I’m an Introvert, but After Taking Care of the School’s Most Beautiful Girl Who Lives in an Apartment When She Was Sick, She Became Attached to Me and Started Inviting Me Over to Her Place! - Chapter 9-10

Chapter 9

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“What did you just say? Natsuki-san did?”

“That’s right. She said she forgot to ask for your contact information yesterday, so she messaged me earlier asking me to invite you for her.”

Overwhelmed by the shock of Kaede’s words, Sorato leaned in closer to her. The sense of distance he had tried to maintain until now was swallowed by a sea of agitation, bringing him close enough to catch the faintly sweet, creamy scent drifting from Kaede-san.

“No, I mean…Huh? Why?”

“How should I know? Go and find out for yourself. And just so you know, if you get any weird ideas… You understand what will happen to you, right?”

Her low, forceful voice carried enough cold menace to make a passing student shiver. If her actions earlier had been meant to test him, then this bordered on a threat. Still, no matter how sharp her tone was, it carried no intimidation for Sorato, who had no such intentions to begin with.

“Haa… I’m going again, huh… That’s going to be bad for my heart.”

Rather than fear, he sighed at an entirely different point. The moments he had spent with Natsuki-san last night—replayed over and over until just hours ago—flashed back into his mind. Those moments had been somehow enjoyable, yet plagued by an inexplicable sense of guilt and unease.

Wanting to see her, yet once he did, being struck by an empty loneliness afterward. It was that kind of feeling. Judging by the fact that she was still resting, her condition probably wasn’t good yet. What if she collapsed again? What if someone else found out? Anxiety outweighed everything else, and he felt disgusted by his own weakness.

And yet, burning beneath that self-disgust, there was another feeling.. One that smoldered unmistakably in his chest.

“Hehe. If you’re going to brood that much, you could always just turn her down immediately. You really are kind.”

“This isn’t about kindness or anything like that. …Well, I’m just going over there. Yeah. There’s nothing to feel guilty about, nothing to hesitate over. Alright!”

Kaede’s sharp gaze softened, and a gentle smile surfaced. It was the kind of beauty people often described with the phrase, ‘the rare smile that rivals even Natsuki’s’ and it was easy to see why.

But Sorato, too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice anything else, concluded his internal debate alone and raised his voice as if he was steeling his resolve. Reassuring himself, pushing away his anxiety, the continuation of the words he had just stopped replayed in his mind. 

The feeling that surpassed his aversion returned in full force. Her smile. Her words. Before he realized it, they had stopped leaving his thoughts. It wasn’t longing, nor was it some improper desire. So then what exactly was this feeling?

The faint loneliness he had felt when leaving her house. The sadness that seemed to reflect her solitude. Even the undeniable warmth he had felt within it all. Alongside a chilling anxiety, every one of those sensations lingered in his mind, always accompanied by her voice.

Everything remained unclear, but the one thing he knew for certain was this: he wanted to talk to her again.

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Chapter 10

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“Then I’ll be looking forward to the updates from Natsuki. Good luck.”

“You don’t have any intention to help me at all, do you?”

After school. Homeroom ended, and the students were released from the classroom all at once, dispersing to their respective destinations. In the gradually emptying classroom, Kaede-san straightened her posture and quietly approached me. Then, while combing her black hair with her slender, pale fingers, she said that.

Though I protested against her clearly teasing smile, she effortlessly deflected it with the same unchanging grin, then lightly turned on her heel and left the classroom without another word. She was probably in the basketball club, right? I heard voices like she was joining friends for club activities from the hallway, and they quickly faded away.

“Haa… Guess I should go… Can’t keep moping around.”

In the increasingly quiet classroom, I stared at the single empty seat. Accepting Kaede-san’s awkward encouragement at face value, I resolved myself. I slowly organized my bag, and stood up. Finally sorting out my thoughts, only Natsuki’s sunflower-like smile floated in my mind.

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“Mmm~ This should only be my second time walking down this route, but it already feels pretty familiar.”

I was just a few minutes’ walk from school and memories from yesterday vividly resurfaced, making the scenery feel like I’d grown accustomed to it. The quiet residential area surrounding the apartment building, the nearby convenience store, even the occasional passersby. Was this what they called déjà vu?

Deliberately passing by the apartment building, I headed to the convenience store across the street. It was like my roundabout way to seek reassurance while avoiding awkwardness. Entering the store, I quickly grabbed a small bag of throat lozenges, an energy drink, and a coffee jelly, then headed to the register.

“That’ll be 592 yen~ Exact change received~”

“Here you go.”

I handed the money to the clerk, who swiftly rang it up and completed the transaction. Hugging the items, I slipped through the somewhat cramped convenience store door, and a gentle spring breeze quickly swept through the residential street, lifting my hair. Walking a bit faster than on the way here, I crossed the pedestrian crossing and stepped onto the marble floor for the second time. I rang the intercom for room 2301 in the entrance and waited for a response. For some reason, I felt more restless than yesterday. I wondered why?

Then, rustling sounds came from the mic, followed by her soft voice. It seemed she’d responded quicker than yesterday.

『Cough! Cough! …Suzuya-kun?』

“Hey. You called for me, so I came. That cough… You okay?”

Without even asking who it was, she quietly called my name. It might be just my wishful thinking, but her tone seemed brighter and more lively than our first meeting, and even if it was a misunderstanding on my part, it made me happy to feel she’d opened up to me a bit. And the persistent sound of her coughing reminded me of yesterday’s events, sending waves of deep worry crashing over me.

『I’m fine, thanks for worrying. I’ll unlock the door now, so wait a second.』

Soon, the entrance door opened. I rode the elevator and pressed the button for the 23rd floor. With a strange floating sensation, it swayed to the destination floor. Stepping out of the elevator, I stood in front of room 2301.

Well, just in case… It’s not like I’m up to anything shady…

Making excuses to myself, I glanced around once, took a breath, and finally rang the intercom. Light, pattering footsteps echoed from inside the house, and the door slowly opened. Through the slight gap peeked glossy silver hair and gentle light-blue eyes. I quietly resisted the captivating charm that could ensnare anyone just by looking.

“Sorry for asking you to come so suddenly today… I should’ve contacted you last night if possible, but I didn’t have your contact info…”

“It’s fine. Actually, I should be the one being considerate of you. You’re still coughing, and you skipped school today too… You okay?”

For a moment, her eyes wavered, and my words caught in my throat. Due to the difference in our height, whenever we exchange gazes, I would be directly facing her beauty and upturned eyes. Ah, this was seriously bad for an adolescent boy like me. 

Desperately trying not to let it show, I expressed concern for her health. Her face still looked somewhat feverish and dazed, but she wasn’t leaning on the door like yesterday. She seemed a bit recovered, though still coughing, and the fatigue likely hadn’t fully left her body.

“Here, I bought a few things at the convenience store again. Eat them if you feel like it.”

“Yeah. Thanks. Would you like to come in? …Ah, but you can’t, right? Sorry…”

For an instant, she directed a sparkling gaze at me like a child spotting a toy, but then, as if remembering something, her brows drooped dejectedly. Hearing her hesitant words actually lifted the corners of my mouth a bit, and I replied like this.

“If Natsuki-san is okay with it, I’d accept your invitation gratefully. At this point, I don’t even care about the classmate thing anymore.”

“Really? Yay! …Cough. Cough.”

“See, see?? The outside wind might make your body cold again.”

Joyfully, she ended up coughing deeply, narrowing her eyes in a smile that assaulted me with the adorableness of a small animal. Besides, from the moment I’d decided to come here, I had actually intended for this all along. I had been prepared for this the moment I accepted Kaede’s request to visit her again. 

No, that excuse is way too creepy… Yeah, scratch that.

Saying it like that would make me sound like some guy dead set on getting into her place from the start, and calling the school’s number-one beauty “adorable” was something beyond my means. I didn’t have the right to do that. I silently corrected myself in my mind, with no one to tell. Then, I quickly urged her inside, somewhat forcefully pushing her back with my words. 

Lingering for a doorstep chat like this wouldn’t help her condition. She wouldn’t be able to recover like this. For Kohaku and the others’ sake too, I wanted her back as soon as possible.

“That’s true… Thanks. Come in.”

And so, my second visit to Natsuki-san’s home began.

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