Haruto was in the middle of updating Asuka, Zenzai, and Shiruko about his condition, hoping one of them might swing by the hospital.
He smirked at the thought, wondering if their visit could liven up his dull day.
'Maybe we could have some fun,' he mused, shrugging as he hit send on his messages.
Just then, the door creaked open, grabbing his attention.
'That was fast,' he thought, tucking his phone away on the bedside table. 'It's either them or Mari.'
However, the two figures entering weren't the women he was expecting. Enji and Arataki strolled in, each carrying a basket of fruit.
"Yo, Haruto. How's that wound treating you?"
Arataki greeted, dropping his and Enji's basket on the table in front of the bed. He looked more relaxed and easygoing, a far cry from the intense presence he had around the Red Fang.
Haruto sighed, a hint of disappointment in his gaze. "Well, see for yourself," he muttered, motioning to the bandages.
Arataki smirked, dragging a chair over to sit by Haruto's side as Enji made himself comfortable on the nearby sofa.
"Why the gloomy face? Waiting for some special lady to visit you?"
"Actually... yeah." Haruto shrugged.
Enji rolled his eyes. "Hey, you should be grateful we came at all! Senior Kikuchi even sent over some pricey fruits for you," he added, crossing his arms.
"Also, if it weren't for us, you'd be fighting Daiki every other day."
Haruto's brow lifted. "Fighting him every other day? I thought we called it a draw?"
"Sure, but Daiki likes a good rematch... two times a week, to be exact," Enji explained.
"Thanks to our seniors, you're only stuck with one match."
Haruto scoffed. "You think I'd lose if I had to fight him twice a week?"
Arataki let out a laugh and lightly slapped Haruto's stomach, earning a grunt of pain. "Oh, you'd definitely lose, and you know it. Look at you—bandaged up like a mummy. Imagine fighting him every few days until he's bored of you."
Rubbing his sore stomach, Haruto grumbled, "Yeah, but I gave him a few good punches and kicks, didn't I?"
Enji sighed. "Why don't you ask him yourself? His room's down the hall."
Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a paper bag and handed it to him. "This is from my mom's bakery. She insisted I bring something if I was visiting someone who was sick."
"Thanks, I really love sweets," Haruto said, peeking inside.
Mari's eyes lit up. "Really?! That's perfect. I helped my mom make those pain au chocolat," she added, her cheeks pink with pride.
He smiled warmly, admiring her enthusiasm. "That's amazing. I love chocolate too," he replied, taking a pastry from the bag.
But as he attempted to take a bite, he winced, realizing how much his mouth hurt.
Mari noticed instantly. "It hurts, doesn't it? Maybe you should hold off on eating that," she suggested gently.
Haruto chuckled, determined. "This little pain doesn't come close to what you went through waiting for me outside the theater."
Mari blushed, giving a shy smile. "Alright, let's just call it your punishment."
"This is the sweetest punishment I've ever had," he grinned, still managing to nibble on the pastry.
Just then, a notification echoed in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Mari's Deprivation Matrix increased!]
[Obsession: 40/100]
[Emotional Bond: 50/100]
Haruto's eyes widened in surprise. 'What? That's high... How'd it get to this level so fast?'
He pondered, still reeling from the unexpected boost. 'Is it because she's younger? Maybe that makes her love easily?'
In contrast, it had taken him a month to see this kind of increase with Chiyo, and yet Mari's levels had shot up without any quests involved. He shook his head, still a bit puzzled.
After some more time together, Mari excused herself, mentioning she had things to do.
Haruto watched her leave, finally allowing himself to close his eyes and rest. But the quiet didn't last long.
The door creaked open yet again. "Who is it now?" he mumbled, turning his head with a sigh, only to see Daiki's familiar figure stepping inside.
"Yo, Haruto. How about we grab a cigarette up on the roof?"