• Side: Toru Nakamura 

By the end of the school, I was a lot better. My pneumonia was gone, and my temperature dropped to a low fever of 37.7 degrees. 

The school contacted my parents, they called me back and asked how I was before continuing with their busy work overseas.

“Well, the zombie’s back.”

Eiji quipped as he saw me walking into the classroom during the last session, the teacher asked me to take a seat and inform him if I ever felt unwell.

“Sorry and thank you, Eiji.”

“No problem. Just treat me to a burger next time.”

“Maybe later.”

I looked over at Shizuka, we locked gazes for a moment and quickly averted our eyes, I could feel my face heating up as I remembered what had happened in the infirmary.

“Are you alright, Toru? Your face is red.”

“I’m fine.”

Eiji shrugged, and focused on listening to the teacher instead.

“Alright, troops. End class. Remember to prepare for tomorrow’s test!”

With that, the teacher walked out of the classroom. A second later, the classroom was filled with noises of people chatting.

“See you tomorrow, Eiji.”

“See you, don’t push yourself, you know?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

I slung my school bag over my shoulder and walked out of school. The sun was out and the rain was long gone. I still felt dizzy and nauseous as I paced towards my house.

“I’ll help you.”

A feminine voice came from beside him and took his school bag, holding it in her free hand. I immediately recognized the voice as Shizuka Tsukihara.

“I can go home by myself. What if someone saw us together.”

“The reason you’re sick was because of me, at least let me accompany you home.”

“...”

I really did need help, but making a lady carry my bag was the least gentlemanly thing I’ve ever done. I tried to retrieve my bag, but failed. 

After twenty minutes, we arrived at our apartment and rode the elevator together. Shizuka wore a mask as usual as she didn’t want fans clogging in front of her flat from time to time.

“Don’t you have a shot today?”

“I ditched the company.”

Shizuka replied casually, as if she’d done that many times before. I didn’t remember her ditching the company though, given how she’s so concentrated on doing her work everyday. I was shocked.

“W-What?”

“I need to take care of you.”

I felt guilty for having her take the day off and attend to me.

“No I’m fine, really.”

“Oh? I don’t think so.”

“...we’re here.”

I grabbed my bag in front of my flat, Shizuka did not stop me, and took out her key as well. After opening the door, I felt a sudden dizziness and my vision blurred, I felt myself toppling onto the floor. 

It would hurt a bit, but the floor was covered in carpet, so I at least wouldn’t break a bone.

Suddenly, a firm grip caught my body at the last second, pulling me back. I was thrown back and my arm over the figure next to me, I could feel her body warmth.

It was Shizuka Tsukihara who caught me…

• Side: Shizuka Tsukihara

I threw my arms around Toru Nakamura the last second he was about to topple onto the ground. 

His body was as scrawny as before. I thought.

I shook my head, now wasn’t the time to think about that. I threw his arm over my shoulder and grabbed his side. I started walking into his flat.

I had been to his house before when we were dating. He lives in a big house in the central district, which is close to our middle school. His parents were rarely home, so there wasn’t anything embarrassing about it.

Come to think of it, we had merely hugged each other when we were dating, partially because we were too timid, and that we were so distant at the near end of our relationship. I could even count the time we kissed with my fingers.

His flat was much smaller than his house, with one extra room and an open kitchen, with barstools in front of the kitchen counter. Overall, it looked luxurious. The only thing is…

Why does it look so messy?!??

I remembered Toru’s room being messy, but I didn’t expect him to keep his habit after graduating middle school.

I laid him on the sofa and put an ice bag I found from the kitchen onto his forehead. I sat down by his side and combed his hair from his chiseled face. 

Ring...ring…

I took my smartphone from my school bag, and on the screen were six miss calls.

“...hello?”

“Shizuka! Why didn’t you respond to my calls?”

“Sorry, I was busy.”

It was my manager, she was a caring and sometimes compelling person, I was having a hard time when I first entered the Entertainment Circle, but she was always there to support me. Toru too, of course.

“Don’t give me a ‘Sorry’, what do you mean when you sent me a message saying ‘sorry, I’ll ditch the shoot for today.’?”

“Exactly what it says.”

“Sigh…at least give me a reason.”

“A... friend of mine is sick.”

“...Can you come now?”

I looked at Toru, who was pale and sweating furiously. There was no way I’d leave him like this!

“Sorry no, the condition is quite serious.”

“I'll talk to the company about this, prepare yourself for some scolding.”

“Thank you and Sorry.”

The call ended as she held up the phone, I looked over at Toru, he was already awake, looking at me like some sort of new species.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“...yes. You can go n-.”

Rumble.

He was interrupted by a strange sound coming from his belly, Toru blushed in spite of himself.

“I’ll cook something for you.”

“Wait No, I’m fine really, I’ll just eat something later.”

“What would you eat?”

“The leftovers from last night?”

Toru collapsed on the floor last night, so he must’ve bought dinner beforehand. That means it should be leftovers from the night before last night.

“Oh no, you’re not going to eat that trash.”

“Your cooking is more trashy.”

“What’s that?”

“N-Nothing.”

I ignored his words and strolled to the kitchen. Toru did not stop me, either he was too tired or didn’t even bother to do so.

I admit the food I cooked back then was even worse than common bad restaurants. I have cooked hard since then, and even my expressionless father compliments my cooking.

I wrapped an apron around my waist and started cooking. I could tell that Toru rarely used the cooking utensils. I know him well enough to know that he’s the type to spend money just for satisfying himself.

“Eat up.”

I cooked a bowl of udon and put it on the coffee table in front of Toru, who was now looking much better. He eyed me suspiciously, then took a sip of the soup first.

“...It’s...surprisingly delicious.”

He showed a really surprised look, and I frowned. 

“Can you not act so surprised in front of your ex-girlfriend?”

“...I’m so sorry.”

He looked at me with his cute puppy dog eyes, melting my heart completely. 

.

Looks like Toru is immune to Shizuka, but Shizuka is not immune to Toru

It barely passed as being friends. Shizuka only felt responsibility and guilt for causing him to be sick, that’s why she took care of him. Definitely no romance. Not yet.