When I opened my eyes, my head felt heavy and foggy. My throat burned, and my whole body was weighed down with fatigue. The worst.
“Ugh… I caught a cold…”
I mumbled in a raspy voice, curling up under the covers. On days like this, I somewhat regretted not living alone.
“Mana, are you okay?”
A voice called out from beyond the door.
“…Saki?”
It was my roommate, Saki. We were university classmates who ended up living together by chance after our apartment hunts aligned. We weren’t especially close—just kept a respectful distance with only the bare minimum of conversation.
“You’ve got a fever, right? I’ll make something for you. Hang tight.”
“…Huh?”
Before I could even register my surprise, I heard her bustling off to the kitchen. A few minutes later, a gentle aroma began to waft into the room.
“…Congee?”
“Yep. Think you can eat?”
Saki entered the room holding a small tray—steaming rice porridge, a spoon, a bottle of sports drink, and a cooling gel patch. Her usual cool expression hadn’t changed, but her eyes seemed just a little softer.
“Surprised?”
She gave a faint smile as she placed the tray on the desk.
“Well… yeah. A little.”
“Didn’t feel right to just leave someone sick alone, you know?”
Her words were detached, but her actions were incredibly careful. She picked up the spoon, scooped some congee, and blew gently on it.
“Here. Eat.”
“Ah… okay.”
I opened my mouth as she instructed. The mildly salted porridge slid down my throat and spread warmth through my chilled body.
“…It’s delicious.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Saki gave a small nod of satisfaction, then reached for the cooling patch.
“I’m gonna put this on your forehead.”
The cool sensation touched my skin, followed by her fingers softly pressing it in place. The gentle motion made my heart skip a beat.
“You’re… surprisingly good at this.”
“Better than you, at least.”
She chuckled quietly and pulled the blanket over me, tucking it around my shoulders with a soft touch.
“Get some sleep and get better soon.”
Her gentle voice lit a small, warm glow in my chest.
Saki—always so aloof, curt, even cold at times. But now, seeing her take care of me like this, she felt unexpectedly kind. Warm, even.
Maybe… this is who she really was.
I wanted the cold to go away soon—but just for today, I wished I could stay like this a little longer.
A few days later, now fully recovered, I stood in the kitchen facing a pot.
“…What are you doing?”
Saki peeked in with a puzzled look.
“Making congee.”
“…Huh?”
“Well, you took care of me when I was sick, right?”
Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she gave a soft smile.
“I see. I’ll look forward to it, then.”
Her smile made my heart flutter again.
In just one week, I felt like the distance between us had shrunk a little.
