--
The phone rang again, persistently.
He pressed the answer button.
"… are you overly excited about being in a new place? I'm sorry, I'm currently in a weakened state…"
His joke sounded more serious than usual, his voice a little hoarse—impossible to hide.
"Where are you now?"
A calm voice—direct and crisp—spoke, as if from a different person entirely.
Is this really Yanami? Am I hallucinating from a fever…
"An internet cafe," he answered subconsciously.
"At a time like this… be serious, you idiot!"
"I really am at an internet cafe!" Kiyono was speechless.
"Which internet cafe?" she asked calmly.
"Didn't you go back to your hometown? Why are you asking that…" Kiyono's aching head was a bit slow to process.
— I'm a little worried.
On the second day after returning to her rural hometown, after confirming that her grandmother was truly fine, Yanami's focus of worry slowly shifted.
Kiyono…
She inadvertently called out his name.
Is he taking his medicine properly? Is he staying up late? Will he, like an idiot, push himself to work even though he has a cold?
She wanted to call him and ask, "Are you okay?"…
She really wanted to know how he was.
Such thoughts constantly revolved in her mind, to the point that at 7:30 a.m., Yanami had already opened her eyes, and the first thing she did upon waking was to take out her phone and send Kiyono a text message—normally, he should have been awake by then.
The girl held her phone, walking back and forth barefoot on the solid wood floor of the hallway— I, I'm just worried about that guy's physical well-being! It's definitely not that kind of romantic anticipation!
But there was no reply.
At first, she thought Kiyono was sleeping in, casually sending him a text whenever she had a moment, but as no message came back, anxiety gradually welled up inside her. If Kiyono were in his normal state, he would absolutely not fail to reply to a message…
By noon, she sent a message to the Big Sister at the restaurant, asking about Kiyono's situation, and the result was that he hadn't come.
Yanami finally couldn't sit still.
She could completely imagine Kiyono's current situation: living alone, sick, unable to take care of himself, unable to even pick up his phone—otherwise he would absolutely not miss work.
This was all because of her…
Don't die!
Worry and helplessness filled the girl's pretty face. After a long hesitation, she gritted her teeth and bravely approached her mother—
"Mom, I'm sorry, I have an urgent matter and need to go back!"
Yanami occasionally fantasized about Kiyono's home. His financial situation wasn't great, so he might live in a rather dilapidated apartment building, perhaps not ideal in terms of transportation, leisure, or shopping, but at least it would be a single apartment with one bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom. Perhaps he even had a sick sister awaiting treatment at home.
However, the scene before her eyes overturned her imagination—Kiyono actually lived in an internet cafe?
The environment during the day looked quite normal, but it gave off a very depressing feeling, as if there was no hope to be seen.
"Kiyono has his own difficulties too,"
the Big Sister from the consulate sighed beside her, having already guessed the truth—the consulate Big Sister was specifically called by Yanami because she had a car, which would be convenient for taking Kiyono home.
That wasn't the important point now.
Yanami softly exhaled the jumble in her mind, took a step, and pushed open the door to Kiyono's room.
The two stared at each other.
At this moment, Kiyono had just groggily finished drinking water. He looked at the slender, blue-haired girl with sharply raised eyebrows in front of him, blinked hard, and then lay down peacefully:
"Yanami, who just returned to her hometown, actively sought me out. Why would I have such a dream…"
"That's right, Kiyono, you're in a dream. You must remember, Yanami Apricot Vegetable will always be your master. You must obey her every word and not be indecisive…"
Yanami squatted down, coaxing him as if hypnotizing him.
"Don't just add settings arbitrarily!"
"I'm not a phantom, you know."
Yanami lowered her eyelids, her blue hair falling with them. She extended a finger and gently poked Kiyono's face, then placed her palm on his forehead.
So hot.
"Did you take his temperature?"
"It's a little over thirty-eight degrees, not a big problem."
Kiyono's head was a bit sluggish, but he still subconsciously said, "This isn't because of you…"
"So Kiyono means to blame me, then."
The slightly teasing voice made Kiyono freeze again. He looked up, and upon seeing the familiar figure, he involuntarily covered his face with one hand:
"It's my own fault for not bringing a raincoat… By the way, why is Sister Shiho here too? This really must be a dream."
"Alright, hurry up and get up, we're leaving." Yanami stood up, looking down at Kiyono. Because of the angle, his first impression was that this girl's nutrition seemed even better than he had imagined…
"Wait, where are we going?" He didn't quite understand her thought process.
"To my house," Yanami said as a matter of course.
"What are we doing at your house?"
Kiyono vaguely sensed something bad.
"Mr. Kiyono, I'm telling you—you're not going to just lie around in an internet cafe in this state, are you? Going to my house is, of course, for you to rest! And I can take care of you. There's not even room to step here."
Yanami kicked off one of her shoes and gently nudged his arm with her foot, clad in a white sock.
"Believe in humanity, believe in the strong self-healing ability of teenagers!" Kiyono resisted to the death, wishing he hadn't told her the address!
"Hey, Kiyono, do you know something?"
Yanami flashed a dangerous smile. "A roasted little octopus has no power to resist, you know."
"W-wait, I'll just go somewhere else! A hotel will do, right? A boy can take care of himself!"
Yanami's key turned three times in the lock before it found its place. Kiyono leaned against the doorframe, his body slightly warm. After opening the door, she proactively bent down to untie the boy's shoelaces, inadvertently recalling the last time Kiyono helped her tie her shoelaces.
She shook her head, casting away extraneous thoughts, and half-supported Kiyono into the living room, her footsteps creaking on the solid wood floor.
The empty house was very quiet, with only the ticking of the clock in the living room and Kiyono's breathing. Even Yetaro had been temporarily sent to the pet store. But Yanami didn't pay attention to this subtle atmosphere. She had Kiyono sit on the sofa for now, instructing him:
"I'll go tidy up a room for you. Please wait a moment."
"…No need. Just find a blanket, and I'll sleep in the living room." Kiyono helplessly grabbed her wrist. The two looked at each other, and finally, Yanami nodded in compromise.
Watching Yanami walk toward the closet, a strange feeling welled up in Kiyono's heart. The girl's parents had gone back to their hometown, so was this cohabitation…? Although it was temporary and forced.
Soon, Yanami returned with a stack of bedding. She placed the quilt next to the sofa, knelt down, and spread it out, fine sweat beading on her fair, pretty face. Then she turned to him, patting the bed beside her with a bright smile.
"Kiyono, come lie down quickly!"
That action is too easily misunderstood!
Kiyono muttered softly and silently lay down in the bedding. At this moment, he suddenly sniffed, and a scent of orchid from laundry detergent, combined with the girl's unique citrus fragrance, enveloped him.
"Miss Yanami, is this your quilt? Usually, one would use one's father's here, right!"
The blue-haired girl coughed lightly, her tender fingers playing with a strand of hair, and said nonchalantly, "W-what can I do? It's been raining these past few days, and Dad's spare bedding hasn't dried yet, so I can only use mine temporarily! Don't worry, I haven't used this quilt in a long time!"
"Remember to wash it thoroughly later. It feels like it's been stored for a while and has developed a smell," Kiyono said indifferently.
"How could that be! It must be your own body odor! I'll definitely wash your stink away completely then!"
Yanami pouted in dissatisfaction. This was clearly something she had only recently…
She hummed, stood up, and looked at Kiyono, her voice gradually softening:
"Kiyono hasn't had lunch yet, right? What do you want to eat? Today, Big Sister Yanami will personally cook for you!"
"Big Sister, please give me money."
"Sorry, Little Brother-kun, Big Sister's money has all gone to buying snacks."
She doesn't seem to be acting!
Kiyono closed his eyes and said airily, "Anything is fine."
"Then I'll make steamed egg custard and porridge!"
Yanami confidently held the hair tie from her wrist in her mouth, skillfully gathered her blue hair into a ponytail, then took out an apron and put it on.
The apron was a fresh, simple blue stripe, with a hem that floated like a skirt.
…Perhaps it was male intuition; he inadvertently opened his eyes.
Yanami opened the refrigerator, took out ingredients, then started boiling water, steaming rice, cracking eggs into a clean bowl, and adding seasonings quite casually—that was experience honed over time.
Thump-thump, gurgle-gurgle: her ears filled with the melody of pre-meal preparations. Kiyono turned his body; this angle allowed him to see the semi-open kitchen area in the living room.
Through his somewhat hazy vision, the girl was diligently cooking. From his perspective, he could clearly see her back and some of her profile.
With the apron and ponytail, she looked both cute and warm, exuding a homely aura. Her swaying skirt hem was like an iris flower.
Actually, he would occasionally see Yanami at the stove in the restaurant, but why did it feel different now?
Kiyono closed his eyes, afraid that if he kept looking, he would unconsciously surrender his body and mind. So-called men are such simple creatures!
Honestly, Yanami, this girl, was clearly beautiful, with a great figure and personality, yet she usually lacked a certain opposite-sex charm, making people subconsciously overlook the fact that she was a beautiful girl. But precisely because of this, at certain special moments, she would instead exhibit an astonishing charm.
"Is this the power of a sick-person scenario…?"
Listening to the rhythmic sounds from the kitchen, Kiyono closed his eyes peacefully.
"Kiyono, just a moment longer, it'll be ready soon!"
Yanami turned her head—her voice abruptly stopping.
Kiyono's breathing was even, as if he had already fallen asleep?
She thought for a moment. Since she had just started cooking anyway, she temporarily turned off the stove, took off her apron, and squatted beside Kiyono.
Normally, at the restaurant, he always seemed serious and reliable. When they were alone, he would become more like a boy, bantering with her and even disliking her…
And now, she discovered a different side of Kiyono.
A slightly vulnerable him—the real him.
She reached out, gently lifting his bangs with movements light enough not to wake Kiyono, so he could be more comfortable.
Actually, she knew that Kiyono wouldn't become vulnerable because of a low fever, nor would he rely on others because he was sick. If it were Kiyono, he would definitely choose to overcome difficulties alone and face others with a normal smile the next day. But she still couldn't suppress the urge to care for him and be with him.
"Kiyono is truly amazing…"
She meticulously examined the boy's face, and previous scenes flashed through her mind. Even in that environment, he remained active and passionate, steadily moving toward his goals step by step, achieving success…
She could imagine the pressure and torment Kiyono had faced before.
…If only she had discovered it sooner.
But she should be the first to know, right? Although she also exposed it to the Big Sister…
As her thoughts churned, Yanami also thought of herself, sighing inwardly. She couldn't do any of that.
Normally, Kiyono should be the one feeling sensitive and suspicious in this interpersonal relationship, but now it seemed to be the other way around. Because Yanami was actually a person without much self-confidence; apart from her outstanding looks, she had nothing else that could be called a "virtue."