"Thirty-eight and a half degrees. When did you take the fever-reducing medicine?"
The girl tried to recall it, but then shook her head.
Haizaki knew that Utaha had probably already lost track of time.
"In that case, check your temperature again in four hours. If you're still running a fever, take another pill."
Taking too much antipyretic medication could damage the kidneys.
"Now, I need to check your respiratory tract and lungs, so…"
Haizaki shook the stethoscope in his hand.
The girl lying on the bed didn't respond, probably out of embarrassment.
Haizaki really wanted to say, I've lost count of how many times I've seen your body, but considering that saying something like that would almost certainly upset her, he chose to remain silent.
"If you don't want this, that's fine too. Then we'll draw blood and run tests. If there's inflammation, you'll need anti-inflammatory medication or an IV infusion."
The hospital equipment should still be usable.
If blood tests were truly necessary, Haizaki would have no choice but to learn how to operate the machines himself. Still, he estimated that without spending several days studying them, he wouldn't be able to use the equipment properly.
Right now, he was simply trying to scare Utaha a little.
The moment she heard about drawing blood, Utaha showed a trace of reluctance and shifted her body to lie on her side. Haizaki reached out to help her.
Separated only by a thin layer of pajamas, he could feel that delicate softness.
Thirty seconds later—
"Alright. I'll step out for a moment… I'll be right back."
Without waiting for Utaha to respond, Haizaki stood up and left her room.
The girl on the bed stared blankly at the doorway where Haizaki had disappeared, her thoughts struggling to keep up.
Down in the first-floor kitchen, Haizaki quickly washed the rice, put it into the rice cooker, added water, closed the lid, and pressed the "porridge" button.
Then he took a brand-new towel from the storage room, filled a basin with cool water, and returned to the girl's room once more.
"Do you have any appetite? I brought some sausage and milk."
It would take another hour before the porridge was ready. If Utaha had to wait that long, she might starve.
"…Mm."
Haizaki placed a cushion at the head of the bed and helped the girl sit up against it.
The blanket that had slipped down her body was pulled back up by Haizaki, covering her slender figure.
He inserted a straw into diluted milk.
Utaha raised her right hand, but because of the fever, her arm felt too heavy to lift. Haizaki didn't say anything. Holding the milk, he guided the straw to her reddened lips.
She took a few sips. The smooth milk slid down her throat, easing the hunger in her body.
"Eat slowly. Don't choke."
Haizaki handed her a peeled sausage.
Utaha didn't hold back. She took a bite and chewed slowly.
The man beside her wore a gentle expression. Utaha felt that being taken care of like this was quite nice. But still… yesterday's events lingered in her heart like a dark cloud.
"I'll get you two more…"
"No need. This is enough…"
"If you feel unwell in the future, tell me earlier. Don't try to endure it alone."
Utaha didn't respond. Leaning back, she lowered her head as if thinking about something, but she gave no clear answer.
Seeing this, Haizaki could only sigh inwardly.
When he first entered the room and saw that scene, he had thought she had taken medicine to commit suicide. At that moment, despair had risen in his heart.
Fortunately, it had all been a misunderstanding.
Still, this incident sounded a warning bell for Haizaki.
"Lie down and rest for a while."
Haizaki helped the girl lie back down on the bed. Utaha followed his lead and lay down. Her calm appearance at this moment made Haizaki uneasy.
"This will feel better…" Haizaki wrung out the towel and placed it on the girl's forehead.
Feeling the coolness spreading across her forehead, Utaha couldn't help but show a faint expression of comfort and let out a soft hum.
Her mind was hazy, but a woman's natural sense of modesty made her feel embarrassed.
Thankfully, Haizaki didn't say anything.
Otherwise, she truly would have been so ashamed she wouldn't dare face anyone again.
Making that kind of sound in front of a man.
"I'll step out for a bit. Rest well."
When the door closed, Utaha stared blankly at the darkened ceiling.
Because she was sick, Haizaki was taking care of her, showing nothing but gentleness.
If he had already given her such a cold, decisive rejection, why did he still have to treat her with such heartwarming tenderness?
Why not just leave her alone?
Didn't he think this was all just a dream?
Even if the dream-version of her died, it wouldn't affect the real her, right?
Then why be so gentle?
Her muddled thoughts drifted aimlessly, until her eyelids grew heavy and slowly closed.
Downstairs, Haizaki busied himself in the kitchen.
Boiling water, plucking the hen, cleaning the organs.
By the time everything was done, more than an hour had passed.
He chopped the chicken into pieces and put them into the stew pot, then added the supporting ingredients—ginger, peppercorns, garlic, dried bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms.
After simmering for two to three hours, the chicken soup would be ready.
Tonight, he would treat Utaha to chicken and soup. Drinking a little should be fine.
The porridge in the rice cooker was already done.
But since the girl had eaten and fallen asleep, Haizaki could only keep it warm for now.
At seven o'clock, Haizaki knocked on Utaha's door.
There was no response.
Assuming she was still asleep, Haizaki gently opened the door.
The girl lay quietly on the bed. Her snow-white skin looked especially radiant in the dim light, and the towel on her forehead had slipped to the side of the bed at some point.
"The fever's gone down a bit."
Touching her forehead, Haizaki found it no longer as hot.
That made him abandon the plan to continue physical cooling with the towel.
"But your sleeping habits aren't very good."
The blanket was in disarray, covering only a small portion of her body.
That made it easy to catch a chill.
Haizaki pulled the blanket over Utaha.
"Dad… Mom…"
The girl murmured softly.
Haizaki noticed the glistening tears at the corner of Utaha's eyes.
She was thinking of home.
He sighed inwardly. By April 4th next year, she would finally be free. She could go back and see her parents and everyone else she missed.
"Eat…"
"Watch…"
Leaning closer, Haizaki finally heard what the girl was saying clearly.
He shook his head.
Since she still had things she wanted to do, wouldn't it be better to tell him directly?
Why keep everything bottled up inside without saying a word?
Waiting for him to ask?
Haizaki suspected that even if he did ask, Utaha still wouldn't say anything.
A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.
Being a man really is difficult.
At that moment, Haizaki realized he couldn't leave.
Utaha had turned over and wrapped both arms tightly around his arm, holding him fast, completely unwilling to let him go.
Let her sleep a little longer, then.
Right now, this seemed to be all he could do.
…