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Ch. 28: Store in a cool, dry place

"S-Suika?"

"Nngh…"

"Suika!"

"Nnn… Hmmm…?"

"Hngh… Hah… Wake up, Suika!"

"Groan… What…?"

Suika forcefully pried her eyes open. Light was streaming in generously, blinding her in her eyes and causing her to hurriedly shut them tight. Argh… My head… Haven't felt like this for some time now…

"S-Sorry to bother you Suika," came that gentle voice once again. "But you really should not be sleeping here."

"Leave me be… It's not like you've ever bothered about me sleeping out here before…" Suika attempted to swat Reimu away.

"No I won't!" Reimu caught Suika's arm in her hands and held it softly. "You're in a terrible state! You need some quality rest!" She then proceeded to put her arm around Suika's shoulders and, with some effort, bring Suika to a more vertical position. "Come on, sit up! I've brought you water."

… Eh… Was Reimu always this nice? "Th-Thanks…" Suika said before a dish of water was brought carefully and tenderly to her cracked lips, pouring refreshing liquid down her dry throat.

"You really need to watch how you drink," reproached Reimu.

"Huh…? Yeah, yeah…"

"No, really, I've never seen you like this before," came Reimu's concerned voice. "I never knew your drinking habits were this bad!"

… Hang on. "What are you talking about?" Suika once again tried hard to open her eyes. This time, she managed to do so, due to the presence of an anxious face directly in front of hers, blocking out most of the light.

Kogasa.

"W-Wah!" Suika stumbled back, surprised, before suddenly swooning due to last night's alcohol.

"Hah…! Careful!" Kogasa reached out and secured Suika by means of an arm around the shoulders and another around the waist.

"W-Where's Reimu?" Suika asked, the shock still yet to wear off.

"I'm the first person you see since last night and yet the first person you look for is Reimu-san?" Kogasa asked a little wistfully.

Suika was dealt a second after-surprise, "…! I-I ah… I didn't mean it like that-"

"Haha… I was just kidding," Kogasa smiled mischievously. "Reimu-san's already left the house."

"What? This early?" Once again, Suika was impressed by Reimu's diligence in her carrying out of her duties and chores.

"Huh? Early? It's already noon," And again, Suika's drunken sloppiness is rediscovered by yet another denizen of Gensokyo.

"Oh… Nngh!" Suika placed a hand on her forehead. Ahh! Felt like a buzz saw was going off in there…

"Ah! S-Suika! Come on, let's go to your room," Kogasa helped Suika up to her feet. "You'll need to lie down for a bit."

"Th-Thanks Kogasa…" Suika mumbled and gave Kogasa a sheepish grin for the terrible display she was putting up.

Suika took a good look at Kogasa as she was helped to her room by the umbrella youkai, one of her arms around the Karakasa's shoulders. Even though Suika was not particularly heavy, and her arms were by no means bulkily muscular, Kogasa still looked as if she was straining slightly under Suika's weight. Maybe it was just Kogasa's physical weakness, or maybe Suika's Oni nature was manifesting itself somehow, creating a feeling of heaviness despite the two-horned Oni's light frame. Still, Suika wondered as she continued to look at Kogasa, just exactly how do I "nicely" tell Kogasa to leave? I mean, she definitely has to leave one day, right…?

"Hah… H-Here we are!" Kogasa panted slightly as they reached the sliding door of Suika's room.

"S-Sorry to tire you like this, Kogasa," Suika apologetically said, and made an effort to balance herself on her two drunken feet so as to at least stand without having to lean on Kogasa further.

"N-Nah… Hah… I'm fine!" Kogasa, who was bent over with her hands on her knees, looked up and grinned. "Now I at least know how it must feel for you every time I cling to you, hehe…" she said a little abashedly. "Just make sure you get some rest, okay?"

"Sure thing. Thank you very much, Kogasa!" Suika opened the door to her room and stepped in.

…Eh? Suika was greeted by a slight wave of surprise. W-Was her room supposed to be this neat? The blankets and futon were neatly laid out on the floor. Her clothes were tidily folded and stacked in the closet. Things that belonged to the shelves were for once well organized on the shelves. Her articles on the table were also placed in an orderly manner, the little used tea set put aside in the correct manner. It was obvious though that whoever did this was unfamiliar with the room and its contents, for many things were still on the floor, though neatly stacked, as if the person who cleaned it up was being very particular but did not know where those things went or belonged.

"… I-I thought Reimu gave up ages ago…" Suika blinked, making sure it was not some alcohol influenced hallucination.

"Yes, she did tell me that!" Kogasa giggled behind her, and Suika turned around to look at her, puzzled. "Well, she says she only bothers with your clothes now, since she does the laundry anyway," Kogasa continued.

"W-Wait…" Suika's mind clicked as she looked at Kogasa, "Did you...?"

"Yup, I cleaned your room for you," Kogasa smiled. "I thought I might as well do something a little useful around the house. Terribly sorry if some things are not where you want them to be, Suika," Kogasa said.

"W-Wow… Th-Thank you," Suika felt really guilty. Now Kogasa had helped her twice in a row within an hour. "I-I'll try not to mess it up again," she found herself involuntarily, and for once sincerely, saying.

"Hee hee… Just try to love your things a little more, okay?" Kogasa giggled again. "They do need looking after you know?"

"… H-Huh?" Suika glanced at Kogasa, feeling a little uneasy. Was she referring to…?

"Oh! Oh no!" Kogasa blushed and shyly smiled. "I wasn't referring to myself! Although… I don't mind if you do love me a little more-"

"A-A-Ah! M-My head!" Suika quickly rushed to the futon and laid down face first. Ah! The things Kogasa can say! Suika felt her face melting from the heated blood rushing to the cheeks, the futon not aiding things by trapping the radiated heat against her face.

"S-Suika! Are you okay?" Suika felt Kogasa kneel on the futon next to her, concernedly feeling patting Suika's back. "You collapsed on the futon all of a sudden."

"I-I'm fine Kogasa…" Suika managed. "A-And thanks for cleaning my room, really," she mumbled through the layers of cloth.

"Oh please, Suika," Kogasa tsked, "The least you could do is look at me when you say that…" she said teasingly.

"F-Fine…" Suika turned to face up and at Kogasa. "Thank you Kogasa," she playfully said in as sweet a tone she could manage.

"No problem!" Kogasa beamed. "Oh by the way… I hope you don't mind that I borrowed a set of your clothes," Kogasa said.

… Eh? Suika's eyes shifted from Kogasa's face to her upper torso. There, lightly and a little snuggly draped over Kogasa's chest was one of Suika's loose blouses, although this one had long sleeves, being Suika's autumn and winter blouse- Wait…

"K-Kogasa! Th-That's my shirt you're wearing!" Suika cheeks reddened.

"Oh…" Kogasa looked a bit downcast and apologetic, "So you do mind… S-Sorry for not asking earlier," she gave a "I'm sorry!" smile, "But you were totally knocked out last night, and I could not wait since I didn't have a change of clothes after I came out of the bath."

"I-It's fine, Kogasa… I don't really min-"

"And I couldn't borrow Reimu's since her clothes were too loose, and yours just happened to be a rather nice fit."

Suika froze and just stared at the petite girl before her.

… Sometimes, Kogasa just needs to know when to stop talking about something.

"… A-Are you saying I'm small?" Suika's expression turned to one of slight indignation. "Are you indirectly saying I'm small? !"

"I-I'm not saying- W-Well, your shirt's not an exact fit, to be precise," Kogasa hurriedly said, secretly thinking a pouting Suika was really cute. "I-I mean, your shirt doesn't fit well under and around my arms… It's a little tight you see…" Kogasa made an ill attempt to remedy the situation.

"…! And just which part is tight again? ! You ARE saying I'm SMALL, aren't you!" Suika started throwing a petty tantrum, Kogasa giggling on the side from Suika's childish antic.

"I-I see… So it was my room Reimu loaned you…" Suika rubbed the back of her neck, feeling rather uncomfortable. S-So that means, not only is Kogasa wearing my clothes for now… but my futon…

The two girls were inside Suika's room, which was now considerably much neater thanks to the effort of the karakasa. Suika was lying down on the futon, her head propped by a pillow. Kogasa was seated next to her with her legs folded either side, wariza style, a towel in her hand which she was now sponging in a basin of water next to her.

"Here," Kogasa placed the folded and damp towel on Suika's head. "It won't get rid of the hangover, but hopefully it'll provide some comfort."

"Th-Thanks…" Suika mumbled with relief.

"And yeah, sorry about sleeping in your futon too," Kogasa confirmed Suika's suspicions. "There really wasn't any other around."

"I-It's fine," Suika said, making a mental note to pass Reimu some coins later on to acquire another spare futon. "The important thing is that you make yourself comfortable," Suika found herself giving Kogasa an embarrassed smile, "It was I who troubled you by brining you here after all. And now it's you who has to look after me…"

"Oh no… I'm alright actually," Kogasa said, then paused thoughtfully for awhile. "Al… though…" she began hesitantly.

"What is it?" Suika prompted.

"Although…" Kogasa said with a guilty expression, "I really am inconveniencing you, aren't I?" Kogasa clutched her hands together.

…! P-Perfect! Th-This is the opportunity to get her to leave, Suika thought. I mean… She herself wants to leave so… I mean, it's not like it'll be the last I see her, right? Suika decided to pounce on the opportunity…!

"N-No! Not at all! You're no trouble at all Kogasa!" Suika expertly caught and utilized the opportunity to its fullest.

"R-Really?" Kogasa asked happily.

Y-Yes, actually… "N-Nah! Ahem! I mean, you can stay for a bit longer if you want," the words in Suika's head were involuntarily morphing into something else entirely on her tongue. B-But…! There was some logic to getting Kogasa to stay right…? "A-After all!" continued Suika, trying to salvage herself, "You have no place to go at the moment, so why not just stay until we can determine your future plans?" Suika suggested to her own satisfaction. Yes, that was it! Kogasa just needs some place to put up with temporarily. That's all I'm offering her- Oomph! The air in Suika's lungs were squeezed out as Kogasa flung herself at Suika's mid section, wrapping her own thin arms tight around Suika like a loving hug, squeezing the blood up from Suika's diaphragm to her face.

"Thank you Suika!" Kogasa earnestly said, rubbing her cheek against Suika's side.

"N-No problem!" Suika's mouth contradicted the feeling in her head, which was fast losing feeling anyway from Kogasa's nuzzling. "N-No problem at all!" Suika gallantly croaked out.

"I promise I won't be a bother during my stay!" Kogasa said seriously to Suika. "And…!" Kogasa grabbed Suika by the shoulders, "I promise I'll do everything I can to look after you!" she declared most intensely sweetly-

Slump! Suika suddenly fell forward into Kogasa's arms, her body limp and her eyes closed, startling Kogasa. Kogasa glanced to the side at what she took to be an exhausted and sleeping Suika.

"… Wow… I didn't know I was that good at looking after you!" Kogasa innocently said as she patted the "sleeping" Suika's back in a soothing manner, smiling as she did so. Kogasa honestly hoped she would not have to inconvenience Reimu-san and most certainly Suika anymore than she has to, but for now, it seems like I get the chance to look after her! Kogasa thought happily as she lay down Suika on the futon.

Suika… Your constitution okay? You seem to be losing consciousness quite often, you really need to be careful of yourself…

On an entirely separate note… I think I need to get a different gag… Nah! Suika can faint a few more times, it won't hurt her… Hehe…