Tap tap tap tap—
At this mont, in the underground facility of Ratatoskr, a series of hurried footsteps rapidly passed through the corridor, heading towards the infirmary.
"Shido, are you okay?!"
Pushing open the infirmary door, Tohka asked nervously.
Inside the room, Itsuka Shido was lying on a hospital bed. His school uniform had been changed into a hospital gown. Many electrodes were attached to his body, connecting to a machine monitoring his heartbeat, and an IV drip hung from his wrist. The mont she saw this, Tohka felt her heart ache as if it were being sliced by a knife.
"Ah, Tohka, you're here."
"Yutsuki, how is Shido's condition? Is he in danger?"
"Yes, yes~ Calm down a bit. Don't worry, Tohka, Shido is fine. His body temperature has already gone down, and he's sleeping right now. It looks like there shouldn't be any problems."
Looking at Tohka, whose eyes were full of unease and panic, Yutsuki smiled and comforted her.
"I see..."
A blessing in disguise. Although Tohka couldn't understand the data displayed on the machines, from his peaceful expression and steady breathing, she could still tell that Shido was not in life-threatening danger.
(Thank goodness, Shido... is still alive.)
The heavy stone hanging in her heart was slightly lowered, and Tohka weakly dropped her shoulders.
(...Eh?)
As her emotions cald down a bit, Tohka finally noticed that the sleeping Shido was currently holding Yutsuki's right hand.
(—!)
For so reason, Tohka suddenly felt a slight pain in her chest.
"Ah... about this. Shido seed to be sleeping a bit restlessly, so I let him hold my hand to help him feel more at ease."
Noticing where Tohka was looking, Yutsuki let out a slightly awkward, bitter smile, scratched her cheek, and explained.
"I see..."
However, this unknown emotion flashed by in an instant. The guilt and self-bla of letting Shido get sick caused Tohka to lower her head in disappointnt, even the ribbon on her head drooping lifelessly.
"I'm sorry, Yutsuki. I said I would protect Shido well, but I didn't even notice he was feeling unwell..."
"This isn't your fault, Tohka. If anyone is to bla, it's Shido himself. Even though he had a fever, he tried to act tough and brush it off. As a result, he ruined his own body. He reaps what he sows."
Yutsuki shrugged, comforting Tohka while simultaneously criticizing Shido without rcy.
"But... it really is my fault..."
"What's wrong? Being so listless doesn't suit you at all, Tohka."
Looking at the still very dejected Tohka, Yutsuki sighed. She reached out her free right hand and rubbed Tohka's warm cheeks to encourage her.
"Ugh... what are you doing, Yutsuki..."
"A smile suits Tohka the best—I'm sure Shido would say that. You too, Tohka. If you woke up from a fever, rather than seeing Shido looking distressed and worried, you'd be much happier seeing a face full of smiles, right?"
"Is that so... mhm... that's true. Umu, I understand, Yutsuki!"
After pondering for a mont, Tohka seed to accept Yutsuki's reasoning and recovered her usual vitality and enthusiasm.
"Yutsuki, I also want to take care of Shido. Can you tell what I can do?"
"Now that you ntion it... Then, you hold Shido's hand too. With cute girls holding his hands and keeping him company, I'm sure this guy will have nothing but sweet dreams while he sleeps."
Looking at the highly motivated Tohka, after thinking for a mont, Yutsuki proposed with a wicked smile.
"Oh, I see!"
Hearing Yutsuki's words, Tohka nodded in sudden realization. She sat next to Yutsuki and held Shido's hand.
However, rather than "holding," the word "covering" might be more appropriate. Tohka placed both her hands over the back of Shido's hand and prayed very earnestly:
"Do your best, Shido. I'll bring out my treasured limited-edition kinako bread for you. Its texture and aroma are absolutely top-notch. So, cheer up quickly."
(Seriously... even from my perspective, she's such a good girl. Shido, you really are a sinful man.)
Looking at the sowhat clumsy but very hard-working girl beside her, Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh with emotion internally.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap—
Suddenly, Yutsuki heard a flurry of footsteps, even more chaotic than before, approaching this way.
"My familiars, why are you running in such a hurry? And my comrade, how is the condition of my possession?"
"Inquiry. Yutsuki, is Shido's body okay?"
"Shido. I ca to visit you while you're sick. I'll use my body to warm your bed right now."
"Everyone... you're running too fast... Um, Yutsuki-san... is Shido-san... okay?"
"My, my~ How are you doing, Shido-kun? The cute Yoshinon and Yoshino-chan are here to take care of you~"
"Hah~ Hah—I tell you—you guys ran too fast. It's not like Shido caught an incurable—ugh, no, let catch my breath."
The infirmary door was violently pushed open once again, and Kaguya, Yuzuru, Origami, Yoshino, and Natsumi scrambled to squeeze in.
"Ugh..."
Seemingly disturbed by the suddenly noisy sounds, the sleeping Shido painfully furrowed his brows.
"Shh—! Shh—! You're too loud, you'll wake Shido up."
Yutsuki hurriedly made a shushing gesture to Yuzuru and the others.
"—!"
Hearing this, everyone tacitly covered their mouths with their hands.
"Um... Yutsuki. What happened? I was suddenly playing gas in my room when I got a call from Kotori saying Shido fainted at school... Is he okay?"
Natsumi asked quietly in confusion. Honestly, she still hadn't figured out what exactly happened.
"Well... although the cause is still unknown, he seems to have stabilized."
Yutsuki answered softly.
Hearing Yutsuki's words, the worried expressions on everyone's faces simultaneously relaxed a bit.
At this mont, the room door was pushed open for the third ti. This ti, Kotori and Reine walked in. Unlike Tohka and the others, whose faces were written with unease and panic when they entered earlier, Kotori's expression faintly revealed a sense of solemnity.
"Kotori-chan."
"Ah—Yutsuki-nee. Sorry, Shido caused you trouble again. Thanks to your handling, things didn't develop into a terrible situation."
After thanking Yutsuki, Kotori scanned the inside of the room as if counting heads.
"Is Miku not here?"
"Ah, Miku is working in Kansai shooting a comrcial today. But I've already contacted her. She said she pushed aside her work, rented a helicopter, and is on her way back. She should be here in a little while."
As Miku's secret fan, Yutsuki raised her hand and answered Kotori's question.
"I see."
Kotori nodded in understanding. Looking at Shido on the hospital bed, a trace of heartache inevitably appeared in her eyes.
"Everyone, next I have so important things I want to explain to you."
"Matters related to Shido?"
Origami looked at Kotori's face and asked. The others also showed questioning gazes at this mont.
Although they had already received the "he's fine" reply from Yutsuki, in reality, everyone faintly realized in their hearts that Shido's condition today was probably not as simple as an ordinary cold and fever.
"Mhm."
To this, Kotori nodded without denying it.
"Talking here will disturb Shido. Let's go to the conference room."
Probably worried that talking here for too long would disturb Shido's rest, no one objected, and they all got up to leave.
"...Eh? Huh?"
Just as she was preparing to let go of Shido's hand and leave with everyone, Shido's hand showed no sign of letting go. Instead, seemingly noticing Yutsuki's intention, he gripped tighter with reluctance.
"Um... Shido, could you let go of my hand?"
Feeling everyone's gazes gathering on her, awkward cold sweat appeared on Yutsuki's forehead. But the sleeping Shido naturally didn't respond to Yutsuki's words.
(Uh, although if I exert just a bit more force I could break free, it doesn't seem right to do that to a patient. Plus, he looks pitiful.)
Yutsuki looked at Kotori, feeling troubled. After a mont of silence, Kotori shook her head helplessly.
"Forget it... It's also worrying to leave Shido like this without soone here. I'm sorry, Yutsuki-nee, but could I trouble you to watch over Shido a bit longer? I'll send you the details later via phone."
"Mhm. Understood."
Yutsuki replied.
"Kotori, can I also stay and take care of Shido?"
Tohka suddenly raised her hand and said softly.
"Thank you, Tohka. But Shido needs to rest quietly right now, so it's best if only one person takes care of him."
Kotori smiled bitterly and politely declined Tohka's kind offer. She knew that if she nodded in agreent now, the others would also demand to stay.
"I see..."
Tohka dropped her shoulders in dejection. Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh helplessly and proposed to Kotori:
"How about we do shifts? Everyone takes turns taking care of Shido. That way I can take it easy too."
"Mhm... that works too."
Seemingly realizing Yutsuki was caring for Tohka and the others' feelings, Kotori didn't object.
"That's great."
Getting Kotori's permission, Tohka instantly regained her motivation.
"However, Origami absolutely cannot take care of Shido alone."
"Mhm!"
Kotori's supplentary proposal received the approval of everyone except Origami. However, the person herself frowned in displeasure at this.
"Why?"
"The reason is very simple. Can you guarantee that when alone with Shido, you won't take off your clothes and slip under the covers to warm his bed? Won't feed Shido strange drugs? Won't provide Shido with extra, inappropriate services?"
"..."
Faced with these three consecutive questions, Tobiichi Origami, whose skin was slightly thinner than in the previous world, silently looked away.
"Phew..."
After Kotori, Tohka, and the others left the infirmary, Yutsuki secretly breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in the chair.
"Seriously... even though they're already high schoolers... still acting like children."
Looking at the uneasy Shido holding her right hand tightly, Yutsuki showed a smile carrying a bit of helplessness and doting.
"It's going to be okay~ I am right here."
Tightening her own grip slightly, Yutsuki spoke in a tone reminiscent of singing a lullaby.
"Say... Yutsuki..."
Seemingly dreaming, the soundly sleeping Shido reacted to Yutsuki's voice, his mouth opening and closing slightly.
"To you... what exactly am I...in your heart..."
Hearing this, Yutsuki was slightly stunned. After hesitating for a mont, she answered:
"Just like Tohka and the others, you are my most important family."
"No... that's not it..."
Shido groggily denied it.
"What I wanted to ask... wasn't that..."
Then, the room fell back into silence.
"...As expected, you really have been too tired lately."
After a long silence, Yutsuki finally sighed. She gently brushed Shido's bangs and whispered calmly:
"It's going to be okay, so for now, just rest well."
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