080. The Fujiwara Family Code

Rather than calling it a bath, Kanade Natsukawa's quick clean-up was closer to a mere wipe-down. Given the injuries on his back, he avoided unwrapping the bandages, limiting himself to wiping his arms and stomach.

But someone else didn't see it that way.

"Chika Fujiwara, don't you have even a shred of shame?" Kanade groaned, his voice dripping with exasperation. Seated on the stool beneath the showerhead, he turned around to see Chika standing in the bathroom doorway.

This was a bathroom! How could she just barge in like that?!

"Of course I do!" Chika huffed, her embarrassment tinged with determination. "It's just… as a Fujiwara, I have to live by our family's code: 'When you make a mistake, you must take responsibility!'"

Kanade raised an eyebrow, incredulous.

"Your back is hurt, so I came to help you clean it up! And I brought you a fresh towel!"

Dressed in a bathrobe and with her hair tied up in a loose knot, Chika stepped into the bathroom, holding out a pristine white towel.

Kanade quickly grabbed the towel and draped it over his lap, feeling slightly more at ease.

"I don't need your help. Just leave!"

"President, stop being stubborn! In situations like this, you need to be obedient!" Chika scolded, her hands on her hips as she struck a pose of authority. "If you leave your wound untreated, it could get infected and start oozing. That would hurt a lot, so I'll help you clean it."

"It's not that serious. A few days and—"

"Absolutely not!" Chika cut him off. "Leaving it untreated is just asking for trouble! Keeping it clean and changing the dressings often is the only way to avoid a deep infection."

Kanade was left speechless. How does she even know this stuff?

While "dry healing" was a valid method for minor wounds, where the wound is left to naturally scab and heal, it wasn't suitable for deeper injuries. Keeping the wound clean and maintaining hygiene was the better approach. Kanade wasn't entirely sure about the severity of his back injury, so he had opted for the dry-healing method. But Chika's insistence—and logic—were making it hard to argue.

"Fine. Just… be gentle," he muttered reluctantly.

"Leave it to me!" Chika said proudly, patting her chest. She dragged over a small stool and sat behind him.

"Give me the towel, I'll soak it for you."

"…Can't we use a fresh towel?"

"There aren't any extras! Unless you want to use mine—no way!" Chika's cheeks flushed as she crossed her arms in an exaggerated X.

"…" With no other option, Kanade handed over the towel he'd been using, sitting stiffly upright as Chika left to warm it up.

Before long, she returned and started unwrapping the bandages on his back.

"President, you should change clothes frequently and make sure to clean your back regularly," Chika lectured as she worked.

The bandages came off to reveal some lingering bloodstains, though the amount wasn't too alarming. His back injury seemed to be healing steadily, and with a few more weeks, it would likely recover completely.

"Ugh…" Kanade winced slightly as her cleaning pressed on a sensitive spot.

"Did that hurt? Sorry…"

"It's fine. Keep going." Kanade shook his head. He wasn't about to let a little pain stop him, though the sting had caught him off guard.

To his relief, Chika remained focused, diligently cleaning his back without pulling any antics.

"Done! Mission complete!" Chika announced triumphantly, standing up with a smug grin.

"Great. Now get out so I can take a proper bath."

"You haven't washed your hair yet! President, don't rush!"

"My back is hurt, not my hands! I can wash my own hair!" Kanade turned, his face dark with annoyance, and reached for the towel in her hands.

But Chika dodged nimbly, wagging a finger at him. "Nope! If you do it yourself, you might strain your injury. I just cleaned your back, so don't waste my hard work!"

"That has nothing to do with this. It's just a minor inconvenience. I can handle it—now give me the towel."

"No way!"

"Give it here."

The tension between them escalated as Kanade leaned forward to grab the towel, while Chika danced out of his reach, giggling mischievously. Neither seemed to remember they were in a bathroom.

Then it happened. Chika's foot slipped on the wet floor.

"Ah!"

Before she could fall, Kanade caught her, pulling her into his arms.

"You're not planning to mess with me again, are you?" Kanade asked dryly, looking down at her.

Chika's heart, which had been racing from the slip, calmed slightly at his deadpan tone.

"Idiot President!" she huffed, lightly pushing him away. She was about to retort further when she noticed Kanade's expression change. His face was turning redder by the second, and his eyes were wide with shock.

"…What?" Chika followed his gaze downward.

Her bathrobe had slipped off, pooling around her feet.

"…"

EEEEEEEK!

Chika's entire body turned crimson as she quickly crouched to the floor, crossing her arms over herself.

"D-Don't look! Turn around right now!" she wailed.

Kanade spun around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash.

"S-Sorry…" he muttered, his voice tense. His outward composure masked the internal chaos as his heart hammered wildly. His face burned, and he could feel his body reacting in ways he desperately tried to suppress.

"Calm down, it's just a mistake… a total accident…" Kanade repeated to himself.

But when no sound came from behind him, he glanced back cautiously—only to find the bathroom empty.

"…"

At least she could've left the towel.

Notes-Read advances chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X, i have finished uploading the whole series in patreon, a total of 274 chapters you can find it in the collections, thanks for supporting me and special thanks to all the patrons for joining