9
The next morning, I woke up with discomfort and pain in my lower abdomen.
My mom worriedly asked if I wanted to skip school, but I decided to go. Maybe I’d get to see Toga… and besides, I usually managed school somehow. I thought I’d be fine this time too.
But once I got to school, the pain only got worse. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to go to the nurse’s office.
Ichika, looking worried, supported me all the way there. When I finally lay down on the bed, it felt like I could finally breathe properly for the first time since arriving at school.
The nurse told me that if it was this bad, I should go home. I didn’t have the energy—or the willpower—to argue, so I accepted her advice and decided to leave.
Ichika went back to the classroom to fetch my bag and explain my situation to the teacher. She really was too kind. I love her. chu chu.
When my teacher learned my parents couldn’t pick me up from work, she offered to drive me home herself. I felt bad stealing her time, so I refused.
I told her I’d rest a bit in the nurse’s office before heading home, and she said, “Be careful on your way,” before leaving, saying she had something to do.
Now I was alone in the nurse’s office.
No one else was there. Classes had started, and the hallway was completely silent too. Wrapped in that still, quiet air, I curled up under the sheets on the bed and endured the pain.
No. I can’t. I’m dying. I feel like I’m going to throw up.
I groaned softly, trying to ride out the waves of pain, waiting for it to calm down—but it didn’t work. It felt like my body had decided to keep hurting me no matter what.
A crushing, bone-twisting pain spread through my pelvis, pulsing in rhythm with my uterus. My hips, my lower back, my stomach, even my head—everything hurt. I’m dying… I’m being killed…
Every month this happens—what is this, self-inflicted torture? Am I some kind of masochist?
I get that it’s preparation for having a baby, but does it really have to hurt this much?
It’s like my lower body is hosting the world’s worst tomato festival. Who’s throwing tomatoes inside my uterus? At least eat them quietly…
Ugh… this is awful… it’s just too painful…
There was nothing else I could say.
I wanted to throw this feeling at someone. I wanted help. So I pulled my phone from my pocket.
With trembling fingers, I typed a short message and hit send.
To Toga.
Just one word:
“SOS.”
I only sent that because of a mix of mischief and expectation.
Maybe he was in class and couldn’t check his phone. That was fine.
I just wanted to see how he would react. If he would worry.
I giggled softly, holding my phone tightly and waiting.
Almost immediately, a reply came.
I blinked in surprise at how fast it was and opened it.
As expected, it was short.
“What happened.”
Just that.
But I was strangely happy.
I felt bad for sending something like that… I really was.
And yet, seeing his reply so quickly filled me with something warm and overwhelming. I thought—I’m glad I sent it.
I typed back:
“I’m sorry, I was just messing around. I just have really bad period cramps and feel like I’m dying.”
In the past, people said it was embarrassing to talk about this with men. But now, awareness had grown a lot, and it wasn’t uncommon to talk about it normally.
Some people still couldn’t, but I was fine with it. So I sent it as it was.
“Are you at home?”
His replies were so fast it was almost funny.
Come to think of it… this was the first time I’d ever texted Toga.
Maybe my pain was slowing my brain down. Ah—thinking about the pain makes it worse…
I should only think about Toga…
“I’m in the nurse’s office.”
Immediately, another reply came.
“I’m coming there.”
I read it.
And my brain stopped.
Not slowed down.
Stopped.
Completely.
…Huh?
Huh??? Huh??? Huh???
No matter how many times I read it, my brain refused to process it.
Wait—“I’m coming there”—where? Here? There?
What? What does that even mean?
My thoughts spiraled into chaos.
Is he coming here? To school? No way. There’s an unspoken rule that we don’t meet at school, right? Did that disappear? Am I misunderstanding? Calm down—no, I can’t calm down.
Toga is coming here?!
Before I could make sense of it—
The nurse’s office door opened with a sharp sound.
The bed I was lying in was separated by curtains, so I couldn’t see who had entered.
But the footsteps came straight toward me without hesitation.
A hand grabbed the curtain.
And it was pulled open.
There he was.
Toga, someone I rarely ever saw at school, was standing right there.
I was so shocked I couldn’t even speak. I could only stare wide-eyed at him.
His brows furrowed deeply the moment he saw me. He closed the curtain again, stepped closer, and crouched down beside the bed, peering into my face.
A quiet, empty nurse’s office. A small space hidden behind curtains.
My heart should have been pounding, my face should have turned red—
But no. My face was already half-dead from the pain. Pale as anything.
“Are you in pain?” he asked in his low, calm voice.
Then he gently patted my head.
…Pwehh… his face is close. He’s too handsome. I like him.
This man is unfair. If he keeps doing things like this, I’m going to fall for him all over again.
Being looked at like that, being worried about, being patted on the head from so close—there’s no way my heart can survive this.
If I were weaker, I think I would’ve died already. My heart can’t keep up.
“I feel like I’m dying,” I said, trying to joke.
But honestly, I really did feel like I was dying.
“…We’re talking in school like this for the first time,” I said.
“Yeah,” he replied.
“I’m really glad you came. I’m happy.”
“If you send something like that, of course I’d come.”
“I was joking… you’re too kind. It’s painful.”
“Don’t do that again. It’s bad for my heart.”
He really is too kind. This is torture.
What is this? Am I dreaming because the pain is too much?
“I’m sorry…” I muttered.
“Next time write the reason properly. …It must’ve been bad enough for you to text me, right?”
At that, my chest tightened.
“…It is bad,” I finally said.
The smile I’d been forcing disappeared, and I reached for him almost unconsciously.
I just… wanted comfort.
He caught my arms, carefully lifted me up, and held me in his arms before sitting down on the bed’s edge.
I knew I was the one who asked, but I still felt like I might die from embarrassment. I never expected him to actually do it. But… I was happy.
He told me not to tense up, so I let myself relax and leaned into him.
His arms were… seriously strong. No shaking at all. So masculine. I like it.
“How are you getting home?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Did you tell your parents?”
Nod.
“Is anyone home?”
Shake.
He thought for a moment.
“…If being alone is hard, want to come to my place?”
I did. I really did.
But I hesitated. I’d already been there recently… was that okay?
“…If I’m not being a bother, I’d like to,” I said honestly.
“It’s not a bother.”
“I want to go,” I said, grabbing his shirt.
He nodded once, then took out his phone and made a call.
He was calling someone to meet near the school.
When the call ended, I finally asked,
“Who was that?”
“Taxi,” he replied flatly.
Taxi?
So he always takes taxis home?
Wow, rich…
Before I could spiral further, he sighed.
“You’d have trouble walking home right now.”
“…Huh? You always take taxis, Toga-san?”
“You’re an idiot. I called it for you.”
Ah.
Oh.
So THAT’S what it was.
He called a taxi because walking would be hard for me?
Seriously?
I was fully prepared to walk home!
I was even wondering if I had enough money…
He asked if I could walk a bit, so I nodded.
He told me to go ahead to the meeting point first and said he’d come later.
We couldn’t arrive together—that would look suspicious. So he had the taxi called a little away from school.
That made sense.
We got in the taxi after carefully checking our surroundings.
The ride was silent. Tense. Almost like we were doing something wrong.
When we arrived at his apartment, I tried to pay, but he refused and paid himself.
Honestly… he’s been paying for everything lately. Even the convenience store. Even this taxi.
I felt nothing but guilt.
I wasn’t used to being treated like this. I was only used to spending on him, not the other way around.
I silently promised myself I would pay him back someday.
Inside the apartment, he lent me clothes so I could change.
A black T-shirt and black sweatpants.
Of course it’s all black. Of course I like it.
I carefully placed them on the sofa, almost like I was praying before putting them on.
Do you understand?
These are Toga’s clothes. That alone makes them basically rare merch.
And they’ve been worn before. This is basically priceless.
It smells like him.
I’m wearing his scent.
That alone is enough to heal me.
What is this, medicine?
I’m too energized to feel pain anymore.
When I came back after changing, he had also changed into casual clothes.
He told me to lie down and made me rest on the sofa, then sat on the floor in front of it.
“No, that’s not right. You sit on the sofa,” I protested.
“Shut up and lie down,” he said.
Then he left the room.
For a moment, my chest tightened.
Did I annoy him? Did he get tired of me talking?
But soon he came back with a folded blanket.
He gently covered me and placed a cushion under my head.
…
Mom?
My brain short-circuited.
He’s too attentive… too kind…
If he keeps this up, I’m going to turn into a baby.
“…Sleep,” he said softly.
There’s no way I could sleep like this.
…or so I thought.
At some point, I drifted off.
I don’t know how much time passed.
When I opened my eyes—
There was a handsome guy in front of me.
No, not Toga.
This one was different.
Golden hair mixed with orange, eyes like the night sky’s moon. A beautiful, sharp face that looked both cool and elegant.
And he was staring at me, frozen in shock.
My sleepiness vanished instantly.
I recognized that face immediately.
I had seen it in games countless times, and occasionally at school.
The second most familiar face after Toga.
No way I could mistake him.
Saionji Kōya.
Kii-kun.
Toga’s childhood friend—and part of that infamous love triangle route.
(…Is this a dream?)
I asked my brain.
My brain gave me a thumbs-up.
“Reality,” it said.
We both stayed frozen.
Then he spoke.
“Sorry, Toga. I woke her up.”
And immediately—
He was kicked down to the floor.
Right in front of me.
Ah. That looked like it hurt. That was a really bad sound.
But somehow, he was still alive.
He lay there, clutching his side.
“I… didn’t do anything wrong…” he groaned.
“You were told not to wake her up,” Toga said coldly.
I’d never heard him this angry before.
Toga stood beside the sofa, and even though I couldn’t see his full expression, I could feel it.
He was furious.
Then he noticed me watching.
He crouched down immediately.
“Sorry. I woke you up,” he said, gently patting my head again.
No, I’m the one who should be sorry.
What is this situation…?
Why is Kii-kun here?
Why is he in Toga’s house?
Childhood friend privileges? Are they that close?
Are you two dating?
…Jealous.
I stared at Kii-kun lying on the floor, still processing everything.
