Chapter 3

That day was extremely cold from morning, and the news and Twitter trends on my smartphone were filled with the words "the coldest cold wave of the year is coming."

During break time, everyone was talking about wanting to eat hot pot or take a hot bath to warm up, and by mid-afternoon, it started raining with sleet.

Even though the classroom was heated, cold air seeped in from the hallways and windows.

I really wanted to warm up with a hot pot and a bath.

Unfortunately, my parents were on a business trip abroad, so I was living alone and couldn't make homemade hot pot, no matter how cold it was.

There was a clay pot among the cooking utensils my mother left behind, but I can't cook.

Moreover, I usually just take a shower, so the bathtub wasn't ready to be filled with hot water.

Without a hot pot or a bath, it's tough to endure this cold...

While thinking about this, I shivered with a chill.

My shoulders were especially cold.

I thought it was just because my body was chilled, but gradually, my joints started to ache.

Oh no, really...

Feeling the onset of a cold, I hunched my back.

Since I started living alone when I entered high school, I've been eating convenience store food for all three meals.

Maybe that's why I've been catching colds more easily in recent years.

That's why I knew this was serious.

There were two more hours of class left.

At this point, it wasn't bad enough to leave early, but when I pushed myself a bit, it seemed to have been a bad idea.

By the time of the cleaning after the sixth period, my fever had risen so much that I was sweating.

If I had reported my condition to the teacher at this stage, I might not have ended up marrying Hanako Hanae.

Thinking about it, life is scary.

I wonder if the 'trigger' that happened between me and Hanako Hanae was a coincidence or fate.

Of course, there's no way to know.

But I was there, and unlike my usual self, I ended up taking a heroic action, "saving the school's top beauty from a crisis."

I would never do something like that normally.

Looking back, I must have been delirious from the fever.

--- Here's what happened in detail.

This week, the boys in my group, including Sawa, were in charge of cleaning the entrance, and they were having fun with the slippery tiles in front of the shoe lockers, which were wet from the sleet, playing "hockey" with brooms as sticks.

I wasn't feeling well, so I couldn't join in.

Just moving a little made my breathing heavy, and I felt lethargic and hot.

To top it off, I was unusually dazed.

I sighed and half-heartedly swept, hoping the cleaning time would end soon.

Just then, Hanako Hanae appeared, carrying a trash can from the classroom.

Sawa and the others probably noticed her.

For a moment, the entrance fell silent.

But in the end, no one spoke to her.

Even as Hanako Hanae walked by with the trash can in both hands and an umbrella tucked under her neck, no one even offered to help.

Instead, they resumed their hockey game more enthusiastically, though their minds were clearly elsewhere, following her movements with their eyes.

Maybe she'll glance over here.

Such a silly hope was palpable, and I felt restless.

Why are guys so childish...

I didn't join Sawa and the others not only because I wasn't feeling well but also because I was intimidated.

With low self-esteem, I feared that if I made eye contact with Hanako Hanae, she would think, "Oh, that creepy guy is being silly."

No, Hanako Hanae isn't like that.

She's not that mean.

But it was just my imagination.

Still, I thought she might think, "Guys are so hopeless"...

Yeah, this paranoia is really disgusting...

Right after I secretly sighed, as if to show that nothing good comes from otaku guys being rowdy, Sawa's prank caused trouble.

Sawa threw a rag, and Maeno tried to hit it back.

The broom handle hit Hanako Hanae's umbrella, which she was about to open—

"Kyaa..."

With a thin cry, Hanako Hanae lost her balance.

Right in front of me.

Her red, poppy-patterned umbrella flew through the air.

The trash can fell with a clatter.

The sleet-soaked tiles were as slippery as an ice rink.

Hanako Hanae, pale with shock, fell.

Strangely, I saw the whole sequence in slow motion.

Thanks to that, my body moved instinctively.

I don't have good dynamic vision, and this was a one-time experience.

I grabbed Hanako Hanae's hand and pulled her toward me.

If she had been saved, it would have been a heroic moment.

Unfortunately, I slipped and fell on my butt.

The rainwater soaked through my uniform and into my pants.

Sleet and rain poured down on me.

Unbelievable. So embarrassing...

The only good thing was that I let go of her hand just before we fell, so she wasn't pulled down with me.

Hanako Hanae seemed confused and stared at me blankly.

Her hair and uniform were gradually getting wet.

Behind her, Sawa and the others stood there, unsure of what to do.

Why do they look like part of the background?

I looked back at Hanako Hanae.

She finally seemed to understand the situation, looking at the fallen trash can, the dropped umbrella, and me sitting on the floor, frowning.

Awkward...

I can imagine how pathetic I must look.

"Hanako-san, you'll get wet. Pick up the umbrella."

As I tried to stand up, I felt a dizzy sensation and stumbled.

"Shinoyama-kun...!? Are you hurt...!?"

"No, no... I just have a cold and don't feel well... But don't worry. I just stumbled for a moment..."

I tried to force a smile, but I didn't feel like I could stand up right away.

My weak body, already weakened by the cold, had pushed too hard for a moment.

I wanted to call Sawa over, but my head was still spinning, and I couldn't raise my voice.

At that moment, I saw Hanako Hanae move quickly in the corner of my narrowed vision.

"Ah...! Here, hold on..."

She supported my stumbling body.

I was so surprised by her action that I just went along with it.

"I'm sorry... It's my fault..."

"No, no... It's not your fault, Hanako-san..."

"But you got soaked because of me... I'm really sorry..."

"Ah..."

What's with the "Ah"?

I should have said something more.

"Really... don't worry..."

"What should we do...? The infirmary... No, we should go to the hospital? Should I call an ambulance? Ah, I'll get the teacher first..."

"It's not that serious..."

"But you shouldn't overexert yourself... What should we do, what should we do..."

At that moment, Sawa seemed to come to his senses and ran off, saying, "I'll get the teacher."

The other boys still stood there, flustered.

Hanako Hanae supported me and led me to a place where the rain wouldn't hit, staying by my side the whole time.

"Should you sit down? Or lie down? Ah! Should I give you a knee pillow...!?"

"...Oh, calm down, Hanako-san..."

Why did a knee pillow come up...?

Even though I was offered such a delightful suggestion by a beautiful girl, it felt so unreal that I couldn't be happy.

By the way, I didn't know Hanako Hanae could get this flustered.

I always thought she was calm because she often smiled modestly, but her current level of fluster is quite high.

"I could carry you princess-style to the teacher... Should I try...?"

"No, no trying that..."

There's no way the delicate Hanako Hanae could carry me princess-style, and even if she could, it would be inappropriate.

"Shinoyama-kun, what do you want me to do? Tell me anything?"

Hanako Hanae, still supporting me, looked at me with concern.

She was so close that I didn't know if I should breathe.

I was worried she might think I was a pervert.

But if I held my breath, I couldn't speak...

So, I tried to breathe as quietly as possible.

It felt perverted, and I felt depressed.

Hanako Hanae, who probably didn't notice my silly internal struggle, continued to look at me with a flustered expression.

In the corner of my feverish, dazed mind, I thought:

Hanako Hanae looks incredibly cute when she's worried.

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