74.彩華の看病 - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

The aroma of porridge tickled my nose, stirring me awake. Wincing at the sharp pain piercing directly through my brain, I prop myself up. "You're awake?" Ayaka’s gentle voice came from beside the bed, causing me to lower my gaze. "How long was I asleep?" "About twenty minutes. You managed to wake up, despite being so unwell." Ayaka, seated against the bed, responded without looking at me. In her hands were manga she must have pulled from the bookshelf, which she seemed to have been reading until I awoke. Come to think of it, I couldn't recall when I had actually fallen asleep. It seemed I had dozed off almost the moment I saw Ayaka standing in the kitchen. Having Ayaka cook for me at home was something that had never happened since we met. Yet, I ended up sleeping as usual—was it due to my illness or a sense of comfort? Or perhaps— "Well, I'm off," she announced. "Huh?" I followed Ayaka with my eyes as she stood up, a silly voice escaping my lips. She turned to look at me and tilted her head slightly. "Why are you making that face?" "No... no reason." Shaking off a fleeting thought that crossed my mind, I shook my head. "A friend is taking notes for me. It's too late now, but if I leave, I can join them by the lunch break." "Oh, sorry. Thanks for coming." I put my hands together in thanks. Being sick and living alone is far harder compared to sharing a space with someone. Just having someone run errands is a huge help, let alone cooking easy-to-eat meals. "...You're looking lonely." "Ugh." "I'll stay with you until you finish eating, at least. Besides, I had something to ask you." Ayaka sighed, placed a cushion in front of the low table, and sat down. The way she seemed to see right through me made my face flush with a sense of embarrassment. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. When I catch a cold, even I feel that way." "Even you, Ayaka?” "Yeah. I distract myself with thoughtless manga and stuff like that." She said this while tapping her fingers on the low table. I moved across to sit opposite her at the table, following her lead. "Here you go, eat while it's still warm." "Seriously, thank you so much... Itadakimasu." Bowing my head in gratitude, I scooped up some porridge with a spoon. The rice grains spilling from the spoon shimmered differently than the usual rice I had. "I hadn't cooked any rice or anything. Did you make it with those microwavable packs?" "I figured a sick person like you wouldn't be cooking rice, so I packed some from home." Ayaka mentioned it casually, pressing her knees against the low table. Under her close observation, I found it hard to eat. “...Hurry up and eat.” “...You didn’t put anything weird in it, did you?” When I asked, Ayaka blinked in surprise and quickly stood up. "Idiot, I wouldn't do something like that to someone who's sick!" "R-right. Well, then—" Her threatening stance made me take a spoonful, and a rush of happiness spread through even my dulled taste buds. I put the spoon down momentarily and let out a voice of surprise. "This is amazing..." Ayaka, hearing this, nodded and continued. "I'm glad. It's the first time I’ve made porridge for anyone outside my family, so I was a bit worried." "No, really, it's great. If I were well, I'd definitely have seconds." "If you were well, I wouldn't make porridge in the first place." Her retort was so reasonable that I couldn't help but laugh. It was unfortunate to fall ill, but if it led to this situation, I felt grateful. To someone Ayaka liked at our university, if they knew they'd get porridge, they might even wish to catch a cold. As I pondered this while eating, I began to understand what Natsuki meant by having good people around me. In university life, it's not like I excel at anything. Maybe I could hold my own in the basketball club matches, but compared to our team's strength, I paled in comparison. My bond with Ayaka had been built over time. Our relationship was undoubtedly shaped by past events. But Ayaka isn't the kind of person who'd visit just because of our history. That fact somehow reassured me, making me indulge in the comfort. Stealing a glance from the porridge to Ayaka, I saw she went back to her manga. I remembered Shinohara being captivated by the very same one. It had become a hot topic recently, appealing to a wide range of people. A few seconds later, Ayaka noticed my stare and blinked. "Finished eating?" "Thank you for the meal." I bowed deeply. The porridge had an ideal balance of spinach and eggs, making me feel like I'd recover just by eating it. I'd likely owe her big once I got better. "No problem. As for returning the favor..." Ayaka glanced around the room. Here we go. Am I looking at a fancy lunch, maybe, or perhaps that one buffet trip? Or, judging from the way she's surveying the room— "Can you tell me? It seems like someone visits this place often."