Title: Under the Weather

Series: Boundless Kakera, Chapter 16

Fandom: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Summary: Post Matsuribayashi-hen. Hanyuu ends up bedridden. One person assumes the role of guardian angel, and for once, it isn't her.

Pairing: ShiYuu (Hanyuu/Shion, F/F)

Posted: March 19, 2025

Three loud, violent coughs–that's all it takes for Hanyuu to earn that sympathetic look from Satoko, almost as palpable as spice stinging her tongue. Not enough to elicit tears but just as effective in making the bedridden goddess wince upon noticing.

"Poor Hanyuu-san, getting sick right in the middle of summer," remarks the blonde.

Sitting close to Hanyuu, Rika pipes up, "Meep~! She doesn't quite have as strong an immune system as any of us would have expected."

Hanyuu tries to speak, but as she is at the moment, she is more fluent in hacking noises than Japanese.

"Don't force yourself to talk if you have this much trouble doing so!" Satoko turns to Rika. "I will need to get ready to see Irie-sensei for my injection. In the meantime, Rika, do you think you could look after Hanyuu-san?"

"Nipah✰!" beams Rika.

Satoko shrugs. "I'll take that as a yes."

As soon as their friend leaves the room, Rika inverts her smile before casting a withering glare at Hanyuu.

"You have gotten careless," the bluenette chastises, "always insisting on wandering around Hinamizawa even when it gets windy out there! Your body is evidently too sensitive to the weather. You don't take care of yourself well enough."

Hanyuu cracks a smile. "Is this–cough, cough–what it's like for you to show concern towards me?"

Rika folds her arms, huffing, "Why are you such a fool?"

"Love you too, Rikachoo!" she sneezes while using her arm to cover her mouth, a gesture she has been doing often as of late.

"Be serious! You're in a physical body now, so you need to take better care of it. You have to breathe, eat, drink, sleep, and make sure you stay healthy above all else. Getting a summer cold isn't a good start. Last thing I want is another tragedy, especially given everything with that lunatic Takano!" rants Rika.

"But I'm not–cough–dying!"

"You don't know that. Just like how neither of us could have suspected Takano to be the culprit behind my suffering. If it can take one match to start a fire, it can take one cold to kill someone. Dammit, Hanyuu, I… I've seen everybody die enough times. I certainly don't need you to be on that list; I don't want you to be on that list!"

An air of sadness pervades the room, as does silence.

It shames her to not have considered Rika's feelings sooner. That girl hasn't quite gotten used to living a peaceful life outside of the time loop. Making light of her relative's concern had certainly been in bad taste, she must admit.

So naturally, Hanyuu does what she feels is necessary. "Oh, Rika…" she starts, her voice hoarse with sickness, "I'm sor–"

"Don't finish that sentence," Rika cuts off, "Please don't. I have had enough of that, too."

"S–" Hanyuu barely manages to stop herself from repeating the one word Rika detests so much. And she takes this moment to clear her throat as well. "…I'll try to be more careful next time…"

The stone cold expression on Rika's face remains unchanged.

"Really, I will," she assures, "I'm not gonna die. I–achoo!–promise."

It takes about several seconds until her relative caves in and emits a tired sigh. "You better not die, Hanyuu. For my sake, if not yours."

Hanyuu can't resist giggling, "It's very sweet that you care!"

A dark smirk plays about Rika's lips. "You're right. Far too sweet for my taste. How fortuitous that I have kimchi for when you feel better."

She grows pale at the mention of spicy food. "N–No thank you!"

"You can't refuse. I won't let you. Consider that your punishment game for being foolish in not taking proper care of yourself," replies the cruel person before her.

"Au, au, au! You are so mean, Rika!"

"Am I now? Well, I suppose I can make you drink some wine instead."

The urge to shout "No!" suddenly becomes very tempting. Alas, Hanyuu's protests die in her mouth, strangled by rough coughs scratching at her throat. This action, of course, elicits a frown from Rika.

"All right, I will be heading off to the clinic now!" Satoko announces as she pops her head into the room.

"Very well. I'm going to be joining you," Rika rises to her feet.

However, Satoko looks unsure. "You sure we should leave Hanyuu-san all by herself in the house? What if she needs something?"

"The only thing she needs is rest, which should help her immune system fight off the cold more effectively. That, and I also need to see Irie as well," Rika responds.

"Well… if you say so…" the blond child concedes begrudgingly, glancing at Hanyuu. In those magenta eyes reveal the sort of worry that plagues one's mind without end.

"Let us be off then," Rika takes her leave, though not without sparing Hanyuu a stern look while telling her, "Stay in bed and sleep, sir. Or no cream puffs for the rest of your life."

"Don't you worry, Hanyuu-san. Rika and I will try to come back home as soon as possible," Satoko soothes, more tactful in her comfort.

With that, her companions set off to the Irie Clinic. Only she remains in the house. All she has for company are the current thoughts running through her mind.

Being forced to do nothing but stay under the sheets is far from a fun experience. It takes away her constant need to look around Hinamizawa, to look after her people. Not to mention that she craves to indulge in the luxuries of actually existing.

Like how nature's aroma tickles her nostrils, or how wind caresses her skin, or the way that the sun bathes her in soothing warmth. All these things let her know that she is interacting with the world around her, which she never could have done as a wandering spirit.

At the same time, however, she knows she has only herself to blame for this predicament. She should have known better than to neglect her own welfare. The struggle to stifle the inevitable coughs and squeezes can tell her that much.

Sighing, and sniffling, Hanyuu closes her watery eyes as she pulls the sheets up a tad more. Exhaustion numbs her whole body and so, too, her mind. No longer can reality keep the deity tethered to itself.

She lets her consciousness drift away into the realm of dreams, though not before hoping things will get better once she awakens.

When Hanyuu stirs from her nap, she feels much worse than before. To a significant degree at that.

The throbbing pain in her head makes her feel like she's spun around a hundred times over. Her coughs have gotten worse as well, judging from the wheezing sounds of it. She swears there's something trapped in her throat and she can't seem to force it out no matter what she does. And her nose feels so stuffy that it's a wonder as to how she can breathe, albeit barely.

"Rika…? Satoko…?" she calls out–tries to, anyway. Her voice sounds low and nasally.

The only response she receives is lonely silence.

"R–Rika? Hey, Rika…?" repeats Hanyuu, trying to raise her voice but to no avail. It almost feels like she's losing her ability to speak.

In any case, the lavender-haired girl hears nothing. Neither from Rika nor Satoko.

How long has she slept for? Not long enough if her companions have yet to return. And yet it feels like some time has elapsed. Perhaps Satoko and Rika's daily visit to the Irie Clinic is taking up a lot more time than anticipated.

Grrr…

Hanyuu rubs her growling stomach. She needs to eat. Badly.

Chicken soup instantly comes to mind. From what she has heard, it's an excellent remedy for a cold. Good thing she knows how to make it. The kitchen should have the ingredients needed.

Flinging the sheets aside with a swing of her arm, she tries to get up from her futon and start cooking.

Kami! Standing on her feet has never felt this challenging before. She feels like she's got jelly for legs, what with how she wobbles in her desperation to find her footing.

Staggering, Hanyuu feebly makes her way to the kitchen. Her body still has yet to shrug off the grogginess, so her movements remain sluggish. The sporadic sneezes and coughs don't help matters either.

I wish someone was here to lend me a hand right now, she thinks.

But Hanyuu shakes her head, mentally admonishing herself over her lack of independence. How shameful. She, of all people, should have learned to be more proactive by now. Especially after everything that happened in the last world…

Reaching her destination at last, she places one hand on a nearby wall while resting the other on her forehead.

A grimace contorts her features. She's burning up, and suffering a bad headache on top of that. Hanyuu lets out a pitiful groan. Getting sick really isn't fun.

So hungry, and yet so weak… and hot… and tired…

She feels her heart leap when her body abruptly falls forward–about to hit the floor.

"Hanyuu-chan!"

Everything happens so fast. A soft landing, a sweet embrace enveloping her like a cocoon, and some distinct yet familiar kind of perfume that she currently can't put her finger on.

Wrapping her arms around whoever just saved her, she succumbs to their comfort without resistance. This pleasant sensation reminds her of the first thing she did upon finding herself in a physical body, which was sharing a hug with Rika. The tenderness, the ease, the human touch she never knew she had desperately needed until that moment… after so long in her incorporeal form…

What she's experiencing now is no different, and she can't be any more gracious for that.

"You poor thing, you," says her savior, "She sure wasn't kidding about you being under the weather."

Hearing that recognizable voice, Hanyuu glances up to look at the only other person in the room. Those jade eyes staring into her own sparkle as well as the actual jewel. That long hair, its color tendent to that of emeralds, spills past those shoulders like a cascade.

What really draws her attention most is the yellow bow poking out from behind the individual's head. It's something she's seen in many of her memories, worn by a certain someone who she knows all too well.

"Shion?" Hanyuu asks in astonishment.

"That's me! Who else would it be?" Shion nods cheerfully.

"What are you doing here? How did you even get inside the house?"

Shion pats Hanyuu on the head as she giggles, "Satoko-chan gave me a call. Told me she and Rika-chama need to be at the clinic for a while longer, so she asked me to check on you. Of course, I was willing to do so because who am I to refuse the wishes of my surrogate sister? As for how I got in, well… Satoko-chan made spare keys, one of them which she gave me for emergencies like this. What a thoughtful girl, huh?"

Indeed. Satoko is a reliable friend to have. Look past her mischievous habit of making traps to play pranks and there's someone who genuinely does think of others. No wonder Rika respects her a great deal.

"But enough about me," Shion eyes her with concern. "What do you think you're doing? You should be resting in bed."

She feels the urge to cough bubbling up in her throat, and quickly she uses an arm to cover her mouth moments before the inevitable. "Hungry! Chicken soup!" Hanyuu manages to force out between coughs.

How fortunate that Shion can understand her. She helps Hanyuu up. "Oh, I see. Well, then, I'll get cooking. You just take a seat and wait."

"I can–" she coughs, "–help you!"

Shion purses her lips. "Absolutely not. You aren't in any condition to do so. The fact I had to intervene when you nearly collapsed is enough testament to that."

"But I can't just sit and do nothing!"

"Sure you can," the other girl chuckles, "and you will!"

"Umm… Look, Shion, I–"

"Hanyuu-chan," Shion cuts off, her voice sharper than a knife. There's a seemingly warm smile on that sweet visage now, and yet all that does is send chills down her spine. "Do mind your wellbeing. Rika-chama and Satoko-chan wouldn't be happy to see you doing anything in this state, and I won't be pleased to see them unhappy. I'd feel worse if you wind up getting hurt somehow. Would it be okay if you simply do what I tell you? Please?"

Gulping, Hanyuu finds herself in awe over how well Shion can make such simple questions sound like demands. And she knows how to be so scary, too!

"O… Okay…" the goddess acquiesces, feeling ashamed.

"Good, good," Shion chirps, guiding Hanyuu to the table. She helps her take a seat. "Now wait here and let this guardian angel cook something nice for you!"

Guardian angel?

Shion hums a tune, already getting started on making chicken soup, but Hanyuu focuses more on the moniker her friend has claimed for herself.

It's fitting, she supposes. Shion is serving her role as the surrogate sibling for Satoko rather impressively, filling up the large hole that Satoshi's absence opened in the prankster's heart. That girl has shown nothing but compassion for her loved ones in this world as well as the previous one. Ironic. In past fragments, Sonozaki Shion was a spiteful soul who despised Satoko and had been nothing short of cruel, going as far as to murder the blonde in cold blood.

The Shion from so long ago and the Shion standing before her seem like complete strangers when put together. It is incredible how she changed herself for the better.

If only I can learn a thing or two from her, Hanyuu broods wistfully.

Suddenly she winces, squeezing her eyes shut while placing a hand over her forehead. Her headache is worsening now. She can't help but emit a quiet, pained groan.

Fatigue returns with a vengeance, deadening… her senses…

"…yuu-chan…? Hanyuu-chan!" Shion's voice brings her back to reality.

Her eyes snap open as she jumps with a startled gasp.

"Sorry, sorry!" Shion rests a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I just wanted to let you know that I finished making the chicken soup."

Sure enough, the bowl filled with broth sits right in front of Hanyuu. "Oh, I see… T–Thank you," she blinks, "Wow, it didn't take you long to make it. That was really quick."

Shion tilts her head in confusion. "Hm? What do you mean, Hanyuu-chan? I wasn't that fast. Dunno how long it's been, but it did take me quite some time."

"Eh? Really?"

"Really! Hon, I think you lost track of time. Makes sense, given I had to wake you up just now."

"I fell asleep?" Hanyuu can't believe what she's hearing. When did she lose consciousness? How long had she been like that?

"You sure did! What a good girl, taking this time to rest!" Shion rubs Hanyuu's head, causing her to blush from chagrin. "Now eat up. You can go back to your nap afterwards."

Eying the chicken soup curiously, she grabs the spoon placed beside it before taking a sip.

And then another sip.

And another.

"Au, au~!" she cheers, her congested voice sounding a tad clearer than before, "Tasty!"

Amused, Shion beams, "I'm glad you like it!"

"This is better than what I would have made," Hanyuu remarks.

"Aw, don't say that. From what Satoko-chan told me about you, you're a pretty good cook yourself. And that little lady's got no reason to lie to me, so I believe. In fact, some day, I wanna try out your cooking," Shion laughs.

"I'm flattered, Shion, but I–"

The tickling sensation in her nose hits Hanyuu too suddenly for her to stifle, and thus she is forced to sneeze.

"Bless you," says Shion.

"Thanks, Shi–hoff!" she chokes on her words, a cough putting an end to her sentence prematurely.

Then she can feel more coughs about to force their way out her throat. Her eyes lay on the paper napkins behind the bowl. Swiftly, she swipes one and unleashes the cacophony of sickness into it. Whatever has been trapped in her throat is finally out.

She grimaces at the thick, green saliva sticking to the paper napkin.

"Oh, dear," Shion wears an expression similar to her own. "Your body's trying to flush out the mucus, it would seem."

"H–How nasty," Hanyuu sniffles, trying to get up. "Gimme a sec, I'll–"

Shion gently forces her to sit back down. "Just let me throw that away for you," she takes the paper napkin out of Hanyuu's grip and drops it into the trash bin. The greenette then proceeds to thoroughly wash her hands at the sink.

Once again Shion gets the job done, and once again Hanyuu is forced to watch and not do anything to help out. She can't take it anymore.

"I'm so ashamed of myself…" Hanyuu murmurs.

"Huh? Whatever for?"

Hanyuu is taken aback by that question, having not expected it. Either she's been too loud or her friend possesses exceptional hearing. Shion has her back turned, but Hanyuu can imagine how confused she must look right now.

Regardless, she answers in sadness, "For being so useless. I should be helping."

This time Shion turns around to look at her, though not before turning off the water. A frown settles on that heart-shaped countenance. Shion approaches her.

"Don't be so harsh on yourself, Hanyuu-chan. You clearly aren't in the best shape, so it's only natural that you avoid doing too much. You'll recover quicker that way," Shion caresses her back comfortingly.

Those words don't fall on deaf ears, but the discouraging chant in her mind saying "useless, useless, useless!" is simply too loud to ignore. And for good reason. That past world reminds Hanyuu of the sin she had committed. Her refusal to believe in Rika and the others, her decision to not aid them when dire circumstances demanded a miracle.

It stains her heart worse than rust on a blade. Hanyuu doesn't want to repeat the sin of being an outside observer ever again. Not if she can help it.

"But, Shion, does it not bother you to see me so weak and incapable of doing anything?" she laments.

"You stop that right now, young lady," Shion scolds, "I won't tolerate any more of this bad talk. You shouldn't be so cruel to yourself."

"I'm sorry, it's just…" Hanyuu trails off.

Shion stays silent for a moment, likely expecting her to continue, but when the silence drags out for too long, she sighs. "This is more than just your cold; whatever's bugging you, I mean," she deduces, deciding to figure it out herself.

"…It's complicated."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"…"

She can't tell her the exact truth–not because she doesn't want to but more so because it wouldn't make much sense to Shion. Time loops are a headache, never mind her role as a guardian deity. Still, Hanyuu feels the need to get it out of her chest somehow…

Thus she settles on parts of the truth that are easy to comprehend but no less earnest.

"I've disappointed people I deeply care about. I didn't help them even when they needed it. All of them suffered as a result. That's my worst sin. I just… I don't wanna repeat that mistake again. My wish is to be a better person, to be someone people can depend on. To be the one who does something instead of nothing when the moment demands it."

To her credit, Shion doesn't interrupt or let her mind wander. No, the other girl listens attentively, never taking her eyes off Hanyuu.

When she finishes pouring her heart out, the goddess takes note of the thoughtful look on Shion's face. She can tell her friend is taking the time to consider her words.

"I can understand that feeling of disappointing people," states Shion, breaking the silence that dragged on for what felt like minutes.

That response takes Hanyuu aback. "What?"

"I dreamt of an awful life, a life I was part of," Shion reveals, "The nightmares felt so vivid. In them, I found myself stabbing Satoko-chan to death, thinking I was doing Satoshi-kun a favor by disposing of the one I thought had been his burden, the reason for his disappearance. I smiled, I laughed… and then I remembered what Satoshi-kun asked of me: Please take care of my sister, he said. Sadly, by the time it crossed my mind, Satoko-chan had perished. Satoshi-kun wasn't there to witness my actions, but I knew I failed him. I let him down."

Hanyuu widens her eyes at this shocking revelation. Shion has actually had dreams of her past sin?

"It's never stopped, not even to this day, but… but it does help me in a way. That tragedy felt like a lesson to be learned. And I think what I had to keep in mind was never forgetting the promise I made with the boy who counted on me to look after Satoko-chan," Shion finishes.

"I… see…" she murmurs, still reeling over everything Shion's told her.

"But there is something not adding up here. Hanyuu-chan, this… sin you told me about–how long ago was it?" her friend asks, much to Hanyuu's confusion.

"A lifetime ago," she responds with an answer that is truthful in more ways than one.

"Well, that makes sense now."

"Huh? What makes sense?"

"The fact that you are not as weak, as incapable, or as useless now as you say," Shion smiles.

"Wha–?" Hanyuu immediately shakes her head. "No, that's not true!"

"Eh? You calling me a liar? I'm being honest. Perhaps you weren't like this before, but the Hanyuu-chan in front of me is very courageous and dependable. Onee can attest to that!" Shion assures.

She cocks her head to the side, perplexed. "Mion? What does your twin sister have to do with me?"

"Onee told me everything about what happened with Takano in the woods. How that woman drew out a pistol and threatened to shoot her… how you stepped forward to protect her and our friends. She was very impressed by your fearless yet compassionate spirit. You didn't hesitate to keep everyone safe even if it meant sacrificing yourself," observes Shion.

Hanyuu harks back to that day in the woods, knowing exactly what Shion is talking about. It plays within her mind like a rerun, repeating the events she has long since witnessed. At the time, the goddess made her decision to intervene out of the need to take responsibility. She felt it was only right that she be the loser holding onto the Old Maid. The sacrifice.

Even then, it had been Rika who turned the tables in the end, stopping the bullet with a miracle.

So why is Shion acknowledging her instead?

"I admire you for being the person I strive to be," Shion says, almost as if she was answering Hanyuu's unspoken question.

That throws Hanyuu for a loop. "You… You mean it?"

Shion nods, "I do, Hanyuu-chan. I really do. In fact, it would make me deeply happy if Satoko-chan saw me in the kind of light that Onee sees you in."

"As her guardian angel?" she presumes, having not forgotten what Shion called herself earlier.

"Mmh-hmm!" hums Shion.

Hanyuu smiles shyly, "Funny. All this time, I was under the impression that you already were Satoko's guardian angel."

Shion pauses, considering her words, before beaming, "Oh, sweetie, you flatter me! Still, I feel I will need to keep up my efforts before I'm truly satisfied. I have a long way to go."

"That's a noble sentiment," she observes.

"Oh! Before I forget," the other girl walks behind her and places both hands on Hanyuu's shoulders, massaging them. "Thank you."

She blinks, looking up in confusion. "What for?"

"For being part of our lives. Thanks to you, Onee can have somebody to look up to… and I can have somebody to learn from. I'm really glad you exist."

Hanyuu has cried before, but never has she shed tears of joy.

That is, not until now.

"I–I…" she sniffles, more out of emotion than sickness, "I'm elated to hear that from you."

Indeed. Although Hanyuu may be under the weather, she is also over the moon. This fact, of course, is more than enough to make the deity feel less miserable, if not better.

"And I couldn't be any more pleased to see you so elated," Shion pecks the top of Hanyuu's head. "Now how about you finish your chicken soup while I get you some water to deal with your mucus problem? Well, if you don't mind me doing that, of course."

A weak but bright grin tugs at her lips. She wipes away the tears from her eyes.

"Not at all, Shion. I'd appreciate the help."