A drop of rain splattered on Qian's bare shoulder, but she didn't care- choosing to remain curled up in her current position.

How clichéd. She was sitting on the summit of her favorite hill, where the once majestic view of Tokyo was now beginning to shroud with downpour. She wasn't sure how long she had been there, with the cold autumn wind and rain buffeting her body. The Uber driver had left her ages ago; he offered to take her to a hospital instead of here, but she declined, choosing instead to wallow in her own misery. Her head, throbbing with a migraine, was buried in her arms as she hugged her knees close to her chest, digging her toes in the grass. Her feet were blistered from walking around all night in her heels, which were discarded a few feet behind her, lying beside a box that held her pens, spare notebooks, phone charger, and other miscellaneous supplies she had removed from the lab. Her dress was beginning to get soaked in mud as the soil softened from the rain. While using the bathroom at Jujutsu High to wash the makeup off her face, she tried to use cold water to soothe her puffy eyes. But they stung with fatigue and inflammation- not only had she been unable to stop herself from crying, she never got a chance to remove her contacts since she had left her glasses at home.

The wind and storm began to pick up, the precipitation chilling her to the bone as the rainfall drenched her entire being. Yet, she didn't move. She didn't want to.

She was a mess: a broken, destroyed mess.

—-

Satoru sighed in relief, seeing a familiar figure at the top of the hill from where he was flying in the sky. He found that she was still wearing her red dress from the night before, making it easy to spot her from the high altitude. He silently lauded his sharp memory for remembering the location as he landed a few feet behind her, his mask hung loosely around his neck so he can use Six-Eyes properly to discern through the torrential downpour. He remained completely dry thanks to Infinity being activated, having learned his lesson from the last encounter they shared in the rain.

His ice-blue gaze softened as he regarded her hunched form. Her dark hair was plastered onto her exposed back, she had her face hidden in her arms… he noticed her limbs were trembling from the cold. Guilt and shame once again prickled the back of his neck.

He swallowed thickly, at loss for words. His resolve cracked upon seeing her in this state. What could he even say to her? Maybe it's better to just walk away, let her brother know where she was… she said she wanted to leave, who was he to stop her? Besides, wouldn't it be better to have her truly be out of his life once and for all? Nothing ever good came from their interactions- it wasn't like they were ever really friends.

But did he really want that? To never see her again? His heartbeat pulsated in his chest as he stared at her, growing more stronger and more painful as it mixed with the confusing feelings he had felt before. Before he could change his mind, he opened his lips.

"Qian." Her head immediately snapped up and she whirled around, staring at him with wide, incredulous eyes. She gasped and scrambled to her feet, but in doing so, her heel slipped on the wet grass, causing her to fall backwards.

Shit. He immediately rushed forward, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his torso, back to the flatter part of the landscape. He wrapped a protective arm around her lower back, peering down over her shoulder before releasing a breath. Even though the hill wasn't that tall, there were stumps and rocks at the base that, if she had tumbled down, would have resulted in quite the injury.

"Hey, are you okay?" He tilted his chin down to look at her, but suddenly she began to struggle in his hold, placing both hands on his broad chest to push him away.

He didn't relinquish since they were still at the edge of the hill, but a surge of remorse shook him to his core upon seeing how she kept her head bowed, averting her gaze away from him. "Qian, Qian… stop, I'm not going to hurt you-"

But you will. You always will. She couldn't speak, her throat felt so sore. She shook her head, pressing against his shoulders as she tried to break free. She wanted to get away from him… the memories from last night all-too vivid. What was he doing here?!

Feeling his arm still rigid behind her, she squirmed and attempted to twist her body around to break his hold, a sob threatening to break from her lips. But she held it in, desperately not wanting to look even more pathetic in front of him. Why is his arm so heavy? No, it was her own body that felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, she could barely lift her limbs. Her body felt hot, yet freezing at the same time… her headache began to grow worse.

He loosened his grip and she was finally able to fully turn around, feeling a momentary sense of ironic relief as she believed that he was finally going to release her. Please. Her shoulders sagged in defeat as she closed her eyes, a lone tear escaping down her cheek, mixing with the rain cascading down her skin. She buried face into her palms. Leave me alone. I can't do this anymore.

However, she suddenly felt his warm arms envelope her abdomen, crushing her back to his body. "I'm sorry." Her eyes widened as he held her tightly. His chin dug into her shoulder, his eyes shadowed by his silver bangs, which began to stick to his skin from the rainfall soaking his clothes and body. "I'm really sorry, Qian."

She released a shaky breath, realizing he had deactivated Infinity as she felt his warm skin touch her ice-cold neck. But why? Her mind was filled with confusion at his sudden kindness. "S-Sensei…" She whispered hoarsely as she turned her cheek, wanting to question what he was doing. However, in doing so, her lips accidentally grazed his jaw.

Not realizing he was so close, she yanked her head backwards in horror, her pale face now colored with red in embarrassment.

"S-S-S-S-Sorry-!" She yelped before succumbing to a fit of coughs, her throat burning from her outburst. "I-I-I-I-I didn't-"

He gazed down at her steadily, unflinching from her movement but also the corners of his lips were subtly lifted as he saw her blushing face. "It's fine, don't be sorry-"

"-M-M-M-Mean to!" The poor girl continued in fright. She was so flustered, her cheeks growing darker and darker by the minute. "Y-Y-Y-You were-"

"Qian, breathe." He couldn't help but smile, wanting to laugh from her reaction. Cute.

Wait, cute? He furrowed his brow as the unfamiliar word popped into his head, but upon seeing her continuously shake her head, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, he released a sigh in defeat, no longer wanting to deny himself. Yes, cute.

However, her face grew dangerously dark and he saw her eyes roll into the back of her head. He raised a brow in concern. "Qian-"

Too late. She sagged into his arms, completely unconscious. Whoops. He immediately reached for her forehead, feeling her skin burn underneath his touch. Damn it. He reached one arm down underneath her legs and lifted her into his arms before shooting himself into the sky.

But where could he take her? Her house was out of the question: she very clearly didn't want to go back home, otherwise she would have from the beginning. He could take her back to the school's infirmary, Shoko would look after her. But the doctor is always swamped with work, what if she leaves again while she's busy?

He then turned his gaze down and observed her deeply, his chest tightening upon seeing her labored breathing and pained expression.

No, he had a safer place in mind.

—-

He landed in front of the staff dormitories, and walked up to his front door. Using one hand to turn the knob, he twisted his body and pushed the door open with his back. He carefully brought her into his room, using his heel to kick it shut.

His room, like other staff members at Jujutsu High, was more like a one-bedroom and one-bathroom apartment. However, unlike his coworkers, he did not bother to add much decoration to make it more "homey"; there wasn't anything special besides it being oddly pristine. After all, he only really came here to sleep, and even that was sometimes rare since he had numerous female companions to keep him company overnight at their own establishments. The white walls, despite being faded with age, remained spotless and framed by chestnut-brown wood at every corner and edge. The towering ceiling was held up by bamboo planks, the hardwood floor remained glossy as though freshly waxed. A single navy-blue plush loveseat, wall-mounted flat-screen TV, and black marble stove-top kitchen was set up in the main room.

He suddenly felt her body shiver and he peered down at her with a frown. Turning his heel into his bedroom, he gently placed the unconscious girl on his king-sized bed and placed a hand on her forehead.

His brows knitted in worry upon seeing her still trembling. Her skin, still wet from the rain, was hotter than before, with visible goosebumps peppered across her bare arms. She's freezing. He quickly straightened his back and went into the bathroom, turning on the hot water to start filling the bathtub.

As the water began to pool, he headed into the kitchen, adjusting the thermostat to a warmer setting. He then sneezed.

Need to get dry. No use in having both of us sick. He peeled off his soaked uniform, returning to the bathroom to toss the garment into his laundry hamper. He grabbed the sink basin, staring at himself in the mirror: his face was rosy from the chilly weather, water dripping down his drenched hair. His silver locks were flattened against his brow, the droplets traveling down his jaw and onto the hard panes of his chest. His eyes flickered over to the girl laying in his bed. Upon seeing her instinctively curl up, clutching the blanket tightly in her fist as she grimaced in pain, he cursed underneath his breath at his own incompetence, pushing his bangs back with one hand.

Deactivating Infinity and getting the both of them wet did nothing to help the situation, what was he thinking? Not that he originally planned to do so really… in fact, he had no plan. It was just… upon seeing her fight against him… her desperate resistance…

He deactivated it because he just… had to hold her. Whether it was to show her that he was sorry, or to just to comfort her… he had no idea. His mind swirled with the confusing emotions from before, but he shook his head. Now's not the time to dwell.

Grabbing a towel from the cabinet, he ruffled his hair roughly with the cloth, squeezing any excess water out of his locks, before swiping the fabric over his torso to dry his skin.

After several minutes of filling the tub, he turned off the faucet and walked back into the bedroom, where the girl remained unconscious. He grasped her shoulder, gently shaking her.

"Qian, wake up."

The girl stirred, clenching her eyes shut before opening them groggily. Dazed, she peered up at him with cloudy eyes. "W-Where-"

"Come on, get up." He tucked his hand underneath her shoulder to pull her to a seating position. Her skin was hot against his bare arm. "You need to go to the bathroom and wash yourself."

Her eyes suddenly widened, suddenly realizing the identity of the man beside her. She immediately tried to tug herself free, pushing against his chest. "N-No, thank you-"

He tightened his grip, his eyes softening upon seeing her distressed state. "Qian-"

"I-I'll be fine." She turned away to release a violent cough.

He sighed. "Qian, look… I said a lot of-"

"I-I don't need your pity." She shook her head vehemently before wincing in pain and doubling over. She covered her face in her palms- the action made it feel like her brain was bouncing around in her skull.

She gritted her teeth, attempting to stop them from chattering as she felt frigid all over. "I-I appreciate you helping me but I can take care of myself. I have to go."

"Go where?" She froze as he glared down at her in frustration. "It's clear you don't want to go home, and you didn't go to your friend's house. So where do you plan to go?"

She bit her lip, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as her shoulders slumped. "I-I don't know… but-"

He released an exasperated sigh. "Okay, how about this. Wash up in the bathroom, and when you're done and not about to freeze to death, we'll discuss this further. Alright?"

For a moment, she didn't reply. He was about to open his mouth to press her further, before she finally let out a slow nod. Finally releasing his hold, she took a few steps back, her eyes remaining downcast even though he tried to meet her gaze.

"I got you some new clothes and placed them by the sink inside." He called after her as she headed towards the bathroom. Once the door clicked shut, he sighed once more, running both hands over his face. Jesus, he knew he fucked up but to this extent…

He took in a breath, placing his hands on the back of his neck as he looked up at the ceiling pensively. No, it's fine. I can fix this.

…I have to.

—-

Satoru stirred the pot of soup before him, noting in satisfaction that the vegetables had become tender. He turned off the stove and tapped on his phone, which laid on the countertop beside him, to check the time.

Almost forty-five minutes have passed and he glanced at the bathroom in worry. How long do women take to bathe? He thought back to his previous female partners, their showers always took at least fifteen to twenty minutes. Do baths take longer?

He wiped his hands on his t-shirt before approaching the door and surreptitiously placed his ear against the wood. He didn't hear anything. With a sigh, he rapped his knuckles against the frame.

"Qian, you okay in there?" He paused, waiting for a reply. His stomach dropped. What if she passed out?

He reached for the handle but froze. Was he about to walk in on her… naked? His face suddenly felt hot- wait, was he blushing? Why was he blushing? His mind traveled to the imagination of her bareness and his throat suddenly closed up, his gut fluttering in his abdomen, his pants suddenly felt a bit too tight-

He shook his head vehemently, eradicating his straying- admittedly impure- thoughts. He turned the handle and opened the door slightly, causing steam to buffet him in the face, the smell of his body wash enveloping his senses.

"Qian?" Upon hearing no response, he peered inside and saw that she had, indeed, fainted in the tub, her arms hung over the edge as her bare chest was pressed against the basin, her cheek resting against the porcelain. Water dripped down her fingertips, splattering on the tile floor as she breathed softly, her face flushed from the heat.

Shit. He immediately grabbed the thick towel from the rack and threw it over her shoulders, ignoring the cloth soaking up the water. He quickly unplugged the stopper, allowing the bathwater to drain away as he wrapped the towel around her body from behind. Fortunately, it was wide enough to cover her torso and hips, thus preventing him from sneaking any glances, as he hooked an arm under her legs to lift her out of the tub.

Using his foot to kick the door open, he headed back into the bedroom and lowered her gently onto the bed. He took a step back, massaging his temples as he pondered the next course of action. She had to get dressed, and her being unconscious was going to make that difficult. Should he undress her? But then she would have to be completely, vulnerably bare… and from the bit that he saw in the tub, plus what he saw when she was in a bathing suit several months ago… his fingers twitched at the thought but he palmed his forehead. What was wrong with him?

Before his mind began to fantasize once more, he returned to the bathroom and grabbed the clothes, which consisted of a plain gray t-shirt and sweatpants. He had an idea. He rolled the shirt up so that the collar was easily accessible, before raising the girl's neck to slide her head through the opening. He pulled the bottom of the shirt over her shoulders so that it covered her chest, before unwrapping the towel underneath the cloth to tug her arms through the sleeves.

His heart rate was shooting through the roof as he pulled the shirt all the way down so that it covered her lower… private area. No matter what he did, his mind continued to wander… his fingers lingering slightly too long wherever he touched her…

Finally, he grabbed the pants and pulled the elastic waistline over her legs, the bottom of the t-shirt fortunately covering her pelvis, allowing him to avoid seeing anything. Finally, the girl was fully clothed, in clean and warmer clothes.

Jesus Christ. What am I, a teenager? He tucked her into bed before strolling back into the kitchen, scooping himself a bowl of soup. As he sat at the counter, he ran a hand over his face as he tried to discern his confused emotions. It's definitely been a while since he last "saw" any one of his female friends, give or take a month or two.

He took a bite and pondered as he chewed. At first, he attributed it to his busy schedule. But there were definitely nights when he could've made time… yet, instead, when he pulled out his phone to scroll through his numerous contacts, he just did not feel up to reaching out. Rather, he opted to either train, watch some TV, or relax himself and go to bed early.

Satoru peered at the girl, his mind drifting back to how she felt in his arms, her soft, supple skin pressing against his… He clenched his jaw as the heat returned to his lower-

He held the bowl up to his lips and poured the rest of the soup down his throat, wincing as the heat burned his esophagus. Calm down, Satoru. It's only because you haven't done anything with anyone. Chill.

Placing the bowl into the sink, he headed into the bathroom, throwing one final glance at the girl. He needed a cold shower. Now.