Gentle Forest

Chapter 12

After Aiden grilled the leftover meat from the previous day for dinner, I devoured it eagerly, hastily consuming the meat. By the time we finished cleaning up the table, it was well past nine in the evening. The dark forest outside was silent, and for some reason, even the cicadas chose not to sing tonight.

After tidying up with Aiden, we brushed our teeth together in the bathroom. Whenever I paused and took a deep breath, he patiently waited until I resumed brushing. There was no need for such meticulous observation, as if anticipating an imminent homework inspection. Eventually, our brushing synchronized, and I quickly rinsed my mouth, shaking my head with a slight shiver before exiting the bathroom.

"Now, can't you sleep? Seems like tonight might be a restless one for you."

I asked Aiden, who followed me into the room. Having slept less than three hours, my eyes were likely to be puffy until dawn. He answered with a nod and walked closer to his desk. This was because the stethoscope that had been placed earlier was lying there.

"Are you really doing that?"

"Yeah."

"No need to. Just because it eases Dad's mind."

"But still."

Aiden didn't yield to my excuse at all. There was even a hint of firmness in his face, showing that he hadn't forgotten Dad's request. Sitting comfortably on the bed, I straightened up my upper body, intending to push him away from the space between my legs.

"It's a bother."

I gently pushed his shoulder, but Aiden didn't move, so I burst out laughing at the same
time.

"Are you a rock?"

"Not really."

"Even if you say that, I believe it."

His naturally strong skeletal structure and well-defined muscles made him feel hard everywhere. However, i didn't want to stimulate Aiden, so i didn't think about touching him delicately. He didn't care about my sarcasm, he took out a stethoscope like his dad and put it in his ear. It wasn't difficult, and I just wanted to get it over with quickly, so I lifted up the black t-shirt I was wearing.

"...What are you doing? Pull down the T-shirt."

Then Aiden suddenly looked at me with a straight face and scolded me. If you want to use a stethoscope, it's better to expose your stomach.

He hesitated but reached out to lower the T-shirt, a cautious move as if aware of potential consequences. I observed silently as he created a narrow space between the T-shirt and my abdomen, skillfully sliding in the stethoscope.

"It tickles...."

Simply enduring would have sufficed, yet his hesitant actions made it oddly ticklish. The stethoscope moved ambiguously close to touching the skin, and Aiden's fingertips repeatedly brushed against it. With his hand inside the shirt, it was uncomfortable, and I couldn't help but squirm. It was the same situation as the first day, but perhaps because the awkwardness was less, the touch felt more vivid.

Unable to endure, I wriggled and ended up firmly kicking Aiden's waist with both legs.

"Ugh..."

"Oops, sorry."

Although he probably couldn't feel any pain, Aiden's expression turned noticeably displeased. "Even if it itches, endure it quietly," he said, tightening his jaw. When he reacted like that, I wanted to tease him more, so I kept pulling back and teasing him. Although Aiden's hands were pretty, they were so large that it seemed difficult to hold a small stethoscope.