Category: Oshi Dream Life

[Shizuka PoV]

I woke up smelling a faint scent of the sun, unlike any other day.

While still being half-asleep, I noticed that my forehead was pressed against something.

It wasn’t my usual pillow.

It was something warm, soft, but slightly firm.

I slowly opened my eyes.

The fibers of a T-shirt were visible before me, so I rubbed my eye to check if I was seeing things.

A faint light seeped in through the curtains, casting a faint glow in the room.

…Apparently, I was clinging onto Souma-kun for the entire night.

More specifically, I was pressing my face against his broad back. When I realized this, I struggled desperately not to scream.

……

…Once I get up, I can never experience this again. Let’s make full use of the situation!

“Mmm…” (Shizuka)

While giving off an intentionally drowsy voice, I continued to press my body against him.

My chest may be small, but thanks to that, I could snuggle against his body quite comfortably. It gave me the largest contact area with Souma-kun.

I buried my face into his back, filling my entire view with Souma-kun. When I breathed in, I could smell Souma-kun’s scent. Ahh, the scent of the person I love…

It was a sensation that warmed my heart from deep within. If I could, I wanted to stay like this forever.

When I pressed my body against him, Souma-kun trembled slightly. Did he wake up? Please, don’t wake up for just a little longer.

Looking back, ever since I started living alone, my mornings always felt a bit lonely. Even though I’m already 20 years old, I sometimes feel like I am still a child. But there was nothing I could do about it. I just couldn’t adapt to my new lifestyle. I wondered what would have happened to me if Souma-kun hadn’t been there.

Before I knew it, my hand had wrapped around Souma-kun’s stomach, basically hugging him. I squeezed Souma-kun tightly with that hand. The sense of security I felt now was incomparable to anything before. I had wanted this for so long. It was a shame it was from behind, but for now, it was more than enough.

In the end, I continued to pretend to be half-asleep until Souma-kun’s smartphone alarm went off.

◆

[Souma PoV]

In the end, I barely got any sleep and was quickly greeted by the sound of my smartphone alarm.

“…………So tired…” (Souma)

As I raised my upper body, Shizuka’s hand, which had been wrapped around me from behind, slipped and fell onto the blanket. She was the reason I couldn’t sleep. Seeing as her hand had slipped off easily, it seemed that Shizuka hadn’t woken up from the sound of the alarm just now.

Aren’t you sleeping quite soundly? Thanks to you, I couldn’t get a wink of sleep, you know?

I tried my best not to consciously acknowledge the sensation I felt and crawled out of bed, making my way to the bathroom. When I looked in the mirror, I had a terrible expression on my face. Staying up all night was one thing, but it was clear that my mental state was taking a toll on me.

…It’s all because Shizuka mistook me for a body pillow or something and started clinging to me. She was pressing her chest against me like crazy. Although I didn’t really feel much physically, there’s no doubt that there was something still there.

Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter if her chest is small or the fact that she is a real-life garbage dispenser.

As long as a girl is snuggled up to me, it’s only natural to get excited. I’m a 20-year-old guy, after all. Someone should award me the Nobel Prize for Patience. But seriously, I’m so sleepy. Can I skip university today? No, I already know that I can’t.

“Mmm I feel refreshed.” (Shizuka)

As I was drying my washed face with a towel, I heard a voice coming from the bedroom. It seemed like Shizuka had woken up. The timing was such that it sounded like something I would say right after washing my face, but in reality, it didn’t do much to help my exhaustion.

I remembered Shizuka from last night, looking so lonely. If she was able to sleep soundly, then maybe paying the price of staying up all night was worth it after all.

“Good morning, Shizuka.” (Souma)

When I returned to the living room, Shizuka was sitting at the table. She must have had a really good sleep because her face was radiant, even though she just woke up.

“Good morning, Souma-kun. Did you sleep well?” (Shizuka)

“I managed. It seems like you weren’t too lonely.” (Souma)

“Hehe, thanks to you♪” (Shizuka)

Saying that, Shizuka smiled.

…I couldn’t help but forgive the slight sleepiness after seeing her bright smile. This is so unfair.

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Thanks for reading!

Look, I know that I said I would upload the illustrations into the respective chapters by yesterday but you know… I didn’t have time. I’ll do it somewhere this week once I actually get enough of the adequate amount of sleep a human should get. I’m basically Souma right now lol.

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1. None

If I were to describe Rinjou Shizuka in an objective manner… then I would say that she is petite.

She has no chest to speak of, nor does she have a prominent butt. Her waist is slender, but her entire body is thin. It’s probably due to an unbalanced diet… No, it might even be her entire lifestyle habits.

I remember that there was a time when Shizuka said, ‘No matter how much I eat, I don’t gain weight.’ It happened during one of the usual Souma-kai’s. At that time, Shizuka pushed her rice bowl forward and asked for seconds of white rice. That’s right…. Shizuka can’t even serve herself rice. Well, eating more isn’t exactly bad per se. The women of Souma-kai were all slender, so I wasn’t really worried about their weight, but I feel that a certain group of people would resent me for saying that.

Come to think of it, wasn’t Hiyorin on a diet? Maybe Shizuka is being secretly resented by Hiyorin. Snacking on chips in the middle of the night, indulging in naps during the day, and basically not leaving the house at all. For a woman, losing to someone like that in terms of waistline might be even more unforgivable than the increasing tax rates each year.

Rinjou Shizuka is petite. Rinjou Shizuka is petite.

I repeated that in my mind.

Begone elements of lust.

◆

“…Souma-kun, are you asleep?” (Shizuka)

Shizuka’s voice echoed in the silent room. There was no way I could fall asleep. My senses were sharpened, and I had the illusion that a faint sweet fragrance had spread throughout the room.

…Had Shizuka’s voice always been this cute?

Come to think of it, I did like Ette-sama’s voice. Although it’s not exactly the same, maybe it’s natural to like Shizuka’s voice which was coming from the same throat.

“…I’m awake.” (Souma)

I silently gave a signal to “Please go to sleep soon”. If you want, you can even go back to your room right now. At this rate, I might not be able to sleep at all. My eyes were still wide awake with not a hint of sleepiness. On top of that, despite having the air conditioning on, my body was still covered in a thin layer of sweat. I wondered if Shizuka could hear the relentless pounding of my heart.

“That’s good. Hey, can we talk for a bit?” (Shizuka)

From the way her voice sounded, I could tell that Shizuka was lying on her back, looking up at the ceiling. I was lying on my side with my back facing Shizuka, so I could only sense her through her voice.

My bed was placed with one of its long sides against the wall, and I had been ordered to sleep on the side away from the wall. I wanted to at least sleep on the side closest to the wall because I felt that it would help me clear my mind. However, Shizuka preferred to be by the wall and I couldn’t go against her wish, so I lost my chance for a peaceful night.

Naturally, I couldn’t sleep on my back without seeing Shizuka out of the corner of my eye, so I ended up lying on my side while desperately trying to keep my eyes closed. 

“…Talk?” (Souma)

As we exchanged these quiet conversations just before we sleep, it reminded me of the night of my school field trip. I tried to recall what I had said back then when the topic of the girls in our class came up, but it happened a long time ago so I couldn’t recall much.

“Yeah. We don’t really get a chance to talk like this often, do we?” (Shizuka)

That’s because you’re usually so noisy.

I managed to hold back those words that were about to slip out of my mouth.

“Well, that’s true.” (Souma)

Speaking of which, I hardly ever get a chance to have this kind of heart-to-heart talk with both Mafuyu-chan and Hiyorin. Despite all the weirdness that we have been through, we’re just neighbors after all, and our relationship consists of nothing more than sharing a meal every now and then.

“Souma-kun, are you having fun right now?” (Souma)

Shizuka asked me this as if she had prepared the question in advance.

“What do you mean?” (Shizuka)

I couldn’t quite grasp Shizuka’s emotions since her expression wasn’t visible.

“Well, I kind of forced you into joining [Virtual Real] with me, didn’t I? I hope it wasn’t a bother.” (Shizuka)

“…Ahh.” (Souma)

My VTuber channel “Otona Kodomo” is currently thriving. I have also recently managed to surpass the 500,000 subscribers milestone. Despite streaming much less compared to others, I somehow ended up becoming quite popular. I was told by Maya-san the other day that it’s unusual for Just Talking sessions to be more popular than gaming sessions. I’m not that knowledgeable about VTubers, so I could only nod and say, “Is that so?” Well, I enjoying being a VTuber to some extent right now.

“It’s not a bother at all. It’s actually been quite refreshing to talk about some IRL (in real life) things.” (Souma)

Talking about my daily life to an unspecified number of people I don’t even know is a sensation I’ve never experienced in my life, and it’s been somewhat pleasant. Perhaps it’s because the comments are generally positive, although there are a few overzealous onee-chans out there.

“Well, that’s true. Between university, cooking, and streaming, you sure have a lot to tell.” (Shizuka)

“…Taking care of your housework too.” (Souma)

“Ugh… Sorry.” (Shizuka)

“I was just kidding. I don’t really mind taking care of you, you know.” (Souma)

“Is that so?” (Shizuka)

Even just from the tone of her voice, I could tell that Shizuka had brightened up and was smiling.

“It’s just painful to watch a garbage dump accumulating without doing anything.” (Souma)

“I see, so that’s why…” (Shizuka)

Ah, she looks a bit down now. She’s quite expressive with her emotions huh?

“…Well, thanks to Shizuka living next door, I was able to save my oshi from a pinch, so that’s a relief.” (Souma)

“Mmm…” (Shizuka)

Her cold didn’t seem too serious, but there’s a saying that illness begins in the mind. While rabbits don’t die from loneliness, Shizuka might if she were left alone, so having someone by her side probably contributed to her quick recovery.

……

A warm sensation touched my back, causing me to let out a voice. Right now, there was only one thing that could be touching me. It was Shizuka’s body.

…If I were to trust the sensation on my back, then Shizuka must be facing my way and pushing her hand and head against my back.

“Shizuka…?” (Souma)

“Goodnight, Souma-kun.” (Shizuka)

Shizuka’s hand passed over my back and wrapped around my stomach.

She then proceeded to fall asleep, clinging to me from behind.

Of course, in the end, I couldn’t sleep.

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Thanks for reading!

Damn, cuddling in the spooning position.

Also am I the only one who prefers to specifically sleep on the side with the wall if there is one? For some reason, sleeping on that side really does make you feel relaxed, idk why.

Sorry if there are any mistakes, I translated this while half-asleep.

P.S. I think I accidentally wrote ‘Otoma Kodomo’ instead of ‘Otona Kodomo’ for some chapters. It is supposed to be with an ‘n’ and not ‘m’.

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1. None

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Spoiler Warning Obviously

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LETSS GOOOO I managed to figure out how to buy the LN using Amazon Kindle. If you’re wondering why the illustrations look crap, it’s because I used snipping tool. I have absolutely no idea how to export out the images and I have work tmr so don’t have time to figure it out. I’ll insert the illustrations inside the chapters tmr.

Anyways, Hiyorin looks soo cute in the illustrations… reminds me that she hasn’t shown up in a chapter in forever. I am suffering from a lack of Hiyorin energy, so please author-san bring her back.

P.S. You know how LNs have their text written from right to left? Apparently, when copying texts from Kindle, the text would get reverted to proper sentences so I cna actually translate them. This means that I can technically translate LN now. Although, LNs are harder to translate cause if they get licensed by an English publisher, it means that I must definitely take them down.

“There’s no way I can calm down…” (Souma)

I couldn’t sit still at all, but there was nothing I could do except walk around the living room restlessly. The reason for my unease was clear, and the culprit was leisurely humming from the bathroom.

“What on earth is she thinking…?” (Souma)

Shizuka brought a change of clothes from home and, ignoring my protests, barricaded herself in the bathroom. Once she was inside, there was nothing I could do, and I found myself resentfully watching the shadow on the frosted glass. Why did she have to take a bath at my place? Shizuka’s thoughts were always incomprehensible.

*Haa…* (Souma)

I wandered aimlessly.

Just the fact that someone else is taking a bath at my house can make my heart so restless. It might be related to the fact that I saw Shizuka half-naked before. Actually, it definitely is. Otherwise, there’s no way I’d be so nervous around Shizuka. After all, she’s a garbage generator.

…However, that being said.

No matter how much I tried to ignore it, the image of her skin from lunch wouldn’t leave my mind. Honestly, even now, there was a possibility that being with Shizuka might lead to strange feelings developing. Whether it was sexual desire or something romantic, it’s hard to say. But the fact that I was reacting to the sound of water coming from the bathroom probably meant there was something wrong with me.

Just as everyone makes a mistake or two with alcohol once they become adults, I went through such experiences. And I learned something from that time: ‘Don’t do anything when your mind isn’t clear.’ Now is one of those times. I’m sorry, but as soon as Shizuka finishes bathing, I’ll ask her to go home quickly. That’s the only smart way to build a friendly relationship with Shizuka in the future.

As I was thinking about such things…

“By the way, I’m staying over at Souma-kun’s house today, okay?” (Shizuka)

After coming out of the bath, Shizuka who was wearing just a flimsy T-shirt, helped herself to some ice cream from the refrigerator and answered with a beaming smile as if she already knew what I was going to say. Unlike the unhealthy reddish hue she had during lunchtime, her healthy rosy cheeks reflected the light with a lustrous shine, thanks to various moisturizing creams, giving her an irresistibly radiant appearance. On top of that, she smelled amazing. We were supposed to be using the same shampoo, so where was this scent coming from?

“Oh, this ice cream is delicious. Maybe I should buy some for myself next time.” (Shizuka)

Shizuka, who seemed completely back to her usual self, blatantly ignored my troubles and made herself comfortable. I couldn’t help but stare at her pure white legs extending from her shorts. Maybe I really have gone crazy.

“Oh, by the way, Souma-kun, I think this might be my first time entering your bedroom. Wow, so this is the bed you sleep in?” (Shizuka)

Shizuka opened the door to my bedroom without permission and disappeared into me.

“H-Hey, wait a minute. You’re really staying over?” (Souma)

But… there’s only one bed in my place. I hurriedly followed Shizuka, but by the time I reached there, she already dove onto my bed. She wiggled her legs and looked completely relaxed.

“Oh, this bed is quite comfortable huh?” (Shizuka)

“Ugh…” (Souma)

A young woman of my age was exposing part of her bare skin on my bed, and to top it off, she was casually eating ice cream. The situation was too much for me, and I couldn’t help but avert my gaze. 

“Hey, Shizuka… What exactly are you planning?” (Souma)

I spoke to Shizuka while avoiding eye contact. There was something off about her today. It was clear that she had some sort of ulterior motive.

“Um…” (Shizuka)

I had expected her to say something incomprehensible as usual, but Shizuka’s tone was much more subdued than I had imagined. I turned my gaze towards her, and she clutched the blanket tightly, wearing a dark expression.

“…Just for tonight, I want you to stay with me.” (Shizuka)

The moment I saw Shizuka’s expression, I felt emotions welling up inside me. I immediately understood Shizuka’s feelings.

This person is definitely ──── extremely lonely right now. It’s probably because of the fever. Come to think of it, Shizuka was also homesick when she first moved here. I had thought of her as a lively person, but maybe she’s actually prone to feeling lonely. It seemed like those deeper emotions she usually kept in check were now becoming uncontrollable.

“Is it not okay…?” (Shizuka)

*glace* 

Shizuka looked up at me with puppy eyes.

…If you ask if it was okay, it was absolutely not okay.

In the past, there had been a few occasions when Mafuyu-chan crawled into my bed in the middle of the night. However, I had never once given my permission for it. Naturally, sharing a bed is something that couples do, at least according to my values.

But, in the current situation, I couldn’t bring myself to push Shizuka away. If I could do that, there would be no such thing as the Souma-kai. When Shizuka was seeking my help, there was a part of me that just couldn’t refuse.

“…Just for today, okay?” (Souma)

“Yay! Thank you, Souma-kun!” (Shizuka)

With Shizuka’s delighted voice washing over me, I retreated to the living room to calm my racing heart.

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Thanks for reading!

So MC can understand her deep feelings like loneliness but couldn’t catch the implications of her ‘go out with me’ line. I mean I know that MC can relate to her loneliness but like bruh.

In other news, my Adsense got approved faster than I thought, so I can run ads now. I’ll only be putting one at the start and one at the end so it shouldn’t be too annoying when reading. There is also one in the initial post, but pretty much no one’s gonna pay attention to that.

P.S. I ended up changing internship companies and this new company is further away which means more traveling time. I now lost an extra 2-3h of my life on traveling back and forth so there might be days where I just don’t post. Well, I’ll still post ODL but just can’t guarantee for the other series.

P.S.S btw Vol 2 illustrations are in the next page, idk why NU nvr detect

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1. None

“Then────” (Shizuka)

“………” (Souma)

I waited for the words that followed from Shizuka, who had buried her face in the blanket. I imagined all sorts of tasks: carrying bags, running errands, being a servant────I wondered what kind of impossible task she might assign me. I felt like I had just understood the feelings of the five noblemen who proposed to Princess Kaguya¹.

“………Ka……Ka……Ka-um……” (Shizuka)

“Ka……?” (Souma)

A voice that was difficult to determine whether it was words or a groan could be heard from behind the blanket.

……Ka… what could it be? Maybe killing mosquitoes (ka no kujo)……shopping (kaimono)……or even eating barbecue (karubi). Anyways, it doesn’t seem too difficult.

“Haah………… Haah…………” (Shizuka)

“…………?” (Souma)

Shizuka took a deep breath inside the blanket. She seemed to have already recovered from her fever, so her condition probably isn’t that bad, but I was still a bit worried.

“Shizuka, are you okay?” (Souma)

“…………I have to say it, I have to………… What’s the point if I can’t muster the courage here…………!” (Shizuka)

“Huh?” (Souma)

When I leaned closer to the suspicious-looking lump under the blanket, I could hear Shizuka mumbling something rapidly. For now, I was relieved that she seemed energetic, but I wondered if her fever had somehow affected her state of mind. 

“…………Fuuu………… Souma-kun.” (Shizuka)

“What is it?” (Souma)

“…………I’ll say it.” (Shizuka)

“Sure.” (Souma)

Why the sudden formality? There’s no way this is a confession or something right? Well, that’s probably impossible. Even though she was recovering from an illness, her brain couldn’t be that messed up.

I waited for Shizuka’s words. For a brief moment, silence filled the room. And for some reason, my heart thumped loudly.

“Um, well………… I want you to go out with me!” (Shizuka)

◆

“Hmm. Sure, but when? And where?” (Souma)

“Fue…………?” (Shizuka)

She had built it up so much that I thought it would be something more unusual, but Shizuka’s request was quite ordinary. I relaxed my posture and let out a sigh of relief.

“It’s for shopping, right? If it’s on a day off, I can go with you, so just let me know once you’ve figured out the schedule.” (Souma)

“Eh…………?” (Shizuka)

In response to my words, Shizuka displayed a surprised reaction. She lifted her face from the blanket and looked at me with a sad expression. What’s with those puppy-like eyes?

“Is something wrong?” (Souma)

“N-no………… um………… nothing’s wrong…………” (Shizuka)

“I see. By the way, Shizuka, are you hungry? I got enough ingredients for dinner just in case, so if you’re going to eat, I’ll prepare it for you.” (Souma)

Since Shizuka’s condition had improved, there was no need for me to stay here any longer. I stood up from the chair and stretched.

“…………I’ll eat.” (Shizuka)

“Alright. Let’s head over to my place. Can you walk?” (Souma)

“I think I’ll be okay……” (Shizuka)

However, since she was still recovering, there was a chance she might feel unsteady. With that in mind, I held Shizuka’s hand and walked her back to my house. Her forehead didn’t feel warm when I touched it, and her steps were steady, so she seemed to be genuinely fine.

I seated Shizuka at the table and started preparing dinner. But since the menu was somen, it didn’t take much time to make. I mixed the somen with tomatoes and tuna, then garnished it with chopped shiso leaves. This way, even Shizuka, who was still recovering, could enjoy it without any trouble.

“Here you go, it’s somen so I think I’ll be pretty easy to eat.” (Souma)

“Wow, it looks delicious! Itadakimasu!” (Shizuka)

Shizuka, who had been a bit down just a moment ago, instantly perked up when she saw the food. Maybe she was feeling down because she was hungry. It was cute to see how her hunger could affect her attitude. A women who enjoys her food is attractive in its own right huh?

Shizuka slurped up the somen at an astonishing speed and finished it in no time. Her eating speed was not in line with someone who had just recovered from an illness.

“Thank you for the meal!” (Shizuka)

“You’re welcome.” (Souma)

“This was incredibly good! I’d like to have it again sometime!” (Shizuka)

“Oh, really? That’s not a problem since it’s easy to make.” (Souma)

I cleared the empty dishes and moved on to washing them. It would feel odd to leave them for tomorrow, so I decided to quickly take care of them.

“…………?” (Souma)

While washing the dishes, I glanced at the living room and noticed that for some reason, Shizuka was still here (staring at me) instead of going back to her own place. What is she up to? She should probably go back and take a shower or something.

After finishing the dishes and taking off my apron, I returned to the living room, and Shizuka was still there, wearing her usual cheerful smile and looking at me.

“Shizuka, aren’t you going home?” (Souma)

“Nope. I’m not going home.” (Shizuka)

“Huh…………?” (Souma)

Well, it’s still just after 9 PM, so it’s fine, but I tilted my head in confusion, not understanding her intentions.

“Don’t you need to take a shower? I think you might be sweating.” (Souma)

“Oh, right. Then, Souma-kun, can I use your shower?” (Shizuka)

“…………Why?” (Souma)

Use your own shower.

…Could it be that there’s mold in her bathroom!?

“Shizuka, you…!?” (Souma)

“Huh? It’s not that! My bathroom is clean! Soma-kun cleaned it for me not too long ago!” (Shizuka)

“Right, I forgot about that…” (Souma)

By the way, cleaning Shizuka’s bathroom was more mentally draining than doing laundry. You can probably guess why. It’s quite vivid, you know? Now that I think about it, it’s strange for me to make a fuss about this after seeing her half-naked huh?

“…………Then why?” (Souma)

“Well………… you see. I want to check out the shampoo and stuff you use, Souma-kun.” (Shizuka)

“So you just want to see the bathroom?” (Souma)

“Of course not! I’ll be using it! I’ll go bring my change of clothes, so just make yourself comfortable, Souma-kun!” (Shizuka)

With those words, Shizuka dashed out of the house. She’ll probably be back soon, but I couldn’t help but tilt my head and wonder.

“…………Why do I have to be told to ‘make myself comfortable’ in my own house…?” (Souma)

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1. The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a 2013 Japanese animated historical fantasy film that is an adaptation of The Tales of the Bamboo Cutter. There were 5 nobleman who were pursing Princess Kaguya and compared her to mythical treasures. Kaguya told them that she would marry the one who could bring said treasure. In the end, they all failed one way or another.

I was pushed down onto the freshly cleaned floor, and I found myself staring at a ceiling identical to the one in my own home. Despite being pinned down by a girl, my mind was surprisingly calm, thinking, ‘Even Shizuka couldn’t dirty the ceiling.’ Perhaps my mind was trying to escape reality.

“Mafuyu-chan…?” (Souma)

Mafuyu-chan remained on top of me, refusing to move. Her head was buried right around my chest area, and I had a clear view of her beautiful hair whorl¹. For some reason, I felt an inexplicable urge to touch it, so I decided to press on it with the pad of my index finger.

“Hyaah!?” (Mafuyu)

“Oops, did I startle you? Sorry.” (Souma)

Mafuyu-chan let out a wild scream and her body jerked in response. It seemed like quite an exaggerated reaction, but perhaps I touched a sensitive spot.

“W-What was that…?” (Mafuyu)

“No, that was supposed to be my line…” (Souma)

For now, I wanted her to get off me quickly. I figured it should be fine since I was lying down, but if Shizuka saw me in this situation, it would surely lead to another troublesome situation.

“Mafuyu-chan, come on, can you get off for a moment?” (Souma)

I tried patting her back to urge her, but Mafuyu-chan didn’t move. Her behavior of just staying still on top of me reminded me of the pet turtle I used to have. Somehow, today was a day when memories of that turtle kept coming back to me².

“O-Onii-chan.” (Mafuyu)

“Hmm?” (Souma)

With her face buried in my chest, Mafuyu-chan spoke.

“I… I won’t give up. Even though I’m your little sister now, someday, I’ll definitely become your girlfriend. So… be prepared, okay?” (Mafuyu)

Mafuyu-chan said that and then got up from on top of me. She stood up, straightened her disheveled clothes, and walked out of the living room. After a short while, I heard the sound of the front door closing.

“Well… to begin with, she’s not even my sister…” (Souma)

I muttered as I stared at the closed door that Mafuyu-chan had just left through.

◆

“Fu-kaa-tsu!” (Shizuka)

It was 9:00 PM.

Shizuka, who had just gotten up from the bed, raised both hands and shouted loudly. Considering her condition earlier in the day, her recovery was surprisingly quick. Perhaps Shizuka, who lived in a cluttered room, had a strong immune system, as she seemed to have defeated whatever illness had been bothering her in just a few hours.

“That’s great, Shizuka.” (Souma)

“Yeah! Thanks, Souma-kun! Were you with me the whole time?” (Shizuka)

“I did step out briefly to make dinner, but yeah, pretty much.” (Souma)

By the way, today, when Mafuyu-chan, Hiyori, and I had dinner together, Mafuyu-chan had completely returned to her usual self.

“It’s really thanks to you, Souma-kun.” (Shizuka)

“Well, it’s no big deal. After all, it was my fault for forgetting the umbrella in the first place.” (Souma)

Shizuka directed a sincere smile at me, but I couldn’t meet her gaze and casually looked away. I hadn’t forgotten about the events of the afternoon.

The real question was whether Shizuka remembered what happened at lunchtime or not. She was quite disoriented at that time, and there was a possibility that she didn’t recall being seen half-naked by me. I wanted to get through this situation without poking the hornet’s nest if possible.

“Well, I never expected to catch a cold.” (Shizuka)

“Didn’t you say something about never catching a cold?” (Souma)

“Huh!? Wait, did you just make fun of me!? (Shizuka)

“No, no, not at all!” (Souma)

“Is that so? I’m pretty sure the ‘something’ in that sentence is referring to something specific³.” (Shizuka)

While continuing the conversation, I tried to gauge Shizuka’s attitude. I was beginning to feel a glimmer of hope. Given the current atmosphere, it seemed like Shizuka might not remember what happened at lunch. After all, if she did remember, there should have been some reaction like embarrassment, anger, or some kind of response to having been seen half-naked.

“By the way, Souma-kun.” (Shizuka)

“What is it?” (Souma)

Convinced that she didn’t remember, I relaxed and let my guard down. I even had the composure to smile back at Shizuka’s cheerful expression. I was relieved that her fever had subsided.

“…Souma-kun, you saw me half-naked, didn’t you?” (Shizuka)

“Uh…” (Souma)

I couldn’t find words. I tried to speak, but my mouth moved without producing any coherent sounds.

Shizuka gathered the blanket around her as if she were hugging it, then buried her face in it.

“Um… um, you see. Can you listen to me…?” (Shizuka)

“Uh, yeah…” (Souma)

Muffled words came from within the bundle of the blanket.

“Souma-kun… you did see it, right?” (Shizuka)

“I’m sorry…” (Souma)

She did remember after all. What should I do? What’s the best course of action?

“So, you see… since saw me half-naked… I think you need to take some responsibility, Souma-kun.” (Shizuka)

“…Yeah, you’re right.” (Souma)

I didn’t quite understand what responsibility she meant, but Shizuka was clearly hung up about it.

“I’m really sorry. I’ll do anything I can to make up for it.” (Souma)

I wasn’t sure if I could truly atone for my sins, but I was willing to give it my all.

“Anything…?” (Shizuka)

“Yeah, anything.” (Souma)

I was prepared to do anything, whether it was cleaning the room, cooking, doing the laundry, or whatever else I could.

…Wait, didn’t I already do those things?

So, what else could I do to make amends?

“…Well, there’s something I’d like to ask… Is that okay?” (Shizuka)

“You can tell me anything.” (Souma)

Was it carrying something for her? Or perhaps giving her a massage?

I braced myself and waited for Shizuka to continue.

“Then…” (Shizuka)

---

Thanks for reading!

MC doesn’t seem particularly surprised at Mafuyu’s declaration. Makes me wonder how long has he known that she likes him, or maybe he still doesn’t know somehow.

Also another big chance for Shizuka, how is she gonna make use of this opportunity?

---

1. I know this is kinda random, but it’s the actual translation. He basically just touched the top of her head.
2. In case you don’t rmb, the first turtle mention was in ch 54 with Shizuka eating the apples.
3. Maybe his referring to the ‘I’m the picture of health’ line from ch 53 if you still rmb that.

“…For now, I’ll go to the convenience store. What should I buy for you?” (Mafuyu)

After briefly glancing at Shizuka, who was lying on the bed, Mafuyu-chan opened her mouth. Shizuka seemed to have fallen asleep with her eyes closed by the time Mafuyu spoke. I wonder if that was good timing or bad timing…

Surprised by her sudden appearance, I relayed my plans to get sports drinks, jelly drinks, pudding, and various other items. Mafuyu-chan returned after about five minutes of shopping.

“I’ll put it in the fridge.” (Mafuyu)

“Oh, uh… Thanks, that helps.” (Souma)

While I had sensed something akin to hostility from Mafuyu-chan earlier, it seemed to have been a misunderstanding. I let out a sigh of relief without her noticing.

“…What’s with all this stuff? What kind of life was she living?” (Mafuyu)

From the living room came Mafuyu-chan’s voice, tinged with annoyance. I had heard the sound of the fridge door opening just a moment ago, so it must be quite a sight inside. Come to think of it, I had never opened Shizuka’s fridge. I wondered what could be in there. It’s probably filled with expired items… but I think that would be quite rude.

For a while, only the sound of items being placed in the fridge echoed, and then Mafuyu-chan’s footsteps came closer, eventually stopping right behind me.

I was surprised when she suddenly appeared, but… now that I think about it, I’m really glad she came. She must have come to check on Shizuka because I mentioned her having caught a cold. Even though Shizuka and Mafuyu-chan seem to fight all the time, deep down, they probably care about each other. There’s a saying that goes something like, “The more you fight, the closer you are.” I couldn’t help but feel warm inside.

“By the way… about what we were talking about earlier…” (Mafuyu)

“!?” (Souma)

Mafuyu-chan’s voice suddenly turned icy cold, and I couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

…I had a momentary illusion that an assassin was standing behind me.

“Of course, I think it’s just the delusions of someone with a fever… but what does she mean by ‘being seen naked’? …Onii-chan?” (Souma)

◆

I knelt on the freshly cleaned floor with my fists resting on my thighs. Haha, it’s a good thing I cleaned it up earlier. Thanks to that, sitting in this seiza position is easier. I couldn’t sit like this if there were trash on the floor. Hahaha.

“…It’s really just an accident…” (Souma)

I couldn’t check my phone, but it must have been well past the end of the university lunch break by now. I had spent quite some time like this in front of Mafuyu-chan. My legs had long since gone numb, and I felt like tears were about to well up.

“Onii-chan, you keep saying ‘it was an accident’ but whether it was a coincidence or not… doesn’t matter.” (Mafuyu)

Scary.

Mafuyu-chan’s sweet voice, which was in “apartment mode”, was strangely frightening, to the point where I was trembling. It was terrifying that she had a smile on her face even though she should be angry. I felt like being scolded with her usual serious expression would be better.

“I’m reflecting on it…” (Souma)

Unfortunately, the logic was on Mafuyu-chan’s side. Regardless of the circumstances, I had seen a girl naked. Whether it was an accident or not was irrelevant. Entering Shizuka’s room without knocking was undoubtedly my mistake. Every time I recall this event, I desperately pushed the image of Shizuka’s naked body, which inevitably surfaced, to the corner of my mind. Naturally, it was the first time I had seen a girl naked, or rather, I did have some hazy memories of taking baths with Mafuyu-chan when we were younger, but this was the first time the gender differences were emphasized.

Earlier, there was a sick person right in front of me, so I didn’t have to consciously think about it. But now that I think about it, it was truly a shocking image. It was too much for a twenty-year-old guy to handle. No… stop thinking about it. If I don’t erase that image from my memory, I won’t be able to look Shizuka in the face anymore.

“Onii-chan… do you remember what you told me when we were kids in the bath?” (Mafuyu)

“What I told Mafuyu-chan…?” (Souma)

That hazy memory from when we were in the bath… Was it actually real? Unfortunately, I could only vaguely recall that we had been in the bath, so I had no memory of any conversation taking place there. What did I say back then…?

“…Sorry, I might not remember.” (Souma)

“I see. I thought that that was the case. You see, onii-chan, you said something like this ── ‘When we grow up, please marry me’.” (Mafuyu)

“Eeh…?” (Souma)

Did I really say that…?

Well, I couldn’t say for sure since I don’t remember, but at least back then, I didn’t have any romantic feelings for Mafuyu-chan. I saw her as a little sister and that hasn’t changed. So, I couldn’t imagine my younger self saying something like that. Besides, that kind of line doesn’t seem like something I would say. I wasn’t particularly interested in romance back then, either.

However, looking at Mafuyu-chan blushing and squirming, it was hard to believe it was a complete lie. Given the circumstantial evidence, it was possible that I might have said it after all.

“So, onii-chan, you’re going to marry me. And yet… what were you thinking looking at another girl naked?” (Mafuyu)

Mafuyu-chan’s face, which had been soft and flustered, suddenly turned serious as she stared at me, almost accusingly.

“I mean… even if you say that…” (Souma)

My retorts couldn’t keep up. Where should I even start to clear up this misunderstanding? Well, I should probably start with the most important point…

“I, currently, have no intention of marrying Mafuyu-chan…” (Souma)

“What…!?” (Mafuyu)

Mafuyu-chan suddenly fell to her knees.

“Why…” (Mafuyu)

“Did I really say I was going to get married in the first place? I’m sorry, but if I did say that, it was just irresponsible of me…” (Souma)

But, you know, taking those kinds of childhood lines seriously… I mean, isn’t that kind of thing something that happens in fiction?

“You did say it… You reluctantly promised when I told you I wouldn’t get out of the bathtub until you promised to marry me…” (Mafuyu)

“…That’s like forcing someone to say it, though…” (Souma)

It kind of made sense now. If it was that sort of situation, it wouldn’t be strange to say it.

“So, can we just forget about that old promise? Right now, the idea of marriage or anything like that doesn’t really feel real to me at all, you know? I’m sure it’s the same for you, Mafuyu-chan.” (Souma)

“I… it’s not like that…” (Mafuyu)

Mafuyu-chan mumbled something, her head hanging down, but I couldn’t quite catch what she said. I couldn’t bear to see Mafuyu-chan kneeling there with her shoulders slumped, so I approached her and gently stroked her head. Mafuyu-chan’s feelings genuinely made me happy.

“Um… Mafuyu-chan…? I mean, I’m honestly happy that you like me so much… I don’t dislike you either, so I’d be really happy if you didn’t get so down about it… It’s just that I’m a bit confused when you suddenly talk about marriage… Hey, I…!” (Souma)

Suddenly, Mafuyu-chan embraced me tightly and pushed us both down to the floor.

---

Thanks for reading!

Oops I mistranslated the earlier chapter stating that it was after school. Well, I didn’t think know that he had such a long lunch break.

Things are starting to get from bad to worse lol.

---

1. None

Since there was nothing else to do, I put the clothes that had just been thrown at me into the laundry basket and decided to start cleaning the living room. Even though I clean it once a week, how does it always get so dirty so quickly? They say that being good at cleaning is a talent, but maybe making things dirty is the real talent.

“Ah, you left your clothes lying around again…” (Souma)

I muttered a complaint while picking up the other scattered pajamas on the floor. At least Shizuka seemed to have some sense of shame now, as she started putting her underwear in the laundry basket herself. That’s a sign of growth.

However, despite me having taught her how to do it, Shizuka still doesn’t want to do the laundry herself. She hasn’t realized that in the end, I still have to touch her underwear in order to wash it. If you think about it logically, it makes sense but in Shizuka’s mind, once you put something in the laundry basket, it magically comes back folded and clean. People who still live with their parents sometimes fall into such thought patterns. I wonder if she’ll get angry when she finds out. If she does, I’ve already made up my mind to approach the labor union¹.

After finishing tidying up the clothes, I moved on to picking up the trash. Taking care of Shizuka who got sick while living alone and cleaning up her room really makes me look like I am her mother doesn’t it? 

By the time I had filled the two trash bags to the brim, the living room had transformed into a remarkably clean area. I wonder how long this room will last. I am betting on a day, or two. I was almost tempted to install a camera in this room just to observe how it’s physically possible to turn it into a mess so quickly… Let’s not think about this any further, I don’t want to be mistaken for a pervert.

“…Is that all of it?” (Souma)

Even though I had run out of things to do, I couldn’t just leave. I came here to check on Shizuka’s health, but I could sense that it wasn’t the right atmosphere to strike up a conversation after what happened earlier. I found myself idling around, hoping to find something to do, but for now, I couldn’t help but hate my own cleaning skills. There wasn’t a speck of dust remaining in the living room for me to clean.

“What should I do… maybe I should do the laundry?” (Souma)

The washing machine in this house was the latest drum type, so once you pressed a button, it would do the drying as well. There was no risk of leaving the clothes wet and forgotten, so I could let it run by itself.

“….Huh?” (Souma)

Just as my thoughts were drifting toward doing the laundry, I heard a noise coming from the direction of the bedroom. It was the sound of something collapsing, an accident of some sort.

“Shizuka, are you okay!?” (Souma)

I called out from in front of the door, but there was no response.

I wanted to rush in and check on her… But, if I entered without permission again, I might run into a similar situation as earlier. Maybe the lack of a response meant that she just didn’t want to talk to me. But what if Shizuka had actually collapsed?

…In my mind, it was not a battle of angels and demons, but a battle of angels against angels. The outcome was quickly decided. The angel won.

“Shizuka, I’m coming in!” (Souma)

◆

“Hey, are you okay!?” (Souma)

I rushed into the bedroom, and there, I found a collapsed Shizuka on the floor which was littered with trash. Her upper body, which had been naked, was now covered with a T-shirt. I touched her forehead, which was sweaty, and it felt even hotter than it did in the morning. Had the medicine not worked?

“…Ugh… when I got angry… my fever spiked…” (Shizuka)

Shizuka muttered softly. Was this really because of me?

“Shizuka, it’s okay, don’t talk. For now, I’ll carry you to the bed.” (Souma)

I gently lifted Shizuka’s delicate body and laid her down on the bed. Of course, putting her back on the bed didn’t instantly make her better. She still seemed to be in pain as she was breathing heavily through her mouth. I prepared a wet towel in the bathroom and gently wiped Shizuka’s face. That was about the only thing I could think of to do.

“Shizuka, should we go to the hospital?” (Souma)

“…I’m okay… it’s not that bad…” (Shizuka)

Shizuka’s cheeks were flushed, and she was visibly struggling. It was very painful to watch, but if she said she was okay, then she probably was. I had to trust her judgment. In that case, what’s the best thing I could do for her right now?

“…I’m going to go buy some things at the convenience store for you.” (Souma)

Maybe I should go get her some jelly drinks. Although leaving Shizuka alone in this state made me uneasy, the convenience store was just around the corner. I could make a round trip in about five minutes.

As I got up to leave, Shizuka’s trembling hand reached out and grabbed the hem of my clothes.

“Stay with me…” (Shizuka)

“Ah… okay.” (Souma)

At Shizuka’s plea, I returned to my seat in the chair next to the bed.

…I remember the first time I caught a cold after I started living on my own. What I felt was an overwhelming sense of loneliness as I endured everything alone in a dark room. I just wanted someone to be there with me, no matter what. I even thought I might die without anyone knowing. If Shizuka was feeling the same way as I did back then, I wanted to stay by her side.

I gently released Shizuka’s hand, which had been clutching my clothes, and instead held both of her hands. It felt somewhat awkward, like the kind of gesture you might make towards someone who was unconscious or bedridden, but I sensed some tension had eased from Shizuka’s face.

“I’ll stay with you, so don’t worry.” (Souma)

“…Yeah…” (Shizuka)

Shizuka seemed to have relaxed a bit after hearing this. At least she wasn’t struggling to breathe through her mouth.

“Souma-kun…” (Shizuka)

“What is it?” (Souma)

Shizuka opened her eyelids and glanced at me. Looks like she was still in a bit of pain as she briefly contorted her face.

“…Take responsibility for it, okay?… You saw me naked…” (Shizuka)

“Ugh…” (Souma)

Would she please just forget about that? I mean, what exactly does ‘take responsibility’ even mean? Should I show myself naked too? I had a feeling that would make things even worse.

“Well, even if you say take responsibility…” (Souma)

I let out a bewildered and embarrassed voice. At that moment…

“…Huh. You seem to be having an interesting conversation, aren’t you?” (Mafuyu)

“Huh?!” (Souma)

A voice as sharp as an ice blade pierced my back, and I shuddered in fear.

“Ma-Mafuyu-chan…?” (Souma)

---

“Stay with me…”

---

Thanks for reading!

Caught right in the act! I was wondering why Mafuyu didn’t follow him last chapter but alas she showed up at just the right time. MC got away with it for too long.

---

1. Labour union is an organization formed by workers in order to negotiate for better workers’ rights, including better pay, safer working conditions, and better benefits

“Um…  Mafuyu… san…?” (Souma)

Mafuyu-chan’s gaze, which felt heavy and cold even in the midst of the summer sun, pierced through me.

“…Um… lecture… we’re gonna be late…?” (Souma)

“……” (Mafuyu)

I held onto my trembling body, filled with an inexplicable chill, and slowly fumbled to lock the door of Shizuka’s house without taking my eyes off Mafuyu-chan. It felt like that famous Jurassic Park movie where the people slowly crept up to the door, so as not to provoke the dinosaurs.

After hearing a light *clink* sound coming from the door, I slowly pulled out the spare key and put it in my pocket. During all of this, I never took my eyes off Mafuyu-chan. No… I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Like a frog being stared down by a snake, I couldn’t move.

“……Just now…” (Mafuyu)

“Huh!?” (Souma)

Mafuyu-chan finally spoke, and I felt my shoulders tremble.

Why am I so intimidated by Mafuyu-chan? For some reason, my instincts were terrified of her.

“What were you doing at Shizuka’s house in the morning?” (Mafuyu)

Mafuyu-chan glanced briefly in the direction of Shizuka’s house. Why is she giving me such a murderous look? 

“I don’t think it’s the case, but… you’re not going to tell me that you were there since last night, right?” (Mafuyu)

“Ah…” (Souma)

I tried to speak, but I noticed my throat was dry.

What’s going on here? What in the world is this? Why am I so scared?

“Why are you silent? Don’t tell me you really…” (Mafuyu)

No, it’s not like that!

I’m just too nervous to speak!

I desperately shook my head to signal that it wasn’t what she thought. Mafuyu-chan continued to stare at me as if she were the Enma Daio¹ watching a condemned soul begging for their life in hell.

Perhaps the Enma Daio in front of me had grown tired of watching my plea for life, as she suddenly averted her gaze elsewhere. She continued to scrutinize my entire body in pajamas with just her eyes.

“…We’ll talk at the police station. Get changed for now.” (Mafuyu)

…Why a police station? I shivered and walked past Mafuyu-chan, seeking refuge in my own home.

◆

Even though I had informed Mafuyu-chan that I was taking care of Shizuka who caught a cold, she continued to show me that scary look. Trembling with fear, I managed to make my way to the university. As I was leaving, she had forced me to make a promise to, “have a thorough discussion tonight.” Somehow, I had survived.

With all this on my mind, I sat through the morning lectures, thinking about Shizuka’s health and Mafuyu-chan. By the time I realized it, classes were already over. I hurriedly left the university and headed for Shizuka’s house. By the way, there were no messages from Shizuka. I wonder if she’s sleeping.

……

…

While standing in front of Shizuka’s house, I pondered about what I should do next.

After much deliberation, I decided to use the spare key. If I were to use the intercom, I might wake her up if she’s sleeping. I slowly turned the doorknob as quietly as possible and entered her house. The living room, with its curtains closed, was dimly lit, and the room was littered with trash, turning it into a natural minefield. I should definitely clean this soon…

I carefully navigated the minefield and reached the door of the bedroom and opened it with utmost caution.

…I had made a big mistake. The real minefield was just actually behind this door.

As I opened the door, Shizuka was sitting up in bed. She turned to look at the door which had just opened and at me with a puzzled expression.

…While half-naked.

“KYAHHHHHHHHH!” (Shizuka)

“Uwawawawah!?” (Souma)

My brain momentarily shut down at the unexpected appearance of her skin.

Shizuka?

Naked?

Why?

…Apparently, when humans are confronted with events that exceed their brain’s processing capacity, their bodies become immobilized. I experienced that firsthand in the morning, and the situation is now repeating itself.

I knew I should leave immediately. I know that I should avert my gaze. Yet, my body remained stiff and refused to obey.

In other words, the reality was that I chose to stare at Shizuka’s completely exposed body.

“──Get out!!!” (Shizuka)

“Ugh!!” (Souma)

Something was thrown at my face. Upon closer inspection (not by choice), it turned out to be her sweat-soaked pajamas and bra. I was then forcefully thrown out of the bedroom.

---

Illustration of Shizuka Half-Naked

Watch your surroundings when opening this lol

“──Get out!!!”

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

What an eventful day for MC. But still… I was doubting my eyes when I saw the colored illustration of Shizuka half-naked lol. This thing was on the 2nd page of the vol 2 LN lol.

New series yay! This one is another laidback slice-of-life harem story. This one is called
“I Got Fired from the Hero Party, So I Went Back to My Hometown, but All the Party Members Followed Me“

And here is the first chapter.

---

Footnote:

1. Enma Daio is a frightening and demonic entity from ancient Buddhist mythology. In general, he is seen as one of the thirteen judges of Hell who is responsible for ensuring every soul that ends up in Hell is given their proper amount of torture and stay which can last indefinitely.

[Shizuka PoV]

“A… Nn…” (Shizuka)

The hoarse voice, reminiscent of a monster from a video game, faintly echoes in the cluttered room.

When I woke up, I could barely feel my body. Even when I try to raise my upper body as usual, my body doesn’t move an inch. I somehow manage to lift my head, but…

“Ow…” (Shizuka)

*thud*

…I crash-landed onto the pillow due to the overwhelming pain.

This is…

“…I caught a cold…” (Shizuka)

Uh, what should I do? Am I going to die…?

◆

[Souma PoV]

“See, I told you that you’d catch a cold.” (Souma)

“Sorry…” (Shizuka)

When I woke up in the morning, I received an ominous message on Rime saying, “(Help…)”

I had my suspicions that Shizuka was planning some pranks again, but I used my spare key to visit her nonetheless. When I entered, I found Shizuka half fallen off the bed, with her face buried in a mess of snack wrappers scattered on the floor.

When I asked, “What are you doing?” Shizuka responded in a vacant voice, saying something like, “I was licking the minimal salt residue inside the snack wrappers to somehow stay alive,” with irregular pauses. It was as if he had turned into some kind of youkai¹.

To cut to the chase, Shizuka hadn’t turned into a youkai; she had just gone a little crazy due to her fever. I quickly lifted her onto the bed and placed a wet towel on her forehead.

“Hehe… cool…” (Shizuka)

Shizuka had a faint smile on her face, but that same face was bright red, and sweat was trickling down her cheeks.

I glanced at my smartphone.

…It was almost time for my first class. I couldn’t quite decide whether it would be okay to leave Shizuka alone like this.

“Shizuka, are you hungry? I have some apples.” (Souma)

“…I can eat…” (Shizuka)

“Alright. Just wait a moment.” (Souma)

I hurried back to my house, cut the apple into bite-sized pieces, and placed them on a plate. When I returned to the room, the towel that I had placed on Shizuka’s forehead had somehow moved to cover her nose and mouth, and she was struggling to breathe. I gently moved the towel back to her forehead, and she let out a relieved “phew”.

“I thought I was going to die…” (Shizuka)

“How did the towel even get there? Were you tossing and turning?” (Souma)

“It was itchy…” (Shizuka)

“That’s what happens when you writhe. Here, can you eat this?” (Souma)

I held the apple slice on a toothpick and put it near Shizuka’s mouth. Her eyes slowly fixed on the apple, and with a movement reminiscent of someone feeding their pet turtle, she reached out and took a bite. It was a bit inappropriate, but it was somehow amusing.

“…It’s hard to eat…” (Shizuka)

“Oh, maybe because you’re lying down. Why don’t you try sitting up?” (Souma)

“Yeah…” (Shizuka)

Shizuka nodded slightly. I slid my arm between Shizuka’s back and the bed, lifted her upper body, and propped her up against the bed.

With her head against the wall, Shizuka stared blankly into space for a moment, then slowly turned her gaze toward me. As soon as our eyes met, she awkwardly broke into a smile.

“…Souma-kun… Good morning.” (Shizuka)

“Good morning. How are you feeling?” (Souma)

“…Mmm… Not great.” (Shizuka)

“I see. Well, have some more apples.” (Souma)

“Yeah…” (Shizuka)

From then on, I was engaged with the task of bringing apple slices to Shizuka’s mouth continuously. Shizuka munched on the apple pieces, sounding somewhat like a turtle, which was amusing but also a bit embarrassing. It seemed like she was quite hungry because before I knew it, the plate was empty.

“Thank you…” (Shizuka)

“Don’t mention it. Part of this is my fault anyway… Here, I brought some medicine, so take it.” (Souma)

I handed Shizuka the cold medicine and a bottle of water I had brought from my home. However, Shizuka just stared into space and didn’t reach out to take them. I had no choice but to place the tablet in her hand, and only then did she notice and swallow it. For some reason, she tried to gulp it down with saliva, so I quickly handed her the bottle of water. She sure is acting like a needy child.

“Alright, I’m gonna let you rest.” (Souma)

I gently laid Shizuka down on the bed and placed the towel back on her forehead. When I checked my phone, I realized I was running out of time. I had a message from Mafuyu-chan asking, “Where are you?” She must have invaded my house using the spare key because I hadn’t shown up on time.

“…Shizuka, are you okay on your own?” (Souma)

If it’s not okay, then I’ll skip university today. There’s no need to even think about which is more important between Shizuka and classes.

“It’s okay… I’ll sleep…” (Shizuka)

Shizuka’s sleeping face seemed much more peaceful than before. I didn’t think the medicine had kicked in yet, but maybe the apple and water had helped. She wasn’t coughing, and the thermometer I had placed under her arm was showing a slight fever, but nothing too serious. It seemed like she would be fine on her own for now.

“I see. I’ll come by to check on you around noon, so if you need anything, just text me on Rime.” (Souma)

“… Got it…” (Shizuka)

After making sure that Shizuka had started to sleep peacefully, I left the room.

“Don’t go…” (Shizuka)

I thought I heard a voice that seemed to tug at my heartstrings, but I had already left the room, and given Shizuka’s condition earlier, I couldn’t imagine her saying that. It was probably just my anxious imagination playing tricks on me.

“Geh…” (Souma)

As I stepped into the entrance, I coincidentally made eye contact with Mafuyu-chan, who had just come out of my house.

“…Huh.” (Mafuyu)

As soon as Mafuyu-chan saw me coming out of Shizuka’s house, her eyes darkened with a deep shade of black.

…I felt like the bell signaling the start of the second round had rung, but this time, it probably wasn’t a hallucination.

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Rip MC, it was a good run while it lasted but there were too many Shizuka-focused chapters in a row.

Well, I guess Shizuka didn’t really get much spotlight with the exception of her PoV.

LMAO I just found out that you now need to be signed in to NU to click on the links to the chapter LOL. No wonder the number of people who come from Novelupdates.com dropped by 80%. Is this a bug or a bad feature? NU didn’t even make any announcement addressing this wtf?

Condolences to the bigger TL groups who are impacted more by this change/bug.

Edit: LMAO and apparently NU also broke their login somehow and there are people who can’t log into their NU account. But for some reason they can log in to their NU forums account. Wtf is happening?

---

Footnote:

1. Youkais are basically supernatural entities or spirits