Early the next morning, a sharp pain shot through Fujiwara Chiya's head.
He had already had a bad feeling about this yesterday, and sure enough, the moment he opened his eyes, the punishment of a hangover arrived.
"Time to get up, Chiya."
As usual, Akikawa Yayoi came to wake him, and also to take a look at her younger brother's sleepy appearance. But when she entered the room, what she saw was a naked man burying his head in the blanket, writhing like a worm.
"Are you refusing to get up?"
"My head… hurts a little."
"Did you catch a cold?"
Hearing this, Akikawa Yayoi jumped onto the bed and touched his forehead.
It was not hot.
"Could it be a migraine? Rest for a while and it should get better. I'll get you a glass of water."
She pulled the blanket over Fujiwara Chiya again, then pattered off toward the kitchen with her small footsteps.
Ever since Fujiwara Chiya started living with Akikawa Yayoi, he had never been late again. Whenever he said he was feeling unwell, Akikawa Yayoi did not even need to confirm it before giving him half a day off. Sometimes, she would simply work from home, then come back at noon to cook for him.
This kind of life was good.
No, it was a little too good.
Fujiwara Chiya was afraid he would start becoming dependent on Akikawa Yayoi. Even if she was his older sister, being cared for like this every day was still troubling enough. Besides, there should be some distance between siblings. At this point, he was practically cohabiting with Akikawa Yayoi.
No, it was already cohabitation.
The only thing missing was sharing the same room.
When Akikawa Yayoi came back with the water, Fujiwara Chiya asked,
"Director, when will my supervision period end?"
Akikawa Yayoi's face visibly collapsed.
"What's wrong, Chiya? Are you dissatisfied with this place?"
"I am satisfied…"
"Then why do you want to go back?"
"I feel bad always troubling you, Director. If I rely on you for everything, I won't be able to accept it."
"You helped me cook, didn't you?"
"Only once."
Akikawa Yayoi placed the water on the bedside table and sat beside Fujiwara Chiya.
"Even if it was only once, it helped a lot. You don't need to think about whether you're troubling me. I actually like taking care of people, so just obediently live here. Don't think about going back. If you really want to leave, I can let you go back for one day, but you have to return tomorrow."
Now Akikawa Yayoi was not even pretending anymore.
She was openly refusing to let him leave.
If he was not troubling her, then Fujiwara Chiya did not really mind. After all, this place was several times more comfortable than his dorm room. But what was the reason the Director did not want him to leave?
Because he was her younger brother in that unspeakable relationship?
Or was there another reason?
And if the Director kept refusing to let him go, their relationship would also keep changing.
When he first came here, Akikawa Yayoi had still been a little polite with him. But now, the two of them often had zero-distance contact. For example, she would often run over to him in pajamas and lie beside him to watch movies. Sometimes, she would even crawl under the blanket and scare him.
And when they sat on the sofa, Akikawa Yayoi would take off her shoes, place her feet on his thighs, and ask him to massage them.
Of course, Akikawa Yayoi also massaged Fujiwara Chiya's back, and during meals, she would even feed him.
How should he put it?
It felt even more like a girlfriend than a girlfriend.
If they were teenagers, that would have been fine. But they were both already in their twenties. If things continued like this, was Akikawa Yayoi planning to spend the rest of her life with him?
That was not good, right?
They were siblings.
Although they were not related by blood, surely their family affection would not deteriorate into something else.
Looking at Akikawa Yayoi's resolute attitude beside him, Fujiwara Chiya drank some water.
"…It's fine if I go back occasionally, right?"
"That's fine."
Akikawa Yayoi patted his head.
"Rest for a while first. Your office has an assistant trainer anyway. As her superior, it's fine if you go in a little late."
The Director is starting to teach me how to abuse privilege.
That big-mouthed assistant trainer will probably go around saying I skipped work if I show up late.
Forget it. If I skip, I skip.
My head really hurts.
Under the Director's watch, Fujiwara Chiya lay back down, closed his eyes, and fell asleep again. In his dream, he felt someone touching him the whole time. By the time he woke up, it was already nearly noon.
Akikawa Yayoi brought the food she had prepared to him, and Fujiwara Chiya ate one bite at a time.
"Eat slowly. Ahh~"
"Ahh~"
The two of them began feeding each other again.
No!
Fujiwara Chiya, who was gradually starting to enjoy being cared for by the Director, suddenly came to his senses.
If this continued, sooner or later, he would be spoiled into a useless person by the Director!
Fujiwara Chiya snatched the spoon, finished the food, and immediately requested to wash the plates. After that, he changed clothes and went to school.
"Trainer, what were you doing all morning?"
Gold Ship stood in front of his desk and shouted.
"I was searching for the meaning of life."
"Isn't the meaning of life to continue life? Did Trainer go create new life? With who? It wasn't the Director, was it? If it was, then our plan is already halfway successful."
"Shut up, Gold Ship. The Director and I are innocent. In her eyes, I'm probably just a child."
"A child… So it's that kind of nurturing play. Then you'd better be careful, Trainer. If you really get raised like that, you'll never grow up again."
"Stop inventing nonsense terms. If you have something to say, say it."
"You're so impatient. Then I'll get straight to the point. I found a way for you and Shirayuki to go on a date!"
Immediately after one absurd matter came another absurd matter.
"Yesterday, I tried to steal Trainer away, but Shirayuki desperately protected you from me! I believe Shirayuki deserves great credit for protecting her master and should be heavily rewarded."
"Are you really qualified to say that…"
"I did it all for you, Trainer. This way, you have a reason to take Shirayuki out, right? Isn't that so, assistant trainer?"
Gold Ship looked toward the red figure sitting nearby.
"Indeed. I was thinking the same thing."
"Darley? When did you get here?"
"I was here the whole time."
"Hah? When I came in, there was clearly no one here."
"I was organizing the bookshelf. Trainer probably didn't see me. Of course, I also think it's possible that Trainer skipped work all morning, left everything to me, and felt too guilty to greet me."
"I, uh… didn't…"
"Skipped work? Trainer, you clearly said you went to seek the great harmony of life. You lied to me!"
Gold Ship accused him with righteous indignation.
Strange.
Before Gold Ship arrived, there really was no one here.
Did my eyes deceive me?
Or is something wrong with my head?
"Listen to me, Trainer. Among everyone, Shirayuki is the one who receives the least attention from you. She has clearly helped Trainer so much, yet you neglect her completely. Even I feel it's unfair for Shirayuki! Trainer, where is your conscience?"
"How are you…"
"I think so too, Trainer."
Darley also spoke from the side.
"That child Shirayuki has done so much for you. Shouldn't you give her something in return?"
The two of them echoed each other, leaving Fujiwara Chiya unable to refute them.