“Let's go, Miss Mizuhara Chizuru.” Kazuya picked up his luggage and walked slowly ahead.
“Mm.” Mizuhara Chizuru didn't have the energy to chat at the moment.
Halfway up the stairs, she started to sway a bit.
Kazuya couldn't just leave her like that, so he took her left hand to support her.
“You?”
“Be careful, I'll just help you get home like this.”
Kazuya felt there was nothing wrong with this level of contact with a beautiful girl.
Mizuhara Chizuru was aware that her condition wasn't great, and she quietly replied, “Thank you!”
...
He helped Mizuhara Chizuru to the door.
“Miss Mizuhara, where's your key?”
Mizuhara Chizuru felt as if all her strength had drained away.
Reluctantly, she had to ask Kazuya for help.
“It's in my bag, could you please open the door?”
Seeing that Mizuhara Chizuru looked like she would collapse if he let go, Kazuya continued to assist her with a sense of duty.
Kazuya tossed his small bag on the ground, then awkwardly used his free left hand to grab the bag on Mizuhara Chizuru's other side.
Kazuya leaned slightly to the side and took Mizuhara Chizuru's bag.
But he was now facing Mizuhara Chizuru directly.
Her dark eyes, hidden behind black-rimmed glasses, looked hazy due to her illness.
Like a gem submerged in water, the light within was dim and scattered, and the blush on her face made her appear delicately fragile, stirring Kazuya's desire to take care of her.
……
Snapping back to reality, he opened the door.
Kazuya and Mizuhara Chizuru entered her home together.
Her room was laid out similarly to Kazuya's, both being a single room with a bathroom, typical budget rentals.
The room was very clean, without the rumored mess of panties and bras often found in girls' dorms; aside from a bit of dust from the room being empty for two days, there was nothing dirty.
Mizuhara Chizuru released Kazuya's support and walked straight to the bed.
She collapsed onto the bed.
……
Kazuya found a place to put Mizuhara Chizuru's bag.
He checked his phone and saw it was already past three in the afternoon.
“I'm leaving.” Kazuya said as he walked to the door.
But he didn't hear a response, so he turned back.
……
No one replied.
Mizuhara Chizuru seemed to have already fallen asleep.
But it looked like she hadn't even taken off her shoes.
“Mizuhara Chizuru...” Kazuya called out, “Could she really be asleep?”
“Seriously...”
Mizuhara Chizuru didn't answer, so Kazuya approached the bed and helped her take off her shoes to prevent her from being uncomfortable while sleeping.
Mizuhara Chizuru was wearing summer shorts, short and white, her two fair legs exposed to the air.
The graceful curves from her thighs to her ankles were enchanting, making it hard to look away.
As Kazuya tucked Mizuhara Chizuru's fair legs under the blanket, the alluring sight was concealed; otherwise, he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't let his imagination run wild.
So, it was best not to see it at all.
……
Looking at Mizuhara Chizuru's still flushed forehead, Kazuya bent down and felt her soft forehead with the back of his hand.
“So hot.”
“It seems her fever has worsened.” Kazuya rubbed his hair, worried, “It looks like we can't just leave her like this.”
He remembered that when he took the keys, he saw medicine in Mizuhara Chizuru's bag; did she really need to take it?
“Mizuhara, wake up.” Kazuya shook her gently.
Even though Mizuhara Chizuru had just been in a deep sleep, she was still stirred awake, acting like a doll following Kazuya's instructions, obediently taking the medicine before lying back down.
Then Kazuya took a towel from the bathroom, wet it at the sink, and placed it on Mizuhara Chizuru's forehead.
Since he needed to continue helping Mizuhara Chizuru with the towel, Kazuya couldn't just leave; finding nothing else to do, he started tidying up her room.
After all, a clean room would be better for a sick person.
……
When Mizuhara Chizuru woke from her deep slumber, the lights in the bedroom were already on, and she found them a bit dazzling.
“Why is the light on?”
Her previously weak body felt much better; although she still felt a bit weak, her normal life wouldn't be significantly affected.
There seemed to be an exceptionally tempting aroma coming from the kitchen.
“Oh, you're awake.” Kazuya greeted her from the kitchen.
“Why is Kazuya here?” Mizuhara Chizuru's heart sank for a moment at the sight of a strange man in her room, but she quickly realized there was nothing to fear.
After all, how many people in reality would be willing to spend decades in prison for a few minutes of pleasure?
“I have my reasons; your grandmother asked me to take care of you.” Kazuya noticed the wariness in Mizuhara Chizuru's eyes but didn't think much of it.
“Grandma?”
If the roles were reversed, waking up to find a beautiful girl in her room would surely shock anyone.
“By the way, if you're worried I might do something to you, I happen to have a video on my phone proving my innocence. Want to see it?” Kazuya pulled out his phone and offered it to Mizuhara Chizuru.
“Thank you.” Mizuhara Chizuru said as she checked the video; after a quick glance, she found that Kazuya indeed hadn't done anything inappropriate.
“No need; as your neighbor and classmate, I can't just ignore you when you're sick.” Kazuya waved his hand.
“By the way, your grandmother called earlier.” Kazuya took back his phone and deleted the video directly: “Also, she knows you're sick; if you're free now, you can give her a call back.”
……
Mizuhara Chizuru looked at Kazuya with a complex expression: “Why did you tell my grandmother I'm sick? Don't you know she's still in the hospital? She'll worry.”
Kazuya understood the complexity in her gaze; it's common for families to share good news but not bad.
“Don't worry.” Kazuya placed the hot porridge in cold water to cool it down: “I told her everything in detail and even showed her your photo; at least in the end, I didn't feel like Grandma Kobayashi was overly worried.”
Mizuhara Chizuru was a bit slow to process Kazuya's words; a photo?
“Besides, aren't you and Grandma Kobayashi your only family now? Sometimes, the harsh realities are more reassuring than comforting lies.” Kazuya took out a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and handed them to Mizuhara Chizuru.
“Thank you.”
The two of them now interacted like friends.
“By the way, Miss Mizuhara, there's a new contact in your phone; it's mine.”
“Huh!?”
“Don't look at me; it was your grandmother's request, and I can't refuse an old lady's wishes. Also, if you have any problems in the future, you can come to me; I promised Grandma Kobayashi I would take care of you as much as I can.”
Kazuya knew it wasn't right to meddle with Mizuhara Chizuru's phone, but it was truly Grandma Kobayashi's request.
“Grandma, seriously, it was just one afternoon; what did you say to her?”
Mizuhara Chizuru's tone was less of a complaint and more of a playful pout at her meddling grandmother.