CH 13

After we went out to the main street, Mikoto-san and I walked for a while until we finally arrived at the apartment.

It was quite embarrassing for both of us to walk with a girl in a school uniform on my back, but it couldn’t be helped.

I looked at the kitchen and breathed a sigh of relief.

With this, we had succeeded in escaping from the people who had attacked Mikoto-san.

“I’m sorry, but I’m going to go into the room you slept in yesterday.”

“It’s nothing special, so it’s fine.”

After confirming Mikoto-san’s answer, I pulled open the sliding door and entered the back bedroom.

Once there, I slowly lowered Mikoto-san into the room.

At that moment, I felt my phone vibrate.

I looked at it and saw that it looked like Kaho was calling me.

I had forgotten to call her.

As I hurriedly picked up the phone, Kaho’s clear voice rang loudly in my ears.　

“Ha-ru! I’ve called you so many times!”

“I’m sorry.”

“We’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

I heard that Kaho and Yuki had been waiting for me.

But I didn’t see them because I took a different road to disperse the people who had attacked Mikoto-san.

“I told you to go home first because it was dangerous.”

When I said this, Kaho replied in a slightly angry voice.

“Do you think I’m going to go home first after being told like that? I was really worried about you, wasn’t I?”

“I’m fine, so don’t worry. Mikoto-san is safe, too.”

“What happened?”

“I’m sorry. I have some things to do right now. I’ll explain it to you tomorrow at school.”

“… Please make sure you explain it to me properly… That’s a promise.”

After saying that, Kaho hung up the phone.

I put my phone back in my pocket.

For now, I have more important things to do than explaining to Kaho.

I laid the futon down right next to Mikoto-san.

I patted the futon and pointed at her.

“Mikoto-san, can you sit here?”

“Why?”

When Mikoto-san’s cheeks turned red, I hurriedly said.

“I’m not going to do anything weird.”

“I don’t think Akihara-kun would do anything strange…”

“You sprained your ankle, so you need to be treated. Can you take off your socks?”

Mikoto-san whispered, “I see,” and honestly shifted her body onto the futon.

Then, she removed the high socks of her sprained right leg with her hand and extended her thin white leg out to me without any resistance.

“Akihara-kun, is this how you want me to do it?”

“Yes.”

Now, as for treatment, elevate the affected area and apply pressure with a bandage. After that, you need to cool it down.

“I’m sorry, Mikoto-san. I’ll touch you a little.”

“Eh?”

I prepared a stand.

Then, I touched Mikoto-san’s legs.

Her legs were white, comfortable to the touch, and beautiful.

Mikoto-san’s cheeks were tinted and she looked me up and down.

I felt a strange atmosphere coming on, so I hurriedly lifted her leg and put it on the stand.

I brought a bandage from the cupboard and wrapped it around her leg.

Mikoto-san’s face was getting redder and redder, and she groaned briefly in the middle of the process.

“Ouch!”

“Are you okay?”

“…I’m fine. But the bandage might tickle.”

Mikoto-san said shyly, and then coughed a little.

I went to the kitchen, opened the freezer, took out some ice from there and put it in a plastic bag.

I brought the bag of ice and put it on Mikoto-san’s ankle.

Mikoto-san let out a little scream.

“T-It’s cold.”

“I’m sorry. Please be patient.”

“… You don’t have to apologize to me, Akihara-kun. You are doing this for me, right?”

“Well, yes.”

“Yesterday, I said I would never thank you again, right?”

I remember that Mikoto-san told me that she did not like it when people were nice to her and told me that I did not have to bother her anymore.

I wondered if this was unnecessary.

But Mikoto-san said with a depressed and reddened face.

“I know I said yesterday was the last time I would thank you, but I have to restate it. Today is the last time I will thank you. I want to thank you for saving me from being attacked, for giving me a piggyback ride back here, and for taking care of my injury. So, I’ll try not to bother you from tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

“I do.””

“Which would you rather have for dinner tonight, white stew or curry?”

“Curry.”

Mikoto-san immediately answered, and then put her hand over her mouth as if she had just forgotten.

I smiled, thinking that she must be more careless than I thought.

“Then, I’ll make curry.”

“Wait! You don’t have to make me one!”

“Today is the last day to say thank you, right? If that’s the case, I think it’s okay if I just treat you to dinner for the rest of the day.”

Mikoto-san closed her mouth as if hesitating.

I repeated my words.

“You should rest. If the sprain gets worse, you will be in trouble.”

“…Yes.”

Mikoto-san nodded and laid down on the futon with her white bandaged leg outstretched.

And then she looked up at me blankly.

After a while, Mikoto-san looked as if she had noticed something and asked me.

“By the way, Akihara-kun, I heard that your father is working away from home, but what about your mother?”

I hesitated for a moment and then told her the truth.

“She disappeared five years ago. She was involved in the big fire in Hazuki.”

Mikoto-san gasped.

The Hazuki Fire was a disaster that occurred five years ago in Hazuki City, where we live.

This catastrophe, which destroyed hundreds of buildings in an instant, claimed many victims.

The house I lived in was also burned down, and my mother and Amane’s parents were also killed.

“I am sorry. I feel like I asked an insensitive question.”

“I don’t mind. I have a question for you, too. I’m sorry to remind you of something unpleasant, but why were you involved with those guys, Mikoto-san? Do you have any idea?”

Those boys said that they knew that Mikoto-san was the daughter of the Tomi family and that they were asked to hurt her.

However, I am not sure why that client targeted Ms. Mikoto-san.

Mikoto-san shivered a little.

Maybe she didn’t want to answer.

I felt bad that I was trying to force her to tell me her story in exchange for my mother’s.

“If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to answer.”

At my words, Mikoto-san nodded and answered shortly.

“I am, you see, a fake young lady.”

“Fake?”

“That’s why I was almost attacked.”

“What do you mean?”

“Akihara-kun, you don’t need to know about this. I have no intention of involving you.”

I feel as if I am already involved.

In general, what if something similar happens tomorrow and thereafter?

I was lucky enough to be by Mikoto-san’s side today, but it’s not like I can always help out like that.

I wondered what I should do as I stewed my curry.

But for now, I no longer had to worry about her being attacked.

I had to worry about something else.

The next morning, Mikoto-san developed a high fever and stayed in bed.