Volume 3 - CH 7

Before I went to Arisa’s house, there was something I had to do first.

Yuzuru called Naoki Amagi on his cell phone.

He apologized for calling him while he was working.

He also told him that Arisa had caught a cold.

Then he asked for his forgiveness for entering their house to check on her.

Also, that he would like to be allowed to use part of the kitchen to take care of her.

Those were the four points Yuzuru conveyed to Naoki.

“Ah, it’s okay… Sorry about it Yuzuru-kun. Please take care of my daughter.”

“No worries, Arisa is my fiancée after all”

“By the way, Yuzuru-kun…”

“Yes… What is it?”

“How does Yuzuru-kun …feel about Arisa?”

What is he asking all of a sudden?

Yuzuru couldn’t help but tilt his head.

“I think she’s a very important person to me.”

“… Hmm, I see. No, I’m sorry. That was a weird question to ask.”

Naoki was also at work, so they couldn’t have a very long conversation.

Deciding to tell him about Arisa’s condition later, Yuzuru hung up the phone.

After getting Naoki’s permission, Yuzuru went to Arisa’s house.

He rang the intercom and let her know that he had arrived.

After a while, the door opened slowly.

In the doorway stood Arisa, wearing her nightgown and a jacket over it.

Her hair, usually neatly combed, was slightly disheveled.

She was wearing a mask that covered half of her face …but one could tell that her complexion was not good.

“Good morning, Arisa.”

“Good morning, …Goho geho”

She coughed.

Thinking that it would not be good to allow it to get too chilly, Yuzuru quickly closed the door.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, it’s fine…”

For now, Yuzuru was guided by Arisa to her room.

(She doesn’t seem to be in very good shape.)

Although she was trying to look composed, her steps were a little unsteady.

Yuzuru decided that it would be better to stay with her for the rest of the day.

“This is my room.”

It was the first time he had seen Arisa’s room.

It was rather small, but the interior design was cute.

It was a very girlish room.

If Arisa hadn’t been sick, Yuzuru would have enjoyed it a little more.

“I see. I have memorized the place. For now, you go back to sleep.”

“…Yes.”

After all, it was hard for Arisa too.

She crawled straight into bed.

“Did you go to the hospital?　From the looks of it, it doesn’t look like you have”

“… no, I haven’t. Ge ho~ … The fever is about 37 degrees, so I think I will be fine.”

Arisa, who said that… honestly didn’t seem to be doing too well.

However, if it’s only 37 degrees, then it’s probably not so urgent that she needs to go to the hospital right away.

“… By the way, have you had lunch yet?　If you haven’t, I’ll get you some ready-to-eat porridge or some canned peaches.”

Although Yuzuru could not make porridge by hand, he could at least manage to make it with ready-to-eat.

However, if the house already had it, he could just make use of it.

“Mm… Not yet. If you could get some for me, that would be great. We don’t have anything like that in the house …and I was having a little trouble.”

“Okay. I’m going to get you some throat lozenges and some vitamin drinks as well. Is there anything else you want?　Do you have enough medicine?”

“I’ve got regular medication, so I’m good… I’m sorry, but it would be helpful if you could also buy me some cooling pads… I’m out of those right now.”

“Okay, Understood”

Yuzuru told Arisa to call him on his cell phone if anything happened and then went to a nearby pharmacy to buy the necessary items.

There was no particular contact from Arisa, …but he ran back to the house, thinking of the possibility.

“Arisa, I’m back.”

He told Arisa in front of her room, but she didn’t answer.

He knocked on the door and went into her room.

(…Is she sleeping?)

With that thought, Yuzuru looked at Arisa’s face.

She seemed even paler than before.

“Ugh… Yuzuru-san?”

“Are you okay?”

With sweat on her face and her neat face distorted, Arisa opened her thin eyes.

She looked very painful and limp.

Yuzuru put his hand on Arisa’s forehead.

“It’s a terrible fever… We’d better remeasure it. Can you measure it yourself?”

Yuzuru picked up a thermometer that was nearby and asked Arisa.

Arisa gave a small nod and began to open the buttons of her nightgown one by one.

A neat white pair of undergarments came into view.

Yuzuru panicked and looked away.

“Did you get a reading?”

“… Yes.”

Yuzuru received the thermometer from Arisa.

The reading was … 38.7 degrees.

“With this fever, you’d better go to the hospital. It could be the flu.”

“Ugh… But how will I…”

“I’ll call you a cab.”

Yuzuru used his cell phone to call a cab.

Fortunately, there was an empty car nearby, and the cab came quickly.

“Arisa, can you stand?”

Yuzuru, who had finished preparing her insurance card and handbook, asked Arisa.

Arisa looked dazed and nodded her head.

“Yes, it’s okay”

With a small nod, Arisa wobbled to her feet.

But soon she immediately stumbled back to her knees.

Yuzuru hurriedly supported her.

“Take it easy. I’ll carry you.”

“Ah, no… Hey…”

Yuzuru told her one-sidedly and picked her up, ignoring Arisa’s confused voice.

It became a princess carry.

Arisa was surprised at first but soon became quiet, grabbing Yuzuru’s clothes with both hands.

Yuzuru walked with Arisa in his arms and put her in a cab, asking the driver to take them to the hospital.

Fortunately, it was not the flu.

They gave her some medicine for her runny nose and cough, as well as a fever reducer, and sent her home.

When they returned, it was already lunchtime.

“Arisa, do you have an appetite?”

Yuzuru asked as he put her back in bed.

She shook her head slightly.

“Not really…”

“I see…”

However, the prescribed medicine said, “after meals”.

She can’t take the medicine without eating something.

“Can you eat canned peaches?”

“… If it’s a little.”

So Yuzuru went to the refrigerator and took out a can of peaches that he had chilled.

He moved it to a suitable plate and took it along with a fork.

He helped Arisa up and put the plate in her hand.

“If it is too much for you, you can leave it. At least try to take a bite.”

“……”

Arisa stared vaguely at her plate.

Then she shifted her jade-green eyes to Yuzuru.

“Um…”

“What’s up? … Are you not able to eat?”

“No, it’s …”

Arisa’s cheeks turned a slight shade of red.

It… seemed to be for a slightly different reason than the symptoms of a cold or fever.

“What’s wrong?”

Could it be that yellow peaches were better than white peaches?

And as Yuzuru was thinking about that…

“…please.”

“Hm?”

“Feed it to me, please”

Arisa said to Yuzuru with moist eyes.