PART FIVE

“Pardon the intrusion,” Kyashii mumbled as we entered the house.

“I’m sorry for the mess. Please feel free to make yourself at home.” Kyashii has never been to our house before.

But more than that, she’s the first one from our class to come to our house. I’d never invited anyone, including Minori. Having people over doesn’t come naturally to me, so I’m hesitant about having them here.

Hmm... In a way, I didn’t invite Kyashii either. She essentially decided to come over on her own.

“Your house is spacious and lovely, Yuyo.” Kyashii takes a glance around.

“You think so? Anyway, would you like to come to my room? The energy in me is dwindling. I can use some rest.”

“Su-Sure! O-Of course!”

“Let’s go upstairs then.”

“Umm... Yuyo, can I borrow the kitchen later? You haven’t eaten lunch yet. I’ll cook you something.”

“Really??” I almost couldn’t show my pleasure when I heard her say that because I was feeling queasy, but I was honestly thrilled at the idea of her cooking for me.

“Yeah...” Her cheeks flushed.

“I love that... Sure, go ahead. I’m looking forward to your cooking, Kyashii. And you are free to do whatever you want, just don’t sneak into my brother’s room.”

“I would never do that! I’m only curious about your room and the kitchen. Hmph!”

“That’s just a joke.” I gave her a faint smile at her as I entered my room. “Here we are... Come on in.”

“Oooh...” Kyashii walked in and started looking around immediately. “I can tell this is Yuyo’s room... It’s very Yuyo-like.”

“Heeh... I’m not sure what you mean. Ohh... And you can sit wherever you wish. Please excuse me if I’m not up to the task of entertaining you right now. Just the thought of moving around a lot makes me sick to my stomach.” My head is pounding so hard that I can barely keep my eyes open as I lie in my bed.

“It’s fine. You’re sick, so you don’t have to do anything. Leave it to me, okay?”

“Thanks, Kyashii. Let me doze off for a bit.” The comfort of my bed makes me want to get some shut-eye again.

“Wait... You should change your clothes before you go to sleep, Yuyo.”

“Uhh...” Somewhere along the line, I started to feel as if I had a mother looking out for me.

Hmm... Now I want to be pampered a little. Would this be okay, though? ...I wonder.

“Kyashii, could you please go through my closet for a shirt? I’m sorry to bother you, but I expended all my energy. I don’t want to leave my bed.”

“Hmm? Oh! S-Sure…” Kyashii’s smiling awkwardly.

Maybe it’s not appropriate for me to ask her to do that?

“I’m sorry, Kyashii. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me right now. Thank you again for everything.” It’s not easy taking care of a sick person, so I’m grateful she’s doing this for me.

“What do you mean? Yuyo, please stop apologizing.” Kyashii said as she searched through my closet, “And I love doing things for you... Here, your shirt.”

“Thank you... It’s almost as though you’re a mother figure. You’ll undoubtedly make a good wife and mother one day,” I muttered as I unbuttoned my uniform.

“Ehh?! Ahh... Th-Thanks...” Kyashii mumbled while staring at me restlessly.

“. . . .”

I experienced a momentary bout of self-consciousness as she stared intently at me.

Uhh….

Nah! Forget it.

Now is not the time to be embarrassed. Besides, it’s just Kyashii. No big deal. I change my clothes throughout PE class as well. Let’s just do this quickly so I can get some rest.

“Uhm… Kyashii, are you nervous about being here?” I asked, trying to fight back the awkwardness I was having while getting undressed. I’m not sure if I’m feeling embarrassed, nervous, or both. There is no way for me to be confident enough to take off my clothes in front of her if I’m not sick.

“Huh?! N-No… It’s your house, after all. And here… In your room, so, err- Why would I be?” Kyashii’s voice grew jittery.

I snorted a little. Her tone instantly gave her away.

“That’s great. I assume you’re uneasy because of the stiffness you’re wearing right now.”

“Stiff?! Aha-ha... A-Am I?”

She’s really on edge, isn’t she? Is it okay for me to leave her on her own while I sleep?

“Yeah... By the way, since you’re going to cook, you might want to change into something more comfortable. You are about the same size as me, so you could probably get away with wearing any of my shirts.” I said after putting on my shirt. I’ll just leave the skirt on for now.

“Really?! Are you sure, Yuyo?”

“Totally. You wouldn’t want to get your uniform soiled while cooking. What’s more, you’re doing it for me, that’s the least I can offer.”

“Okeydokey. I’ll take you up on that.”

“Then, I’m going to rest for a bit,” I groaned as I lay back in bed. “I’ll leave it all up to you, Kyashii. My brother already knows you’re here, so he won’t be surprised if you run into each other.”

“Got it. Rest up, Yuyo.”

“Thanks, Kyashii. Just throw something together with whatever’s lying around in the fridge.” A feeble smile slipped across my lips as I drifted into unconsciousness.

The softness of something on my cheeks greeted me quietly as I opened my eyes.

“Good morning, Yuyo” Kyashii smiled at me as she gently rubbed my cheek.

“Your hand is soft...” I mumbled in a groggy voice. “What time is it?” It appears that I sleep for an inordinate amount of time.

“It’s 5.00 p.m.”

“Huh?! Is it already that late?” Holy cheese... I really did sleep that long.

I slowly got up.

“How are you feeling, Yuyo?”

“I feel a lot better now that I’ve rested.”

“Oh, that’s good. Let me take your temperature, is that okay?”

“Sure... Thank you, Kyashii.” She pressed the thermometer against my forehead.

“Thank goodness! I’m so glad your fever has gone down,” she said with a relieved smile. “Ohh! Would you like to eat now? I didn’t wake you up after preparing your meal because you were sound asleep.”

“Did I snore?” I tittered.

“Mmm… Just a little.” She giggled.

“Haha... I’m sorry about that.”

“Nah… I’m fine with it. So, do you want me to heat your food?”

“Yeah, please. I’m hungry right now. Thank you, Kyashii.”

“All right. Wait here for a second.”

My eyes were locked on Kyashii as she walked out of my room.

Hmm... Something about this situation makes me feel strange somehow.

It’s been a while since someone took care of me when I was sick. How long has it been, I wonder?

Every time I catch a cold, my brother leaves everything I need beside me before leaving for school. It’s always me on my own. That’s not to say I resent my brother in this particular situation, but I also don’t want to be a bother to him.

Nevertheless, such events taught me the significance of not relying too heavily on people, and that I had to depend on myself alone at some point. It’s almost as if those moments served as training for me to become more capable of doing things on my own.

But at the moment, someone is taking care of me. And it’s my best friend. I’m not sure why, but Kyashii’s presence alone is reassuring right now.

I guess this is what they mean when they talk about the power of friendship, huh? Or perhaps the benefits of having a best friend?

Yeah… I mean, isn’t that how best friends are supposed to be? They should be there for each other at times like this.

Hmm... Am I even supposed to enjoy this?

What if I start to rely on Kyashii more in times like this? When people get a taste of something comforting, they may find themselves wanting more, ultimately causing them to become greedy.

And I don’t want to be that way with Kyashii.

Sigh...

I guess that explains why something feels odd to me. I’m worried I’ll get greedy if I start relying more on someone, aren’t I?

Haahh… Whatever the case may be, I feel fortunate to have Kyashii by my side. It would be great if I could do something for her someday.

The sight of Kyashii walking into my room carrying a tray of food interrupted my musings.

Watching her walk towards me with a smile on her face, I felt a warm sensation rising in my chest as if something was melting me from within. She is indeed a sweetheart. Her genuine kindness for me makes me smile every time.

“Hmm... You know, it’s strange, but somehow it feels like you’ve lived here your entire life. You already seem to be quite at ease moving around the house,” And I just realized my shirt fits her perfectly.

“Really? Then perhaps I should start thinking about moving here. Your place is roomy, but it feels a little empty,” she said half in jest.

That sounds about right to me. That’s how I’ve always felt about our house. Despite its size, it seems to be missing something.

“Good idea... You can live here if you pay me a little rent. That way, I’ll make some extra cash.” I kept it light.

“Since I don’t have a job, I’ll have to rely on services like cooking, cleaning, and other household duties to pay for my rent.” She grinned as she set up the bed tray table in front of me.

I snorted. “Okay, I’m cool with that.” My eyes flickered to the food tray. “Wooah!”

She made nikujaga!

“It’s just a simple dish I came up with.” Her smile seemed a little embarrassed.

“Ah-re? Simple? Certainly not to someone like me who isn’t that talented in the kitchen!” Admiration springs up in my eyes as I fix my gaze on nikujaga.

“Heeh... Anyway, eat up so you can take your medicine.”

“Thank you so much, Kyashii! Thanks for the food.” I started to dig in. “Oohhh.~ It’s so good! My cheeks are falling off! Your cooking skills are amazing!” My words will do no justice to this dish. I cannot help but be amazed at Kyashii’s culinary prowess. And I’m sorry for my fussy brother, but I think she cooks better than he does. Pfftt!

“Oh, thank you... I’m glad you like it, Yuyo.” Kyashii said with delight.

“Definitely!” I reacted with a firm thumbs up. “I’m sure everything you make tastes delicious. Lucky me, I get to enjoy your cooking.”

“You give me too much credit.” Kyashii smiled gently.

“I’m just being honest. Hmm...  Anyway, it’s past six already. Did you tell your family you might be late?”

“Yeah. My call came in while you were sleeping. Mmm... At what time does your brother get home?”

“Around eleven, I guess. Or maybe even earlier. I’m not sure.”

“It’s that late?”

“Well, he works part-time, and it’s Friday. It’s going to be a flurry of activity.”

“Right. I see what you mean.”

“Ah! He needs to know that I am feeling fine already.” I finished my meal while sending my brother a message.

“Do you think you’ll be okay until then?”

“Yeah.” I smiled at her. “It’s all right. I’m feeling a lot better now, and I owe it all to you, Kyashii. Thank you so much.”

“You’re more than welcome, Yuyo. Plus, I am doing this for personal reasons.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“Ahh! W-Well, you’re my best friend! It’s for my peace of mind. It’s quite worrying if my best friend gets sick and is left alone. Such and such.” Kyashii made a stuttering chuckle.

“Oh… I see. It makes sense. We’re best friends and–”

“What?”

“I know this comes up so suddenly, but would you like to stay over tonight?” I think it’s a brilliant idea, especially since we don’t have classes tomorrow.

On top of that, I’ve never had a sleepover with a friend before.

Kyashii looked stunned by my suggestion. Does she not want to?

A.N:

Nikujaga is a light Japanese beef and potato stew. It’s a traditional dish and recipe passed down from mother to daughter in Japan.

Niku is meat and jaga is the short form of jagaimo, which means potatoes. 

Basically, the meat and potatoes are stewed in soy sauce which has been sweetened with mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine) and sugar.