Chapter 314: Nanami Nanami Nanami
Chapter 314: Nanami Nanami Nanami
“No, no! Not awake! Still asleep! Sleeping super soundly!”
Her cheeks burned hot like they were about to smoke. Thinking Himekoji might have heard every word she said earlier, Nanami felt super embarrassed.
Right now, she could only keep denying it. She didn’t care one bit what nonsense she’d blurted out in her flustered state.
“Asleep? Sleeping?”
Hearing this made Himekoji feel even more awkward.
He had no idea if the sick girl was fever-dumb or just thought he was dumb. Feeling exasperated, Himekoji rolled his eyes and muttered:
“Hey, Aoyama, only someone awake could say something like that, right?”
“Eek! Himekoji… you idiot?!”
Couldn’t he play along?
She’s a girl!
Her skin is thin!
Nanami felt close to losing it.
“Idiot? Me?”
Himekoji pointed at himself, looking totally stunned.
Was she serious?!
Nanami actually thought he was the dumb one…
He was about to argue back, but then he remembered she was sick, her brain probably burned out from fever. So he just snorted twice, generously deciding to let it go.
“Anyway, I’m coming in.”
Silence hung in the room for a moment—
“Mmm, yes… please come in.”
Himekoji held the bowl of porridge with both hands and pushed the door open with his foot.
Nanami sat on the bed. Most of her face was buried in her tiger cushion, Torajirou. Only her big, shy eyes peeked out, flickering glances at Himekoji.
“…Did you… hear everything just now?”
Obviously, I’m not deaf! And sorry I saw your split-personality show!
That’s what Himekoji thought. But he didn’t answer directly. Instead, he glanced at Nanami and teased her:
“Didn’t know Aoyama’s cushion could chat.”
“Mmmph…”
He really heard it!
Hearing that, Nanami’s blush instantly surged down to her neck.
The cushion clearly wasn’t enough to hide her embarrassment anymore. Not thinking clearly, she impulsively yanked the quilt. She scooted her bottom and kicked her legs, quickly stuffing her head under the quilt and stubbornly refusing to come out.
Just like a little mole tunneling…
Himekoji was dumbfounded.
Hey, is there even a need to be this adorably dumb?
She seemed completely different from the usual Nanami.
This pose really showed off her bottom’s shape. Himekoji really wanted to admire it carefully for a while longer. But then he remembered he was still holding a bowl of porridge. He should serve it while it was hot. So, in the end, he gave up that very tempting idea.
“Aoyama, eat your porridge.”
“No!”
“Aoyama, take your medicine.”
“No!”
“Aoyama, your underwear is showing.”
“Eek! Pervert!”
The quilt was suddenly switched from covering her head to covering her bottom. Himekoji finally got to see Nanami’s face again.
It kept changing color, red then pale, like it was shifting.
Nanami glared fiercely at Himekoji. She reached under the quilt, probably trying to pull her sleep pants up.
Not a bad plan. Doing that would definitely stop her underwear showing.
But the next moment, the girl’s face suddenly changed.
“You… you tricked me?!”
Nanami discovered she wasn’t wearing any underwear under her sleep pants!
“Wait a minute! Who changed my clothes?”
Suddenly realising this question she hadn’t bothered thinking about since waking up, Nanami’s glare towards Himekoji got three times fiercer.
“Akiko helped you with your clothes.”
Himekoji told the truth.
As for who helped her out of them…
Well, she hadn’t asked about that.
“Oh.”
Nanami didn’t think Himekoji would lie about something a simple question could expose. She mumbled a low “Oh,” letting the matter drop, though she still didn’t look thrilled.
…
“Um… just now… that conversation between me and Torajirou… don’t tell anyone, okay?”
Even if I wanted to tell someone, there’s no one to tell…
That’s what Himekoji thought, but he obediently nodded his head anyway.
After all, “Torajirou” himself was also staring fixedly at him right now.
He still looked pretty “fierce.” He was a tiger!
To change the subject, Himekoji stepped forward and handed the hot porridge to Nanami.
“Have something to eat?”
Nanami seemed much more energetic than during the day. It was time to fill her stomach.
“Mm, alright.”
Nanami gave herself a good pep talk and finally got over her flustered anger. She meekly accepted the bowl and spoon, looking rather delicate, gentle, and cute.
Compared to the usually tough-talking Nanami, she seemed like a completely different character.
“Did Himekoji make this?”
“Mm, not sure if it suits Aoyama’s taste.”
“Ikuyada.”
Nanami said softly.
Then, spoonful by spoonful, she ate it slowly and quietly, chewing gently. She seemed cute and calm.
This was the first time Himekoji had seen this side of Nanami. Unconsciously, he found himself entranced.
Himekoji immediately got a sideways glare——
“Hey, aren’t you being rude? It’s unladylike to stare while someone’s eating.”
“Eh? Ah, sorry.”
Just like that, the tables had turned. Flustered, Himekoji hastily glanced away.
“Don’t gaze around the room either.”
“Huh?”
Left with no alternative, Himekoji lowered his eyes to look at Mashiro sleeping soundly on the floor.
“And you’re definitely not allowed to stare at Shiina-san’s sleeping face!”
Seriously? This was forbidden, that wasn’t allowed—was he totally under siege?
Indeed, no matter how weak she felt, Aoyama Nanami was still Aoyama Nanami, decisive when she needed to be.
But perhaps this was good.
If Nanami could act this sharp, didn’t it mean she was slowly bouncing back from the disappointment of failure?
Spotting this lifted a weight off Himekoji’s shoulders. Feeling playful, he pretended to sulk and pressed on—
“Nothing in this room’s allowed? Is Aoyama telling me to get out?”
“I never said that, but I would be happy if you kept a bit of distance.”
“Ouch, that’s harsh…”
Himekoji retreated two steps and plopped down onto the stool near the desk.
“Because… I haven’t taken a bath yet… I probably smell…”
Nanami’s voice suddenly dwindled to a barely audible whisper like a mosquito’s hum.
“Hmm? What did you just say?”
“I said the porridge is delicious.”
“Oh, good. Eat more then.”
At these words, Nanami’s eyes shot toward him with a glare.
“Eating too much will make me fat!”
“So you get fat.”
“What sort of reply is ‘so you get fat’?! You always say such irresponsible things, Himekoji!”
Though she grumbled, her hands didn’t stop moving. Soon, the small bowl of warm porridge was nearly finished—she was clearly starving.
After finishing the porridge, under Himekoji’s stern supervision, Nanami took her fever medicine.
Pleased, Himekoji nodded. He stood up and drew the curtains aside.
Just then——
“Thank you.”
Nanami blurted it out almost like a surprise attack.
Himekoji spun around in surprise. He found Nanami dipping her head, surprisingly meek. Blushes painted her cheeks—she looked utterly lovely.
An expression like this was incredibly rare on Nanami. Himekoji stared, captivated.
“… I said thank you, no need for me to repeat it.”
“Oh… Oh…”
“What?”
‘Oh oh’? That was it?! Himekoji’s reaction left Nanami deeply unsatisfied.
“It’s just… Aoyama thanking me meekly is sort of weird…”
“Ah! Honestly! Are you an idiot?! You’re the weird one for ruining the mood with that, Himekoji!”
Pouting, Nanami sulked. This coquettish behavior was quite the contrast, vividly revealing the girlish side she rarely showed.
Seeing her like this unexpectedly sent Himekoji’s heart racing.
…
…