35: A Hospital Visit

"Phew—"

After exiting the simulation, Chisato let out a long sigh. 

He stared blankly at the ceiling, his eyes, once filled with anticipation, now clear and devoid of any desire.

Slowly getting off the bed, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom.

The scenario he had just simulated had been too intense, too realistic. 

The simulated Eriri, warmed by alcohol, had clung to him, both of them drenched in sweat.

Even now, back in reality, he still felt as if his body was sticky.

So he needed to take a shower before continuing the simulation.

Things were going well, and he had a feeling this simulation would end with a good result. 

Eriri 's personality was softer and cuter than ever.

Though a bit tsundere, she was now more dere than tsun in the simulated world, and unlike the complicated and melancholic Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Eriri wasn't the type to cause unpredictable problems.

With that in mind, he started looking forward to the rewards the simulation would give him.

After a refreshing shower, Chisato sat back on the bed, turned on the hair dryer, and resumed the simulation.

[You were accepted by Eriri Spencer Sawamura.]

[Afterward, as Eriri cooled down, she realized the unusual situation and that you hadn't worn protection.] 

[She then fully understood that what had just happened crossed the line from friendship to something more.] 

[She began to cry softly, hitting your chest with tiny, almost negligible fists, blaming and scolding you weakly.]

[You didn't mind. You gently kissed away her tears, patted her back, and held her hand, whispering sweet words.] 

[You praised her beauty, reminisced about the moments you had just shared, and purposefully avoided the topics she was concerned about.]

[Your goal was to distract Eriri, and it worked.] 

[Her tears stopped midway, and her occasional sobs were more due to her inability to accept what had just happened.]

[You suggested that if she didn't want anyone to know, you could pretend nothing had happened.]

[Eriri silently considered this, and as you watched her think under the moonlight, you were once again captivated by her.] 

[After longing for her for so long, now that you had her, you couldn't be satisfied with just once.]

[Eriri looked at you with confusion as you stood up.] 

[She thought you were going to get dressed and leave, but instead, you walked over to her table, picked up two hair ties, and returned to her side.]

[Eriri was confused by your actions but passively cooperated as you helped her tidy up her messy blonde hair and tie it into her usual twin tails.]

[As you held her twin tails from behind, Eriri suddenly remembered a scene she had drawn in one of her books.] 

[Realizing what was happening, she felt extremely embarrassed and tried to turn around.] 

[But the next moment, she collapsed as if shocked, her mind turning into a chaotic mess, unable to think clearly.]

[The next day, Eriri woke up in your arms. She told you that this should only happen once and that no one must ever know about it.]

[You nodded seriously, but inwardly, you didn't believe her at all.]

[You knew that once something like this happened between a man and a woman, there would be a second time.]

[You also knew Eriri's personality well; she actually had feelings for you. Otherwise, she wouldn't have responded so sweetly during the latter part of the night.]

[Love is something that, even if you try to hide it, will show through in other ways.]

[As you reflected on it, you realized that Eriri's feelings for you were not just a little bit but very, very deep.]

[You knew that the only thing stopping her from fully accepting you was her overwhelming sense of shyness.] 

[This was the last barrier preventing your relationship from progressing, and you had to find a way to help her overcome it.]

[In the second week of the new semester, Tomoya Aki was hospitalized due to exhaustion from endless part-time jobs.]

[Ever since you realized your feelings for Eriri, your relationship with Tomoya had become just a surface-level friendship.] 

[Initially, you planned to just call and check on him, but as you picked up your phone, you sensed that this event might be helpful to you.]

[After thinking it over, you decided…]

[1. To bring some fruit and visit him yourself.]

[2. To encourage Eriri to visit him.]

[3. To visit him together with Eriri.]

Hold on... this feels like a scene straight out of an adult manga... something's not right with this storyline, is it?

What's about to happen next is exactly what he thinks, right?

Chisato wanted to shout out, but in this story, he played the most relatable character, so he couldn't resist. 

Instead, he felt a secret thrill.

After hesitating for three seconds, the last bit of his kindness led him to choose the third option.

[You invited Eriri to visit Tomoya together after school.]

[His condition was severe due to overwork, with dark circles under his eyes and a pale face. He had an IV drip attached to his wrist.]

[Your visit with Eriri lifted his spirits a little. You placed the fruit you brought on the bedside table, silently peeling an apple while listening to Eriri scold him.]

[Later, as night fell, each hospital bed was surrounded by privacy curtains to create a safe and private space.] 

[Tomoya was leaning against the headboard, eating his meal, while Eriri sat by his bed, talking on the phone with her family, saying she would be home later.] 

[You watched this scene and excused yourself to use the restroom, slipping out of the curtains around the bed.]

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