Chapter 73 - Mashiro’s Token of Gratitude
After school.
Having finished packing up, I headed once again to Class 1, where Mashiro was.
She’d been worried about me catching a cold and told me to reach out anytime if I needed anything. Mashiro really is a good girl, I thought, and at the same time, I felt I wanted to ease her burden somehow.
But even as I thought that, my condition was steadily worsening.
I was clearly more sluggish than I’d been in the morning, and during the afternoon classes, my body temperature kept rising.
Still, I couldn’t afford to take a break—because I’d slacked off too much during the first semester. It’s entirely my own fault, so I’ve got no intention of complaining.
At the very least, I needed to be careful not to let it get any worse. With that resolve, I stepped into the hallway—and there stood Mashiro, holding her school bag.
As soon as she saw my face, Mashiro’s expression turned concerned.
“You look really sick.”
“…I’m not trying to push myself, but my body’s being honest. Does my face look pale or anything?”
“Yeah, really pale. You’ve got that feverish look all over.”
“I see. If Mashiro’s saying that, it must be pretty bad.”
“I’ve been worried all day. I was so restless during class, I even missed it when the teacher called on me.”
“Sorry…”
“It’s okay. I know Ryusuke’s a good boy who works hard even when he’s sick.”
Mashiro smiled gently and stepped in front of me, slowly extending her left hand.
I tilted my head, not understanding what she was doing. Seeing me like that, Mashiro blushed faintly and spoke.
“Here, I’ll carry your bag. Let’s get you home.”
“But I feel bad letting you go that far for me.”
“It’s fine. When I twisted my ankle, Ryusuke was really kind to me. This is my way of returning the favor.”
“Mashiro…”
Mashiro gently took my bag and began walking down the hallway, pulling me along by the hand.
I was happy, but the guilt outweighed it, leaving me unsure what to do. In the end, I decided to accept her help. Honestly, walking was tough, so I was really grateful.
She even matched her pace to mine out of consideration. Holding my hand so gently like this—Mashiro really is an angel.
In my current state, physically and emotionally drained from being sick, her kindness was the greatest comfort I could ask for.
“I feel like I’m just making Mashiro do everything today. I’m really sorry.”
“Fufu. No need to say that, Ryusuke. I think this kind of thing is a perk of being childhood friends, don’t you?”
“I see… Then I’ll gratefully lean on you.”
“Yup, leave it to me. If you’d like, I can even make dinner? You usually cook for your family, right? I’ll take care of it today.”
“Thanks, but I can’t ask you to go that far. You’ve got your own stuff to deal with.”
“No need to hold back. I couldn’t possibly leave Ryusuke alone when he’s sick. And I’m doing this because I want to, so don’t worry about it, okay?”
“Alright. Just for today, I’ll let myself rely on you. Honestly, I don’t have much energy left to cook dinner anyway…”
“Yup yup. Then I’ll stop by your house today. We’ll need to pick up some sports drinks and groceries on the way.”
Mai would probably come home exhausted from club activities, and Mom wouldn’t be back until late, so I’d have to cook myself. But in my current condition, even standing in the kitchen felt like too much.
That’s why Mashiro’s offer was truly a lifesaver. I felt so lucky to have such a kind childhood friend.
Mashiro continued to lead me by the hand toward the school’s front entrance.
After changing into our shoes, we left through the school gate together and headed to the nearby supermarket before going to my house.
Inside the store, Mashiro walked around, tossing sports drinks and nutritious ingredients into the shopping basket one after another. I could feel her desire to help me recover quickly, and her profile looked more dependable than usual.
After finishing our shopping, Mashiro and I walked home at a slightly slower pace than usual.
As I exhaled, trying to release the heat trapped in my body, Mashiro peeked at my face, her eyebrows knitted in worry.
“Ryusuke, you really look like you’re struggling. Let’s get you lying down as soon as we get home, okay?”
“Thanks. Honestly, I’m at my limit just walking…”
“Yeah. Let’s take it slow and get you better soon, alright?”
“Thanks, Mashiro.”
“Ehehe. It’s okay, Ryusuke. I’m always the one being taken care of, after all…”
Mashiro smiled happily and squeezed my hand a little tighter. Separate from the discomfort of being sick, the warmth of her grip made my heart flutter—and it felt incredibly pleasant.