Chapter 325: Top Caregiver
Chapter 325: Top Caregiver
\[Ding!\]
\[Quest Completed!\]
So it really was that simple. All Mashiro needed was someone to help take her clothes off, whether it was Nanami or him.
Himekoji breathed a sigh of relief.
He had thought of this trick when Nanami burst in, but he hadn’t been sure it would definitely work.
Only when the System’s prompt sounded did he finally feel that worry lift.
Sitting alone on the living room sofa, Himekoji spaced out. Earlier, Mashiro’s “No” had hit him pretty hard.
Not just that, he kept picturing Mashiro with her chest half-covered and her face bright red.
Himekoji shook his head hard, trying to shoo those images away.
Maybe because everything inside the room was so tense and exciting, now that he was relaxing, his whole body felt tired.
Himekoji stretched. His shoulders and neck cracked.
“Ah… What a mess. Feels pretty rough.”
Thinking about everything that happened these past few days — first with Nanami, then Mashiro, almost too much to handle — Himekoji couldn’t help but sigh.
Right then, Nanami came out and heard him. She immediately answered with a sour tone.
“Rough? Oh please. Mr. Himekoji living every guy’s fantasy. Where does ‘rough’ come from? You saw everything, didn’t you? Probably replaying it all in your filthy mind right now, huh?”
Saying this, Nanami plopped down on the sofa across from Himekoji.
She propped her cheek on her hand, looking totally displeased.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten you taking advantage of Mashiro just now. Since I’m feeling generous, I’ll give you another chance. Explain yourself.”
“Haven’t I already explained?”
Himekoji thought he’d gotten away with that excuse back in Mashiro’s room. No way Nanami meant to settle accounts after the whole event.
“You think that explanation was good enough?”
“I already told you! It was out of my control. When Shiina asked me like that, burning up, what else could I do?”
“So ‘helping’ her went ‘right onto the bed’?”
“I was not on the bed!”
As soon as Himekoji said it, he felt Nanami’s icy glare strike him like a knife.
Chilled by the look, he weakly added,
“Though… I was on the bed… But not that kind of ‘on the bed’…”
After hearing his explanation, Nanami rolled her eyes and gave him another look over. Her tone seemed to soften a bit.
“Fine. Forget that. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Something else?”
“Yeah. Mashiro’s skin is super white and pretty, right? Felt amazing too, super smooth?”
Seeing Nanami wasn’t as serious or stiff as before, Himekoji thought he’d probably gotten past it.
So he relaxed his guard and answered without thinking.
“Well, yeah.”
“Hmm?”
The moment those words left his mouth, Nanami’s killer glare was instantly back.
“I knew it! You pervert! You looked and you touched!”
“Huh?”
Realizing too late, Himekoji finally caught on. He’d totally fallen into her trap. He immediately protested.
“N-No! No! I didn’t look! I didn’t touch!”
“If you didn’t look, how do you know it was white? If you didn’t touch, how do you know it was smooth?”
Nanami’s stare locked right onto Himekoji, a mix of anger and total disgust burning in her eyes.
“Y-You… You! That’s leading questioning! I object!”
“Objection overruled! Perverts and creeps have no right to object!”
“No! It’s just… a perfectly normal reaction for a healthy high-school boy!”
“A healthy high-school boy constantly thinking filthy thoughts?”
“Not constantly!”
“Maybe not ‘constantly,’ but getting turned on by a sick girl? That part’s definitely true!”
“Why are you emphasizing the ‘sick’ part? If we’re going there, didn’t Nanami have a fever last time?”
“So you got turned on by me too? Tore my clothes off all the way while I was asleep? Had a wank looking at me naked?”
“I did not have a wank!”
“You only denied that little detail. Meaning you’re admitting everything else just now?”
Huh??
Why did Nanami seem so… weird since her fever broke?
Yesterday’s split personality… and now this sudden temper…
Could it be because the blow from that voice actor audition changed her?
Thinking about it, it made sense.
So… Nanami was just another patient right now.
If she was a patient, he couldn’t argue with her.
Comforting himself with these thoughts, Himekoji pushed down his anger. He even started to feel a little sorry for her.
“Okay fine. It’s all my fault. I apologize.”
Himekoji gave up quickly, wanting to stop aggravating her.
“Why are you apologizing to me? You didn’t look at me. You didn’t touch me.”
“Well… Then why are you so mad? Since I didn’t look at you, didn’t touch you…”
Himekoji had blurted it out without thinking.
The moment he spoke, he knew it was bad. He covered his mouth, but it was too late.
“Mad? Who’s mad? Why would I be mad? I am NOT mad!”
Nanami immediately exploded.
Even though she insisted she wasn’t mad, to Himekoji, flames of rage seemed to blaze even hotter around her.
Her words clearly did not match her state…
“Er… Well then… can you maybe stop looking at me with a face that obviously says you’re super displeased…?”
Himekoji tentatively suggested.
“This is just how my face looks.”
As she said it, her expression became even more sour.
“No, that wasn’t it. Originally, Aoyama-kun’s face was more…”
“More?”
“Um… nice?”
Too shy to say words like “pretty” to his face, Himekoji chose his words carefully. What came out ended up sounding vague.
For just a moment, Nanami thought Himekoji might actually call her pretty or something.
“Phew… Wasn’t expecting much anyway.”
She let out a breath, but all her disappointment was plain on her face.
Himekoji rolled his eyes.
He noticed it now: since earlier, Nanami had been talking in opposites, not being straightforward at all.
Yet, her expressions were painfully honest. Whatever she felt inside, she couldn’t hide. Too easy to read.
If he’d known Nanami was this hopeful, he would’ve just said something nice.
Himekoji was thinking if he should make it up to her now, when his phone rang from his pocket. That was the umpteenth time today already.
He pulled out his phone and checked the caller.
Shiina again. Of course. No one else but her.
He’d literally just left her room a short while ago.
Himekoji shook his head, feeling a bit done. Still, his feet moved smoothly, heading straight for Mashiro’s bedroom.
“Tch. At her beck and call, huh?” Nanami’s voice was biting, full of complaint.
“Can’t help it. Shiina’s sick right now. Though, I doubt whatever she wants from me is serious,” Himekoji answered, his tone resigned.
“If only my fever lasted a few more days…”
“Huh? What did you say?”
Nanami mumbled too softly for Himekoji to catch.
“Nothing! J-Just go!” Nanami watched him leave with a displeased look until he disappeared into Mashiro’s room.
…
…
“So, what now, Shiina?” Himekoji walked into the room and sat on the edge of her bed.
“Can’t sleep.”
Huh? Can’t sleep? Seriously? That was why she called him?
Himekoji felt lines forming on his forehead.
“…So, do you want me to sing a lullaby?”
He eyed her warily as he spoke.
Singing a lullaby was completely off the table. Never. Not in a million years.
Himekoji knew well: if he sang now, Mashiro’s fever would be the least of her worries.
He had this crazy powerful skill –
Music Master.
His singing could make every woman who heard it… well, you know.
Because of that, singing was strictly banned from his list of everyday fun activities.
Mashiro was sick and weak. It would wreck her health.
“No.”
Good, no. At least she had some sense this time.
Himekoji nodded, satisfied with her tactful answer.
“Then why did you call me in? You can’t sleep – telling me won’t fix it, right?”
“Don’t let Akito sleep tonight.”
Whoa, was she trying to take them both down? But even so –
“Could you say that normally? Lines like that – they make people imagine too much! Bad for the heart!”
“Akito is amazing.”
“Wha? At what? I haven’t done anything amazing!”
“Want to start now?”
“No way! And how did the topic go there again?”
Hadn’t Mashiro even started feeling shy before?
What happened to feeling shy? Huh?
Geez, she forgets too fast!
Himekoji had been in the room less than a minute. His breathing already felt like speeding up.
“Akito.”
“Yeah?”
“Say something.”
“Say something like what?”
“For example… boring things?” Mashiro gripped the blanket with both hands, peeking out with half her face. Her eyes blinked up at Himekoji.
“Oh, so you want to listen to boring stuff till you get bored to sleep?”
“Yeah. I count on you for that.”
“Ugh! Counting on me for THAT doesn’t feel good! Also, isn’t this whole chat boring enough?”
“Not enough.”
“Well, too bad.”
“You’re not much use.”
“If I’m not much use, why call me in?!”
“Then say things that make you bashful?”
“No way!”
“Okay, it’s decided. Talk about first love.”
“When was that decided? Huh? Never!”
Himekoji rolled his eyes and couldn’t help complaining.
He really had no idea how Mashiro’s mind worked. When they talked, she always followed her own chaotic pace, steering things further and further. Now, she’d jumped straight to the embarrassing topic of first love.
“No!”
“If I don’t hear it, I can’t sleep.”
“Then just don’t sleep!”
Himekoji decided he wouldn’t indulge this troublesome girl anymore.
“Losing sleep is insomnia; having insomnia makes me want to take my clothes off. After I take them off, I have to call Nanami in.”
“Isn’t that a weird insomnia symptom? And also, you were the one who asked me for help taking your clothes off first! Then you stopped me! And now you want to take them off again? You change your mind way too fast!”
“Because women are fickle.”
“I don’t want to hear about common sense from someone who doesn’t get it at all!”
“Akito, hurry up. First love.”
Mashiro ignored him. She just tilted her ear towards him, getting ready to listen, waiting for Himekoji to speak.
Complaining to Mashiro really was pointless.
Because Mashiro only lived by her own rhythm and rules.
Whatever, whatever. Continuing to argue like this was meaningless. It would be much faster to just get Mashiro to fall asleep early.
Making up his mind… or maybe giving up was more like it… Himekoji started talking.
Of course, he first thought about what ‘first love’ meant.
It must have meant something like his first crush after being reborn into this world?
Yeah, that was it.
Himekoji sorted out his thoughts and began talking using that idea.
“It was just after I was born. Opening my eyes for the first time in this world, I saw a beautiful young nurse…”
“Zzz… Zzz…”
Huh?
Wait a second!
Was that an illusion?
Himekoji had barely started the story when he heard steady breathing sounds from Mashiro, like she had smoothly fallen asleep already.
“No way? Was it so boring you fell asleep immediately?!”
“…Mmm… Akito’s noisy.”
“Damn, woke her up…”
Mashiro had fallen asleep all right (though it wasn’t exactly hard), then got woken up by Himekoji’s sarcastic muttering.
“Akito, change.”
“Oh, you want to switch to calling in Aoyama instead?”
Himekoji stood up like he’d received a royal pardon.
“Change the story.”
“You finally don’t want the first love story?”
Himekoji naively thought this awkward conversation was ending.
“Akito’s idea of first love is way too casual. Bringing up just being born is crazy. Change to another first love story.”
Ugh, so she still wanted a first love story after all!
“Then what kind isn’t casual?”
Mashiro was surprisingly strict about first love requirements.
“Something more real?”
“Huh?”
“When you were… older.”
“Elementary school?”
“Start with that.”
Mashiro seemed very comfortable bossing Himekoji around.
“Fine, fine. But don’t just fall asleep as soon as I start talking… Wait, no, actually sleep is good!”
Halfway through, Himekoji remembered the whole point was to get Mashiro to sleep fast in the first place.
“Won’t sleep. I’m very interested in Akito’s first love.”
Hah? Won’t sleep? Very interested?
She just fell asleep faster than anyone! He hadn’t felt any interest from her at all!
As Mashiro spoke, her hand emerged from under the covers.
Himekoji was confused.
“Hold.”
He got that direct reply.
“Hold? Why?”
“Hold.”
Mashiro showed no sign of explaining Himekoji’s confusion. She just repeated herself.
She acted just like a proud little Queen.
Himekoji couldn’t refuse in the end. He took her hand.
“You can continue with the first love story now.”
Her Majesty promptly gave the order.
“Fine, fine, as you wish…”
“Hmm. If that little nurse earlier doesn’t count, then my first love happened in fifth grade. Back then, I felt like I was mentally lightyears ahead of all those little brats around me. I thought I’d never be interested in any of them. But then I met this super cute mixed-race loli…”
“Oh, so it is true that Akito likes lolis? Pervert.”
“Don’t just interrupt me so randomly, okay?! You made me tell the story! I’m telling it now, so what more do you want?!”
“Then what happened?”
“Well… then we somehow became friends. Yeah, that’s, that’s pretty much it… Cough! Cough!”
Somehow, he ended up getting shy himself while talking. Himekoji coughed dryly twice to hide his awkwardness.
He felt his cheeks heating up a bit. Anyway, better to change the subject at times like this. He shouldn’t be the only one talking about his first love.
“So what about you, Shiina? When was your first love?”
“Zzz…”
The answer Himekoji received was just that.
Mashiro had fallen asleep again when he wasn’t looking!
He struggled hard to hold back any complaints. Waking Mashiro up now would mean more trouble for him.
Watching Mashiro’s peaceful sleeping face.
Himekoji couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh—
“Ah.”
He really wanted to know why he was earnestly talking about first love like an idiot here!
“Akito…”
“Huh?”
Himekoji thought Mashiro had woken up again, but it was just her talking in her sleep.
“That… no…”
“Hah?”
Was she dreaming?
“No… it feels… so nice…”
Holy crap, what kind of messy dream was she having!?
Himekoji felt his scalp tingle and broke into a sweat.
He shook his head and reached out, placing a hand on Mashiro’s forehead.
Compared to before, the fever seemed to have gone down a little. It was only slightly warm now.
At this rate, after a good night’s sleep, she should be almost better, right?
Anyway, the hard work today hadn’t been wasted.
Thinking this, Himekoji tried to tuck Mashiro’s arm, which was sticking out of the blanket, back under the covers.
But when he tried, he discovered her hand was gripping his tightly, impossible to pull free.
He couldn’t use force either, worried he’d wake her up.
So, was he supposed to let her hold it like this until she woke up?
It seemed like there was no other choice.
Reaching his conclusion, Himekoji gave up struggling.
……
He was shaken awake by someone early the next morning.
The moment he opened his eyes, he knew it wasn’t his own room.
It looked like he’d fallen asleep right there by Mashiro’s bedside last night…
His back had been bent over for so long that his waist ached terribly now.
“Ai-yo,” Himekoji groaned as he managed to straighten up. His gaze met Mashiro’s.
“Morning.”
“Morning.”
That greeting was fairly normal.
“Why is Akito in my room?”
The next sentence, however, immediately left the realm of normal.
“You’re asking me? You’re actually asking me? It was to take care of you while you had a fever!”
“I had a fever?”
“Crap, she’s totally burnt out!”
Himekoji stretched out a worried hand to feel Mashiro’s forehead again,
“Eh? Not hot anymore?”
“I hate it,” Mashiro pouted. “Akito barges into my room first thing in the morning to assault me.”
“Don’t say that like you’ve forgotten everything from yesterday!”
“Yesterday?”
Mashiro tilted her head, acting perfectly earnest.
“Exactly! The day you took advantage of your fever to mess with me all night!”
“Well, I slept very properly yesterday.”
“Properly?! Not a word of that statement sounds proper to me, sheesh!”
“Nothing happened yesterday.”
Declaring this, Mashiro’s expression didn’t look like she was lying.
“Eh? You really don’t remember anything from yesterday?”
The princess carry, the indirect kiss, turning off the lights and taking off clothes, talking about first love…
Had the fever really fried her brain, making her forget it all?
“Oh! I remember!” Mashiro suddenly raised her small hand.
“Akito didn’t do anything to me, even though he was by my side all night!”
That’s what you remember?! Would it have been better if I did something to you?”
Himekoji was speechless.
“It seems the fever’s still serious!”
Himekoji fetched the thermometer and handed it to Mashiro.
“Take your temperature.”
“Bothersome.”
But Mashiro refused to take it.
“Bothersome or not, you have to take it!”
“Akito has a more convenient way, right?”
“Huh?”
“Akito can tell my temperature by licking.”
“And you said you forgot everything from yesterday?!”
Damn, he almost got tricked by this little girl.
“Akito, take my temperature for me!”
“Use the thermometer yourself!”
……
……
Finally taking care of both patients, Nanami and Mashiro, Himekoji was at last free from being a male nanny.
The process had been tiring and full of unspeakable things for him, but the result wasn’t actually that bad.
At least, he even got a pleasant surprise from the System.
Ding!
[Proficiency assessment met!]
[Skill comprehended—]
[Ace Care!]
……
……