After writing "Not Another Lonely Birthday" last time, I thought that I'd want to write more of it. And then this idea came so here. And maybe more sequel will come out in the future. For now that is a maybe and not a promise.
And since I do not want to make this A/N long, I'm putting info about my other updates or plans on my profile. If you're interested, you can check it out.
Lastly, like the usual, I hope you enjoy this!
Running towards the dorm's gate, the fashion design major and model Minami Kotori, is just minutes away to reach it before the curfew time. The lady guard watches Kotori as she almost trips in front of her.
"Minami-san, you almost did not make it again. And you sure brought home lots of stuffs again. Do I need to call Nishikino-san to help you?"
"Ah no! I can manage them myself. Thanks for your consideration."
She looked up to their room and saw that the lights are still on. Maki-chan must be studying late again.
"I'll be going up now Aikawa-san. Thanks for your hard work! Goodnight!"
"Goodnight to you too Minami-san!"
Kotori went up to their room and unlocked the door with her free hand. She found Maki lying her head on her table with her study materials. Looks like she fell asleep while studying. She thought to herself as walk closer. She left the stuffs she brought home on her table beside Maki's and sat on her chair.
"Maki-chan~ I'm home. If you're going to sleep, get on your bed." Kotori tried shaking the other girl's shoulders to wake her up.
"Mmm~ Ko-tori? Welcome home~ What time is it?" Maki slowly lift herself up and blinked her sleepy eyes looking at her roommate.
"It is past ten in the evening. Your reading glasses left a mark on your face again. At least take it off if you plan to doze off for a little."
"I just fell asleep, it can't be helped. More importantly, why were you home this late? I thought today was the last day of your photoshoot and might get home early?"
"Why are you talking like a worried and suspicious wife there Maki-chan?"
Maki jolted up from her chair out of embarrassment. "W-wha! I-it's not like that! A-and w-we're not even dating!"
"Heeee.. Are you perhaps disappointed that we're not?"
"K-Kotori!"
"Hehee~ I was just kidding Maki-chan. We had an after party to celebrate the end of the photoshoot. They just told me earlier after the shoot. It is my first magazine cover feature after all, so we should go all out tonight, my manager said. I mailed you about it, did you not receive it?"
"Ah, I'm really sorry.. I put my phone in silent mode because I wanted to focus here so, I don't know if I got the message. Anyway, looks like they let you bring home some stuffs again like always..."
"W-well, yeah. They gave it before I even have to ask. hehehe"
"They're probably already used to your habit."
"I guess you are right about that. Though I wonder since when did I have this habit…"
"Hmm.. Right. It doesn't feel like you've had it for so long. Because if you did, then for sure when I moved in, you would already have a personal fridge here. But you didn't."
"Oh well, it doesn't matter now. Does it?"
"Yeah that's right, haha..."
Just in time before the two started putting the foods inside the fridge, the redhead lost her balance and almost fell on the floor if not for Kotori catching her on her arms.
"M-Maki-chan! Are you okay?"
"Y-yes. I'm just a bit dizzy because I haven't eaten anything since lunch."
"W-what did you say? Since lunch?!"
The girl on her arms just shrugged and gave her a weak smile. "I have some lab report due within two days and I am not even halfway through it yet."
"That's not an excuse to skip dinner!"
"What can I do? Our fridge is empty, I forgot to buy something on the way home, and I can't lose any more time to go out again."
"AHH! Enough of your excuses!"
Kotori looked like an angry bird from Maki's point of view when the other girl pouted at her as she was aided to sit back on her chair again. The redhead smiled to herself as she watches Kotori dig into the paper bags she brought with her.
How cute~
"Oh here it is!" Kotori took out a food container and left it on her table putting the other paper bags down to the floor. She opened the lid and showed it to the redhead. "I remembered Maki-chan when they served this at the party."
"K-Kotori, i-is that Chicken Alfredo?"
Amused at the sudden child-like excitement from Maki's expression, Kotori smiled to her first before responding. "Yes. Maki-chan seems to love pasta dishes so when the staffs said that they were going to pack some for me, I asked them to add extra servings."
"Thank you Kotori."
"It's nothing, Maki-chan!"
After the bird handed her a fork and plate, Maki started eating. Meanwhile, Kotori started putting the other stuffs inside their empty refrigerator.
"Maki-chan, how many times do I have to tell you that taking care of yourself is more important than getting your papers done?"
"Like you're the one to talk. A few weeks ago someone here was brought home by their manager because she collapsed right after their photoshoot that day. That person came to school and work despite having a fever too. Who do you think was that? Huh?"
"W-why are you bringing that up again? It can't be helped. It was my first magazine cover feature, the schedule must be strictly followed. And it just so happened that I had a major quiz I can't afford to miss that day too."
"I know, I know. You've explained that to me already, I understand. What I'm trying to say here is, you don't take care of yourself that well too."
"That was the first time it happened to me! It won't happen again!"
"How can you be so sure? You're starting to get more popular recently, and I can tell that your schedule might get more hectic in the future."
"AHH! Then if I ever got sick again and collapses because of pushing myself too hard, I will let you ask me anything and I will do it as long as it is something possible!"
"I won't wish for it to happen again, but if this will help you take care of yourself more, then I shall ag-"
"But! The rule would apply to you too!"
"Ehh? W-what do you mean?"
"If you got sick and collapses because of working too hard, you will let me ask anything from you and you will do it as long as it is something possible. Deal?"
"Ehh? Why-"
"You'd still ask why? If we were to compare who is more careless between us that would ironically be you. You're a future doctor and yet you don't take care of yourself well. This is not the first time this happened Maki-chan."
"But at least this is the first time in a while! Ah- That's right, this hasn't happened in a while…"
"Yes and that is because we always have food in the fridge. It's really a good thing you bought it Maki-chan. Anyway, is it a deal now or not?"
Her senior stood up straight again, and faced her after putting the last food container inside the refrigerator.
"O-okay.. Deal." Though she's still hesitant, Maki agreed along with thoughts like, Kotori won't ask me to do something embarrassing, would she?
"Good! I trust you enough that you won't back down from your words Maki-chan. And I promise not to back down on my words either."
The grin Kotori gave her after saying that made her nervous. "U-umm Kotori, you're not planning to make me do something embarrassing, are you?"
"Hmm.. I wonder~ hehee"
"Kotori!"
"You just have to take more care of yourself from now on to be able to avoid it."
After gathering her stuffs and waving to the redhead, Kotori went inside the bathroom leaving a terrified expression on Maki's face.
Yes and that is because we always have food in the fridge. It's really a good thing you bought it Maki-chan.
Kotori's statement replayed on Maki's mind again making her remember the last time she almost passed out because of overworking herself without eating anything.
It happened sometime last year when school was really hectic for the redhead. She had a very light lunch that day and went home forgetting to buy anything for dinner just like today. She pulled an all-nighter the night before and had planned on doing the same that night because her deadline is the next day. Kotori was out late as usual because of her work. When she got home, a horrifying scene came before her eyes. Kotori found her roommate lying on the ground facing the floor like a dead body.
Maki was too dizzy that time to remember everything that happened. She remembers getting help from Kotori too get to her bed. She remembers explaining how it happened. And lastly, she remembers getting fed by Kotori. Her senior said, she had the food delivered to their dorm and even asking the guard, Aikawa-san, to bring it to their room because Maki did not want her to leave. The redhead remembers none of that part. The next thing she knew is, waking up at 6am with Kotori sleeping beside her, holding her hand. Maki did not mention any of that to her senior. Miraculously, she made it to her deadline, although she had to skip two morning classes. They were minor subjects so, it should be fine, was what she told herself.
Maki realized just now that Kotori started bringing home foods after that. She bought the fridge after the incident as she noticed Kotori's frequent bringing home of foods.
Could it be that Kotori developed that habit because of me?
Tomato faced at her realization, the red-faced redhead wolfed down the remaining portions of Chicken Alfredo, trying to get everything off her mind.
Later on, Maki struggled to get her focus on working on her papers because of a certain bird-like senior invading her thoughts from time to time. In the end, she decided to get it done in the university library the next day where there will be no temptation of watching the figure of a sleeping adorable senior.