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The door slowly creaked open. Arata-kun was leaning against the wall, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. His face was flushed with fever, and his eyes looked heavy, like he was struggling to even keep them open.
"Sayaka...?" he murmured. His voice was weak and trembling, as if every word was a struggle. "Why... are you here?"
I stood there, frozen. I held out the indigo umbrella, my fingers trembling. "I—I came to return this. You weren't at school... I was worried."
As he spoke, his eyes suddenly rolled back. His knees gave out, and he started to collapse.
"Arata-kun!" I screamed, dropping my bag and the umbrella.
I lunged forward and caught him just before his head hit the floor. He was heavy, and his body felt like a furnace. I managed to drag him inside and shut the door with my foot. As I looked around, I realized how messy and unhealthy the place was.
The apartment was small, and everything was upside down. Clothes were scattered on the floor, empty instant ramen cups and water bottles were piled on the table, and books were lying everywhere. The air felt heavy and stale, like the windows hadn't been opened in days. It was clear that he was living in a state that was making his sickness even worse.
"How can you live like this...?" I whispered. I bit my lip without even realizing it; it was incredibly painful to see him like this.
I carefully helped him to his small bed in the corner. After making sure he was breathing steadily, I couldn't just sit there. I started moving. I picked up the clothes from the floor and began putting the scattered things back in their places. I cleared the table and organized the messy books.
At that moment, I forgot about being the "Perfect Class Rep" or a star. I wasn't thinking about my fans or what others would say. I was just a girl, cleaning the room of a boy who had protected me in the rain. As I picked up a notebook from the floor, a sketch fell out.
My breath hitched.
It was me. But not the "Perfect Sayaka." It was a drawing of me looking tired, staring blankly out the window. He had seen the side of me I always tried to hide. My mask didn't work on him at all.