Chapter 74 - Nursing
After returning home with Mashiro, I immediately collapsed onto my bed in my room.
Every time I coughed—gohon gohon—a sharp pain reverberated through my whole body, making it clear that I’d caught a full-blown cold.
It was just past five-thirty in the evening.
The house was completely silent, and I could tell that aside from Mashiro and me, no one else was home.
Right beside my bed, Mashiro was busily preparing cold towels and sports drinks.
She moved briskly for my sake, and I truly appreciated her kindness.
After sticking a cooling sheet to my forehead, Mashiro handed me a thermometer.
“Okay then, let’s check your temperature. Here you go!”
“Thanks, Mashiro.”
I slipped the thermometer through a gap in my clothes and tucked it securely under my armpit.
When the beep beep signaled it was done, I pulled it out to see the display reading 38.7°C.
This morning it had only been a slight fever, so I thought it wasn’t a big deal—but now it was a pretty serious one.
Mashiro frowned slightly at the number and gently stroked my head.
“You’re definitely not going to school like this. Rest properly and get better soon.”
“Yeah, but…”
“No buts! Right now, resting your body is more important, okay? Your attendance record’s still safe, isn’t it?”
“For now, yeah… but I’d still like to go to school if I can.”
I’d been attending every class without fail to shed my bad reputation. If I took a break now, rumors might start again—‘Shindo Ryusuke is skipping school and goofing off’—and both teachers and classmates might spread that nonsense.
That’s why I wanted to go to school as much as possible.
But Mashiro looked worried, her eyebrows drooping.
“But but, if you push yourself now, your cold might get worse and you’ll end up missing several days, you know?”
“You’re right… Mashiro’s got a point. That’d be totally counterproductive…”
“Right? So just be a good boy and let me take care of you, okay?”
“Thanks. You really do look out for me.”
“Ehehe. It’s only natural as your childhood friend! I’ll go make dinner now. Be good, Ryusuke.”
Mashiro smiled gently, patted my head once more, and left the room.
Being treated like this made me feel like I’d turned back into a little kid. For now, I’d quietly rest and be grateful for Mashiro’s care.
With that decision made, I closed my eyes and rolled around on the bed.
The cool sensation of the sheet on my forehead and the softness of the pillow felt nice. But it was frustrating that I couldn’t fall asleep. Maybe because of the headache—no matter how long I lay there, sleep didn’t seem to come.
“This is hopeless… I can’t sleep at all.”
And my body felt unusually hot.
Maybe it was a sign the fever was still climbing. I sipped the sports drink Mashiro had brought to soothe my throat and just kept resting.
I don’t know how long I waited.
From outside the room, I heard the ton ton sound of a knife chopping something. A delicious aroma wafted in, stirring my empty stomach.
Then the door opened, and there stood Mashiro with a gentle smile, wearing an apron.
Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she wore a simple light blue apron. She looked like an angel who had just married into the family.
I couldn’t help but stare in awe at her appearance. Mashiro walked over, carrying a tray in both hands.
“Here you go, Ryusuke. I borrowed the kitchen and made dinner. Eat this and get better, okay?”
“Whoa… That smells insanely good…”
“It’s egg rice porridge, miso soup, and fruit yogurt. If you don’t have much appetite, it’s okay to leave some.”
“Nah, I’ll eat it all. No leftovers.”
“Ehehe, glad to hear you’re feeling better. Eat up, okay?”
Just looking at the food on the tray made my throat instinctively gulp.
Mashiro had made this dinner with me in mind. She said it was okay to leave some, but instead my appetite surged.
I was hungry, and Mashiro’s thoughtfulness meant the world to me right now.
Wanting to respond to her kindness, I gripped the spoon and reached for the egg porridge first. One bite and the gentle aroma of dashi and the rich flavor of egg spread through my mouth, soaking into my empty stomach with comforting warmth.
I took a sip of the miso soup next. The refined taste, made with bonito flakes and kombu, was delicious. It paired perfectly with the slightly strong-flavored porridge, and even in my sick state, I could eat it smoothly. Mashiro really knew what she was doing.
The fruit yogurt was also carefully prepared, with the fruit cut and topped in a way that made it easy for me to eat. The sweetness of the fruit and the refreshing tartness spread across my tongue, and the gentle texture of the yogurt stimulated my appetite.
Mashiro always praised the food I made, but I loved her cooking too. Maybe because our tastes were similar—her dishes always felt familiar and genuinely delicious.
I took my time savoring Mashiro’s homemade meal. I’d thought I wouldn’t have much appetite because of the cold, but that worry turned out to be unfounded. I could feel her kindness filling me with strength.
“Ryusuke, I’m glad you’ve got your appetite. With some medicine and rest, you’ll be better in no time!”
“Yeah. Thanks to you, Mashiro, I’m feeling a lot better. I really appreciate it.”
“Fufu, you’re welcome. Now just get rid of that cold and go back to being your usual energetic self, okay?”
“Yeah, I will. I’ll rest up today. Thanks for the meal—it was amazing.”
“No no, it was nothing! I’ll make dinner for Mai-chan too. She’s probably starving after club activities.”
“You’re really spoiling us. Knowing Mai, if she hears she gets to eat your cooking, she’ll cry tears of joy.”
“Ahaha. Then I’ll make a dinner so good it’ll make Mai-chan bawl!”
Mashiro laughed cheerfully, then placed the used dishes back on the tray and left the room.
The way her apron strings fluttered was so cute, I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her go.
After that, I took out my cold medicine from my bag, drank it, and lay down to rest. Slowly, I closed my heavy eyelids.