Rio leaned back against his chair and glared up at the fluorescent light overhead, sneezing into his elbow. "Ah-choo!"
He blinked and slowly lowered his head, meeting Hayashi's gaze. Hayashi had turned in his chair to look back at him. "That downpour last night was insane. I'm not surprised you caught a cold from it."
"I just wasn't thinking." Rio sniffled, rubbing the bridge of his nose, and yawned from fatigue. "I barely got any sleep last night thanks to this damn cold."
"You didn't buy an umbrella?"
For a moment, Rio didn't reply, his mind drifting back to last night. He thought of handing his umbrella to Yuzu Hoshimura, then shook his head, clearing the memory.
"When I left, it wasn't raining that badly, so I thought I'd be fine until I got home. But… that didn't exactly go according to plan. I was almost home when it felt like Poseidon wanted to drown the entire world."
Hayashi chuckled lightly. "It did feel that way. At least you made it past today."
"Yeah… real happy about that," Rio muttered, sniffling again. "I was thinking of just skipping and going to a doctor, but then I figured—why not stop by a pharmacist, get some medicine, and sleep it off?"
Hayashi chuckled before turning around, facing Rio and narrowed his gaze. "Hey... I have a question."
"Hm?"
"What do you think about the girls?"
"In this cla-"
"No, what I mean is... is there anyone you like?" Hayashi cut him off.
Rio's eyes widened, and as he was about to reply, he saw her again. In the corner of his eye, he saw Yuzu Hoshimura walking past his classroom, with a group of girls around her. His eyes lingered for a moment longer than he anticipated and sneezed into his elbow again.
"S-sorry... what were you asking me?" Rio asked, turning to face Hayashi.
Hayashi didn't say anything but he did chuckle, patting Rio on the back. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Rio studied Hayashi for a moment, but couldn't get a read on him at all after a few minutes of staring.
Is it... because of this stupid cold?
Hayashi tilted his head before sighing. "Well, I have club activities I need to get to since school is ending. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Rio gave a thumbs-up and stood up, grabbing his school bag and walked out of the classroom at the sound of the bell.
...
As Rio reached the door to his apartment, he dug into his pockets, fumbling for his key.
From the third-floor hallway, Yuzu Hoshimura stepped out of the elevator, heading toward her own apartment. Her ruby-colored eyes caught something glinting on the floor. Rio's key had slipped from his hand and landed with a clink against the stone.
Takahashi?
She crouched carefully, picked up the key, and stood, holding it out to him. A faint hint of concern washed over her expression.
"We're even with this, aren't we?" she asked politely as she inserted the silver key into his door and turned it, unlocking it for him.
"…Yeah," Rio muttered, stepping inside a few hesitant steps.
Yuzu returned to her own apartment, unlocking her door, when a sudden thud and grunt from next door drew her attention. Her eyes widened slightly. Without hesitation, she moved toward Rio's apartment. She saw him sprawled on the floor, the apartment lights still off.
For a moment, she paused, and bit her bottom lip before walking in.
"T-Takahashi," she said softly, extending her hand.
Rio blinked through the haze, vision blurred, and grasped her hand instinctively. With her support and the edge of a nearby shelf, he pushed himself upright, leaning heavily against the wall, breathing unevenly.
"…I appreciate… your help. I'll be fine from here," he murmured, cheeks flushed with fever and embarrassment.
"No," Yuzu replied simply, staying close and watching him.
Rio tilted his head, redness spreading further across his face. "…I'm serious. I don't need your help."
Without a word, Yuzu lifted her hand and pressed it to his forehead. The heat radiated immediately. Her eyes softened slightly as she realized he had a high fever.
"Go sit down. I'll bring you some medicine," she said quietly, moving toward the door. Her long platinum hair fell over her shoulders like liquid silver, catching the light of the sun as she moved.
Rio stumbled over to the dark blue couch in his living room and collapsed onto it, breathing heavily.
Just… what the hell did I catch? I've never had a cold like this, he thought, pulling his phone from his pocket only for it to slip from his hand, clattering to the floor.
Minutes passed before Yuzu walked back into Rio's apartment, carrying a small bottle of medicine. She found him passed out on the couch and quietly slipped out of her shoes before stepping onto the wooden floorboards.
She set the bottle down on the kitchen table to her right, then turned her attention to a clean cloth, next to the bottle. She soaked it in hot water at the sink, watching the steam curl upward, before carefully squeezing out the excess and folding it neatly.
He's burning up… I probably shouldn't just leave him like this, she thought, her gaze briefly flicking to his flushed face. before she bit her bottom lip slightly.
Yuzu walked over to the couch and gently placed the warm cloth on Rio's forehead. The heat immediately touched his skin, and she adjusted it slightly to make sure it rested comfortably. Then she pulled out a chair and sat down across the wooden table from the couch, keeping her eyes on him the entire time.
She shifted slightly in her seat, hands resting lightly on her lap, and observed him as he breathed steadily, though unevenly. The apartment was quiet except for the soft sound of his breathing and the faint hum of the heater.
A sudden ring echoed through the room from the phone that had fallen onto the floor. Yuzu's gaze lowered toward it, and after a brief pause, she stood and walked over, bending down to pick it up.
The screen lit up in her hand. She hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the name displayed. Takumi Hayashi.
…Someone from school?
Yuzu's eyes lingered on the screen for a second longer before she walked back and set the phone gently on the wooden table. She let it ring out, choosing not to answer.
...
Rio's eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, the ceiling above him blurring in and out of view as if it refused to stay still. A dull, throbbing ache pulsed through his head, spreading behind his eyes and down the back of his neck. His body felt heavy, like it didn't belong to him.
"…Gh…"
A quiet groan slipped from his lips as he turned his face slightly into the couch, his breathing uneven and warm against the fabric.
Yuzu lifted her gaze from the book resting in her hands, the soft rustle of paper barely audible as she closed it. She had been reading to pass the time, though her attention had drifted back to him here and there. Setting the book aside, she rose from the chair.
Her voice reached him before any other real noise. Her voice was soft, and calm, cutting gently through the haze clouding his thoughts.
"You're awake. That's good," she said quietly.
Rio shifted onto his other side with effort, his movements slow and uncoordinated. The room tilted slightly as he moved, and he had to blink a few times just to steady his vision. When he finally looked up, her figure came into view—only to blur again, then return in fragments.
Strands of her long hair fell over her shoulders, catching the moonlight faintly. Her ruby-colored eyes were fixed on him, watching carefully, and there was a small, almost imperceptible smile resting on her lips.
"H-Hoshimura…?" he asked, his voice hoarse and unsteady, barely above a whisper.
His gaze lingered on her, confusion settling in as his mind struggled to catch up with reality. Why was she here?
Blinking several times, his chest rose and fell with a heavy breath.
As he tried to sit up, Yuzu reached out, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"You're not in a condition to get up. You still have a fever."
Rio tried to move again, but decided against it, listening to her words, he laid back down onto the couch, the blurriness of his vision started to fade as well.
"…Why are you… still here…?"
Yuzu's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she answered.
"You weren't in a condition to be left alone."
She reached over and adjusted the cloth resting on his forehead, lifting it slightly before placing it back down with care so it wouldn't slip. The warmth had already begun to fade, but she made sure it still sat properly against his skin.
Rio watched her through half-lidded eyes, his vision still unsteady.
"…You… didn't have to do… any of this," he murmured, his voice low and strained, each word taking more effort than it should.
"I know," Yuzu replied almost immediately.
She straightened and took a small step back, her gaze lingering on him for a brief moment as if checking whether he would try to get up again.
"Will you be fine by yourself for… an hour?" she asked, her tone quiet, though her eyes remained attentive.
Rio shifted slightly, the movement sending a dull ache through his body. He glanced up at her, uncertain, but gave a small nod anyway.
"…I guess."
Yuzu held his gaze for a second longer, as if weighing his answer, before giving a faint nod of her own.
"Good. I'll be back then."
She turned toward the door and walked over, her steps light against the wooden floor. Without another word, she stepped out into the hallway, the door closing softly behind her.
...
Time passed more quickly than Rio expected.
Lying on the couch, he reached for his phone again, this time managing to keep hold of it. The screen lit up with a string of messages—Hayashi.
He scrolled slowly, eyes dragging over each line.
Practice is going pretty well. You doing any better? - 4:15 P.M.
You good? - 4:40 P.M.
Dude you looked like you were dying earlier. - 5:04 P.M.
Answer your phone. - 5:05 P.M.
Rio let out a quiet breath through his nose, continuing down.
I'm coming by tomorrow morning since you aren't replying. - 6:32 P.M.
Rio sighed heavily, letting his head sink back into the couch.
"…Seriously…" he muttered under his breath.
Dealing with Hayashi was going to be a problem if he still felt like this by morning. The thought alone was exhausting.
He lowered the phone slightly, his grip loosening as fatigue crept back in.
Then, a soft click broke the silence. The sound of the door unlocking echoed faintly through the apartment.
Rio's eyes lifted toward the entrance as the door opened, and Yuzu stepped back inside.
"I apologize for taking your key," she said as she closed the door behind her. "I wasn't sure how else to get back in."
"You… could've just knocked," Rio replied weakly, his voice still rough.
Yuzu glanced over at him as she stepped further inside.
"And then what?" she asked. "You're in no condition to walk, and you know that."
Rio hesitated, then looked away slightly.
"…Fair enough."
Only then did he notice what she was carrying—three small blue containers stacked neatly in her hands, with a pair of chopsticks resting across the top one.
"Huh?"
Yuzu set the containers carefully onto the wooden table in the living room and slid the chair back slightly before sitting down on the opposite side. She picked up the book she had closed earlier and reopened it, keeping her movements quiet.
"W-what is this?" Rio asked, his voice rough and weak as he stared at the three neatly stacked containers.
"It's dinner for tonight," Yuzu replied softly, her eyes flicking briefly to him. "I wasn't sure if you had any allergies, so I separated everything into different containers."
Rio's face flushed even redder, and his heart skipped a beat at the thought—homemade, prepared with care, and separated to consider his safety.
I-Is she… even real? Why… why go through all this?
He pushed himself upright as best he could, one hand clutching the couch for support, and squinted one eye shut against the lingering ache.
He stared down at the floor for a long moment before lifting his gaze slowly to the containers on the table.
"Why… go this far for a stranger?" His voice was quiet, edged with disbelief, exhaustion, and a hint of awe.
Yuzu's eyes met his. "It's partially my fault that you got sick. If it had been me instead... I'm just returning the favor."
She paused briefly, then gestured toward the containers. "Go ahead. Eat before it gets cold."
Rio swallowed, staring at her for a moment longer, trying to understand—her calm, quiet care, the way she thought of even the smallest details, and the fact that she hadn't once pushed herself into his space unnecessarily.
How… how does someone just… do all this for me?
He reached slowly toward the containers, still unsure what to say, but unable to deny the warmth rising in his chest at her thoughtfulness.
I could understand this back home… no, it would feel foreign if something like this didn't happen. But here… nobody knows who I am. Nobody knows anything about me. Is she really just… that thoughtful of others? Or am I reading too much into it? I'm… at a loss for words.
"I… have some world history studying to do, so I'll be taking my leave. After you finish eating, remember to take a bath, put on warm pajamas, and get some more rest," Yuzu said softly, standing from her chair and setting the book carefully down on the table.
As she began to walk toward the door, Rio bit down on his bottom lip. "W-wait."
She paused mid-step and turned back to him, tilting her head slightly. "What is it?"
"…You can take the book with you to read, if you want to. And… do you mind if I ask what history you're studying?"
Yuzu's gaze flickered around the apartment, landing on the neat stacks of containers, the couch, and then back on him. She inhaled slowly and let the air out in a quiet exhale.
"A-are you sure?" she asked softly, her voice almost hesitant. Even though he had offered, taking something of his without explicit permission felt… unusual.
"About the book? I… I said to take it, didn't I? Just return it when you finish." His voice was quiet, but firm enough to reassure her.
Her eyes brightened slightly, and a faint smile curved across her lips as she approached the table and lifted the book. "Thank you… And, to answer your question, I'm currently studying the history of Auristane for an exam."
Rio's eyes widened at the name, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. He quickly looked away, focusing on the wooden floor instead. "I-I see… well, good luck."
With that, she turned back toward the door, moving quietly down the hallway, leaving a faint trace of her perfume in the room behind her.