Nanako worriedly sighed, looking at her younger cousin lying sick in bed. For several days, she had been trying to get Ryoma, her cousin, to open up to her.
Recently, Ryoma and his parents moved to Japan, and Nanako had decided to live with them for more convenient transportation. As the days passed, Nanako found herself growing closer to Ryoma's parents, but not Ryoma himself.
Every day, she tried to find new ways to spend time with Ryoma. For the past week, she had gone to extensive lengths to find activities that Ryoma would enjoy. Unfortunately, Ryoma fought all of Nanako's attempts to bond.
Now, Nanako was almost at the end of her rope. She had tried so hard and now Ryoma was bedridden with a cold. Concerned, she had tried to comfort and care for him, only to be turned away.
Nanako looked at the clock in passing, shocked as the time registered in her. Frustrated, she began making her way to the university where she studied.
Later in the day, she made her way back home, stopping in to check in on Ryoma. She noticed that he was sleeping soundly, so she began cooking some chicken broth for him, in case he woke up.
After half an hour, Nanako knocked on Ryoma's door. Receiving no response, Nanako gently pushed the door open, quietly making her way to his bedside.
"Nanako-san…? I don't feel so good…" Ryoma murmured blearily.
"Ryoma! I didn't know you were awake!" Nanako exclaimed, surprised.
"Mnnn… Ugh… I feel gross…" Ryoma trailed off, groggily blinking his dazed golden eyes.
"Okay. I'll take your temperature then," Nanako muttered to herself.
Placing a hand on his forehead,pushing his light green-tinted black hair away, she tried to take his temperature, only to snatch her hand away in shock of how high the fever was. Quickly, Nanako rummaged around the house trying to find some more cold medicine, only to discover that none was left.
Panicking, Nanako covered Ryoma with another blanket and rushed off to the nearest pharmacy, forgetting to change out of her house slippers.
After running for what seemed like a lifetime, all the while muttering to herself repeatedly, "Please, please, let him be alright. Please!" Once Nanako reached the drugstore, she was tearful and struggling to maintain her composture.
Buying almost every cold medicine she could find out of panic, Nanako rushed home, ignoring the way her feet were blistering painfully.
The next few days were a blur of worry for Nanako, with her hovering over Ryoma every moment that she could spare, and waiting anxiously for Ryoma's fever to break.
She wiped sweat off his flushed face, a huge contrast to his normally tanned skin tone; she brought him water to keep hydrated, she bought tennis magazines for him, and she even watched old taped tennis matched with him.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, Ryoma woke up feeling much better than before. When he found out that Nanako had nursed him unwaveringly, he became very embarrassed.
He approached Nanako, speaking in a somewhat quiet tone, but Nanako could still hear him.
"Err—Thanks…" He said awkwardly.
Nanako looked at hime tearfully, and started sniffling because she was so relieved.
"Eh?! Wha- no! D-don't cry!" Ryoma panicked, speaking haltingly.
Nanako smiled through her tears, and scooped Ryoma up in a hug.
"Hmph." Ryoma grunted a bit, before smirking slightly and tightening the hug ever so slightly.