“Alright, it’s gotten a little late, but shall we have lunch? Can you get up?”
“…Ah!”
I had been watching Senpai the whole time and apparently zoned out without realizing it.
“Oh my, is something the matter?”
Senpai looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“N-no, I’m fine.”
I sat up and moved over to the table, where a delicious-looking bowl of udon waited for me.
“I chose udon because it’s easy on the stomach. I also added some ginger since it’s supposed to be good for a cold. I hope it helps warm you up…”
“Thank you. I’ll eat right away.”
Knowing that Sara-senpai had made this udon while thinking about my condition made it taste even better.
“Then I shall join you.”
Senpai ate gracefully, carefully minding her long hair. Having long hair must be difficult, I thought.
Whether it was because my appetite had returned or simply because Sara-senpai’s udon was that delicious, I ended up eating every last bite.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“You’re welcome. …Come to think of it, this is the first time you’ve eaten something I made while it was still freshly made, isn’t it?”
“Now that you mention it, yes.”
“If I’m being honest, since this was such a rare opportunity for you to enjoy it fresh, I wanted to prepare something more substantial…”
“No, it was more than delicious enough.”
Asking for anything more would be far too luxurious.
Still, if she asked whether I wanted her to cook again, the answer would obviously be yes.
“But if the chance comes up again, I’d love for you to cook for me.”
“Understood. Once you’ve recovered, Takanashi-san, I will gladly make time for it.”
It felt like the list of ways she was taking care of me kept growing longer and longer…
“Well then, I’ll clean up, so please return to bed, Takanashi-san.”
“Yes… Sorry for making you do everything.”
It felt bad leaving it all to her, but at this point I decided to let her handle everything and thank her properly later.
…If I offered to help now, she would probably scold me anyway.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and, just as expected, found myself watching Senpai as she stood in the kitchen…
What was this feeling…? It was just… really nice.
Come to think of it, she really was wearing that apron I gave her. I was glad.
Once Senpai finished cleaning up and turned in my direction, our eyes met again.
In her hands she held… a bath bucket and a towel?
“Hm? Fufu… You were watching me earlier too. Is there something on your mind?”
Seeing her approach with that gentle smile, my heart skipped a beat.
“N-no, I was just thinking that you really are using that apron.”
“Ah, yes. I always make sure to wear it whenever I’m cooking. The other day, Mother complimented me and said it was very cute.”
I see… Wait, Mother?
“Your mother did?”
“Yes. I told her it was a gift from you, Takanashi-san. When she learned it was from a boy, she seemed quite surprised.”
Well… if it’s her mother, she should already know that Senpai dislikes men, so…
I-it’ll probably be fine.
“Now then, Takanashi-san, before you rest, let me wipe down your body so you can feel a little more refreshed.”
Eh?
What did she mean?
Senpai placed the bath bucket beside the bed and reached toward me.
“I’ll start with your back, if you’ll excuse me.”
She lifted the back of my top and began carefully wiping my skin.
“Ehh!? Wait, Sara-senpai, you really don’t have to go that far!”
“No. Please stay still.”
Ugh… This was a little embarrassing…
Senpai soaked the towel again, wrung it out, and this time moved on to my sides and underarms.
“It might tickle a little, but please bear with me. I’ll be done soon.”
“…Yes.”
In the end, she even thoroughly wiped my front… I really tried my best to endure it.
“Is this alright…? How do you feel? Do you feel a little more refreshed now?”
“Y-yes, thank you.”
“I’m glad. It was my first time wiping someone else’s body, so I was worried I wouldn’t do it properly.”
Even though it was her first time, she had handled it so skillfully…
“If you’re feeling better tomorrow, I’ll give you a more thorough wipe, so please be patient for today.”
When she said something like that with such a sparkling smile, there was no way I could refuse… but tomorrow was going to be even more than this?
“Now, let’s get you under the futon so you don’t catch a chill.”
Following Senpai’s instructions, I lay down, and she covered me with the duvet.
She pulled the duvet up to my chest, then gently patted it from above.
Pat… pat…
…In other words, this meant…
“Please leave everything around the house to me and rest a little until dinner.”
With a soft smile, Senpai reached out with her other hand and began slowly, gently stroking my head.
In other words… she was telling me to sleep.
It felt a little embarrassing to be treated like a child, but…
No, I was sick with a cold right now, so it couldn’t be helped. It was okay to let her spoil me a little, right…?
Stroke… stroke… stroke…
Pat… pat… pat…
………