As I listened to Takanashi-san’s rhythmic breathing, I decided to keep my hand moving for just a little while longer.
I was able to put the experience I’d gained from giving him a lap pillow to good use; I knew from that time that doing this would eventually lull him to sleep. He had only just drifted off, so if I pulled my hand away now, he might wake back up.
It was a treat just to gaze at his cute sleeping face like this, but since I had a rare opportunity to help out around his house, I needed to plan my schedule.
For today, I would tidy up the kitchen and prepare dinner once the time was right. Laundry and cleaning could wait until tomorrow. There would surely be other small tasks to attend to, but checking on Takanashi-san’s health condition and taking care of his immediate needs remained my top priorities.
Hehe... it looked like it was going to be a busy weekend.
Takanashi-san seemed to be sound asleep now. It felt a little lonely to stop, but I wondered if it was finally all right to let go. I gave his head one last gentle stroke before preparing to start my work... Ah, that’s right. I remembered what Natsumi had told me.
"Since you'll probably end up doing a million things under the pretext of nursing him, let me give you one warning."
"A warning? I don't intend to do anything particularly unusual, but..."
"Just listen. Okay? It’s perfectly normal for a boy living alone to have done absolutely nothing around the house. Just accept that as the default state of things."
(So, even if Takanashi-san hasn't been keeping up with his chores... that’s what she means, I suppose.)
(I had intended to do those things for him from the start, so I don't see how that would be a problem...)
"And this is the important part! Um... if you find something a bit... different... or let's say, something weird, you absolutely mustn't get angry, okay?"
"? ...Something weird?"
"...Well, as long as you don't touch his PC, you should be fine. Anyway! If you find anything unusual while you're tidying the room, just pretend you never saw it."
"? ...I don't quite understand, but I should just act as if I didn't see anything even if I find something?"
"Exactly! And definitely don't get mad. Got it?"
..."Something weird" was far too vague for me to grasp.
Well, no matter. I had no intention of overstepping my bounds by meddling with Takanashi-san's private possessions anyway.
With Natsumi's warning in mind, I immediately set to work in the kitchen.
That said, as I'd noticed while cooking earlier, the place wasn't exactly dirty; it was just disorganized. Therefore, it was more a matter of organization than deep cleaning.
...By the way, much like the tableware, there was no sign that the cooking utensils had been used much at all. I wondered how his relative had been managing things.
I organized the seasonings and tools so that anyone else could understand the layout at a glance, and as for the ingredients...
...Oh, there were hardly any ingredients at all. Ready-to-eat food... instant food...
It wasn't good for his health. But then again, if he didn't do any cooking himself, I suppose it couldn't be helped. In that case, I would simply have to ensure his future bento were even more focused on nutritional balance.
Once I returned home tonight, I would sit down and plan out a menu.
I checked the rest of the storage, but it was all the same... nothing but instant food. To have this much of it was a bit...
I would try to have a little talk with him about it later if he had the energy.
"Ugh... nnn..."
Oh, dear, had I woken him up?
...It didn't seem like he was awake, but Takanashi-san appeared to be tossing and turning restlessly. I decided to pause my organization for a moment. He still had a fever, so that was likely the cause.
I took some ice from the ice compartment, soaked a towel in ice water, wrung it out, and placed it gently on Takanashi-san’s forehead. I’d heard that the back of the neck was actually more effective, but that would involve moving him and might wake him up.
As the cold hit, his expression softened into one of relief.
It really is difficult to be all alone at times like this, isn't it...?
Speaking of being alone... Takanashi-san had mentioned before that he was isolated in class, both in the past and now. If that were true, it meant he didn't have any close friends to rely on at school.
"...Takanashi-san, you accepted me... even with all my selfishness. I promise that I will accept you too, along with your painful past. So... please, tell me about it someday."
Stroking Takanashi-san’s head helped me feel calm as well; it brought a certain peace to my heart.
"...You aren't alone. I won't let you be alone. Since you've given me permission to be selfish, I’m going to take care of you properly today and tomorrow."
While taking great care not to wake him, I alternated between organizing the kitchen and changing towels until evening eventually began to fall.
Now then, I suppose it’s about time to start preparing dinner.