The Beautiful Girl Who Asked Me to Pretend to Be Her Boyfriend Didn’t Want to Break up With Me for Some Reason - Chapter 37

“…She fell asleep. Well, it’s no wonder.”

I finished making breakfast for two without being summoned by Shirafuji midway. When I brought it to her room and checked on her in bed, she seemed to be asleep.

Her silver hair spread across the pillow as she lay on her side. Her long lashes rested peacefully over her closed eyes, and her body, wrapped in the blanket, rose and fell gently with each breath. Her cheeks and lips were slightly flushed, a stark contrast to her pale, snow-like skin.

Her expression was far more innocent and sweet compared to her usual composed look.

I knew it wasn’t exactly commendable to stare at a sleeping girl’s face, yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away. There was something captivating about her.

Shirafuji’s appearance, at least to me, could be described as cool and beautiful. She wore a composed expression more often than a smile, giving her an air of intelligence and dignity. Looking back now, I think she simply wasn’t used to expressing her emotions.

Before we started our pretend relationship, her expression rarely changed. But since then, she had gradually become more expressive. She even smiled occasionally at school, and her perpetual stern face had softened noticeably.

Even Shirafuji shows a face like this when she’s sleeping. Honestly, it’s incredibly cute.

I already knew Shirafuji was cute. Maybe she leaned more toward beautiful, but the difference was negligible.

Even though I always thought she was attractive when she was awake, her sleeping face was on another level.

“…Anyway, breakfast first. I’ll leave hers here until I’m done—”

Just as I decided to start eating, I heard the faint rustling of fabric from the futon.

“…Hakuto?”

Shirafuji opened her eyes slightly, her gaze hazy and unfocused as she looked at me. She called my name in a soft, sleepy voice and slowly pushed off the blanket to sit up.

“Did I wake you? If you’re still sleepy, you can rest more.”

I stopped eating and moved closer to her. She gave a small, relaxed smile, then gently held my hand.

“…Could you wake me up properly?”

“Do you just need a hand, or should I carry you?”

“…Then, could you carry me?”

“I’m the one who said you could depend on me, so sure, no problem.”

Responding to her request, I slid my arms under her back and knees to lift her. Careful not to drop her, I cradled her delicate body.

“You’re so light.”

The words slipped out involuntarily. I hadn’t expected her to be this light. This might have been my first time carrying her properly.

Although she often complained about gaining weight, it must have been a relative thing by girls’ standards. To me, her lightness was almost concerning.

These thoughts only lasted a few seconds before my focus shifted to the softness and warmth of her body, as well as the closeness of her face.

The girl whose sleeping face I had been mesmerized by earlier was now in my arms. Just thinking about it filled me with a strange exhilaration.

Still, I wasn’t about to act on any inappropriate impulses. I wasn’t so desperate that I’d take advantage of a sick girl, and I had my own principles to uphold.

Besides, I didn’t want to betray the trust of someone who had let herself be so vulnerable around me.

“Shirafuji, just to check, you’re not cutting back on your meals, right?”

“I’m not. Your cooking is so delicious, Hakuto.”

“That’s good to hear. But still, why are you so light?”

Carrying her to the dining table, I placed her gently in a chair.

“Actually, you could’ve stayed in bed to eat. I could have brought over a low table for you. Coming all the way here must be tiring.”

“…That’s true. But I’m fine for now. And if it gets tough, you can just feed me, right?”

“…That’s what you were aiming for all along, huh?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Not at all.”

As I brought the bowl of rice porridge closer, Shirafuji looked up at me with a mix of hope and mischief in her eyes.

Taking care of her like this was no trouble at all. I could eat my breakfast later. In moments like this, the sick person takes priority. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my meal until I knew Shirafuji was settled, anyway.

I pulled my chair closer to hers, scooping some porridge with a spoon. The faint steam carried a gentle, salty aroma. I had added a bit more salt than usual, considering that food can taste bland when you’re sick.

“It’s cooled down a bit, so it shouldn’t burn you.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

Even in her current state, Shirafuji clasped her hands together in a little gesture of gratitude before turning toward me. She opened her mouth slightly, waiting for the spoon like a baby bird.

Feeding her like this wasn’t unusual; I’d done it before when she was sick. It was just part of taking care of her.

But as I focused on her lips, my mind drifted back to that kiss from the other night. Shaking off the memory, I brought the spoon to her mouth.

The porridge disappeared into her mouth, and when I pulled the spoon back, it was clean. I had given her a small portion to make it easier to eat.

“…It’s delicious. It’s warm, perfectly salted, and the tangy umeboshi is just right.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Relieved by her smile and kind words, I felt a small weight lift from my chest.

“This reminds me of the last time I caught a cold. You stayed by my side and made the same porridge. It’s become a nostalgic flavor.”

“Oh yeah, that time. You were in much worse shape back then, completely bedridden and unable to do anything.”

“Yes. Having you there really saved me. If I’d been alone, I wouldn’t have managed.”

Shirafuji’s previous illness had indeed been severe. Her fever was nearly 39°C, and she had all the classic cold symptoms. Yet she had endured an entire school day before collapsing as soon as she got home.

Even at school, I had noticed something seemed off. My gut feeling turned out to be right, and the memory of that day still chilled me.

She even insisted on returning to her apartment afterward. I knew she had no food or supplies there—just some over-the-counter medicine.

Still, she had tried to leave, likely not wanting to inconvenience me.

If I had been in her shoes, I’d have been desperate for help.

Unable to shop for groceries or do much of anything due to her condition, Shirafuji would have struggled. Without our fake relationship, she wouldn’t have had anyone to rely on.

As her pretend boyfriend, I couldn’t just ignore how unwell she was. Living next door and knowing her situation, I had pushed past her objections to take care of her.

“You refused my help back then, but I ignored you and took over anyway. In the end, it worked out, so I don’t regret it.”

“I do appreciate it now. But back then, I just didn’t want to burden you.”

“Any decent boyfriend—or even just a friend—would step in to help someone who’s that sick.”

“You think that because you’re a kind person, Hakuto. Taking on someone else’s trouble like that is proof of your kindness. But…”

Her expression darkened slightly as she looked up at me.

“…Please let me be the only one you charm with that kindness. You shouldn’t be so nice to just anyone. As your girlfriend, I want to be the most important to you.”

Her selfish yet endearing plea tightened something in my chest.

…Honestly, how can she be this adorable, even now?

That said—

“…‘Charm’ is a strong word, don’t you think?”

“But it’s true.”

She replied so matter-of-factly that I couldn’t help but feel flustered.

Was she admitting that she had been charmed by me?

In any case—

“…Let’s focus on finishing your meal while it’s warm.”

“Yes, let’s.”

I scooped another spoonful of porridge, letting it momentarily distract us from the emotions lingering between us.