I Was Reincarnated as a Mob, and After I Kept Listening to the Losing Childhood-Friend Heroine’s Complaints, I Somehow Maxed Out Her Affection Rating - 55

Chapter 55: Yuuta’s Nursing Operation (2)

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“Hiiragi-san, I made it. I will put it over here, okay?”

The moment I set the pot down on the table, Kaede—despite being sick and weakened—leaned over to peek inside. Strangely enough, her eyes were sparkling.

“…Oh, it actually turned out pretty well. I mean, it looks delicious, doesn’t it?”

A part of me was frustrated because I was actually happy to be praised by her. 

“Well… I did try hard, you know.”

“Ehehe. Then… Here,the spoon.”

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Kaede plopped the spoon into my hand.

“Huh? Come on. Aren’t you going to feed me? Just like we always do?”

Stop turning on your “clingy mode” with that frail voice…. Not to mention, she’s cute. So the effect is even worse for me.

“…Alright. Here. Open your mouth.”

“Mm… aaahn.”

I scooped up some rice porridge with the spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and slowly brought it to Kaede’s mouth.

…And then, right after that—

“—!?”

Kaede’s shoulders jerked, and she covered her mouth with both hands.

“W-What’s wrong!? Was it too hot!?”

“…N-No… This… It’s salty…!!”

“Huh?”

Kaede’s face twisted like a child who had bitten into a bitter medicine.

“Y-Yuuta-kun… What did you put in it…?”

“…Just a little seasoning… But, I eyeballed it…”

“When you say ‘just a little,’ I really don’t trust that…”

Kaede looked at me with half-lidded, judging eyes.

No, I mean… My apologies.

“I mean… You really have to put things in exactly the way it says…”

Gah…! I should’ve tasted it first…!

Crushed by regret, I scooped up a bite for myself with the spoon.

Munch.

“—!!!!!!?”

A violent assault of salt slammed into my tongue.

“…This isn’t even edible…!!”

I sprang to my feet.

“Sorry! I’ll remake it right now—”

“Wait!”

Kaede reached out from under the blanket and grabbed my arm tightly.

“You don’t have to remake it…”

“But this… I mean, I will be honest. It tastes really bad, you know?! It’s salty enough to knock someone out!”

“…It’s fine. Because… This is the first thing Yuuta-kun ever made just for me… Right…?”

“…!!!”

Don’t say that in such a weak voice. The destructive power is way too high.

“Even if it’s salty… Even if it’s spicy… I’ll eat it…”

“Kaede… No, but…”

“Mm… aaahn…”

Don’t wait with the spoon in front of your mouth. You’re taking away all my right to refuse.

“…Are you really going to eat it?”

“Yeah… Because it’s Yuuta-kun’s…”

Don’t phrase it like that… It’s weirdly embarrassing. I’m blushing to death here.

“…Alright. Then just a little, okay?”

“Mm… aaahn.”

Kaede swallowed the overly salty porridge happily.

“…—!! It’s…Spicy… Salty… But… Tasty…!”

“No, no?! It’s definitely not tasty!?”

“The feelings are tasty…”

Don’t say something like that with a 38-degree fever. That’s cheating.

Holding my head in exasperation, I gently pressed down Kaede’s trembling hand.

“…Next time, I’ll make it better.”

“I’m looking forward to it… Hehe…”

Seeing Kaede smile so contentedly, my heart was working harder than it had all day.

Why am I getting more nervous than on a date, even though I just came to nurse her…?

Kaede finished the porridge and swallowed the final spoonful.

“…Bwah… cough… But… It was good…!”

She said that while coughing, making me press my hand to my forehead.

“No, it definitely wasn’t good… And seriously, don’t force yourself to eat…”

“I’m not forcing myself. Yuuta-kun’s ‘first time’… Everything about it, including the taste, makes me happy.”

Hearing that, the feeling of “I’m sorry I literally made you eat a lump of salt” mixed with “this girl is seriously unfair,” and my heart got busy again.

“So, what else can I do…? An ice pack, a drink, medicine…?”

“That’s not it…”

Her voice was weak. Kaede reached out from the blanket and tugged lightly on my sleeve.

“…I’m lonely… I want you to stay with me…”

“—!”

It was a complete surprise attack.

Don’t drop a line with this much destructive power as a continuation of nursing care!

“…Alright. You want me to stay?”

“Yeah… Stay… Next to me…”

I don’t think there’s a single person in the world who could refuse Kaede’s request. Probably not even a god.

“Then, wanna play a game? Something quiet.”

“I do…”

While talking like that, we played a competitive game on our phones, then a board game Kaede brought out from her room. Time rolled by slowly in “Sick Kaede Mode”. She was a little weaker than usual, but excessively clingy.

“Mm, one more move and I win—wait, huh?”

Kaede reached out to make her next move and then just tipped over to the side. She’d fallen asleep.

“Haha. Yeah, figures. Playing games when you have a fever…”

When I fixed the blanket a little, Kaede made a small purring sound like a kitten and rubbed her cheek against my hand.

That’s unfair… Stuff like this…

At that moment, exhaustion washed over me all at once too.

“I’ll rest… Just a little…”

Still sitting beside the bed, I closed my eyes, as if being pulled along by Kaede’s gentle breathing. My vision slowly darkened. Kaede’s fever-warm body was close, and somehow it felt like I was being protected. There was a strange sense of comfort all around me.

What is this… I’m more nervous than on a date, but I feel calm…

As I thought that, my consciousness faded. And so, the cold-nursing event ended with both of us entering forced sleep mode together.

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