Chapter 22

Kenji was at home, away from where he should be. Luckily for all of them, Mamoru could help that day, allowing him to stay at home. The reason currently rested on the second floor.

On the first floor, Kenji poured the warm chicken porridge he had ordered into a bowl. He appreciated how quickly the driver delivered it, the porridge still warm when it arrived. The sweet smell wafted into the air. Kenji hoped the smell would help her with her appetite. He certainly wanted some.

I mean…

Kenji looked left and right. With a clean spoon, he scooped up a small portion and took a bite. Delicious.

I should order this again sometime.

The metal spoon let out a clang as it hit the sink. Kenji then poured warm water into a cup. 

She has been working hard. She deserved this much.

Pain struck his chest. Just a few more days before she would return to the mainland. A few more days before the end of summer.

I… don’t want summer to end.

Not because there was no school, not because he could play around all day.

But because Tsukiko was there.

Tsukiko had received her grandparents’ inheritance. She had the means to get her life back in order. Kenji had no right to stop her.

Kenji shook his head. Any more thinking and the porridge would go cold. He put the bowl and the cup onto a tray, then headed up the stairs toward the second floor. He hit the door with his elbow, and it responded with a dull thud. 

“Come in,” a weak voice came from inside. 

Carefully balancing the tray, Kenji pushed the door open. Tsukiko appeared from underneath her sheets, staring at Kenji, looking a bit dazed. She had an ice pack on her forehead and a mask covering her mouth.

“How are you doing?” Kenji asked, setting the tray on the bedside table. 

"Don't know..."

Kenji took the thermometer and aimed it at her head. 

“37.9°.”

“Not better…” she whispered. 

The last few days were tough, with a lot of customers coming in and out of the cafe. Despite leaving soon, Tsukiko worked hard regardless. She did her absolute best. Whether taking orders, explaining the menu, washing plates, or packing items. Any job they gave them, she did it without complaining. No wonder she got sick. Maybe she wanted to say ‘thank you’.

I guess it’s my fault as well…

“Sorry. I thought I would be fine.”

“Don’t worry about it. Eat this, it’s delicious.”

“How are you supposed to know? You didn’t taste it.”

Kenji averted his eyes. The smell was simply too delicious to resist.

“... Indirect kiss?”

“I used a different spoon!” Kenji said, half-shouting.

“I wouldn’t mind,” Tsukiko chuckled.

“You should absolutely mind!"

“We did that all the time, didn’t we? Sharing ice cream… drinking each other’s juice-”

“Yeah, when we were children. We had zero thought regarding hygiene back then! Besides, you're sick. Doing so would make your condition worse.”

Tsukiko let out another chuckle. The cold must be messing with her mind.

“Just eat.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Don’t be like that. You need some strength.”

“I’ll just vomit it all anyway.”

“That’s all the more reason to eat something. Come on, don’t be a child.”

She pulled the blanket over her face, but she lost most of her strength, and Kenji easily pulled the blanket down.

“Come on.”

Tsukiko shook her head. Kenji sighed. There must be a way to convince her to eat. 

...

Another memory came from his past. Something that worked when she was little. It wouldn't work now, would it?

“I’ll feed you.”

“...”

She forced herself up to sit, lowered her mask, and opened her mouth.

“Fwoosh…” Kenji made airplane noises, ‘flying’ the spoon in front of her mouth.

“You told me a few seconds ago that I’m not a child,” Tsukiko said, but opened her mouth anyway. The plane entered the hangar and unloaded all its cargo. It took off once again, fetching more stuff.

“Here, open wide.”

Tsukiko let Kenji feed her.

“Did you make this?” she asked after the third scoop.

Kenji shook his head. “I ordered it online.”

“No wonder.”

As much as Kenji wanted to deny it, his sister was right. He couldn’t make anything delicious. Tsukiko’s words weren't an insult. It was a simple fact.

His sister likes to exaggerate things. No, whatever he made wouldn’t kill anyone.

Probably not.

“... I’m making trouble for everyone.”

“That’s not true at all.”

The pain in his chest returned, and he struggled for air. He put his left hand on his chest, hiding it from her eyes with the bowl. 

He wanted to say it. He wanted to say how much Tsukiko brightened up his days, how much her presence made her happy.

How he enjoyed this simple act of taking care of her.

But that would sound creepy. That would make her dislike him, and he didn’t want that.

Worse, that might make her feel obligated to stay. Kenji understood that, in reality, his words didn’t have that power. No matter how much he begged, Tsukiko wouldn’t stay here. Yet, maybe it was his deepest wish; he wanted her to go along with him.

To stay here, remaining a part of their team.

“Sorry. But… I guess it's obligatory.” Tsukiko’s words pulled him out of his thoughts. She stared at the porridge. Despite her complaints, she didn’t resist when he fed her.

“Obligatory?”

“Everyone has them. Cold scenes.”

Kenji couldn't wrap his head around what Tsukiko meant.

“They’re a must-have, you know.”

“Porridge?”

“That as well.”

She finished the meal. Kenji gave her some warm water. As she took a sip, Kenji went to a cabinet next to the wardrobe, where he put all the medicine.

“You’ll feel better once you eat this.”

He popped one out of its packaging and dropped it into Tsukiko’s hand. Tsukiko threw the small white pill into her mouth, then she drank some water with it, letting it go down her throat.

“Get some rest. Don’t think about anything. Amaya asked me to tell you that she’s doing fine.”

“It’s a Sunday…”

“Mamoru is helping. You don’t have to worry.”

“Oh… Now I’m making more trouble,” she said, her head listing to the side.

“N- No… you’re not…”

Tsukiko stared into his eyes. “Are… you sure?”

Kenji choked. He must say it. He must.

Kenji shook his head.

“… So I really am making trouble.”

“I- I didn’t mean that-“

“Just messing with you.” Tsukiko chuckled. “Guess these kinds of stuff mean there’s some good progress?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing.” Tsukiko rested her head on her pillow, looking up at Kenji. “But… Kenji, seriously. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“I hadn’t done anything.”

“You just don’t realize it.”

I… didn’t realize it? What did I not realize?

As Kenji stared at her, Tsukiko settled back into her bed, about to go back to sleep.

“Alright, I’ll wait outside-“

Right as Kenji turned around, he felt a faint tug on his hand. Tsukiko’s left hand holding his right. Her hand was warm, her grip the farthest thing from tight. Kenji turned back. Tsukiko eyed him with her sleepy eyes.

“Kenji… Stay with me.”

Kenji pulled the chair next to the bed and sat down, holding Tsukiko’s fist with both his hands.

“... You’re still warm, just rest.”

“Yeah…” Tsukiko turned her eyes up to the ceiling. “... This… reminds me… of when I was little.”

“...”

“Even back then… You’ve taken care of me… a lot.”

Tsukiko didn’t have the strongest body when she was little. She got sick every couple of months. During times when she lost her strength, Kenji would come to her home. He would bring snacks, printouts, and toys to her.

“You… always kept me company.”

“I… I’m doing what anyone else would do.”

As her close friend, it was Kenji’s responsibility. Had Amaya been there, she would have done the same thing. Had Mamoru been there, he would have done the same thing.

“But… it was you who came to visit.”

“... Just rest.”

“You kept me company, you told me stories, you stayed by my side while I slept.”

Kenji caught his breath. She knew. How could she know? Did her grandparents tell her about that?

“Well, anyone else would have done that. In the end, what I did was nothing compared to what your grandparents do.”

“... You… Grandpa… Grandma… All care deeply about me.”

Tsukiko coughed. Kenji panicked, looking for water. The cup from before was empty.

“Wait here!”

Kenji sprinted down to the kitchen, refilled the cup with warm water, then sprinted back up, almost tripping on the stairs. He gave Tsukiko the cup.

“Thank you.” She pulled herself up and took a sip.

“When I was back in the city… no one came to visit me when I got a cold.” Tsukiko smiled wryly before pulling up her mask. “My boss did drop off some fruits… along with work.”

“That… sounds terrible.” Kenji received the cup back from her. "The same one we saw the other day?"

"Yeah. Heard he had a couple of houses. At the very least, he didn’t force me to come to the office.”

Her eyes wandered off for a moment before returning to Kenji. “Kenji…”

“Yeah?”

“... My boss called me back,” Tsukiko said. “... But... you already knew, didn't you?”

Kenji tensed up, then averted his eyes. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright. I plan on telling you eventually.”

“So… have you decided?”

He knew the answer, yet he asked the question anyway. What does some words easier to say than others? Why did this one rolled off his tongue no problem?

Tsukiko continued staring at him, drilling into his soul. He could see the conflicting emotions within her gaze, but couldn’t understand what they truly meant. Was it a sense of doubt? Did it contain some sort of expectation? What did she want him to say?

Maybe she was trying to say her goodbyes?

“I have until the end of summer to decide.”

“Yeah…”

“... This time… I want to make the correct decision.”