Chapter 31: Pretending to be sick is also a skill

hiina Mahiru bit her lip, lowering her head, and said nothing. How could she still look sweet and smile like she did when they first met? Instead, she now appeared like a small, wounded animal, drenched beneath the heavy rain. It made anyone who saw her feel a pang of sadness.

Renji Kamisaka sighed, a resigned breath laced with concern. He didn't ask any more questions. Without hesitation, he pressed the umbrella he held into Mahiru's hand, then turned to leave, stepping back into the heavy downpour.

"Go home quickly, Teacher Sengoku. Sayu is worried about you too," Renji called out, his voice a little hoarse from the rain hitting him.

Watching his soaked back disappear into the darkness and the pouring rain, a flicker of light finally ignited in Shiina Mahiru's previously vacant eyes. My cousin is worried about me, Sayu is worried about me, what about you, Renji? This question crossed her mind, but in that very instant, she found her answer. The umbrella in her hand and Renji's anxious expression moments ago had proven everything, more than words ever could.

The rain beat against the umbrella, creating a soothing rustling sound. A cold wind blew through her drenched school uniform, and Shiina Mahiru shivered involuntarily. But this slight chill unexpectedly made her laugh uncontrollably, a soft laugh tinged with emotion. What? There's still someone who cares about me. That idiot, couldn't he have just forced me to go? Instead, he had to give me the umbrella, then walk back into the rain alone.

"Go home," she whispered to herself, as if soothing her heart. Shiina Mahiru composed herself and quickened her pace back to Sakurasou. Upon arriving at the door, she saw Chihiro Sengoku standing there, waiting anxiously for her. Mahiru greeted her with a smile, a faint, genuine smile.

"I'm back, cousin."

Seeing her return, Chihiro Sengoku sighed in relief, her shoulders slumping. "It's good to have you back." She stepped closer, gently rubbing Mahiru's cold arm. "Go take a bath and change your clothes, don't catch a cold."

"Alright," Shiina Mahiru nodded obediently, folding the umbrella and putting it away. After grabbing a change of clothes, she went to the bathroom, leaving a trail of water on the floor.

Lying in the bathtub, Shiina Mahiru let the warm water envelop her body, yet her thoughts drifted to what her mother had said when she called her that afternoon. A clear tear fell uncontrollably from the corner of her eye, mixing with the steam.

Shiina Mahiru had always thought of herself as a strong girl. All this time, to gain her parents' approval, she worked hard to become and remain excellent. She was always the most dazzling person in her class, "the other kid" used as a comparison. She hoped her efforts to be a good and well-behaved child would attract her parents' attention. How wonderful it would be if Mom and Dad could come home and visit me once in a while, she thought bitterly.

However, none of that ever happened. Those two would only give her money. When she went home, they wouldn't comfort or care for her. They would only stay one night and leave quickly because they had work to do. She had left that empty house and come to Sakurasou, and was scolded for it. Her mother had even said she was an unwanted child. Neither her mother nor her father had expected her to be born. Yet she was still born. Because of her existence, those two couldn't divorce, so neither of them liked her.

With a heavy heart, Shiina Mahiru finished her bath, changed into clean pajamas, and drifted into an exhausted sleep.

The next day, Shiina Mahiru composed herself. She wanted to make breakfast as usual and go to school with the boy who made her feel so complicated. But Sayu Ogiwara sighed and said there was no need to prepare his lunch box today.

"Renji Kamisaka has a fever."

When she arrived at school, Shiina Mahiru seemed distracted. She remembered Renji Kamisaka, who had given her the umbrella and gone out into the heavy rain, then caught a cold. There was an inexplicable sour feeling in her heart, mixed with a piercing sense of guilt.

"That idiot..." She bit her lip and cursed inwardly. The sour feeling suddenly turned warm, an unexpected warmth.

Before she knew it, it was already afternoon. After class ended, Shiina Mahiru immediately returned to Sakurasou. Seeing Sayu Ogiwara mopping the floor, she couldn't help but ask.

"Eh, Sayu, where's Renji Kamisaka?"

Sayu Ogiwara looked at her with irritation, a small frown on her forehead. "He had a high fever, and it only subsided a little while ago. He's still lying down now." Sayu continued, her tone soft yet tinged with reproach, "Yesterday, when he saw you hadn't come home late at night, he looked everywhere for you. He couldn't find you at home, so he rushed out with an umbrella, and ended up coming back in the rain."

"I'm sorry... this is all because of me..." When Shiina Mahiru heard this, she couldn't help but lower her head deeply, guilt flooding over her.

"Why are you apologizing? He's stupid. He came back in the rain without even bringing an umbrella. Couldn't he have just held the umbrella and walked you home?" Sayu retorted, a little exasperated.

Shiina Mahiru lowered her head even further. She knew that Renji Kamisaka was considering her feelings and wanted her to calm down, so he had thrown the umbrella to her and left. It was a deliberate sacrifice.

"Can I go see him?" She carefully sought Sayu Ogiwara's opinion, her eyes hopeful but hesitant. Shiina Mahiru wasn't foolish. She had already found out that Sayu Ogiwara had spent the night in Renji Kamisaka's room.

Seeing the nervous yet somewhat stubborn Shiina Mahiru, Sayu Ogiwara smiled faintly and shook her head. "Why do you need my opinion? If you want to go, just go." She glanced towards Renji's room. "I think he'll be very happy if you visit him."

"Yeah... really..." Shiina Mahiru's cheeks grew hot, a rosy blush spreading across her face. What does Sayu mean?

"Okay, go ahead." Sayu Ogiwara pushed her directly to Renji Kamisaka's room door.

Shiina Mahiru took a deep breath, trying to calm her thundering heartbeat, then entered. She walked slowly to the bed. She saw Renji Kamisaka lying on the bed with a towel covering his forehead, seemingly in a deep sleep.

After thinking for a moment, she came to his bedside and raised her hand to remove the towel. With the back of her soft hand, she touched Renji's forehead. Good. His fever was gone. Shiina Mahiru sighed in relief, a weight lifted from her chest.

Suddenly, Renji Kamisaka grabbed her arm with lightning speed and pulled her into his embrace. The girl gasped in surprise, but he had already clasped her slender waist tightly in his arms.

"Sayu, don't leave, let me hold you," Renji mumbled, his voice hoarse from sleep and the lingering fever.

"Well... I'm not..." Shiina Mahiru blushed, her cheeks growing even redder. She wanted to push him away, but when she saw the faint look of pain on Renji's face, she stopped. It's all my fault he caught a cold. Just let him hug me for now, she decided, her guilt too strong. She stopped struggling, but her cheeks still burned with embarrassment. It was the first time she had been held so tightly by a boy.

How to put it. Because it's him, it doesn't feel annoying. This embrace made her feel incredibly warm, a warmth that was unfamiliar yet pleasant. This is what it feels like to be held by someone who cares about me. Shiina Mahiru's heart couldn't help but beat faster, thrumming in her chest. She was a little nervous. Unconsciously looking towards the door, she thought, How would I explain it if Sayu saw me?

However, the nervous Shiina Mahiru didn't know this. The man holding her was already beaming with joy, a faint smile etched on his lips. Faking sickness is also a technical job. But it's all worth it. Look, isn't Shiina Mahiru in my arms? Even in such a despicable way, taking advantage of her kindness and the guilt she felt, he held her like this. But Renji Kamisaka wanted to touch Shiina Mahiru's heart. Let my methods be despicable. As long as the result is good, it's fine.

He could tell Shiina Mahiru's cheeks were hot without needing to look. They were red all the way to her ears. She was a little shy. Although she understood that Renji Kamisaka was like this because he thought he was Sayu. But she felt very uncomfortable. This colored embryo. Even though he hasn't recovered from his illness, he's already preparing tools for his misdeeds. After all, it was a little scary.

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