[Kisaragi-san? Thank you for the bath――]
The smell of coffee tickled Daiki’s nose as he returned to the living room, feeling more refreshed than he had expected after taking a shower.
[Yes~. Good timing, I just made coffee. Want some?]
Reika, who was standing in the kitchen, turned around and said with a smile.
Reika had changed into jeans and a sleeveless knitted sweater, and her long hair was gathered up and hanging down in front instead of behind. Not being in her bathrobe was a shame, but her current outfit was also very eye-catching, with the knit emphasizing her chest and making her thin legs look more attractive, making it a fantastic sight for sore eyes.
[――T-Tt-thank you very much, itadakimasu.]
Daiki almost got captivated by her again, but he managed to reply.
(Beautiful women really look good in everything, don’t they…?)
Reika tilted her head at Daiki, who was thinking about this in his mind, and placed two mugs of coffee on the table and sat down on a chair.
[Well, sit here?]
[Okay.]
[Ah, you look better. I’m glad.]
[Aah, that’s why you gave me the jelly, right?]
[You looked so emancipated. Oh, do you want sugar and milk?]
[No, I usually drink it black, so I’m fine.]
[Is that so. Me too.]
She smiled affectionately and sipped from her mug with an elegant gesture.
Daiki, who was watching Reika in front of him, internally marveled at her.
(Hmmm, she seems like a very capable onee-san… I thought she might be different when I helped her up, but I was wrong.)
When Daiki was nodding his head while thinking about this, Reika said to him curiously.
[Won’t you drink it? Do you not like hot drinks?]
[No, it’s not like that. Itadakimasu.]
Picking up the mug, Daiki took in the aroma first.
(…I was thinking earlier that these are pretty good beans, aren’t they?)
Daiki’s keen sense of smell told him so. He took a sip, confident that he couldn’t be wrong.
(…Delicious…)
As Daiki heartily showed his true feelings, Reika smiled while looking glad.
[Really? I’m glad, I’m confident in my skills of making coffee.]
[? It’s really delicious.]
When he replied with a sense of unease, Reika became more and more happy, and Daiki almost got charmed again.
(What? Is she a goddess? No, she is a goddess. Without doubt.)
Internally concluding, Daiki took another sip of his coffee and slowly drank it down.
[So, about yesterday――]
Reika started as she put down her mug.
[Ah, that’s right. What the heck happened yesterday?]
Daiki puts down his mug as well and asks back.
[Um yeah, I was about to call an ambulance when Yanagi-kun suddenly collapsed like that, but my cell phone battery was dead, wasn’t it?]
[…Aah, now that you say it, that’s right.]
(Ambulance…for real?)
Reika continued as Daiki broke out in a cold sweat, realizing now that it was about to become a big deal.
[When I was thinking about what to do, I remembered. We have a concierge at our condominium who can arrange things for us.]
[C-con..cierge??]
[Yes, a concierge. He’s stationed in this apartment.]
[H-huh…]
(Con-con…Aah, concierge. I heard something like that. Aren’t they usually in hotels? To have one in this condominium, what an incredible 100 million yen condominium.)
In spite of Daiki’s surprise, Reika opened her mouth.
[The concierge was at the front desk of the condominium, so I asked him and he called the security guard to come and take you to a rest room in front of the condominium, and then the concierge called a doctor to come and take a look.]
[A-at that time…?
[Yes. He told me that there was a doctor who had a contract with this condominium, and the doctor told me that you were just sleeping because you collapsed from overwork, and he said that he would give you an IV drip just in case, and he treated you.]
[Eh? An IV drip?]
[Yes, in your arm.]
[…Really?]
He took a closer look and saw that there was indeed a red dot on his left arm.
(No, I should have noticed it when I was taking a shower.)
[He said they use some kind of special needle. He said it would plug right up, so he wiped it with an absorbent cotton pad with disinfectant solution and said there was no need to put anything else on it.]
[H-heh…? Well, it doesn’t hurt at all, so I guess that’s it.]
[That’s good to know.]
[…? Ah, what about the medical fees?]
[Yes, I paid for it myself.]
[For helping me again and again, I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to pay you later.]
[Ah-… Alright, that’s fine. So then the doctor said you’ll be fine with some rest and proper sleep, so I called the concierge and asked help from the guards to carry you here. I only have one bed so I had you sleep on the sofa… Now do you understand the situation?]
After hearing that much, Daiki stood up from his chair and bowed profoundly.
[I apologize for the inconvenience. And thank you very much for saving me from a dangerous situation.]
Reika smiled wryly, then stood up and bowed her head in the same manner as Daiki.
[It should be I who should be saying that. If you had not caught me when I fell down the stairs, I would have been seriously injured. Also, when the doctor told me that Yanagi-kun had collapsed due to overwork, I realized that catching me was one of the reasons. So, thank you very much for catching me and helping me instead of avoiding me even though you were tired.]
Then, after they looked up at each other, Daiki said shyly to Reika who smiled at him.
[No, it was on the spur of the moment, and besides, my fatigue was not your concern, and you even called a doctor for me…]
[Hmm, but, But in Yanagi-kun’s case, I think you would have been able to manage without me. If another person had walked by and called an ambulance, it wouldn’t have been a problem for Yanagi-kun, who had just collapsed from overwork and was sleeping. On the contrary, I think that if Yanagi-kun hadn’t helped me at that time, I would have been seriously injured, and if you hadn’t been able to help me, I probably would have been hospitalized. Yanagi-kun, who could have been saved if someone else had walked by, and me, who could not have been saved if Yanagi-kun had not been there at that time. Now, who should be more grateful?]
When Reika crossed her arms in a huff, emphasizing her large b*****s even more, Daiki tried to refute her.
[No, no, Kisaragi-san, you even let me into your house even though I was a man, took good care of me, and even lent me your shower――]
[What are you saying, it’s just normal to let the person who helped you into your house.]
When Reika replied sullenly, Daiki responded resolutely with [No, no], then Reika would again reply with [No, no], as this exchange went on for some time, suddenly for an unknown reason, a silence fell over the two.
[……]
[……]
(…Huh, we were quarrelling…why were we quarrelling?)
When Daiki was thinking about this in his mind, Reika also furrowed her eyebrows as if troubled and let her gaze drift in the air.
Then, their gazes crossed at the same time.
He tried to say something, but no words came out and only his mouth moved half-heartedly before closing. When he looked at her, he saw that Reika had done the same thing at the exact same time.
Because they were looking at each other, they were watching each other’s movements. They had seen one another.
Then, at the same time, they both looked away, and they both knew they had done that
And when they returned their gazes together, they crossed at the same time again.
[Ha-haha…]
When Reika let out a twitching laugh, as if she couldn’t stand something――
[Ha-haha…]
Daiki laughed in the exact same way as Reika.
[……]
[……]
The silence fell again, and then, simultaneously, or perhaps at the same time, from both sides, there was a burst of laughter.
[Ahahahahaha!!]
They both started laughing.
[Jeez, why are we arguing like this?]
Reika, who had calmed down a bit, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked a plausible question.
[I wonder why. I don’t know, but Kisaragi-san seemed to be angry.]
[No, it was Yanagi-kun.]
[No, no, no…]
[No, no, no…]
They almost started the same kind of exchange again, but then they both realized it, and soon they were both laughing again as if they couldn’t stand it any longer.
[Hahaha, yeah. That’s enough. Let’s do it like this. Now we’re equal, right?]
Breathing hard, Daiki nodded at Reika’s suggestion while holding his stomach.
[Haha, i have no objections.]
[Yes, well, I guess that means I’m done thanking you!]
Reika then clapped her hands with a pang and sat back in her chair.
Daiki also sat down and sipped his slightly cooled coffee. Reika was drinking her coffee as well.
And at the same time, they put the cup on the table――
[Haa…]
They let out such a sigh at the same time, and when both of them noticed it, they both quickly turned their faces downward and shook their shoulders. They were trying not to burst into laughter.
[A-ahem…Haa, maybe it’s because I was laughing so much. I became hungry.]
When he was told that, Daiki also felt hungry.
[That’s so, isn’t it. I missed out on eating last night as well.
[Ah, that’s right. Then let’s have lunch.]
Daiki raised his eyes at Reika, who stood up after saying so invitingly.
[Err, can I have some as well?]
[Eh, you haven’t eaten yet right? Well, it’s not a big deal.]
[No no, I’m grateful. Certainly.]
[Yeah, then wait for a while will you.]
Daiki’s heart pounded in his chest as Reika nodded and then began to move.
(Ooooo, a beautiful woman’s homemade cooking! I’m glad I’m alive!!!)
As he was trembling with excitement from the unexpected good fortune, Reika opened a kind of storage room at the back of the living room. She seemed to have taken out a number of things and spread them out on the table with her arms full of them.
[――Which of these do you want? Do you have anything you want to eat? These cup noodles are delicious. But, I just woke up, is it too heavy? Hmm, I think I’ll cook some rice, then curry.]
Daiki looked at the items spread out on the table. Most of them were cup noodles, followed by instant curry, vermicelli soup, cup soup base, and even instant porridge.
After looking at them, Daiki looked up to the heavens.
(Seriously…?)
He had high expectations, but the difference was too great.
(No, I raised my expectations on my own… Yeah, no, hold on. This Onee-san with an atmosphere of being able to do anything, can’t cook…? No, no, it’s probably once in a while. It’s definitely because there are no ingredients. It’s definitely that I’m sure.]
Daiki tried to persuade himself internally.
[Hey, are you listening? Is this curry okay?]
What Reika thrust at me as she said this was a slightly expensive instant curry that you can often find in supermarkets.
[Umm… yeah, it’s fine…]
Daiki’s eyes wandered as he replied vaguely.
If he hadn’t collapsed yesterday, he would have made something delicious at home, and he would have done so by now. With that in mind, even though it was a kind gesture, he couldn’t bring himself to eat the retort, so he turned away as if to run away.
[Hmm? Would you rather have a cup of noodles?]
Overhearing Reika’s voice, which seemed to misunderstand that he just didn’t want to eat curry, Daiki suddenly stopped to look at something on the kitchen counter.
[Kisaragi-san… are you planning to use that bread in any way?]
Daiki asked, knowing that it was both insolent and rude to ask for help.
[Eh? Bread…? Ah! That’s right, I bought it yesterday from a convenience store on the way back home!]
Daiki breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Reika heading for the kitchen counter.
(Yeah yeah, it’s because there were no ingredients after all, all these instant foods.]
Then, if he remembered that there was bread, he would make something with it as a staple food, Daiki thought, his heart swelling with anticipation again.
[Well then, with this bread… Let’s see… Ah, toast… and with butter, shall we eat it?]
When he saw Reika holding a loaf of bread in her hand and speaking awkwardly and unsurely, he had a bad feeling about it.
(No way…)
[T-that’s right… Toast and――?]
He hesitated, but knowing that it was rude to do so again, Daiki dared to add “and” to the word toast.
[Ah, y-yeah. Toast and…]
Reika’s eyes scurried around impatiently.
(This is…No, there’s no way…)
[Um… about that bread, how did you plan to eat it after buying it…?]
When Daiki asked, Reika looked away and replied in a whisper.
[Umm, just-just like that is fine right…?]
[…You mean the raw bread without anything else?]
[I-it’s delicious! Even if you eat it just like that! It’s chewy! I love it!]
[Ha-haa…]
Daiki could only reply to Reika, who seemed to be making excuses with a bright red face.
He looked at the instant food sprawled on the table once more.
(It depends on what’s left in the fridge… if there’s nothing, then could I use these instead? After all, is there anything?)
[Um, Kisaragi-san…]
[W-what?]
To Reika who seemed to be bracing herself for some reason, Daiki said with determination.
[If you don’t mind, would you let me cook for you?]
[Kisaragi-san? Thank you for the bath――]
The smell of coffee tickled Daiki’s nose as he returned to the living room, feeling more refreshed than he had expected after taking a shower.
[Yes~. Good timing, I just made coffee. Want some?]
Reika, who was standing in the kitchen, turned around and said with a smile.
Reika had changed into jeans and a sleeveless knitted sweater, and her long hair was gathered up and hanging down in front instead of behind. Not being in her bathrobe was a shame, but her current outfit was also very eye-catching, with the knit emphasizing her chest and making her thin legs look more attractive, making it a fantastic sight for sore eyes.
[――T-Tt-thank you very much, itadakimasu.]
Daiki almost got captivated by her again, but he managed to reply.
(Beautiful women really look good in everything, don’t they…?)
Reika tilted her head at Daiki, who was thinking about this in his mind, and placed two mugs of coffee on the table and sat down on a chair.
[Well, sit here?]
[Okay.]
[Ah, you look better. I’m glad.]
[Aah, that’s why you gave me the jelly, right?]
[You looked so emancipated. Oh, do you want sugar and milk?]
[No, I usually drink it black, so I’m fine.]
[Is that so. Me too.]
She smiled affectionately and sipped from her mug with an elegant gesture.
Daiki, who was watching Reika in front of him, internally marveled at her.
(Hmmm, she seems like a very capable onee-san… I thought she might be different when I helped her up, but I was wrong.)
When Daiki was nodding his head while thinking about this, Reika said to him curiously.
[Won’t you drink it? Do you not like hot drinks?]
[No, it’s not like that. Itadakimasu.]
Picking up the mug, Daiki took in the aroma first.
(…I was thinking earlier that these are pretty good beans, aren’t they?)
Daiki’s keen sense of smell told him so. He took a sip, confident that he couldn’t be wrong.
(…Delicious…)
As Daiki heartily showed his true feelings, Reika smiled while looking glad.
[Really? I’m glad, I’m confident in my skills of making coffee.]
[? It’s really delicious.]
When he replied with a sense of unease, Reika became more and more happy, and Daiki almost got charmed again.
(What? Is she a goddess? No, she is a goddess. Without doubt.)
Internally concluding, Daiki took another sip of his coffee and slowly drank it down.
[So, about yesterday――]
Reika started as she put down her mug.
[Ah, that’s right. What the heck happened yesterday?]
Daiki puts down his mug as well and asks back.
[Um yeah, I was about to call an ambulance when Yanagi-kun suddenly collapsed like that, but my cell phone battery was dead, wasn’t it?]
[…Aah, now that you say it, that’s right.]
(Ambulance…for real?)
Reika continued as Daiki broke out in a cold sweat, realizing now that it was about to become a big deal.
[When I was thinking about what to do, I remembered. We have a concierge at our condominium who can arrange things for us.]
[C-con..cierge??]
[Yes, a concierge. He’s stationed in this apartment.]
[H-huh…]
(Con-con…Aah, concierge. I heard something like that. Aren’t they usually in hotels? To have one in this condominium, what an incredible 100 million yen condominium.)
In spite of Daiki’s surprise, Reika opened her mouth.
[The concierge was at the front desk of the condominium, so I asked him and he called the security guard to come and take you to a rest room in front of the condominium, and then the concierge called a doctor to come and take a look.]
[A-at that time…?
[Yes. He told me that there was a doctor who had a contract with this condominium, and the doctor told me that you were just sleeping because you collapsed from overwork, and he said that he would give you an IV drip just in case, and he treated you.]
[Eh? An IV drip?]
[Yes, in your arm.]
[…Really?]
He took a closer look and saw that there was indeed a red dot on his left arm.
(No, I should have noticed it when I was taking a shower.)
[He said they use some kind of special needle. He said it would plug right up, so he wiped it with an absorbent cotton pad with disinfectant solution and said there was no need to put anything else on it.]
[H-heh…? Well, it doesn’t hurt at all, so I guess that’s it.]
[That’s good to know.]
[…? Ah, what about the medical fees?]
[Yes, I paid for it myself.]
[For helping me again and again, I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to pay you later.]
[Ah-… Alright, that’s fine. So then the doctor said you’ll be fine with some rest and proper sleep, so I called the concierge and asked help from the guards to carry you here. I only have one bed so I had you sleep on the sofa… Now do you understand the situation?]
After hearing that much, Daiki stood up from his chair and bowed profoundly.
[I apologize for the inconvenience. And thank you very much for saving me from a dangerous situation.]
Reika smiled wryly, then stood up and bowed her head in the same manner as Daiki.
[It should be I who should be saying that. If you had not caught me when I fell down the stairs, I would have been seriously injured. Also, when the doctor told me that Yanagi-kun had collapsed due to overwork, I realized that catching me was one of the reasons. So, thank you very much for catching me and helping me instead of avoiding me even though you were tired.]
Then, after they looked up at each other, Daiki said shyly to Reika who smiled at him.
[No, it was on the spur of the moment, and besides, my fatigue was not your concern, and you even called a doctor for me…]
[Hmm, but, But in Yanagi-kun’s case, I think you would have been able to manage without me. If another person had walked by and called an ambulance, it wouldn’t have been a problem for Yanagi-kun, who had just collapsed from overwork and was sleeping. On the contrary, I think that if Yanagi-kun hadn’t helped me at that time, I would have been seriously injured, and if you hadn’t been able to help me, I probably would have been hospitalized. Yanagi-kun, who could have been saved if someone else had walked by, and me, who could not have been saved if Yanagi-kun had not been there at that time. Now, who should be more grateful?]
When Reika crossed her arms in a huff, emphasizing her large b*****s even more, Daiki tried to refute her.
[No, no, Kisaragi-san, you even let me into your house even though I was a man, took good care of me, and even lent me your shower――]
[What are you saying, it’s just normal to let the person who helped you into your house.]
When Reika replied sullenly, Daiki responded resolutely with [No, no], then Reika would again reply with [No, no], as this exchange went on for some time, suddenly for an unknown reason, a silence fell over the two.
[……]
[……]
(…Huh, we were quarrelling…why were we quarrelling?)
When Daiki was thinking about this in his mind, Reika also furrowed her eyebrows as if troubled and let her gaze drift in the air.
Then, their gazes crossed at the same time.
He tried to say something, but no words came out and only his mouth moved half-heartedly before closing. When he looked at her, he saw that Reika had done the same thing at the exact same time.
Because they were looking at each other, they were watching each other’s movements. They had seen one another.
Then, at the same time, they both looked away, and they both knew they had done that
And when they returned their gazes together, they crossed at the same time again.
[Ha-haha…]
When Reika let out a twitching laugh, as if she couldn’t stand something――
[Ha-haha…]
Daiki laughed in the exact same way as Reika.
[……]
[……]
The silence fell again, and then, simultaneously, or perhaps at the same time, from both sides, there was a burst of laughter.
[Ahahahahaha!!]
They both started laughing.
[Jeez, why are we arguing like this?]
Reika, who had calmed down a bit, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked a plausible question.
[I wonder why. I don’t know, but Kisaragi-san seemed to be angry.]
[No, it was Yanagi-kun.]
[No, no, no…]
[No, no, no…]
They almost started the same kind of exchange again, but then they both realized it, and soon they were both laughing again as if they couldn’t stand it any longer.
[Hahaha, yeah. That’s enough. Let’s do it like this. Now we’re equal, right?]
Breathing hard, Daiki nodded at Reika’s suggestion while holding his stomach.
[Haha, i have no objections.]
[Yes, well, I guess that means I’m done thanking you!]
Reika then clapped her hands with a pang and sat back in her chair.
Daiki also sat down and sipped his slightly cooled coffee. Reika was drinking her coffee as well.
And at the same time, they put the cup on the table――
[Haa…]
They let out such a sigh at the same time, and when both of them noticed it, they both quickly turned their faces downward and shook their shoulders. They were trying not to burst into laughter.
[A-ahem…Haa, maybe it’s because I was laughing so much. I became hungry.]
When he was told that, Daiki also felt hungry.
[That’s so, isn’t it. I missed out on eating last night as well.
[Ah, that’s right. Then let’s have lunch.]
Daiki raised his eyes at Reika, who stood up after saying so invitingly.
[Err, can I have some as well?]
[Eh, you haven’t eaten yet right? Well, it’s not a big deal.]
[No no, I’m grateful. Certainly.]
[Yeah, then wait for a while will you.]
Daiki’s heart pounded in his chest as Reika nodded and then began to move.
(Ooooo, a beautiful woman’s homemade cooking! I’m glad I’m alive!!!)
As he was trembling with excitement from the unexpected good fortune, Reika opened a kind of storage room at the back of the living room. She seemed to have taken out a number of things and spread them out on the table with her arms full of them.
[――Which of these do you want? Do you have anything you want to eat? These cup noodles are delicious. But, I just woke up, is it too heavy? Hmm, I think I’ll cook some rice, then curry.]
Daiki looked at the items spread out on the table. Most of them were cup noodles, followed by instant curry, vermicelli soup, cup soup base, and even instant porridge.
After looking at them, Daiki looked up to the heavens.
(Seriously…?)
He had high expectations, but the difference was too great.
(No, I raised my expectations on my own… Yeah, no, hold on. This Onee-san with an atmosphere of being able to do anything, can’t cook…? No, no, it’s probably once in a while. It’s definitely because there are no ingredients. It’s definitely that I’m sure.]
Daiki tried to persuade himself internally.
[Hey, are you listening? Is this curry okay?]
What Reika thrust at me as she said this was a slightly expensive instant curry that you can often find in supermarkets.
[Umm… yeah, it’s fine…]
Daiki’s eyes wandered as he replied vaguely.
If he hadn’t collapsed yesterday, he would have made something delicious at home, and he would have done so by now. With that in mind, even though it was a kind gesture, he couldn’t bring himself to eat the retort, so he turned away as if to run away.
[Hmm? Would you rather have a cup of noodles?]
Overhearing Reika’s voice, which seemed to misunderstand that he just didn’t want to eat curry, Daiki suddenly stopped to look at something on the kitchen counter.
[Kisaragi-san… are you planning to use that bread in any way?]
Daiki asked, knowing that it was both insolent and rude to ask for help.
[Eh? Bread…? Ah! That’s right, I bought it yesterday from a convenience store on the way back home!]
Daiki breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Reika heading for the kitchen counter.
(Yeah yeah, it’s because there were no ingredients after all, all these instant foods.]
Then, if he remembered that there was bread, he would make something with it as a staple food, Daiki thought, his heart swelling with anticipation again.
[Well then, with this bread… Let’s see… Ah, toast… and with butter, shall we eat it?]
When he saw Reika holding a loaf of bread in her hand and speaking awkwardly and unsurely, he had a bad feeling about it.
(No way…)
[T-that’s right… Toast and――?]
He hesitated, but knowing that it was rude to do so again, Daiki dared to add “and” to the word toast.
[Ah, y-yeah. Toast and…]
Reika’s eyes scurried around impatiently.
(This is…No, there’s no way…)
[Um… about that bread, how did you plan to eat it after buying it…?]
When Daiki asked, Reika looked away and replied in a whisper.
[Umm, just-just like that is fine right…?]
[…You mean the raw bread without anything else?]
[I-it’s delicious! Even if you eat it just like that! It’s chewy! I love it!]
[Ha-haa…]
Daiki could only reply to Reika, who seemed to be making excuses with a bright red face.
He looked at the instant food sprawled on the table once more.
(It depends on what’s left in the fridge… if there’s nothing, then could I use these instead? After all, is there anything?)
[Um, Kisaragi-san…]
[W-what?]
To Reika who seemed to be bracing herself for some reason, Daiki said with determination.
[If you don’t mind, would you let me cook for you?]
