After arriving home, I was still carrying Sumire in my arms. I gently laid her down by the fireplace. I quickly prepared hot water so she could soak and relax. Once it was ready, I helped her into the bathroom.
"Sumire, go ahead and soak in the bath. I don't have any girls' clothes here, so I left one of my shirts out for you to change into."
"Mm… okay…" she replied, her voice still sounding dazed.
I left her to rest and went out. I stopped by a convenience store to buy some food, then dropped by a pharmacy to get some medicine for her.
When I returned home, I saw Sumire sitting in the living room, wearing my oversized shirt, which clearly didn't fit her petite frame. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she looked a little anxious. I headed to the bathroom, took a shower, changed, and came back to sit beside her.
"Feeling any better?"
"I-I feel a lot better… thank you."
"It's nothing. Are you hungry? I bought a little food. Be sure to take your medicine after eating."
"H-hey…"
"What is it?"
"Thank you so much!" she suddenly bowed deeply, almost losing her balance. I quickly reached out to steady her, then sat back down next to her.
"I… I was really scared. Before you came, some students passed by… but they just glanced at me and walked away. No one stopped… I was so scared… No one's ever wanted to be friends or help me… except Kaori…"
Why is that? Just because she's a side character in the game, does that mean no one cares about her?
I gently patted her head.
"It's okay now. I'm here. Don't worry anymore. If anything troubles you, just come to me, alright? We're friends now."
She was still sobbing, so I took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks. Behind her long black hair, I could see those round, lovely dark eyes looking up at me with gratitude and warmth.
After that, we had dinner together, and she took her medicine. We sat side by side, quietly watching the rain fall outside the window.
"Sumire, did you tell your family you're staying over?"
She rested her head lightly on my shoulder and replied softly:
"I texted my sister and told her I'm staying at Kaori's place to avoid the rain. She knows Kaori is the only friend I have… If I told her I was staying with a boy, that would cause a huge mess…"
I chuckled quietly.
"Doesn't it bother you, having your hair cover almost your whole face? Is there a reason for it?"
"Not really… I just… don't feel confident about how I look. Covering up like this makes me feel a bit more comfortable…"
"You don't need to feel that way. Earlier, I saw your eyes,they were really cute and suit you perfectly. So don't worry about it, okay?"
Her cheeks turned slightly pink. She hesitantly brushed some of her bangs to the side and fixed them in place with a small hair clip. Her sparkling black eyes looked up at me.
"Do I… look okay?"
"Yeah, super cute."
She gave me a gentle, sweet smile.
The rain outside showed no sign of letting up.
"Are you okay if you have to stay here tonight?"
I mean, I'm a guy and she's a girl, so it was natural for her to be cautious. But contrary to that, Sumire seemed pretty at ease.
"It's fine. Thank you… for everything."
It might be a bit unrealistic in the real world, but this is a game world—so I've got nothing to complain about.
I took out a spare futon and pillow from the closet and laid it down next to my bed in the bedroom.
Sumire was truly adorable. Maybe people didn't notice because she's just a side character… but I did.
Then we went into the room together and turned off the lights to sleep.
---
Middle of the Night
I stirred slightly from the faint sounds on the bed. I didn't open my eyes, but I could feel gentle movement,Sumire was approaching me.
And then… something warm brushed against my cheek.
Did she… just kiss me!?
"Thank you…" she whispered ever so softly.
Right after, she returned to her futon.
My mind was a mess. A surprise kiss like that usually only happens in the game when affection levels are pretty high. I quietly opened my eyes and brought up the in-game menu.
Sumire's icon appeared. I tapped it.
49.
That's high!?
---
6 AM the Next Morning
I woke up. Ever since Sumire kissed me last night, I could hardly sleep. I'd only managed to doze off a little, but now it was time to get ready and take her home.
"Sumire, wake up," I called.
"It's still early, Hiro…"
"Get ready, I'll walk you home."
"Mhm… mhm…"
We brushed our teeth and washed up together. I had a new toothbrush I hadn't used yet.
After that, she took a shower and changed back into her uniform, which had been washed and drying since yesterday. Then it was my turn.
On the way to her house, Sumire suddenly asked:
"Um… can we exchange contact info?"
"Sure."
We exchanged phone numbers. She still wore her hair the same way as yesterday—the way I'd complimented her on.
When we arrived, I realized her house wasn't far from mine at all.
"Thanks so much, Hiro. I'm counting on you from now on, okay?"
She turned toward the door, beaming at me. Seeing her smile reminded me of that kiss from last night, and I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
"I'll always be here for you," I replied.
Then I said goodbye and headed home.