When I Helped Out At My Classy Classmate's Family Home, They Started Going All Out To Close In On Me From Every Angle. - Chapter 43: Usually Demure, But When Weak, She Becomes Clingy —3

Usually Demure, But When Weak, She Becomes Clingy —3

I prepared porridge mixed with freshly squeezed ginger juice and honey.

Ginger promotes blood circulation and helps warm the body, while the glucose in honey is quickly absorbed, making it an excellent source of energy when someone is feeling run down. Both are perfect remedies for a cold. Not to mention, they also work wonderfully as seasonings, adding fragrance and depth of flavor to the otherwise bland porridge.

Carrying the finished porridge, I returned to Ayame’s room.

“Sorry for the wait. I made some food.”

I knocked lightly and called out, and the door quietly opened.

Mikage peeked out, placing a finger to her lips to signal silence. I quickly understood her intent and nodded.

Invited in by Mikage, I entered the room as quietly as possible. As expected, Ayame was fast asleep.

“She fell asleep after you went to the kitchen,” Mikage whispered, careful not to wake her.

“I know you’d prefer if she ate the porridge fresh, but could we wait until Ayame-sama wakes up naturally?”

“Of course. Her health comes first.”

“Thank you for your understanding,” Mikage said, bowing her head slightly.

For now, I decided to place the porridge on the desk.

As I set the tray with the porridge down, Mikage offered a suggestion.

“How about we take turns nursing Ayame-sama? If we both stay by her side, she may end up worrying about being a burden to us.”

“Good point. Ayame does tend to be considerate like that.”

I recalled a time during a forest school trip when Ayame, physically weaker than the rest of us, had no choice but to ask for help during a hike. She later felt guilty for slowing us down and tried to make up for it by overexerting herself during curry-making, which almost led to trouble.

Taking that into account, if Mikage and I stayed with her together, Ayame might feel guilty and think she was imposing on both of us. It would be better to follow Mikage’s suggestion to avoid troubling Ayame further.

“How about we switch every hour?”

“That seems reasonable.”

Mikage agreed with my suggestion.

“Then I’ll leave Ayame-sama’s care to you for the next hour. I’ll be in my room, so please call me if you need anything.”

“Got it.”

After giving me a slight bow and a quiet “Excuse me,” Mikage left the room.

The door closed soundlessly behind her.

“…It smells good.”

Almost at the same moment Mikage left, a faint voice came from Ayame.

I turned to see her half-lidded eyes fixed on the pot on the desk. It seemed the aroma of the porridge had stirred her awake, likely driven by her hunger.

“Good morning, Ayame. Want to eat?”

Ayame gave a small nod at my question, her expression still dazed, a clear sign she wasn’t fully back to her usual self.

Smiling at the childish charm in her gestures and expression, I slipped my hand behind her back.

After helping her sit up, I opened the lid of the pot resting on the desk.

“Here you go.”

I scooped some steaming porridge into a bowl, paired it with a spoon, and offered it to Ayame.

But she didn’t take it. She simply shook her head gently.

Puzzled, I tilted my head in confusion.

As I wondered what was wrong, Ayame parted her lips.

“Ah~n.”

It seemed she wanted me to feed her. Today, Ayame was in an especially clingy mood.

Under normal circumstances, I would’ve been flustered by such a request. However, seeing Ayame looking so childlike today, my embarrassment gave way to an overwhelming sense of tenderness.

“I guess I have no choice,” I said with a wry smile, scooping up some porridge and blowing on it to cool it down.

“Here you go, ahn.”
“Ahn,” she echoed.

As the spoon neared her lips, Ayame took it in with a small bite.

Chewing like a hamster, she munched cutely before swallowing with a soft gulp.

“…It’s delicious,” she murmured, her cheeks relaxing into a gentle smile.

Her expression was so angelic that my chest tightened.

Ayame was always adorable, but today she exuded a different kind of charm. Normally, her allure was more “feminine,” but now she looked more like a sweet, innocent child.

In other words, Ayame was just plain adorable. I realize how utterly brainless that sounds, but please cut me some slack. Ayame’s overwhelming cuteness had short-circuited my brain.

As an irresistible wave of affection surged through me, my hand instinctively reached out toward her head.

I gently stroked her silky brown hair—until I suddenly snapped back to reality.

“S-Sorry! I patted your head without asking!”

I quickly pulled my hand back, flustered.

“…Mmm.”

To my surprise, Ayame leaned forward, as though chasing my retreating hand, tilting her head toward me.

Her reddish-brown eyes looked up at me pleadingly, as if to say, “More, please?”

What was this adorable creature!? I wanted to take her home with me!

I was completely smitten. At this point, no matter what Ayame asked for, I would’ve granted it without hesitation.

Reluctantly, I returned my hand to her head and stroked her gently, continuing until my little princess seemed satisfied.