Yukino watched them leave, then turned her gaze to Iroha, her expression growing more serious and sharp.
Iroha lowered her head, clasped her hands together, and let them fall in front of her, looking like an elementary schooler caught misbehaving.
She proactively apologized, "Sorry, Senpai, I was wrong."
Seeing her like this, Yukino's carefully built-up emotions instantly crumbled.
She said nothing, just placed a finger on her forehead and let out a weary sigh.
After being jostled around by the crowds all day, she was already exhausted. And now, dealing with this situation has left her mentally drained.
"Well, whatever. Iroha-chan, didn't you say you were hungry? Let's go eat first."
Yui took on the role of peacemaker.
Rather than a puppy, her personality was more like a tanuki—she had a warm, calming presence.
No matter how bad the atmosphere got, she could always pull it back somewhat.
Yukino nodded in agreement. But she made up her mind—once she had rested, she would definitely have a proper talk with Iroha.
She needed to understand what had driven her to act this way today. And more importantly, she had to correct this fundamentally wrong behavior.
…
At the Penguin Exhibit.
The clumsy penguins gathered around a rocky hill—some waddled back and forth, some got pushed into the water by their mischievous companions with a splash, but most of them crowded around the keeper, eagerly vying for the small fish in his bucket.
The scene was lively and bustling.
Many tourists raised their phones to capture the adorable penguins.
But Kazusa stood at the railing with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed at a single point, looking completely out of place. It was obvious she had something on her mind.
She was still thinking about what had happened earlier.
Two girls—Iroha and Yukino—both left her hanging in suspense, only to end up saying something utterly trivial and irrelevant.
She wasn't good at reading people's emotions, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Kazusa turned her head slightly and looked at her boyfriend, who was filming the penguins.
As always, his looks were impeccable—exactly her type.
His physique, his aura—both were exceptional, one in a million.
On days when she got bored in class, just glancing at him for a moment was enough to make her unconsciously smile and feel more at ease.
But now, for the first time, those very qualities made her feel a little uneasy.
For the first time, she felt a hint of crisis.
Softly, she spoke.
"...Chisato."
"Hm?"
"I'm asking... Are you hiding something from me?"
Kazusa hesitated for a long time before finally voicing her concern.
Chisato lowered his phone, paused the recording, and only after saving the video did he look at her and say,
"What do you mean?"
"I mean those three girls we just ran into..."
Kazusa first called out the one she was most concerned about by name.
"That girl, Isshiki Iroha—she seems to have a rather unusual relationship with you."
"I know what you're thinking, Kazusa, but she's really just my junior. Nothing more."
The distinction between simulation and reality must be made—so this wasn't a lie.
Chisato thought to himself.
Kazusa shook her head, a teasing smile playing at her lips. She tried to appear casual, as if she didn't really mind, treating it like an ordinary chat.
"A normal junior, huh? Would a normal junior call you in that kind of tone? So sweet it's like she's your girlfriend or something. I almost fell for her myself."
Chisato shrugged, explaining patiently.
"She just has a naturally soft voice, and she's the friendly type. She talks to everyone like that—it's nothing unusual."
"Then... those two other girls, Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui..."
"Don't worry, I only met them briefly before through Isshiki, but today was the first time we formally got to know each other. I don't know much more about them than you do."
Avoiding the main issue, everything Chisato said was technically true.
Because of that, when he faced his girlfriend's scrutinizing gaze, his demeanor remained completely honest, without any hint of guilt.
His patience and willingness to answer every question gradually made Kazusa feel somewhat guilty.
Chisato hadn't done anything wrong or betrayed her, yet she had instinctively assumed he was hiding something from her.
Apologizing outright felt a little embarrassing, but she could make up for it in other ways.
"After we finish at the penguin exhibit, let's buy some figures and head straight home."
"Is your fever getting worse?"
"No, I'm just a little tired and want to go back early."
Kazusa had her own thoughts. She didn't want to keep wandering around, in case they just happened to run into those three girls again, which would only sour her mood further.
She lived alone, so maybe she could even invite him to stay the night again—just like last night.
…
Kazusa's wish ended up coming true in an unexpected way.
On the way back on the Shinkansen, she leaned against Chisato with an uncomfortable expression, her body temperature rising again as sweat formed on her forehead.
After getting off the train, Chisato helped her into a taxi. Instead of taking her straight home, he told the driver to head to the nearest hospital first.
After a doctor diagnosed her and prescribed medication, Chisato stayed with her as she received four IV drips.
During that time, Kazusa remained drowsy, trying to sleep, but the noisy environment of the infusion room made it impossible for her to truly rest.
And so, feeling weak and lethargic, she leaned against her boyfriend in a half-asleep state. By the time the IV treatment was done, the sun had already set—it was past six in the evening.
Perhaps because the medication was still taking effect, Kazusa remained groggy even after taking a bath at home.
She felt lightheaded, as if she was floating while walking.
Since she was sick and living alone, there was no way Chisato could just leave her like that.
He cooked some porridge and made sure she ate it before giving her the prescribed medicine with warm water.
Only after reassuring the feverish and slightly childish Kazusa multiple times that he would stay the night did she finally relax, pull the blanket over herself, and close her eyes.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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