"Here, Takanashi-san... say ahh."
Nom.
"Munch, munch... Um, Sara-senpai? Are you planning to feed me the whole thing?"
She was holding my personal bento box in her hands. Natsumi-senpai had been the one to bring it over, but as soon as Sara-senpai saw the state of my right hand, she had stepped in.
"It is fine. Please, leave everything to me."
With that one declaration, we had ended up in this situation. The curtain was currently drawn, sealing us off from the rest of the room, but Natsumi-senpai and the school nurse were obviously standing right on the other side...
"Of course I am. Now, say ahh."
Nom.
Man, this was good.
"How is it, Takanashi-san?"
"It’s delicious. Honestly, I don't think I can handle any cooking that isn't yours anymore, Senpai..."
"(What? She's already secured the way to his stomach?)"
"(Secured? She's practically annexed the territory. Besides, didn't you know, Morishita-sensei?)"
"(Well, after seeing the famous Satsukawa-san dragging a boy in here to change his clothes in the middle of a rainstorm, I had an inkling. It felt like she was rubbing it in my face just because I'm single.)"
"(Oh, I need the details on that.)"
They weren't even whispering anymore. Those two had absolutely no intention of keeping their conversation private.
"Ufufu... Do not worry. I will continue to make them for you forever. Now, say ahh."
And Senpai just ignored them. Business as usual, then.
Nom.
"Now then, let me take another look at that right hand."
Morishita-sensei—the name Natsumi-senpai had used for her earlier—began to examine my right wrist.
How was it? If I kept it still, there was a dull ache, but it wasn't unbearable. However, trying to bend it was definitely painful.
"...Yes, you need more than just rest. You absolutely have to go to a hospital. I'll be contacting your parents as well."
To be honest, I wasn't thrilled about that, but apparently, they couldn't skip the notification because of medical insurance requirements.
"I understand."
"Ideally, I'd send you home early... but since I've already reported the injury to the other teachers, just stay for now. If the pain gets worse or if you notice any changes, go to the hospital immediately."
With that, Morishita-sensei pulled out a compress and a bandage.
"It's better than doing nothing, so hold out your right arm."
"Um, would it be alright if you showed me the proper technique? I would like to be the one to do this for him from now on..."
Sara-senpai spoke up as she supported my arm, lifting it gently for the nurse. It would certainly be a huge help if she took care of it for me, but...
"Sure thing. I'll go slowly, so watch closely."
Morishita-sensei performed a demonstration, wrapping the bandage and then unwinding it. Sara-senpai followed her lead, repeating the process under the nurse's guidance. I found myself captivated by the sheer intensity of her expression, and then, our eyes suddenly met.
"Takanashi-san, is your wrist alright?"
"It's al—actually, no, it still hurts."
I had learned that Senpai was usually happier when I was honest with her. I didn't feel like I needed to hide my weakness anymore.
Senpai began to rub my wrist with her hand as if stroking it to soothe the pain.
"There, there... I will wrap the bandage for you now."
Muttering those words as if talking directly to my wrist, Senpai began the real application with focused gravity. After she finished, Morishita-sensei checked her work.
"Yes, that looks perfect. Takanashi-kun, does it feel too loose or too tight?"
I moved my fingers a bit to test the tension, but it felt fine.
"It seems okay. Thank you, Sara-senpai."
"You are very welcome. I shall be the one to take care of this for you from now on."
Sara-senpai offered me a radiant smile. It had only been a few days of tension, but it felt like our precious daily life had finally returned.
"Issei, how's it going?"
Hayato had come by to check on me. I really needed to thank him again for carrying me to the infirmary.
"Looks like I have to go to a hospital for my wrist..."
"I see... Well, make sure you don't push yourself for a while. I'll back you up however I can, so just let me know if you need anything. Don't be a stranger, okay?"
I was truly grateful for a friend like him. I'm really glad Hayato and I became friends...
Natsumi-senpai, who had been watching the two of us, looked slightly surprised.
"My, you're surprisingly caring toward your friends. In that case, let me ask as well. Please look after Takanashi-kun, okay?"
"Of course I... Wait, that’s not what I meant, Issei!"
"Haha, I know, I know."
He was as stiff as ever. I wasn't going to read too much into his interactions with Natsumi-senpai or worry about it anymore.
Natsumi-senpai looked a bit puzzled by the exchange, clearly not understanding the subtext.
"Yokokawa-san, thank you for coming to the classroom to report this today. Since there may be times when I cannot keep an eye on him myself, I look forward to your continued support regarding Takanashi-san."
Sara-senpai was actually thanking Hayato...
Not just me, but Natsumi-senpai and even Hayato himself were stunned. Sensing our shock, Sara-senpai added a brief clarification.
"Is something wrong? He is Takanashi-san's friend, so I was simply introducing myself properly. I do not wish to cause Takanashi-san trouble by maintaining an impolite attitude toward his social circle."
She was going to treat my friends with respect... for my sake.
"Ah, yes, thank you for the kind words..." Hayato stammered, giving an unusually formal reply.
"...Is she the wife? Telling people to look after her husband... is she already the wife?"
Natsumi-senpai was muttering to herself as usual.