Shikime Natsu stood in the doorway, those pale-golden eyes settling on Sakayanagi Arisu's little face, which wore a look of feigned composure. The faint, ambiguous curve at the corner of his mouth grew just a touch more pronounced.
He quietly listened through Sakayanagi Arisu's welcoming speech—laced with a bit of mockery, a bit of teasing—then tilted his head slightly and, in a rather flat tone, slowly opened his mouth to say something.
"It seems Sakayanagi-san has recovered quite nicely."
Shikime Natsu paused, then continued.
"Since Sakayanagi-san has recovered so well, then... there's really no need for me to keep hanging around here disturbing your rest."
As he said this, Shikime Natsu turned his body slightly, striking a pose that suggested he was about to leave.
"I'll be going on ahead, then. Do take good care of yourself, Sakayanagi-san."
The moment those words fell, Shikime Natsu really did stride off, walking toward the other end of the corridor.
There wasn't the slightest hesitation in his movements—he'd turned his head and looked as though he genuinely intended to leave, just like that.
Sakayanagi Arisu froze completely. Those purple eyes went wide in an instant, her pupils contracting slightly.
On that exquisite little face, the mockery and composure that had been hanging there gave way in that moment. She stared blankly at Shikime Natsu's retreating back, her mind going utterly blank in that single instant.
What?
What was going on here?
This guy Shikime Natsu... what on earth was the matter with him?
When had this guy Shikime Natsu turned into this? Normally, when she said something like that, Shikime Natsu would basically just choose to ignore it outright, and then go on chatting with her about other things.
Or else he'd directly choose to fire back at her—in any case, she was supposed to gain absolutely no advantage in a war of words.
And yet... Shikime Natsu's approach right now was to say nothing at all and simply plan to leave—and this was while watching a feverish beautiful girl, a pitiful patient who hadn't even eaten dinner, completely unmoved.
This guy... he really was just too much!
Sakayanagi Arisu fumed indignantly in her heart, and her cheeks, already flushed from the fever, gained a few more shades of red at that moment.
She stood in the doorway, watching Shikime Natsu's figure grow farther and farther away, and there was only one thought in her mind: she couldn't let him leave.
She had gone through all that trouble to fall ill, had endured feeling awful all over while waiting for so long, had turned down the kindness of Morishita Ai and Yamamura Miki... wasn't it all just to see this guy?
If she let him leave now, just like that, then wouldn't all of her scheming have made her a complete and utter fool?
At that thought, Sakayanagi Arisu clenched her teeth, and a flash of determination crossed those purple eyes.
Then Sakayanagi Arisu hurriedly stepped forward, moving so fast that even she was a little surprised.
She couldn't even spare a thought for her fever, for the dizziness swimming through her head, for the sore and powerless state of her body.
She simply, instinctively, reached out—that slender, fair little hand clutching desperately at the hem of Shikime Natsu's clothes.
The force wasn't much, but for Sakayanagi Arisu right now, it was already the greatest strength she could muster.
Shikime Natsu's footsteps came to a stop.
He didn't turn around, only tilted his head slightly, those pale-golden eyes carrying a hint of curiosity as they fell upon the little hand gripping so tightly at the hem of his clothes.
Feeling Shikime Natsu stop, Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but let out a small breath of relief.
She lifted her head, and in that moment the expression on that exquisite little face underwent an earth-shattering transformation.
The mockery and composure of a moment ago, the pride and reserve of a moment ago, were all flung to the back of her mind.
And then she put on a pitiful, pleading expression—an expression Sakayanagi Arisu had worn before too, though of course, it was basically always an act, and this time was no exception.
Except for that one time when she'd genuinely been driven to tears of anger by this guy Shikime Natsu.
Sakayanagi Arisu tilted her head up slightly, those purple eyes carrying a hint of moisture, looking as though it might spill over at any moment.
She pursed her lips, then spoke to Shikime Natsu in a tone tinged with a bit of grievance.
"Could it be... that Shiki-san, as the leader of Class A, really isn't willing to look after a poor, sick classmate?"
"To do that would be... well, wouldn't it be just too heartless?"
Once these words were out, even Sakayanagi Arisu herself felt a bit ashamed inside—but of course, so long as it served her purpose, her, Sakayanagi Arisu's, persona could shift at any moment.
In any case, no matter what, she was going to make this guy Shikime Natsu stay today.
Watching Sakayanagi Arisu put on her pitiful expression, Shikime Natsu couldn't help but curve the corner of his mouth into a smile.
He was in no rush to say anything, only quietly looked at Sakayanagi Arisu for a few seconds.
That gaze made Sakayanagi Arisu's skin crawl.
Finally, Shikime Natsu spoke.
"Sakayanagi-san."
His voice carried a hint of amusement, and he spoke unhurriedly.
"That little performance just now... it didn't look one bit like something a sick person would do."
Clearly, Shikime Natsu was still quite bothered about what she'd said earlier—it had only been the most ordinary bit of teasing, and yet Shikime Natsu really was so petty.
Of course, at this moment Sakayanagi Arisu understood perfectly well how to read the situation, and she kept that pitiful expression on her face.
"But I haven't even eaten dinner yet."
As she spoke, she lowered her head slightly, and that silver hair fell down along both sides of her cheeks, hiding part of her expression.
"My whole head is still spinning... I don't have any strength left... I really do need Shiki-san's help."
At this point, Sakayanagi Arisu paused, then lifted her head, those purple eyes gazing straight at Shikime Natsu.
"Please, Shiki-san."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke softly.
When those words "Shiki-san" came out of her mouth, the tone had changed.
It had to be said—when Shikime Natsu saw this performance of Sakayanagi Arisu's, he really did find it hard to connect the Sakayanagi Arisu before him with the Sakayanagi Arisu from before.
They were completely like two different people.
Of course, Shikime Natsu was also quite clear that this was nothing more than Sakayanagi Arisu's disguise.
"Alright then. Since Sakayanagi-san seems so eager for my help, then I'll go ahead and help Sakayanagi-san out."
Shikime Natsu said with a chuckle to Sakayanagi Arisu.
Hearing this, Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but let out a breath of relief, and on that tightly strung little face there surfaced a relaxed curve as well.
However... Sakayanagi Arisu soon felt something was off.
She frowned slightly, and a trace of confusion flashed through those purple eyes.
This guy Shikime Natsu... the way he'd phrased things seemed all wrong.
It sounded as though she was the one begging Shikime Natsu to come take care of her sick self?
But... Sakayanagi Arisu thought it over, and she felt it really was exactly like that.
That performance she'd just given, those entreaties, all that complaining about "I haven't even eaten dinner"... wasn't that precisely begging Shikime Natsu to take care of her?
Sakayanagi Arisu accepted this fact somewhat awkwardly in her heart, and then her gaze inadvertently drifted downward, landing on the hand that hung at Shikime Natsu's side.
In that hand, he was carrying a bag.
Sakayanagi Arisu was slightly stunned.
Just now... she hadn't noticed that bag at all. But a look of understanding soon surfaced in Sakayanagi Arisu's mind—whatever Shikime Natsu had brought was probably about the same as what Morishita Ai and Yamamura Miki had brought earlier.
Still... compared to the get-well gifts that Morishita Ai and Yamamura Miki had brought, Sakayanagi Arisu preferred whatever Shikime Natsu had brought—even though the current Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't yet seen what it was that Shikime Natsu had brought.
Surely this guy Shikime Natsu wouldn't have brought her some kind of nonsense, would he?
Shikime Natsu's gaze returned to Sakayanagi Arisu, and then he slowly spoke.
"Alright, go back and rest properly."
"A patient ought to act like a patient. Stop standing in the doorway catching a draft."
As he said this, Shikime Natsu walked into Sakayanagi Arisu's dorm.
Hearing these words from Shikime Natsu, Sakayanagi Arisu turned and followed behind him. Then, when she reached the edge of her bed, Sakayanagi Arisu stopped.
Shikime Natsu turned his head, those pale-golden eyes looking at her, and then spoke.
"Sakayanagi-san said just now that she hadn't eaten dinner yet, right?"
Sakayanagi Arisu was slightly stunned, then nodded.
"Mm..."
Shikime Natsu nodded slightly, then set the bag in his hand down on the table.
As he opened the bag, he spoke.
"That works out well, then—I'll make you something to eat."
As he said this, he took some ingredients out of the bag.
Hearing these words from Shikime Natsu, Sakayanagi Arisu even wondered whether she was dreaming. This guy Shikime Natsu had actually become this considerate, and was even taking the initiative to cook something tasty for her?
Of course, Sakayanagi Arisu remembered that one time Shikime Natsu had made her eat that dish that made her feel as though she'd been drugged, and a layer of red flush surfaced on her face once more—back then, Shikime Natsu had absolutely been deliberately trying to see her make a fool of herself.
But... she hadn't offended Shikime Natsu at all this time, had she?
And besides, she was a patient—no matter what, Shikime Natsu couldn't very well do something to a patient, could he?
So... Shikime Natsu must genuinely be intending to make her some food that a sick person could eat. But the moment she thought this, Sakayanagi Arisu wondered again whether her fever had gotten so bad that she was hallucinating.
Sakayanagi Arisu blinked hard and looked again.
There was no mistake—the one standing before her really was that guy Shikime Natsu.
And that guy really was taking things out of the bag, really was preparing to make food for her.
But Sakayanagi Arisu soon remembered that, from what she'd heard, whenever other students fell ill, Shikime Natsu was very attentive to them too—she wasn't anything special.
Shikime Natsu's specialness was probably only reserved for those girlfriends of his.
No—Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly recalled something: aside from Kamuro Masumi falling ill that one time, not a single one of Shikime Natsu's girlfriends had ever been sick.
Of course, not everyone had such a poor constitution as to fall ill every few months.
Sakayanagi Arisu drew in a deep breath, then slowly sat down at the edge of the bed.
Since Shikime Natsu was willing to stay, willing to make her something to eat, then... that was already enough.
As for whether she was special... that sort of thing could wait until later.
"Alright, lie down first."
Shikime Natsu's voice came from behind her.
Hearing this, Sakayanagi Arisu nodded slightly.
She slowly took off her shoes, then lay back down on the bed, pulling the covers up to her chest.
Her long silver hair spread across the pillow, and that flushed little face looked especially soft in the dim yellow glow of the desk lamp.
Sakayanagi Arisu turned her head to the side, those purple eyes quietly watching Shikime Natsu's busy back.
In her heart... there flowed a warm feeling she couldn't quite put into words.
Time slipped by, minute by minute, second by second.
Shikime Natsu's movements were quick, and quite practiced.
He first used a small pot to cook some plain rice porridge, and while the porridge was cooking, he finely chopped the vegetables he'd taken from the bag into little bits.
When the porridge was about seventy or eighty percent done, he poured in the chopped vegetables and let it simmer slowly over low heat.
Before long, a fragrant pot of vegetable porridge was ready.
Shikime Natsu also took out some small side dishes suitable for a patient, arranged all this food on a tray, then carried the tray over to the edge of Sakayanagi Arisu's bed.
"There."
Shikime Natsu set the tray down on the little table by the head of the bed, those pale-golden eyes looking at Sakayanagi Arisu as he said softly:
"Eat it while it's hot."
Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze fell on that bowl of steaming vegetable porridge, and a gentle light flashed through those purple eyes.
The porridge was cooked just right—the grains soft and tender, the vegetables a fresh green—it looked utterly appetizing.
Add to that those exquisite little side dishes... Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
This guy Shikime Natsu—though his personality was rotten to the extreme most of the time—when it came to cooking, he really did have some genuine skill.
"Thank you."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke softly, and there was a hint of sincerity in her voice.
She slowly sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, those purple eyes gazing at the food before her.
However... it was right at this moment that Sakayanagi Arisu's little schemes began to stir again.
She lifted her head slightly, those purple eyes settling on Shikime Natsu's handsome face, and then... Sakayanagi Arisu's cheeks couldn't help but flush a few shades redder.
As for that blush—there was no telling whether it was from the fever, or from what she was about to say.
She pursed her lips, then slowly opened her mouth.
On that exquisite little face, she put on a look of "I really am so weak."
"Shiki-san..."
Sakayanagi Arisu's voice carried a hint of coquettishness, along with a touch of wheedling charm.
"I feel like I don't have quite enough strength... I can't even hold the spoon steady..."
As she spoke, she tilted her head slightly, and in those purple eyes there flickered a certain expectant light.
Then... Sakayanagi Arisu drew in a deep breath, worked up her courage, and said to Shikime Natsu:
"Could you... could Shiki-san please feed me?"
Even Sakayanagi Arisu herself couldn't say for sure how much of this was expectation and how much was a desire to play a little prank on Shikime Natsu.
In any case... it didn't hurt to try.
Those purple eyes of Sakayanagi Arisu's gazed straight at Shikime Natsu, waiting for his response.
Hearing this, Shikime Natsu was slightly taken aback.
A trace of surprise flashed through those pale-golden eyes, which then shifted into a hint of amusement.
He looked at that little face of Sakayanagi Arisu's, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curve upward.
Shikime Natsu chuckled and, in a rather relaxed tone, said unhurriedly:
"Of course I can."
Hearing this, Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but feel a surge of delight, and those purple eyes instantly lit up.
But before she could stay happy for long, Shikime Natsu's next words left her completely stunned.
"It'll only cost 100,000 Private Points."
100,000 Private Points?
Those purple eyes of Sakayanagi Arisu's went wide in an instant, and the expression on that little face went from delight to shock, and from shock to displeasure.
100,000 Private Points!
This guy... why doesn't he just go rob someone instead?
After all, she'd already been extorted out of a huge sum of points by this guy Shikime Natsu before.
The points she had on hand now, while she couldn't exactly call herself dirt poor, definitely couldn't be counted as wealthy either.
Once she handed over 100,000 Private Points, she'd be reduced to a pauper all over again!
A feeding service? And the food wasn't any high-end cuisine either—it was just perfectly ordinary.
This sort of thing... how could anyone possibly agree to it?
Sakayanagi Arisu fumed indignantly in her heart, those purple eyes full of dissatisfaction and protest.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, wanting to argue against Shikime Natsu's utterly absurd price.
But... when she lifted her head and met Shikime Natsu's ambiguous, half-smiling eyes, she swallowed back the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.
Sakayanagi Arisu weighed it over and over in her mind—100,000 points, versus being fed by Shikime Natsu's own hand...
In the end, Sakayanagi Arisu clenched her teeth, and a flash of resolve crossed those purple eyes.
She drew in a deep breath and swiftly composed her expression.
On that exquisite little face, the earlier dissatisfaction and protest were all pressed down, replaced by a smile that carried a touch of composure.
"Alright then."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke softly, her tone carrying a bit of feigned ease.
"Since Shiki-san has said as much, then... naturally, I won't refuse."
As she said this, Sakayanagi Arisu reached out and picked up her phone from the head of the bed.
She turned on the screen, deftly tapped through a few operations, then transferred 100,000 Private Points to Shikime Natsu.
"There."
Sakayanagi Arisu set the phone back down at the head of the bed, then lifted her head again, those purple eyes carrying a complicated light as they looked at Shikime Natsu.
"100,000 Private Points—I've already transferred them over."
Her voice carried a hint of feigned calm, along with a faintly lurking heartache.
"So then... now, Shiki-san can fulfill his promise, right?"
With that, Sakayanagi Arisu parted her lips slightly.
On that exquisite little face, that blush still hadn't faded—if anything, it had deepened a few shades compared to a moment ago.
Her lips parted slightly, revealing the neat, white teeth within, and that small, delicate tip of her tongue.
____
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