[Serina Mikage POV]
"Please turn left up ahead, and it's right in front of the second house."
Aiba-kun's mother nodded slightly and turned on the blinker. The car, which had been creeping through the rain-soaked residential neighborhood, came to a stop in front of a familiar gate.
The front door opened almost immediately.
Mom stepped out first holding an umbrella, followed closely by Dad. Seeing me in the passenger seat, Mom hurried over to the car.
"Serina."
Giving Mom a quick nod, I turned toward the driver's seat.
"Thank you very much for driving me home."
"No, don't mention it. I wanted to say hello to your parents anyway."
With that, Aiba-kun's mother turned off the engine.
I pressed the seatbelt release button. It didn't unlatch on the first try. My hands, which had spent hours supporting Aiba-kun while avoiding his right shoulder and constantly checking his breathing, refused to cooperate now that the tension had broken.
On the second try, the belt unclicked and slid back to my side.
When I opened the door, Mom held her umbrella over me. Almost the moment I stepped beneath it, the driver's side door opened as well.
Dad walked over to Aiba-kun's mother and welcomed her under his umbrella. He guided her under the entryway eaves out of the rain, and Mom and I followed right behind.
"I apologize for the late hour. My name is Aiba. I've brought Serina-san home."
Aiba-kun's mother bowed to my parents.
"I'm Serina's father. Thank you so much for driving our daughter home."
"I am her mother. Thank you very much, especially so late in the evening."
Both of them bowed deeply in return. The sound of rain dripping from the eaves filled the space between the three adults meeting for the first time.
Mom gestured toward the front door.
"It's hardly polite to stand out here in the cold. Please, do come inside."
"Thank you. However, I left my son at home with a fever. My daughter is looking after him right now, but I don't want to be away for too long. If you don't mind, could we speak briefly here?"
Seeing the look of concern wash over my parents' faces, Aiba-kun's mother continued.
"My son goes to the same school as Serina-san. He collapsed on his way home today, and Serina-san helped him all the way back to our house. After that, she stayed and looked after him the entire time until I returned."
Aiba-kun's mother turned toward me and bowed once more.
"Serina-san. Thank you so much for today. For making sure he wasn't alone with a fever, and for staying by his side until I got back."
"No... I'm just glad he got home safely."
When she raised her head, the corners of Aiba-kun's mother's eyes softened slightly.
"How is your son doing?" Dad asked, sounding worried.
"When I took his temperature, it was slightly over thirty-eight degrees. He's sleeping now. I'll be heading straight back to look in on him."
Aiba-kun's mother glanced down at the dark navy track jacket I was wearing.
"And please don't worry about the jacket; return it whenever it's convenient."
"It was a lifesaver. I'll make sure to wash it before bringing it back."
Mom looked between me and Aiba-kun's mother.
"Serina. Is her son a friend of yours?"
A friend. In my chest, I turned the word over once.
"...Yeah."
Mom's eyes widened for a split second. She was probably surprised to hear me admit that a boy was my friend. Even so, she didn't press the issue, turning back toward Aiba-kun's mother instead.
Hearing my answer, Aiba-kun's mother lowered her gaze slightly.
"Serina-san. Would it be all right if I spoke with your parents?"
I knew immediately what she wanted to tell them.
My heart thudded hard in my chest. I knew how deeply my parents had worried over what happened that day, and how desperately grateful they had been toward the person who saved me.
I had no intention of stopping her.
"Yes. Please go ahead."
Aiba-kun's mother gave a small nod and quietly steadied her breath. She looked straight at my parents.
"Aside from thanking you for today, there is something I feel I must tell you."
When she paused, the sound of rain drumming against the eaves suddenly rang out with sharp clarity.
Mom's fingers brushed against my arm.
"During the fire at the mall the other week... the one who pulled Serina-san out was my son."
The fingers on my arm clamped down tight.
Dad froze, looking as if he had stopped breathing altogether. His hands resting at his sides slowly clenched into fists.
"...Your son... was the one who saved Serina?"
"Yes."
Aiba-kun's mother nodded quietly.
Mom's lips trembled as she tried to form words, but no sound came out at first.
After the fire, my parents had watched me suffer through countless sleepless nights. Even when I couldn't finish my meals, they never pried, and whenever my right leg flared up in pain, they simply stayed by my side in silence. I knew they had written letters to the stranger who pulled me from the smoke, constantly praying for a chance to thank him.
That person—whose name and face had been a total mystery—was Aiba-kun, who went to my very own school.
Mom turned to look at me. After studying my face to confirm the truth, she slowly released her grip on my arm. Tears were shimmering faintly in her eyes.
"...Thank you... Thank you so, so very much."
Mom bowed her head low.
"We heard that he was severely injured himself. Even so, he protected Serina to the very end and brought our daughter back home to us... Ever since that day, we've wanted so badly to thank him."
"Please, raise your heads. More than anything, my son was just relieved to know Serina-san was safe."
Aiba-kun's mother's voice wavered slightly, too.
Dad closed his eyes for a moment. Letting out a slow breath amidst the patter of rain, he bowed deeply to Aiba-kun's mother.
"I want to offer my deepest thanks as well. Ever since that day, I've wanted nothing more than to thank her savior in person. To think he was going to the same school as Serina all along..."
His voice trailed off.
Lifting his head, Dad looked Aiba-kun's mother straight in the eye.
"I have a favor to ask. Once your son is feeling better, would you allow us to thank him in person?"
"Please, I ask as well," Mom chimed in, echoing him. "We don't mean immediately. But please, could you give us the chance to thank him face-to-face?"
Watching the two of them bow, a burning warmth rose in my chest.
Because Aiba-kun brought me home that day, my parents were still able to say "welcome home" to me now. Only now did it truly sink in that what Aiba-kun had saved wasn't just my life alone.
"...I'd like to ask, too."
All three pairs of eyes turned toward me.
"Once Aiba-kun is on his feet, please let Mom and Dad and me thank him properly together."
Aiba-kun's mother studied my face for a moment. Gradually, the look in her eyes softened.
"Of course. Once he's recovered, let's pick a day."
"Thank you so much."
As my parents bowed once more, Aiba-kun's mother offered a quiet bow of her own.
"The pleasure is mine. Thanks to Serina-san, my son was able to make it safely home."
Those words lingered quietly in my heart.
Safely home.
Aiba-kun was in his room right now. Koharu was by his side, and his mother would be back shortly. Even if he woke up coughing, or if his fever spiked, someone would be there to notice tonight.
I knew that, yet from the moment the car pulled away from the Aiba house, a part of my heart had been constantly tugging me back there.
"Please take good care of Aiba-kun."
"Yes, leave it to me."
Hearing her resolute answer, I was finally able to let out a breath.
Aiba-kun's mother said her goodbyes to my parents once more and headed back to the car. Dad held the umbrella over her until she reached the driver's seat. Once he saw the door shut, he walked back to stand beside us.
The engine turned over, and the car slowly pulled away. As its red taillights reflected against the wet asphalt, Mom and Dad bowed deeply. Standing beside them, I bowed toward the receding car as well.
Even after straightening up, I kept watching those red lights.
Long after the car disappeared from view, I remained frozen in front of the gate. Mom didn't say a word, simply holding the umbrella over my head.
"Serina, are you feeling sick anywhere?"
"No. I'm okay."
Mom looked closely at my face, then turned toward the front door.
"Let's go inside."
At her voice, I finally turned toward the house.
Once we stepped inside, Dad locked the door. The sound of the rain instantly faded, replaced by the familiar, comforting scent of home.
"Welcome home, Serina," Mom said.
"...I'm home."
The moment the words left my lips, the tight knot of tension wound up inside me all day finally began to unravel.
Mom placed her hands on my shoulders. She parted her lips as if to speak, but unable to find her voice, she pulled me into a tight embrace instead.
My body stiffened for a second at the sudden touch. But noticing how her shoulders were trembling slightly, I let myself relax into her arms.
"...You found him, didn't you?"
"Yeah... That day, Aiba-kun protected me to the very end so I could come back here."
Mom's arms squeezed a little tighter around me.
"...I'm so, so glad you were able to see him again."
"Yeah."
Dad stepped closer to us.
"This time, we'll get to thank him properly, too."
"That's right."
Buried in Mom's embrace, I nodded once more.
What Aiba-kun had protected wasn't just my life. The daily routine where my parents could still say "welcome home" to me and hold me like this—that, too, was something Aiba-kun had preserved that day.
Aiba-kun was back in his home, and I was back in mine. Tonight, that felt more precious than anything in the world.
◇◇◇
Even after taking a warm shower, the heat from Aiba-kun still seemed to linger deep inside me.
As I washed my hair and wiped the hot water trailing down my cheeks, the sensation of touching his forehead came rushing back into my palms. It had been scorching hot to the touch, yet his sleeping face had looked so peaceful, as if he had finally been freed from a heavy burden.
Stepping out of the bathroom, I changed into loungewear and gathered the borrowed dark navy track jacket into my arms.
My fingers brushed against the fabric over the chest.
It was already dry, with no visible tear stains left behind. Even so, I knew exactly where Aiba-kun had rested his forehead, exactly where his spilling tears had soaked in.
I unfolded the jacket to fold it properly, but I couldn't bring myself to put it down. Wanting to feel close to the Aiba-kun from earlier just one more time, I lifted the chest of the jacket with both hands and gently pressed my face against it.
Neither the heat nor the dampness of his tears remained. Yet when I closed my eyes, the sound of his breathing near my ear and the heavy warmth of his body against the arm wrapped around his back came vividly alive.
Back then, Aiba-kun had slowly let all the strength drain from his body against my chest. Every last trace of stiffness had melted away, until the breath by my ear finally settled into a peaceful, rhythmic sleep.
He had trusted me enough to fall asleep in my arms.
Just thinking about it filled my chest to an almost painful degree.
Even so, I couldn't just touch a sleeping Aiba-kun out of my own selfish feelings. Earlier, too, I had stopped my hand as my fingers reached for his cheek, choosing instead to lay him flat on his back so as not to strain his right shoulder. I still remembered the hollow loneliness that hit me the moment his weight left my arms. But I refused to disturb his rest just to comfort myself.
After folding the track jacket neatly, I went downstairs to find Mom waiting with a warm drink. Dad was already sitting at the dining table.
I wrapped both hands around the steaming mug. As the heat seeped into my chilly fingertips, the memory of touching Aiba-kun's forehead flared up again.
Looking up from the mug, my eyes met Dad's. Having watched me quietly for a moment, he asked in a gentle voice, "Could you tell us a bit about Aiba-kun?"
Dad was trying to understand the kind of person Aiba-kun was. Feeling a quiet warmth at that, I nodded.
Unsure where to start, I traced my memories back to how we first began talking at school.
"We started talking because of Koharu, and then gradually got closer from there."
"Koharu-san is his younger sister, right?"
"Right. She's by his side right now, too."
Saying it out loud brought a fresh wave of relief.
"What's he usually like?" Dad asked.
I pictured Aiba-kun as he was when we talked at school.
"He's kind. He gets a little overprotective when it comes to Koharu, but he always listens to what I have to say. He's the kind of person who never presumes to decide what's best for me."
As the words tumbled out, it wasn't the heroic figure from the fire that came to mind, but the everyday Aiba-kun smiling at school.
"Though when it comes to himself, he's always too quick to say he's fine."
When I added that at the end, Dad nodded slowly, taking in every word.
"The other morning, you mentioned there was someone you wanted to talk to, didn't you?"
Mom's voice pulled my focus back to the table.
The moment the memory hit me, my grip on the mug tightened.
"...I might have."
"That was Aiba-kun, wasn't it?"
I looked at Mom, half-tempted to play dumb. But there was no accusation in her eyes. Just like that morning, she was simply waiting for me to open up on my own.
"Yeah."
At my admission, Dad's eyes widened slightly. Mom's expression softened, and she spoke gently.
"Earlier, when we found out Aiba-kun was the one who saved you, Serina, there was just one thing on my mind."
"What?"
"I was worried that today, when you supported him all the way home and stayed by his side, you were pushing yourself out of a sense of obligation to repay him—"
"—No."
The word burst from my lips before she could even finish.
"I wasn't forcing myself. And it wasn't because I owed him anything. It was because it was Aiba-kun... I couldn't just let him go home alone like that. He kept saying he was fine even though he had a burning fever, trying so hard to hide how much pain he was in. I wanted to walk him home, and I wanted to stay by his side until he could fall asleep feeling safe."
By the time I finished, I realized my voice had come out far more fiercely than I intended.
A quiet stillness settled over the dining table. Dad blinked in surprise, while Mom simply looked at me in silence.
Because it was Aiba-kun.
Hearing my own words echo in my heart, heat rushed to my cheeks a beat too late. Even so, I didn't regret a single syllable.
Eventually, Mom let out a soft, relieved sigh.
Dad seemed lost in thought for a moment before clasping his hands over his lap again.
"When we go to meet Aiba-kun, will you come with us, Serina?"
"Yeah. Just don't overwhelm him, okay?"
"Of course not. He's my daughter's savior. I just want to thank him properly."
Dad's fingers slowly tightened over his knees.
"Besides... until today, we had no idea who that person was, and now it turns out he's your friend. It's hard not to be shocked."
"Friend..."
I turned the word over in my mouth.
It wasn't wrong. But when I tried to squeeze my feelings into that single word, they spilled hopelessly over the edges.
The person who saved me from the fire, and a classmate at my school. Koharu's older brother, and the person I had fallen in love with. And today, the person who had shown his vulnerability in front of me for the very first time and leaned his weight against me.
I wanted to know everything about the boy who was all of those things at once.
Sensing a gaze on me, I looked up to find Mom watching me. Without realizing it, my thoughts must have written themselves across my face. When our eyes met, a knowing little smile played at the corners of her mouth.
The instant I realized what that smile meant, my face burned all over again. Without a word, I dropped my gaze back down to my mug.
"You should get some rest for tonight," Mom said, glancing at the empty cup. "Even if you feel fine physically, you've been on edge all day, haven't you?"
"Yeah."
"If you think you can eat something, I'll make it for you."
"I'm okay for now. I'll eat a proper breakfast tomorrow."
"All right."
Mom didn't push.
As I stood up from my chair, Dad spoke up one last time.
"I hope Aiba-kun gets well soon."
"...Yeah."
That simple wish made me genuinely happy.
"Good night."
"Good night, Serina."
"Good night, sweetheart."
Nodding quietly to their overlapping voices behind me, I stepped away from the table.
Walking up the stairs and stopping outside my bedroom door, the heat that had rested against my chest and the weight that had filled my arms came rushing back.
Aiba-kun was at home right now, surrounded by his family. He wasn't alone anymore.
Even knowing that, I wanted him to get well soon so I could see him again.
Holding that wish close to my heart, I opened the door and stepped into my room.