Arina Hashimoto had taken leave today, and Shirakawa Natsu had assumed this meant he might get to enjoy some romantic moments with her. But clearly, he had been thinking too much. After breakfast, Arina—her face flushed crimson—practically pushed him out the door.
The morning sun was already strong, and the heat had begun to settle in. Natsu tried to keep to the shade, walking beneath trees and hugging the shadows of buildings. Thanks to the Tauren Heart he had recently acquired, he no longer felt winded after only a few steps. His movements were lighter, his breath no longer labored.
Only through the experience of pain can one truly appreciate the value of health.
Back in his ward, he sent a message to Arina to let her know he was safe. After straightening the bed, he collapsed onto it, raising a hand to block the sunlight streaming through the window, and allowed himself to rest.
Last night, determined not to waste the stamina potion, he had exhausted Arina until she fainted, then continued on his own for some time. Even with the potion's boost, he felt drained now.
He had barely rested when the sunlight dimmed against his hand. Someone had stepped between him and the window. Startled, Natsu uncovered his face—and froze.
The sun was setting outside, painting the sky in red and gold. A tall, silver-haired figure stood beside his bed, framed against the fading light. The glow made it difficult to see her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably feminine, with a graceful figure that drew the eye.
"Sorry to bother you."
The woman's voice carried a strange familiarity, making Natsu jolt upright on the bed. Blinking in confusion, he realized he had slept through most of the day.
Then he turned his gaze fully to the silver-haired visitor——and his blood ran cold.
"Kimura Sakae…?"
He nearly bit his tongue on the name. The shock sent a chill through his whole body. His mind raced in panic, and his first instinct was to pat down his trousers—thankfully still in place and buttoned. He let out a shaky sigh of relief, then frowned.
"What are you doing here?"
Their relationship was complicated, strained at best. There was no reason for Sakae to visit him in the hospital. A terrible thought struck him—had all the bullying warped Sakae's nature, making him act more and more feminine? The idea unsettled him deeply.
"I only came to thank you," Sakae replied, settling gracefully into the chair by the bed. "For bringing happiness to Arina."
Unlike his brash and reckless past self, there was now an elegance in the way he carried himself, each gesture deliberate.
"…Uh."
Natsu's eyes twitched. Out of the corner of his vision, he noticed the bouquet of carnations on the bedside table. In Japan, carnations were often given as blessings—to friends marrying soon, or to patients recovering from illness. Which meaning applied here? He couldn't tell, but something about it felt off.
"You once told me that you would be the one to make Youcai happy." Sakae's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice calm and unnerving. "But now I think you're the one who suits her better. Because you will make her happy."
He spoke slowly, almost ceremonially. "Compared to wealth or status, your bond comes from the heart. You draw strength from one another. And you use love to conquer reason."
"…Huh?" Natsu was at a loss. This way of speaking was strange—unnatural, not like normal conversation at all. "That's not what you said before. Your values are shifting way too fast."
"This is simply what I've observed in you." Sakae smiled faintly. "Of course, I'll continue to watch. I want to see what fruit this love of yours will bear. And so, Shirakawa-kun… you've become very interesting to me."
His gaze was so intense that Natsu instinctively curled in on himself, clutching protectively at his lap. He scooted back until his spine pressed against the headboard, as though that frail barrier could shield him.
He'd seen this plot before—some twisted story where the victimized rival turned into a woman, seduced the bully, and destroyed him from the inside out. NTR at its worst. Natsu shuddered. Surely Sakae didn't plan on taking things that far.
But the longer he looked, the more unnerved he became. Sakae's appearance was no longer simply "androgynous." No—seen in this light, he was entirely indistinguishable from a beautiful woman. Worse, there was a dangerous allure in him, an atmosphere that compelled attention like a magnet.
The tension in the room thickened. Then—
Footsteps hurried down the hallway. The door burst open, and Arina Hashimoto appeared, panting as though she had sprinted the entire way.
Her eyes swept the room. Seeing Natsu obediently seated on the bed and not in any confrontation, she visibly relaxed, her shoulders easing.
"Sorry," she said, turning to Sakae. "I heard from a nurse that a silver-haired beauty had gone into Xia's ward… so I came to check."
But as she spoke, her gaze lingered on Sakae. The sight of her childhood friend, now even more stunning than before, left her with a complicated feeling she couldn't quite name.
Earlier that afternoon, she had been napping. Waking up, she'd glanced at the hospital staff chat group, only to find someone had posted a photo of a mysterious silver-haired beauty visiting a ward. Her first thought had been annoyance—who was this woman Natsu knew? But the more she looked, the more her heart sank. Wasn't this her childhood friend?
Her next fear was that the two of them might be about to fight—over her. Despite her own discomfort, she rushed here immediately.
Yet now that she was here… the atmosphere wasn't hostile at all.
Still, one thought rang loud in her chest: I was the one who came first.
"Sister Youcai, are you feeling alright?" Natsu asked, frowning at her pallor.
"I'm fine," Arina answered quickly, shaking off her stray emotions. She crossed to his bedside, sat down, and took his hand in hers. Somehow, her instincts screamed a warning at her—an unease toward Sakae she couldn't explain.
Natsu noticed the ring he had given her yesterday glinting on her finger.
"I had a good talk with Shirakawa-san," Sakae said smoothly, watching them. "He's a reliable man."
"Yes," Arina whispered, her cheeks flushing. She squeezed Natsu's hand tighter, deliberately raising her left hand so the ring was visible. Her gaze softened as she looked at him. "Xia has a very manly side. I feel… I could spend my whole life with him."
"…I see." Sakae nodded slightly, then pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to Natsu. "It seems I'm not needed here. This is my card. If you need help, you may contact me."
With that, he stood, gave a polite bow, and walked out.
As soon as the door closed, Arina let go of Natsu's hand and turned away, her face scarlet. She rushed to explain: "When I said 'manly,' I wasn't talking about last night!"
"Oh? So not last night?" Natsu teased, pulling her into an embrace from behind. "Then when?"
"Go away!" she sputtered, pushing at his chest. But he caught her hand before she could slip away.
"Sister Youcai," he murmured, "can you stay with me tonight?"
She shook free and headed toward the door. Just as Natsu thought she was rejecting him, she turned back, cheeks aflame.
"There'll be another round of ward checks later… I'll come back tonight."
And then she hurried out, leaving him smiling at her retreating figure.
"…Unexpectedly cute," he whispered.
Out in the corridor, Arina covered her face with her hands. Hopeless. I'm an adult, yet I can't bring myself to refuse him.
Her blush deepened when two nurses passed by. She spun toward the window, pretending to admire the scenery.
"Did you see that silver-haired beauty who came to visit the handsome patient earlier?" one nurse whispered to the other.
"Yes, she was stunning. Such elegance, too." Her friend's eyes sparkled, then dimmed with regret. "It's such a shame… that handsome guy doesn't have much time left."
"Yes. He's so hardworking, too—always reading or sketching, never troubling anyone."
"God really isn't fair."
Their voices faded as they walked past. One of them noticed Arina and brightened. "Doctor Hashimoto? Weren't you on leave today?"
Arina turned with a gentle smile. "There are still some tasks unfinished. I'll be working overtime tonight."
"If it's not urgent, you could ask us for help," the younger nurse offered. "You don't look well."
"Thank you," Arina said, shaking her head. "But it's fine. I can manage."
"Then please take care," they replied before moving on.
Arina returned to her office. She pulled out Natsu's file, read through every word carefully, then rested her head on the desk, hands covering her face.
Meanwhile, Natsu lay in bed, speaking quietly on the phone with Yazhikui.
"Help me arrange hospitalization. Pick the best hospital in Tokyo," he instructed. "Not a transfer—discharge first, then readmission."
They discussed the details a little longer before he hung up.
His condition had improved too much. If he stayed here, it would raise suspicion. Even if he moved hospitals, someone observant might still find out—but for now, secrecy was everything. He had to reduce the risk of exposure.
That night, when the ward had gone quiet, Arina slipped back into his room. She crawled into the bed beside him, their bodies pressed close. His chest felt heavy from the weight—but it was a warmth he cherished.
Her arms tightened around him.
"…Sister Youcai? Did something happen?" he asked softly, sensing her uncharacteristic silence.
She raised her head from his chest.
"Xia…" Her voice trembled. "Let's run away. Just the two of us. To somewhere far, far away."