"This is a trial... ugh, cough cough!"
Outside a specific apartment unit in a luxurious high-rise, Yuu stood with a plastic shopping bag, staring ahead expressionlessly.
The silver-haired girl stood beside the door, striking a pose full of charm.
Despite her messy hair, occasional coughs muffled by her mask, and her petite frame looking fragile beneath her pajamas, she declared in a firm, solemn voice:
"I suppose this is a trial bestowed upon me by God—to overcome my immature past... ugh... Only by conquering that childish self can one truly grow!"
After finishing her monologue, she let out a proud sigh as if she'd just accomplished something extraordinary.
Of course, Yuu knew these were the famous lines delivered by Diavolo—the final boss of Part 5, leader of the Passion organization.
But that guy said it while stripping off his clothes. If Masuzu wanted to imitate him accurately, shouldn't she have copied that part too?
...Naturally, Yuu would never actually say such a thing out loud.
"I don't know any bosses who are sick like this."
"That's because your insight is shallow, Polnareff-yo."
Masuzu leaned her head against the door, breathing weakly as though even sneering took too much effort. Only her eyes still sparkled brightly as they fixed on him.
Yuu, aka Polnareff, sighed and gave her a meaningful glance with his eyes. "Save the JOJO roleplay for later. Stop blocking the door—let me in."
He glanced briefly at her body partially obstructing the doorway.
Under her thin pajamas, it seemed she wasn't wearing any extra undergarments.
But since the heater was blasting, she wouldn't be cold—and good air circulation was important...
As for the faintly visible contours and subtle protrusions, best to pretend they weren't there.
Yuu had come to take care of someone, not to compromise his principles.
Don't look at things you shouldn't.
"Eager to get inside already? Fine then, go ahead."
With a hoarse chuckle, Masuzu stepped awkwardly aside, as if inviting him in.
Yet the moment she moved away from the door, her legs turned to jelly and she staggered sideways, nearly collapsing onto the floor.
The reason it was only "nearly" was because Yuu quickly reached out and caught her before she fell.
"Seriously, has your body gotten this bad?"
Supporting her felt like holding warm, soft clay. Yuu propped up her arm with his left hand, while the back of his right hand gently touched her forehead.
Though he couldn't tell the exact temperature, her forehead burned alarmingly hot.
"Ahhaha, I accidentally overdid it..."
Masuzu went completely limp, leaning heavily against him. Behind her mask, she offered a wry smile. "I only meant to fake a mild flu, didn't expect to end up as a seriously ill patient."
"So this was actually your trick?"
Saying this, Yuu wrapped an arm around her light, feverish body and carried her toward the nearest sofa.
After carefully laying her down, he removed his jacket and covered her with it, then returned to the entrance to pick up the plastic bag he'd set down earlier. From inside, he pulled out a box of cold medicine.
"Have you taken any medicine yet? If not, take this. It's pretty effective."
"I don't wanna~"
She lowered her mask and buried her face under the jacket, mumbling indistinctly while continuing to pant weakly in discomfort.
Just as Yuu turned to walk toward the kitchen, he suddenly stopped mid-step.
"If you refuse, I'll go out and buy suppositories."
He smiled, but his tone was so serious it was frightening.
"..."
The girl curled up on the sofa froze. Then, with great effort, she sat upright and reached shakily for the cold medicine on the table.
"Don't get the wrong idea... It's not that I'm afraid of suppositories. It's just... I don't have the strength left to open the door and help you climb upstairs." Masuzu struggled to speak.
Perhaps due to the fever, her pale skin—from her neck up to her ears—was flushed red, making her look delicate and oddly alluring.
"The misunderstanding is way off base." Muttering this, Yuu averted his gaze and walked into the kitchen. "I'll get some water. Just rest."
"Ah, the glasses are in..." Masuzu finally managed to croak out a delayed response.
But Yuu had already disappeared from the living room, taking even the supermarket plastic bag with him into the kitchen.
A short while later, Yuu emerged with a glass of water, sat down on the empty sofa beside her, and picked up the remote to turn up the heat.
Masuzu took the glass, eyeing him with slight confusion.
"...Why do I feel like you know my house better than I do?"
Yuu replied casually, "Don't worry about small details. Take your medicine and get proper rest. I'll make you some porridge... Oh, by the way, do you have a thermometer?"
"No. This is the first time I've had a fever since moving here."
Yuu frowned slightly, speaking in a mildly scolding tone, like an older sibling lecturing a younger one: "Didn't you ever think about what difficulties you might face living alone? No medicine, no thermometer—were you planning to just lie in bed and wait for the fever to break on its own? And there's barely any food in the house—how do you expect to get proper nutrition?"
Her rosy cheeks puffed slightly as Masuzu muttered petulantly, "...You sound like a nagging housewife."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing~ I get it, I'll remember to buy those things next time!"
Masuzu clearly used a lot of energy just to raise her voice. Her expression instantly grew weary again; she coughed twice painfully, nearly dropping the glass.
Yuu could say nothing more. He silently watched her swallow the pills with water, her movements weak and utterly unlike her usual self.
Her slender throat moved as she gulped, then she exhaled in relief, placed the glass on the table, and reached her hands toward him.
"Alright, carry me to bed."
Yuu stood up, ignoring her clingy, pleading posture. "You're staying here. You can go to bed after eating porridge."
Masuzu's brows furrowed slightly. "I'm cold."
"The heater's already on full blast, and you've got my jacket as a blanket. Where exactly are you cold?"
"My body was cold earlier—now it's my heart." Masuzu sighed, punctuated by another cough, her face drooping. "It seems... you don't love me anymore. That's fine. Just leave me to live and die alone in this house."
"...She's resorting to emotional manipulation now."
Yuu rolled his eyes, too tired to waste words. Without hesitation, he scooped her up from the sofa. "Fine. Show me the way. Your room isn't as easy to find as a glass."
As for how he carried her—it was naturally the classic princess carry, easiest for lifting and setting down.
If anything, carrying this silver-haired girl, light as a feather, was effortless. With his current strength, he could probably carry Haruno just as easily, right?
"Through that door."