After that, when everyone stepped out of the restaurant together, this time no one split into separate groups. All of them walked side by side, talking to each other along the way. Their voices blended into a light, friendly chatter as they headed home together.
Continuing like this, they eventually reached the house.
One by one, they entered inside. Mizuki was the last to come in. Suddenly, something felt wrong. A sharp pain began to rise in her stomach. The pain grew so intense that she couldn't keep standing. She slowly lowered herself and sat down right there in the hallway, holding herself as she tried to endure it.
Hina, who was just ahead of her, noticed this and immediately rushed back to her side.
"Mizuki, what happened?" she asked with worry in her voice.
When Arashi saw this, he couldn't stay still for even a moment. His expression quickly filled with concern as he hurried toward her as well.
He anxiously asked, "What's going on? Are you okay?"
Even though she was clearly in pain, Mizuki tried to answer calmly.
"It's nothing… just a little pain. It'll be fine," she said, trying to brush it off.
After that, Ayane and Hina together supported her and carefully helped her inside.
After things finally settled down, Arashi quickly went to get some stomach medicine. He returned in a hurry, bringing it with a glass of water and handing it to Mizuki.
Mizuki looked at him and gave a small smile.
"Arashi, don't worry. I'm fine. It's just a little pain from working all day. I'll be okay," she said gently, trying to reassure him.
When Arashi heard that, he let out a quiet breath and replied,
"Okay… take this. I won't worry."
After that, Takumi spoke up with a concerned tone,
"Mizuki, if you weren't feeling well, you should've told us. We wouldn't have gone out. You pushed yourself just for our little bit of fun."
Miyu nodded in agreement.
"Takumi's right. You should have told us."
Mizuki replied softly,
"No, I'm really fine. Completely fine. Look, after taking the medicine, the pain has already lessened."
But the moment she finished saying that, her vision suddenly darkened. The world around her seemed to fade, and she collapsed unconscious.
Everyone immediately gathered around her in panic, calling her name, but Mizuki couldn't remember anything after that.
Sometime later, Mizuki slowly opened her eyes. She found herself lying on a bed. A cold, wet cloth rested on her forehead, bringing a faint cooling sensation.
When she turned her head to the side, she saw Arashi sitting nearby. His attention wasn't on her yet. He was leaning forward slightly, holding his head and looking down, as if deep in worry or thought.
Seeing this, Mizuki quietly thought to herself that she should have just gone home earlier. She felt guilty for worrying Arashi so much and realized he must have been very troubled because of her.
Then her gaze shifted toward the window. Sunlight was streaming into the room. When she noticed the brightness, she realized it wasn't night anymore — it was already morning.
Surprised, Mizuki slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position. The slight movement made a soft sound, which caught Arashi's attention. He immediately looked at her and quickly stood up.
"Stay lying down. Don't get up," he said at once, his voice filled with concern.
Mizuki looked at him and replied,
"No… it's already morning."
Arashi glanced toward the window as well, noticing the sunlight.
"Yeah… I didn't even realize," he said quietly.
Mizuki then asked,
"What happened after I fainted?"
Arashi explained calmly,
"When you lost consciousness, Miyu and Hina carried you to my bedroom. After that, everyone stayed here with you. Miyu has an uncle who's a doctor, so we called him. He checked on you and gave the medicine you took."
Hearing this, Mizuki lowered her gaze slightly and said,
"I'm sorry… I became a burden on all of you."
Arashi responded immediately, his tone firm but gentle,
"No. Don't think like that at all. You're not a burden to anyone."
After that, Arashi brought her a bowl of soup from the table beside her and handed it to her.
"Here," he said gently, his voice soft and careful. "The doctor said you'd regain consciousness by morning, so I made this for you. I just prepared it, and it's still warm."
Mizuki looked at the soup, and for a moment, words failed her. The steam rising from the bowl curled in the morning sunlight, carrying the faint aroma of herbs and spices. She could feel the warmth radiating from it even before she touched it. Her chest tightened slightly, overwhelmed by a mix of gratitude and embarrassment at how much effort Arashi had put in.
"Wow… it looks really delicious," she finally said, her voice soft and almost breathless. She couldn't help but stare a little longer, as if just looking at the soup could somehow absorb the care and thought behind it.
Then, after a moment's pause, she added quietly, "Thank you… for the food." She lifted the bowl carefully and took her first sip. The warmth spread slowly through her chest, easing the last remnants of pain. It was comforting in a way that went beyond mere nourishment—it felt like a small shield against the lingering weakness she felt in her body.
Arashi watched her closely, making sure she took her time and didn't strain herself. His eyes flicked between her face and the soup, a mixture of relief and quiet worry written across his features.
After finishing a few sips, Mizuki finally lifted her gaze and asked, "Where is everyone else?"
Arashi pointed downward. "Look down there," he said softly.
Mizuki glanced toward the floor and saw Miyu, Hina, and Ayane sleeping peacefully. Their faces were relaxed, calm, untouched by the previous tension and worry. The sight made her heart ache with guilt and gratitude all at once.
"What… what are they doing?" she asked in surprise, her voice barely above a whisper.
"They stayed awake for you," Arashi explained, his tone steady but warm. "Since they couldn't sleep, I let them rest right here where I made the place for them… and they ended up falling asleep."
Mizuki's hand instinctively went to her chest. She felt the weight of their care pressing on her, and a soft warmth bloomed in her chest. "I… I didn't mean to trouble anyone," she murmured, her gaze lingering on their sleeping faces.
"The others? Satoru, Takumi, and Ren?" she asked after a moment, curiosity piqued.
"They're in the lounge," Arashi replied. His expression softened as he spoke, almost like he was trying to reassure her that everyone was alright, and she had nothing to worry about.
"Oh… but Arashi, why didn't you sleep?" she questioned, her voice light, but her eyes searching his for honesty.
Arashi tried to dodge the question with a small, awkward smile. "No, no… that's not true. I slept too," he said, though Mizuki could tell he wasn't being entirely honest.
Mizuki raised an eyebrow and gave him a sharp glare. "Really?" Her tone was teasing, but her eyes shone with genuine curiosity.
Arashi scratched the back of his neck, his ears tinged slightly red. "Well… I didn't sleep, actually. I just… couldn't."
Mizuki's lips curved into a small, playful smile. "Ohh… were you really that worried?" she teased, her voice soft and lilting.
Arashi's cheeks flushed a deeper red. He tried to shake it off with a quick laugh, but his hand lingered over his face. "No, no… that's not true at all," he said, though the faint tremor in his voice betrayed him.
Mizuki laughed softly, the sound light and musical. "I was just joking," she said, the warmth in her voice mingling with the residual sleepiness from the night before. Her eyes softened as she looked at him, realizing just how much he had cared.
Arashi leaned back slightly, exhaling, his tense shoulders relaxing a little. He studied her with quiet attentiveness, waiting for her to finish the soup, making sure she didn't rush herself. Mizuki noticed the small, protective gestures he made—the way he tilted the bowl slightly for her, the subtle glance to see if the soup was still warm, the gentle hum of his presence that made her feel safer than she had all night.
After a few more quiet moments, Mizuki finished the last spoonful and set the bowl down. The warmth had spread through her body, easing the fatigue and faint dizziness that lingered. She stretched slightly, feeling the comfort of the soft mattress beneath her. "I feel better now," she said quietly, a hint of relief in her tone.
Arashi gave a small nod, his lips curling into a subtle smile. "Good. I'm glad," he said simply. There was an unspoken depth to his words, a quiet acknowledgment of how fragile yet resilient she was.
Mizuki glanced around the room again, noticing how peaceful everything was—the sunlight spilling across the floor, the gentle rise and fall of her friends' sleeping bodies, the soft hum of the morning outside. She realized just how much effort everyone had put in to care for her, and a quiet wave of gratitude washed over her.
"I really… I'm sorry," she said softly, turning to Arashi. "I became such a burden on all of you."
Arashi shook his head gently, his voice calm but firm. "No. Don't think like that at all. You're not a burden to anyone. None of us think that way."
Mizuki's heart fluttered at his words. The weight of her guilt lifted slightly, replaced by warmth and a quiet happiness she hadn't expected to feel after such a rough night.