?I received a text early in the morning from Kanako.


    This was the first time she''d ever asked me to go over. Based on the message, I didn''t really know what was going on, but it sounded important. It wasn''t like I had anything else I wanted to do. Fujiharu wasn''t going to be inviting me to go out any time soon. I put on my normal clothes and began making my way over.


    A few minutester, I arrived at the front of her grand apartmentplex. I scanned my keycard to enter the main reception area before getting on the elevator. I had hardly ever seen a receptionist at the desk, I guess they must only be working during weekdays around school hours.


    Eventually, I was at her door. I knocked a few times but received no response.


    "Kanako, can Ie in?"


    Still no response.


    I decided to just scan my keycard and enter. I doubt that she''d get mad if she was the one who called me over. The door clicked and I walked into a very messy house.


    For some reason, Kanako was still nowhere to be seen.


    "Kanako, why did you call me over?"


    I walked around the apartment looking for her; I checked basically every room, and the only room left was her own room. Her door was closed, so I knocked a few times. Finally, I managed to hear a faint voice.


    "...Mizuhara..."


    I decided to open her door. I was met by the sight of a very tired and unwell Kanako huddled up in her bed. I slowly walked over—it was obvious that she was definitely quite sick.


    "How are you feeling?" I asked


    "...not great..."


    "Howe you called me? Couldn''t you have called your father?"


    She hid her face under the nket.


    Oh well.


    "Are you hungry?" I asked


    "...yes... can you make some rice gruel?"


    "Rice gruel?"


    "...yes please."


    I guess I could make that—it wasn''t exactly aplex dish.


    I made my way over to her veryrge kitchen and looked through a few of her cupboards.


    She sure has a lot of junk food.


    From chips to biscuits to chocte, her pantry was chock-full of these foods.


    After a little bit of searching, I managed to find where she kept her rice. I scooped some into a pot before washing it through. Then, I filled the pot with arge amount of water.


    Now, I assumed I just had to cook this at low heat.


    It usually took quite a few minutes to cook, so I made my way over to the living room couch. I contemted going back into Kanako''s room, but it''d probably be better if she got some rest.


    I honestly wasn''t exactly the best person to invite over to take care of a sick person.


    I probably should tell her father about this, but I guess I''ll hold off for a little while. It seemed she didn''t want her father to know for some reason.


    A little whileter, I walked back over to the kitchen and checked on the rice gruel I was cooking. From what I could see, it seemed to be done. I poured it into a bowl and added some chopped-up spring onion. Steam was radiating from the bowl yet there wasn''t much aroma. Such was the nature of rice gruel.


    ? I put a spoon into the bowl and made my way into Kanako''s room again. It seemed that she was still awake.


    "I''ve got your food."


    "...thanks."


    I ced it on her bedside table as she slowly got up to a seated position. Now that more of her body was out of the nket, I could see that she was sweating quite a bit. I ced my hand on her forehead—she definitely had a fever. Based on what I could see, I assumed that she either had a cold or the flu.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "...sorry for making you do all this."


    "It''s fine."


    She leaned over and grabbed the bowl of rice gruel from the bedside table. After scooping a few mouthfuls into her mouth, she smiled a little.


    "I-it''s good."


    She continued to slowly eat the food I made.


    "Do you have any medicine?" I asked.


    "Eh... I don''t think so..."


    "I''ll go get some, you just stay here and rest."


    "A-are you sure...?"


    "Don''t worry, your father will pay me back."


    "Hehe."


    With that, I left as she continued to eat the rice gruel.


    There was a convenience store nearby where I could get some medication. It was around a five-minute walk before I arrived at the small corner store. Inside, I looked around at the medications they had on sale. I guess all I really needed was something to deal with the symptoms. I got some anti-inmmatories and decongestants and took them over to the counter. I also grabbed some green tea.


    "That''ll be $17.99."


    I tapped my phone.


    I made my way back to the apartmentplex and made the pointlessly long journey from the entrance to her room again. I scanned my keycard before opening her front door. With the medication in hand, I made my way over to her room.


    It seemed she had already finished the rice gruel I made and was lying down in her bed again.


    "Kanako, I''ve got some medicine for you."


    "Oh, um, t-thank you."


    I poured the medicine out onto her spoon and fed it into her mouth. I left the green tea and anti-inmmatory tablets by her bed.


    "If you''re thirsty or your throat hurts, you can have these."


    After that, I began making my way out of her room.


    "...Mizuhara, can you stay...?"


    "You want me to stay here?"


    "...y-yes."


    "I suppose."


    I decided to take a seat on the ground, leaning against her bed. I didn''t bring anything with me aside from my phone, so there wasn''t much I could do.


    "...Mizuhara."


    "Yes?"


    "...sorry about all of this."


    "You know, I''m going to have to bill your father extra for all of this overtime."


    "...eh?"


    "Just kidding, I don''t really mind."


    I looked over at her and saw a faint smile on her face.


    I decided to take this moment to rx. Thest few days have been a bit more action-packed than I''d have liked.