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Chapter 223: Why Not Just Stay at My Place
🕑 Added 2025-03-24 12:06:53 +0000 UTC"What a miscalculation..."
When Minami Shouji woke up, it was already 7:30 PM.
Outside the window, the sky had turned into a canvas of night, dotted with stars scattered across the indigo expanse.
Lying in bed and gradually regaining clarity, Minami shook his head.
It really was a miscalculation.
He murmured to himself.
His cold had mostly cleared up by noon.
His fever had started to subside.
So, he had gotten up to take a shower, washing away the sticky sweat, and then made himself a little something to eat.
But probably because of that shower—
The sudden stimulus had backfired.
The heat that had faded returned with even more intensity.
His head grew foggy, his body heavy again.
Left with no choice, Minami had dragged himself back into bed.
After that...
He vaguely remembered Nijika Ijichi visiting.
But everything afterward was a blur.
Dream and reality mingled into one murky haze, and he slept until now.
"This cold really got in the way…"
Minami sighed internally.
It was the first time he'd missed school, and also skipped his morning run.
For someone who had already developed such habits, it felt... off.
Now he truly understood.
Always keeping 900 Heartthrob Points in reserve—how practical that had been.
Just one Universal Pill from the Exchange Shop, and no matter what illness it was, he'd be back in perfect health.
As Minami mulled over whether to always keep 900 Heartthrob Points on hand for emergencies, a gentle voice called out beside him—
"Minami-san, how are you feeling?"
Huh?
Minami turned his head.
There stood the golden-haired girl with her signature side ponytail, already by his side. "Want a drink?"
Nijika kindly held out a bottle of sports drink, good for replenishing electrolytes.
"Yes, thanks."
Minami nodded and accepted the drink, taking a sip.
He had to admit—Nijika Ijichi was practically the embodiment of the phrase "thoughtful little sweetheart."
Freshly awake and she immediately thought to rehydrate him.
As he was about to say thank you—
"Does anything still hurt? I have some patches here that help with the soreness from colds—they're nice and cool when applied, very soothing."
She leaned in, her lovely face close enough that Minami could catch the faint, pleasant scent of her hair.
This time, she had unwrapped something like a medicated patch and was asking if he wanted to try it.
"Ah... um…"
Her excessive care left Minami at a loss for words.
Just as he opened his mouth—
"Or are you hungry? You probably are, right? I'll whip something up now. Just sit tight and behave, okay?"
She smiled sweetly, turned around, and walked off.
"...?"
Minami blinked.
He watched the way her side ponytail swayed as she walked toward the small kitchen.
She wasn't acting much differently than usual.
And yet, for some reason, Minami felt like he was being mothered. Like a child being fussed over.
Especially today—Nijika's unexplainable "motherly aura" left him feeling unprepared.
But—
Eh, whatever.
Minami leaned back against the headboard, half-reclining on the bed.
Though the cold had nearly passed, being doted on by a pretty girl wasn't bad at all.
Without hesitation, he decided to indulge for a while, watching the golden-haired girl bustle about the kitchen.
Probably making porridge or something.
Under Minami's gaze—
She pulled out the earthenware pot from the cupboard.
Then carefully poured in the pre-washed rice, bit by bit.
She dipped her finger to measure the water depth.
Once satisfied, she turned the stove on low and let it simmer gently.
Her pale fingers, damp from cold water, glowed softly under the incandescent light—like the tender buds of spring bamboo shoots.
After finishing, she gently wiped away the fine sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand.
She subtly turned her head—
Only to realize that Minami Shouji seemed to be watching her.
Her delicate cheeks flushed pink.
Then, she patiently waited.
When the porridge in the pot was nearly done, she started seasoning it lightly.
She cracked in an egg.
Added a pinch of salt, then chopped green onions.
With oven mitts, she carried it to the small round table.
Minami leaned in for a glance.
On top of the thick white porridge were sprinkles of green onion, and in the center sat an egg that was just barely cooked—the yolk glistened like amber, making it look irresistibly appetizing.
"Looks pretty good," Minami complimented.
"Mhm..."
Maybe it was her shifting mindset, but just hearing his casual praise made Nijika Ijichi turn her face aside, a bit flustered.
Her feet, wrapped in pale yellow socks, flexed slightly—the kind of unconscious gesture that betrayed a good mood.
"Eat while it's hot, Minami-san."
Breaking the yolk to let the residual heat finish cooking it, Nijika handed him a ceramic spoon.
"Thanks for the meal."
Minami smiled as he accepted it.
He hadn't eaten much all afternoon—just that sports drink earlier—so he was more than ready to dig in.
He scooped up a spoonful—
"Hsss… hot!"
Too eager, he burned his mouth.
It was something everyone did when eating hot food, nothing unusual.
But—
"Are you okay?! Minami-san?!"
Nijika suddenly stood up, full of concern.
Her voice was still gentle, but it came out much louder than usual.
Minami looked at her, surprised by how over-the-top her reaction was.
Today's Nijika… feels a little off.
It was just porridge. Getting burned—completely normal.
He didn't get it.
And Nijika herself seemed to realize she'd overreacted.
"Ah... um... sorry, that was rude."
She crossed her fingers together, mumbling softly.
"It's fine." Minami smiled. "You're just worried about me, that's all."
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, he teased her with a grin—
"But honestly, it's tough eating with a cold. If you could feed me, that'd be nice."
It was just a lighthearted joke.
Most girls would laugh and shoot back something like, "Then don't eat!"
But—
"...Okay. I'll feed you."
"...?"
Minami was stunned.
Until Nijika, cheeks crimson, sat down beside him.
Only then did he realize what she'd just agreed to.
"Minami-san, say ah—"
"..."
Looking into her gentle, caring eyes, seeing the close distance between them—
Minami could even catch the sweet scent of her hair.
If this were a typical high school romance novel, the male lead would've turned beet red, stumbled over his words, and regretted his reckless comment.
But—
"Mm. Not bad."
Swallowing the spoonful, Minami chuckled. "You're like a mom taking care of her kid, Nijika-san."
"...Do you want more?"
Nijika was already too flustered to meet his gaze, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.
She never imagined that memory fragment—of this exact moment—would actually come to life.
The shame, mixed with a strange happiness, left her rattled.
"Yeah. Say ah—"
Minami opened his mouth.
Now he finally understood why his simulated self liked being cared for so much.
Being pampered like this? Yeah, it's real comfortable.
After he'd eaten most of it—
He gently stopped Nijika, who still wanted to keep feeding him.
"I'm good now. Have you eaten, Nijika-san? And what about the others... are they here too?" Minami asked as he capped his drink.
There were musical instruments in the room—obviously belonging to Hitori Gotoh, Ikuyo Kita, and the rest.
"Yeah. Not just me—Ikuyo-chan, Ryo, and Bocchi are all here too."
Nijika set the spoon down with a tinge of regret.
"They went out to the nearby street to buy groceries. Your kitchen's pretty empty, Minami-san."
She stood, took the pot and spoon to wash.
"We haven't eaten yet either. The plan was to eat together once you woke up."
As the dishes dried, she pulled out a fruit knife and an apple.
The bright red skin curled into a single strip under her delicate hands.
"I see."
Minami nodded.
Good thing it was Nijika who stayed behind.
If it had been Yamada Ryo, she'd probably have devoured all the snacks herself.
"You've really gone out of your way for me."
Minami stood, nodding in thanks.
He truly appreciated her help.
His fever was dangerously high earlier—if not for her care, things might've gone badly.
And it served as a wake-up call—
Even with 8 Physical Points, he wasn't immune to illness.
As he expressed his gratitude, he noticed Nijika looking fidgety.
"Is something wrong, Nijika-san?"
"Um… Minami-san!"
She raised her voice.
"Yeah, I'm here."
"Could you... um... could..."
"Could?"
"Hhff… okay!"
She took a deep breath, mustered her courage.
"You call Bocchi 'Hitori,' Ryo is 'Ryo,' and Kita-chan is just 'Ikuyo'... but I'm always 'Nijika-san'..."
"Ahhh—so that's it."
Minami got it.
To him, calling her Nijika-san was a sign of respect.
Compared to the others, she was reliable—mature, responsible.
But that formality created distance.
No wonder she felt uncomfortable.
"Got it. I'll call you Nijika from now on. Feel free to drop the formalities with me too."
"Okay!"
Nijika's face lit up.
Her side ponytail even seemed to bounce with joy.
Though she stayed behind to care for him, she had her own reasons.
She just wanted to close the gap between them.
And now...
She'd gotten a little closer.
Feeling cheerful, she sliced the apple into wedges, stuck them with toothpicks, and placed them in front of Minami.
She was about to move closer, a bright smile forming—
When—
"So cold! So cold!"
The front door burst open.
A girl with deep blue hair stormed in.
Yamada Ryo.
She shivered violently.
"It's freezing!"
This apartment didn't retain heat.
Without hesitation, she marched over, flopped into Minami's lap, and snuggled close.
"So warm~"
Her frozen hands slipped into his pajama pockets.
Her frown melted into bliss, and she inched closer.
"..." Minami.
"Ryo! What are you doing? Minami-kun just stabilized—don't mess around!"
Before Minami could react, Nijika pulled Yamada off him.
"Aww—" Ryo groaned.
But seeing Minami's face, she reluctantly sat on the futon.
At that moment, Hitori Gotoh and Ikuyo Kita entered.
The freezing room made them both shiver.
This place really isn't fit for human habitation...
As everyone settled in—
"Hey."
Yamada lifted Minami's pillow, burying her face in it.
"Minami, Instead of staying in a dump like this,, just move in with me. I've got plenty of spare rooms."
She made the offer bluntly, in front of everyone.
