateus feels a deep love for Mahiru. Seeing her face so peaceful while she sleeps makes him feel freed from the sins of this impure world. There was a certain peace there, something he wouldn't trade for anything.

To Mateus' dismay, he has to go to school and leave the comfort of being next to Mahiru. Struggling against the desire to keep lying there with her, Mateus finally makes up his mind: 'If I don't wake her up, we'll probably lose track of time and end up being late for school.'

Thinking about how to wake her, Mateus chooses the most selfish way. Giving her a strong yet gentle hug, he wakes Mahiru up. Slowly, she opens her eyes, and Mateus watches as her mind gradually clears.

Mahiru's amber eyes, still confused and sleepy, gaze at Mateus, and he can't help but think how cute she is, in a way that transcends any description. But it wasn't just her appearance that captivated him; it was the way she, despite everything, maintained an unshakable sweetness.

When Mahiru is fully awake, she feels embarrassed, but at the same time happy to wake up next to the person she loves. Looking at Mateus, she gathers the courage and returns the hug that had awakened her.

The morning unfolds calmly, with both getting ready for school amidst quiet laughter and knowing glances. They prepare everything they need, and when they're finally ready to leave, they walk out the door and head down the stairs of the building.

On the way to school, there's a certain lightness in the air. The sun illuminating the streets, the gentle morning breeze, and the sound of their footsteps create a silent harmony. Even knowing that in Japan people tend to overreact when they see couples holding hands, Mateus can't resist. He takes Mahiru's hand, and the feeling of their fingers intertwined brings him a sense of security.

Catching Mahiru by surprise, she feels embarrassed, but smiles, happy to share intimate and tender moments with Mateus. The gesture, although simple, meant a lot to both of them.

As they walk, schoolmates who recognize them start whispering.

"Isn't that the angel?"

"Isn't that the foreign student?"

"Are they dating?"

"They make a beautiful couple!"

"I'm jealous."

"I wish I could be in his place."

Mateus hears some of these murmurs and just chuckles quietly. He knew that, at that moment, the outside world was irrelevant. What mattered was the connection he and Mahiru had, something that grew stronger each day.

Arriving at school, the two say their goodbyes and head off in separate directions. Mateus enters his classroom and sees some familiar faces. Among them, the members of the student council stand out: Chika Fujiwara and Miyuki Shirogane. Already friends with Miyuki, their interactions were always easy.

After greeting some classmates, Mateus sits next to the president and casually starts chatting with him. However, in an unexpected moment, Miyuki brings up the topic that's on every student's mind.

"Hey, Mateus. Is it true that you're dating Shiina-san?"

Seeing no reason to hide the relationship, Mateus answers naturally, "Yes."

Miyuki, secretly, is impressed by how secure Mateus is about his relationship. 'I wish I could be like that,' he thinks, lamenting his own inability to simply say "I love you" to the person he cares about. Without any apparent reason, Mateus suddenly hears a voice in his mind:

"Battle result: Miyuki Shirogane's defeat."

Confused, Mateus decides not to question it and just accepts it as something normal. Like Miyuki, he spends the rest of the morning deep in thought about life and the complexities of relationships.

With the sound of the bell, signaling the end of the morning classes, Mateus prepares to leave and meet Mahiru. However, before leaving the classroom, Miyuki calls out to him.

"Mateus, can we talk?"