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V4 Chapter 6: Time Stands Still
🕑 Added 2025-05-27 06:28:48 +0000 UTCA girl with radiant cherry-pink hair lay across the soft bedding, her glossy locks fanned out like silk. Her normally lively, adorable face was flushed with the hue of fever, making her look weak and vulnerable, so unlike her usual bright and energetic self.
To Kazami Haru, this side of Anon Chihaya had a charm all its own.
"Haruu…"
Anon's voice, usually tender and sweet, now was a little hoarse. Yet it somehow sounded even more clingy than usual.
Maybe she was still half-asleep, her mind fuzzy from just waking up. Even though her eyes were open, there was a dazed blankness in her gaze.
Completely bundled under the warm blanket, only her tiny, adorable head peeked out. Her small mouth was slightly open, revealing a pair of pointy baby fangs, an expression so disarmingly cute, it would make anyone's heart melt.
"Sorry, did I wake you?"
Haru looked down at the feverish Anon, his gaze softening as he watched her.
"Eh…?"
That unexpectedly gentle tone made even Ikuyo Kita, who had come with him to visit, glance up in surprise.
Up until now, she had never once heard Kazami Haru speak in that kind of voice to anyone. Who would've thought that visiting a sick friend would give her the chance to hear something so soothing?
Too bad it wasn't directed at her.
She was… a little jealous.
"Uuuh…"
Anon's eyes remained half-lidded, her mouth opening slightly as if babbling nonsense in her daze.
Seeing her like this, Kita tried speaking softly by her ear, but Anon didn't react at all. Her gaze stayed fixed solely on Haru, her attention completely unshaken.
"Looks like Anon-chan's still totally out of it. Could be the fever making her feel like she's dreaming or something."
Kita was starting to put the pieces together.
High fevers could scramble the nervous system. Sometimes, it became hard to tell dream from reality. Anon was likely floating in that fuzzy space.
"Yeah, probably. Not sure if she even understands what we're saying right now."
Haru let out a small sigh, his guilt weighing heavier on his chest.
Maybe because Anon had stayed under the covers in the middle of summer, a fine layer of fragrant sweat had appeared on her flushed cheeks. Haru reached for a clean white towel, intending to gently wipe her face.
But before he could, Kita quickly intercepted.
"Haru-san, wait a sec!"
"I mean, you're a guy, and Anon's a girl, it might be kind of awkward, right? So maybe it's better if I do it instead…"
Kita moved fast, relief blooming in her heart.
Thank goodness she had a "valid" excuse to take the towel away. Otherwise, Haru might've gone ahead with that intimate gesture and he was still a teenage boy with raging hormones!
Anon was already cute as it was, but sick and dazed, she was dangerously adorable, with no ability to refuse anything.
Even Kita was tempted to pinch her cheeks. If Haru were the one caring for her up close, would he be able to resist?
What if this made him like Anon even more?
All of her efforts until now would go to waste!
"Anon-chan, I'll wipe your sweat for you~"
"Nooo—"
Still groggy, Anon's voice came out in a sweet, petulant whine, her eyebrows furrowing like an upset kitten. As Kita reached out with the towel, Anon puffed up her cheeks like a steamed bun and shook her head, resisting any attempt at contact.
Kita's eyes immediately welled with tears, and her movements grew stiff and hesitant.
Seeing her flustered face, Haru had to bite back a chuckle.
"Maybe I should give it a try instead?"
"It's not gonna make a difference even if it's you! Anon's just…"
Reluctantly, Kita handed the towel back but before she could even finish her sentence, Anon's dazed expression completely transformed. A warm, contented smile bloomed across her face like little flowers.
Before Haru could even reach out, Anon was already leaning her cheek into his direction, nuzzling against him like the resistance from before had never happened.
Kita gasped sharply.
"Hey!"
This shameless pink fluff!
Kita's frustration reached boiling point. Her heart cried out against Anon's double standards!
It was just a towel! Did she really have to make such a fuss when she tried, and then melt into bliss the moment Haru got involved?
Did Anon… hate her or something?
If not for how obviously spaced-out she looked, Kita might've believed she was doing it on purpose.
"Kita, could you help me swap out this cold water for some warm? And grab a cup of hot tea while you're at it… also, could you check if Aunt Chihaya has any ingredients at home?"
Haru asked softly while wiping the sweat from Anon's cheeks with the towel.
"Sure, the rest sounds fine but wait, are you planning to cook?"
Kita's eyes lit up with surprise.
As classmates, she'd eaten Haru's bento plenty of times. For a guy, his cooking was amazing. She figured she wouldn't get to taste it again during the summer break…
Who would've thought she'd luck into this?
"Didn't Aunt Chihaya say she hadn't made lunch yet? And we haven't eaten either."
"I got it! I'll help out with the cooking too~"
With a bounce in her step, Kita carried the basin away, leaving Haru alone in the room to care for Anon. In the calm silence, Anon's cuteness felt even more striking.
Haru reached out to gently dab her forehead and cheeks again but Anon suddenly furrowed her brows.
"Haruu, head pats~"
The pink-haired girl peeked from beneath the covers with a pleading gaze, lifting a pale hand and giving it a gentle wave.
The sudden request hit him with full force. Unable to resist, Haru reached out and softly stroked her silky pink hair. Her face, warm as a furnace, radiated gentle heat into his palm.
Anon let out a happy little hum, rubbing her head into his touch.
Her breathing, once shallow, soon grew calm and steady.
"Get some rest, Anon. I'll wake you up for lunch later."
"…Hug…"
This time, Anon extended both arms toward him, her skin smooth and fair like porcelain.
She was blatantly asking for a hug. Usually, only Wakaba Mutsumi would be that bold. But now this dazed pink fluff was even more direct than her?
Was she really out of it?
Haru froze. His lips curled into a subtle smile as he reached out to poke her soft, pillowy cheek.
"…Anon-san, you're not secretly faking this, are you?"
But the "Fever Anon" gave no reply. Instead, her previously calm face twisted into a pout, clearly annoyed that he hadn't moved yet.
She bared her little fangs and whined again—
"Haruu… hug, please."
…Seriously?
Haru stared at her fuzzy gaze and visibly struggled with the decision.
Sure, she asked for it. But what if she remembered later and got furious?
He already felt bad for giving her his cold in the first place. Now that she was being so clingy, he didn't know what to do.
Her arms reached out again, delicate and pale. Her loose pajamas slipped slightly, revealing the smooth line of her collarbone. The light scent of gardenias clung to her skin, mixed with sweat.
"…Hug~"
Anon murmured again, dreamy and soft.
Haru swallowed.
This wasn't something he wanted!
This was all for Anon-san! So she could be satisfied and get back to resting!
After a brief pause, he leaned forward and accepted her embrace.
Warmth immediately enveloped him. Her delicate body, damp with sweat, pressed against his chest, light and soft like flowing water and then, she squeezed him tight.
He could feel how slender and fragile she was. Her thin sleepwear did little to hide the soft curves pressed against him. Her fevered cheeks were as red as the setting sun.
"Haruu~"
Satisfied, Anon closed her eyes with a smile.
Simulations were dangerous. So dangerous.
Just holding her, Haru's senses were overwhelmed by the delicate warmth and scent unique to a girl.
And from that point on, all his mind could do was replay every single memory… from those simulations.
No wonder the simulator-me fall head over heels after dating Anon, her little gestures were completely disarming. Even someone like Haru in the real world… if she cuddled up like this and tossed in a kiss too, who could resist?
"Hehehe~"
Anon let out a goofy giggle, her lips curling as she leaned close and sniffed softly beside his ear.
"Alright now, it's probably time to get some sleep, don't you think?"
But Anon didn't answer.
She seemed completely content in his arms, making no move to let go.
Her soft, slightly cool pink hair draped over Haru's shoulders and arms. The silky texture, like high-grade fabric, made his head feel a little fuzzy too.
Maybe it was the closeness, he was beginning to feel a little dazed from her scent as well.
And in that very moment of haziness, Anon stared at him with dreamy, unfocused eyes.
Then, like a butterfly touching water, she leaned in and bit him.
Haru, still caught in a daze, suddenly widened his eyes in shock, but before he could react, the pink menace had already wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Her body leaned forward, and a faint sweetness spilled across his tongue—
Time seemed to freeze.
All the sound around him faded to nothing. Haru had no idea how long that moment lasted.
Maybe a second. Maybe an entire year.
His blood slowly began to boil, heat spreading from his chest through every part of his body like fire. It felt like a string in his brain had snapped.
His trembling fingers ran through her cherry-colored hair, his breath coming hot and fast.
"…."
But knowing that Anon was still feverish, Haru didn't dare push her away harshly. He gently eased back to create a little space.
It seemed that single kiss had drained her energy too. Her groggy head leaned softly against his chest.
Holding her gently as she closed her eyes again, Haru felt like his brain had completely turned to mush.
That was a critical hit.
This pink fluff was absolutely after his good looks.
"Haru-saaan~ I brought the hot water~!"
At some point, Kita Ikuyo had pushed open the door.
She walked in smiling, only to freeze in shock upon seeing Anon clinging around Haru's neck. She nearly dropped the basin, her legs faltering beneath her.
What the hell happened while she was gone?!
Kita's emerald eyes went wide as saucers, staring dumbfounded at Haru.
After a full second or two of stunned silence, her voice came out shaking—
"Haru-san, y-you… what are you two doing?!"
"It's not—!"
Caught mid-chaos, Haru's already scrambled brain completely crashed upon seeing Kita walk in.
How was he even supposed to explain this?
He wanted to explain, but after being sneak-attacked like that by Anon, his previously orderly thoughts were now a tangled mess of static.
How could he possibly explain this?
"Jeez, Anon-chan is way too clingy!"
Kita set down the hot water, her voice full of frustration and envy as she hurried over to pry the stubborn pink fluff away. She gently laid Anon back down and tucked her in again.
Only after doing all that did she finally exhale.
Good thing she'd come back in time!
A moment later and that fuzzy-minded Anon might've clung to him even tighter. That was absolutely unacceptable!
Even she had only managed to hold hands with Haru so far! She couldn't let anyone get ahead of her!
With a pout, Kita glanced at the sleeping "fever Anon" in clear dissatisfaction.
Exhausted from that little stunt, Anon snuggled back into her warm covers, her breathing soft and steady as she slipped into slumber.
"…Thanks, Kita."
After holding it in for ages, Haru finally murmured.
His head still hadn't cleared at all.
"Oh, no need to thank me…"
Kita rubbed her fingertips together, her cheeks tinged with red, her delight practically written across her face.
"Oh right! I asked Aunt Chihaya earlier, she said there are still ingredients from yesterday in the kitchen. We can use them freely!"
"Then could I ask you to look after Anon for a bit? I'll go get started on lunch."
"Ah, okay!"
Still feeling the lingering warmth and scent in the air, Haru rubbed his temples and stepped out of the room.
If he'd stayed in Anon's room any longer, he wasn't sure how much more he could've taken.
…
Only after stepping out did Haru finally start to calm down.
He instinctively raised a hand to his lips, where a sugary warmth still lingered. That sneak attack from Anon might've left her sleeping peacefully…
But for him, it had left his mind completely blank.
Because, that had been his very first kiss.
It wasn't just the sweetness of a first love, it was a full-on mental and emotional blitz. The moment he closed his eyes, the vivid memory of that soul-shaking kiss replayed over and over in his mind—
"What the hell am I even doing…?"
Haru gently pressed his hand to his forehead, his breathing unsteady and full of confusion.
Right now, he had no idea what to do.
"Haru-kun? You're here to start lunch?"
Aunt Chihaya's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Yes, thank you."
"Oh, no trouble at all. I'm just surprised, boys your age who know how to cook are rare~"
She looked him over with interest. Despite the earring and black ponytail, he was well-mannered and strikingly handsome.
A boy who can cook usually isn't a bad person.
Such a handsome, capable kid and he was just a bandmate of her daughter?
Couldn't they skip ahead and make him her son-in-law already?
"I know a little. I'll go ahead and use what's in the kitchen then."
Haru responded casually, pushing all his chaotic thoughts aside.
No point overthinking. What's done was done.
He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to freeze in place.
The entire top shelf was crammed with cans of the same brand: KISS Coffee.
"…Sorry about that~ Those are all ones Anon bought."
"Even though I never actually see her drink them, she keeps buying more. That girl really doesn't know how to save money…"
