Chapter 6

December 25th, Friday night.

After the end-of-term ceremony, I returned home...

“Cough, cough! G, gruji~...”

I was lying on the bed alone, coughing.

“Pant... pant... pant...!”

My head felt heavy, and my body felt like it was being burned alive.

Sweat was pouring out, and I couldn't stop sneezing and coughing.

The thermometer beeped.

【38.5°C】

“...It’s a cold.”

There was no doubt it was a cold.

I had been sneezing a lot since the morning.

And yesterday was incredibly cold, and I went to a love hotel to take a bath, then walked back home in the cold night air.

“Sneezing! Ugh... My nose is a mess...”

I reached for the tissues by my pillow.

But they were all gone.

“Not... not good... Where are the replacement tissues... Cough, cough! Ugh...”

My body felt incredibly heavy.

I was shivering from the cold, but my face was burning hot.

“Ha... What is this... Is it hell...”

On Christmas Eve, I got dumped by my girlfriend, and on Christmas, I caught a bad cold...

Did I do something wrong...?

“Can’t... I’m going to die...”

Just then.

Ding-dong...

“Huh? Who could it be...”

Ding-dong, ding-dong...

...I was the only one at home.

My parents were on a business trip abroad.

I slowly got up and left my room.

I walked down the long hallway to the living room.

I picked up the intercom.

“...Yes?”

『Ah, Shin-chan?』

“...Ri, Rika!?”

The screen showed my classmate and gal, Matsumoto Rika.

She was wearing a coat and a fluffy white scarf around her neck.

“...What’s up?”

『You looked really bad when you left school, so I came to check on you.』

“...Really? Thanks for coming all the way here.”

She’s so kind... Rika is so kind.

『From the looks of it, you have a cold, right?』

“Uh? Ah, well... I’m fine. I’m feeling great... sneeze!”

When I sneezed loudly, Rika sighed exasperatedly on the other side of the intercom.

『I knew it. Don’t push yourself.』

“Sorry...”

『Hey, can you open the door?』

“Why...?”

Rika lifted the plastic bag she was holding.

『Let me take care of you.』

★

Rika came up to my room on the 25th floor.

When I opened the door, Rika greeted me.

“Hey, Shin-chan. It’s so far up here.”

“Cough, cough... Sorry...”

I was wearing a mask to avoid spreading germs.

She was also wearing a mask.

“It’s fine, don’t apologize. You should get into bed quickly.”

We walked down the unnecessarily long hallway to the bedroom.

I lay down on the king-sized bed I had been using earlier.

“...This place hasn’t changed. Still as luxurious as ever.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Nothing, never mind. Just get to bed!”

Rika pushed me into bed.

“Um... Are you really going to take care of me?”

“Of course. I came to take care of you, Shin-chan.”

“But... why?”

“Why what?”

“Because... we’re just in a fake relationship, right? It’s winter break, and we’re not at school, so you don’t have to act like my girlfriend.”

Rika sighed.

“Don’t get the wrong idea.”

“...So it’s not for me?”

“It’s not that.”

Rika smiled and wiped the sweat from my forehead with a handkerchief.

“Even if we’re not dating, I’m not the kind of person who would leave someone with a cold suffering alone. Don’t get the wrong idea about that.”

Her kind words and gentle gaze made me want to cry... u, uuuu, uuuuuu!

“Hey, why are you crying?”

“Sob...”

After the terrible experience I had yesterday, Rika’s kindness felt even more touching.

What a wonderful person she is!

Even without the fake relationship, she’s willing to help someone in need...

“Such a good person...”

“Hey, stop it.”

“To be so kind to a shut-in, otaku, and a shrimp like me...”

“Hey... don’t put yourself down like that. Don’t call yourself a shrimp.”

“But... my classmates probably think of me that way.”

“Ignore them. Don’t worry about the clueless classmates. Or... do you not believe your girlfriend?”

Rika tilted her head cutely.

What a cute, kind, and wonderful person...

To be so kind to someone like me...

If she were my real girlfriend, it would be so wonderful.

“...Thank you. I’ll try to believe you.”

“Mm. You should.”

She smiled and patted my head.

“I’ll go make some rice porridge, so I’ll use the kitchen.”

“Okay, thank you...”

I felt a bit guilty, but I decided to accept her kindness for now. I’ll properly thank her when I get better.

As Rika left the room, I thought to myself.

“Gal who’s kind to otakus... they really exist.”

I thought they were just a figment of my imagination.

I’m so grateful to Rika... but wait?

“What’s this... I have a strange feeling...”

I feel like I forgot to ask Rika something important.

I can’t figure it out... maybe it’s because I’m feverish.

“Well, whatever... I’ll just be honest and accept her kindness.”

★

“Your rice porridge is ready!”

Soon, Rika appeared with a tray.

“Uh!? A, an apron? A JK apron! Cough, cough, cough!”

Rika came in wearing a yellow apron.

She looks like a young housewife! A cute gal JK who can cook... is that even possible in real life?

“Don’t get excited, you have a cold. Lie down.”

“Okay...”

Rika sat next to me and placed the tray on the bedside table.

When she opened the pot, there was a delicious-looking egg porridge inside.

“Wow! It smells so good... What did you do?”

“Obviously, I made it. I borrowed a pot.”

Hmm? Hmm? Yeah... something’s off.

“The pot... Rika, how did you know where the kitchen was?”

“Huh?”

I realized what was bothering me.

You said you were going to use the kitchen, right?

I understand that you went to the kitchen to cook, but the problem is that you didn’t ask me where the kitchen was.

You didn’t ask me at all, and you even knew where the pot was, which I didn’t even know.

“That’s...”

“That’s?”

“Well, I didn’t think I needed to wake you up just to ask where the kitchen is. You were sleeping.”

...Yeah, that makes sense.

The kitchen is probably easy to find, and the pot is likely in a limited number of places.

Yeah, you were considerate enough not to wake me up because I was sick.

“Thank you, you’re so kind.”

Rika sighed deeply for some reason.

“...Why do you know? Because I’ve been here before, when we were kids.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Nothing! Here’s your food, Shin-chan!”

She sounds like a five-year-old causing a storm in the Nohara family.

Rika scooped up some porridge with a spoon and blew on it before offering it to me.

“Here, open up.”

“Eh, eh!? You’re going to feed me! Cough, cough!”

I don’t think I should be this much trouble...

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I just don’t want to waste the porridge I made by spilling it or letting it get cold. Eat it properly.”

Ugh, so kind...

Yeah, you worked hard to make it, so I should eat it properly.

“Here, open up.”

“Open up...”

Rika’s face turned red as she offered the spoon to me. I took a bite and chewed.

It’s a bit salty, but with my nose blocked, this is just right. The egg helps to mellow out the saltiness...

“How is it?”

“It’s good!”

It really was delicious, no exaggeration.

“Great!”

Rika clenched her fist.

“I’m glad my hard work paid off!”

“Hey, what kind of training did you do?”

“Flower... Nothing! Here, open up!”

“Mmm!”

She shoved the spoon in.

She’s a bit forceful, but I don’t mind.

I let Rika feed me the porridge. After that, I asked her to go to the drugstore to get some cold medicine.

She left the house and came back.

She gave me the medicine.

“Sorry for making you run errands.”

“It’s fine. I also bought some tissues and sports drinks.”

“I just needed the medicine...”

“Was it too much?”

Rika asked, looking worried.

I smiled and shook my head.

“No, thank you. It really helped.”

Rika’s cheeks turned red, and she turned away.

“S, so... I’m glad... Just get some rest.”

She put a cold pack on my forehead and patted it gently, speaking in a kind tone.

“I’ll stay here with you while you sleep.”

I closed my eyes and sighed in relief.

I felt so at ease.

I had a terrible experience on Christmas Eve and felt like I was going to die, but...

Because of that, I got to know Rika, a kind gal.

It’s not a silver lining, but... well, it’s okay.

Yeah... really, thank you, Rika.

...Before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep.