Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 206, Section 8: "In short, it's a follow-up to the illness."

Outside the window, it was as if the earth had stopped rotating and the seasons had stopped moving forward; it was raining heavily and damply.

The raindrops wove diagonal lines, seemingly hanging from the eaves all afternoon.

After Haiyue left, the room became quiet.

Masumi gently patted her body, causing the cat to lie face down.

"Meow~"

She seemed uneasy about the position and let out a soft cry.

Masumi could only soothe Rinne's feelings little by little, just like the most meticulous doctor in a pet clinic, as if smoothing a cat's messy fur.

Then--

The edges of the triangular panties covering the girl's rounded buttocks were decorated with cat ear shapes, and two slender straps were tied into a cute bow at the side waist.

Masumi pinched one of the ribbons and applied only a slight force.

The soft, cottony fabric, still carrying the scent of a young girl, fell silently to the ground.

……

◇

"Meow~ Meow~"

Masumi slowly pulled out her fingers, which were tightly wrapped in plastic finger cots, freeing Rinne's body.

Just then, my phone, which was placed next to the bed, started to vibrate.

I took a look. Oh, it's Mio.

Ugh... and it even says "What just happened?" on it... Is this some kind of special ability?

Masumi: "How so?"

Masumio: "That's exactly how I feel."

Upon seeing her reply, Masumi's heart tightened:
That's too perceptive! Even though Mio's anxiety has been relieved, shouldn't this temporary "stealing cat radar" buff have disappeared?

Masumi: "Rinne just got back to the shop after class and caught a fever because she got caught in the rain."

Masumio: "Oh, is it alright? I remember there was some leftover medicine in the fridge from last time."

Masumi: "Huh? Is it for oral consumption?"

She sent another message a second later.

Masumio: "Of course."

Masumio: "Didn't you find Masumi?"

For Mio, who always replies to him instantly, his words must have been very confusing.

Masumi: "Thanks to Mio, we've found it now."

Masumio: "As long as it helps Masumi."

Masumio: "Oh, and please tell her for me to take care of herself and get some rest."

Masumio: "He pushed himself to the limit every day, which is why he got infected."

Masumi: "Okay, I understand."

Mio is still a gentle person after all.

However, passing on messages is not an option for the time being.

Masumi glanced over without making a sound, and Rinne rubbed against him with her back like a kitten stretching.

"Meow~"

Masumi swallowed hard.

What's with this heiress? She's so adorable! So incredibly cute, it's irresistible. Even when I was applying the medicine, she was so cute, even though she was a bit difficult to handle…

He tried his best to only steal glances from the side, avoiding staring directly at the cat-like girl's creamy, beautiful body.

"... Haiyue."

Hearing the call, the innocent little deer stumbled and pushed open the door and came in.

"Masumi... is there something you need from me?"

Why didn't you give me the medicine that Mio bought from the refrigerator?

Masumi softened her tone, making the sentence sound less like a reprimand.

"Because the medicine I bought... is the best..." Haiyue straightened her back and said confidently.

That might be true in terms of efficiency, but don't be too competitive in things like this. Masumi sighed helplessly.

Haiyue seems to be trying her best to prove her worth in every way lately.

"Masumi...sweated a lot...and her face was very red."

"I'm okay."

Others reacted even more dramatically.

Haiyue glanced at Rinne, whose face was flushed red.

"Masumi has a fever too?"

"No."

"I can... apply medicine to Masumi..."

Masumi's expression was strange: "Didn't you say you didn't know how to operate it just now?"

"I just watched how Masumi does it... and I've already learned it..."

"Hiss~ You've been watching the whole time."

“Hmm, Rinne’s reaction… is quite interesting…” Kaigetsu’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Masumi… too…”

Oh no, the jellyfish girl seems to have accidentally been stained with the colors that drifted in from the sea.

"Let's go back to the room and let Rinne get some rest," Masumi said.

"Whose room are we going back to?"

"Go back to your room."

"Oh."

The jellyfish girl, disguised as a deer, swayed and drifted away.

Just as Masumi was about to leave the room, the edge of her swim trunks was suddenly tugged... Oh right, she was still dressed as a member of the diving club.

"Rinne?"

"Don't go...meow~"

Huh? It seems she's regained some of her language abilities. That's wonderful!

No! This means that Rinne's consciousness is gradually returning, so what just happened...?

To be honest, she was very resistant when she squeezed in earlier.

"Um, about what happened earlier, I was worried about you... Anyway, you're really cute, no! I'm so sorry! And I wasn't looking at you inappropriately!"

Masumi stiffly turned her neck, lowered her head, and met Rinne's gaze.

Her purple eyes gazed at him, watery and full.

"Meow."

The eyes are clear and pure, without any impurities. Can the finest amethyst be sieved to produce such a color?

However, the daring and provocative cat-themed lingerie she wore made one's mouth water.

That's a foul, a really bad foul.

She pitifully tugged at the fabric covering Masumi's body, as if begging her not to leave.

To be honest, Masumi also wanted to spend more time with Rinne, but one shouldn't be too greedy.

The pale fingers that had slipped off the swim trunks slowly returned to their original position.

Rinne bit her lower lip as if suppressing her emotions, remaining silent. Her dejected expression reminded one of an abandoned kitten in the rain.

Masumi suppressed her loneliness deep inside, and just as she was about to leave resolutely, her swim trunks were grabbed again.

This time the force was clearly different from before. Although it was still weak, it was probably the last bit of strength that Rinne, who was weakened by a high fever, had left.

"Don't... leave me alone..."

Rinne let out a weak murmur from her lips.

"Eh."

After a moment's hesitation, Masumi turned around.

—Never mind, I'll stay with her a little longer.

When a person is sick and weak, having someone by their side, even if they do nothing, will make them feel at ease.

Masumi herself is like that.

After making up his mind, he sat down gently on the edge of the bed. "Wait a minute, at least put on some clothes first."

As soon as Masumi sat down, Rinne snuggled up to her like a kitten.

The light, illuminated by the raindrops, streamed in through the window and softly shone on the girl.

Soft cat ears, a cute face, shiny black hair, a slender figure, and the rounded curve of her thighs tightly bound by the edge of black stockings.

"So beautiful," Masumi thought.

In her completely unguarded state, it was easy for me to do whatever I wanted.

However, Masumi solemnly swore.

Before "that time" arrives, I will absolutely not touch her with a single hair, and I will absolutely not do anything to hurt these girls.

"Meow~"

Cat Rin buried her face in the crook of his neck and rubbed her nose against him, as if she were being affectionate.

Masumi held down her "claws" to prevent the girl from moving around.

Oh dear, the vow was broken so quickly.

Rinne slowly raised her face and stared at him.

It's incredible; even though they're familiar facial features, I still want to keep staring at them.

The two faces are so close that if one of them changes position, their lips might accidentally touch.

Masumi then turned her body into stone and remained completely still.

Those few minutes felt like centuries.

If only time could stand still at this moment.

Masumi couldn't help but think that way.

Unfortunately, time flows on equally and never stops for anyone, just like the Suma River in Kobe, where everything flows and nothing remains forever.

Therefore, Masumi cannot remain in the same place forever—

◇

Soft snoring could be heard in the room.

Rinne woke up to the sound of snoring.

The twilight turned into a thick, salted egg yolk color, shimmering through the curtains. The rain had stopped; the sun had triumphed today.

Despite it being a Pyrrhic victory, it didn't stop them from enjoying the comfort of this last bit of triumph.

I feel a bit sluggish and my head is foggy; I don't know how long I've been asleep.

Rinne blinked groggily, then suddenly caught sight of the peaceful sleeping face beside her. Her eyes widened abruptly, and she became fully awake.

!

What... what's going on? Two adult men and women are sleeping on a single bed, looking rather cramped. The moment Rinne's shoulder touched Masumi's, she felt her heart skip a beat.

How did I end up sleeping in the same bed as Masumi, and I was only wearing underwear...?

Rinne forced herself to calm down and tried to recall her memories.

After class at the university today, the rain suddenly intensified, and the mountain road to the North District was very slippery. After thinking about it, she decided to temporarily abandon her plan to go to the welfare home.

However, I still got soaked to the bone on the way back to the coffee shop.

I guess it's because I've been staying up late a lot lately, and my immune system is a bit weak. When I got back to the coffee shop, my head felt a little dizzy.

Then, seeing Masumi and Kaigetsu in the bathroom, my consciousness completely went haywire...

So that's how it is. He took care of me when I had a fever? Rinne quietly exhaled.

If that's the case, then it makes sense.

Although it's a little embarrassing to admit, Rinne is actually more willing to rely on others when she's sick than usual.

Whenever Rinne was sick as a child, her mother would stay by her bedside and wait for her to calm down.

After moving into the orphanage, she kept her distance from others and continued to do so even after entering high school, so no one except Grandma Sato knew anything about her.

This man... Sigh, I don't think I've been too clingy, have I?
"Mmm..."

Masumi turned her face toward him, but her eyes remained closed, showing no sign of waking up.

Rinne gently squinted her eyes, taking care of her sick self; it must be exhausting.

The previously unpleasant heat cooled down, and Rinne's fragmented memories showed images of Masumi helping her... wipe her body.

Ah, there's no other way but to cool down my body. Rinne convinced herself of this.

However, I can't quite remember my reaction at the time; it was probably... very quiet.

Did he also feed himself the fever reducer?

Rinne's gaze quietly shifted to the medicine box on the bedside table, and her shoulder suddenly jumped.

With stiff, unoiled movements, she barely managed to turn her neck toward Masumi.

In that instant, my chest throbbed.

No, now is not the time for emotional fluctuations. Come to think of it, why did my heart flutter just now?
"..."

"Rinne! Are you alright! I heard from Masumi-kun that you had a cold, and I was so worried!"

Mami's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

Asami-nee!?

Rinne instinctively pulled the blanket over herself and Masumi, covering them tightly underneath.

It was too difficult to cover the two of them, so she had to stick very close to Masumi.

"Sister Mami, you shouldn't raise your voice so loudly to the patient," Chiai said softly.

"Ah, I was too worried about Rinne. Should we go in and check on her?"

"Isn't that a bad idea? What if Rinne is already asleep?"

"Then I'll take a quick look, otherwise I really won't feel at ease."

"OK then."

The door to the room was pushed open stealthily. Rinne's heart jumped into her throat. She lay on her side facing Masumi, pretending to be asleep with her eyelids tightly closed.

"Hmm...she's really asleep," Mami said in a low voice.

"I told you so, let Rinne rest properly, let's go out first, Mami-nee."

"Ah."

Mami nodded, then suddenly narrowed her eyes suspiciously: "Chiai."

"what happened?"

"Don't you think Rinne's blanket looks a bit bulky?"

"Hey, is there any?"

Qian'ai, who had already turned around, cast her gaze over.

"It really is like... there's someone lying inside."

!! ?
Rinne had never heard her own heartbeat so clearly before.

"It's probably a pillow or a plush toy," Mami said. "Masumi-kun gave Rinne a cat shark plush toy before. I didn't expect Rinne to have such a cute girl side."

The cat shark plush toy had just been pushed off the bed and was now in their blind spot.

Fortunately.

Rinne breathed a sigh of relief, but the breath that followed on her chest made the girl tremble involuntarily.

This man... actually did it at a time like this...

As if seeking warmth, Masumi's face leaned closer under the covers.

"Huh? Rinne seemed to have moved a little just now. Speaking of which, her sleeping face doesn't look very peaceful."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"Hmm, this is difficult." Mami frowned.

"Should we go over and wake her up? And help her cover herself with the blanket while we're at it?"

"Um……"

! ! ! ! ! !
Rinne's thoughts were in a state of confusion when, at that moment, Mami's right hand touched the corner of the blanket.

I wanted to yell "Ah!" to stop them, but it was too late.

"—Ms. Asami, I've put all the doujinshi you bought into another bag."

The voice of a third party rang out.

Mami paused, then turned around. "Okay! Thank you, Ms. Mio. I'll put it away now."

She tiptoed out of the room as she spoke, and Qian'ai followed closely behind.

The room fell silent again, leaving only Rinne, Masumi, and Kurokawa Mio.

"Now that you're awake, is there any need to go back to sleep?"

"..."

Rinne opened her eyes resignedly, remaining motionless in the blankets, and slowly turned around: "What's wrong with Mio...?"

"Just a feeling."

"..."

Was I scammed?
Kurokawa Mio seemed unconcerned: "Judging from your appearance, you should be fine."

“I care more about other things than this.”

"what?"

Rinne asked in a slightly hoarse tone than usual.

Do you know where Masumi went?

"Eh."

Rinne's throat tightened instantly.

As she turned around, a pair of restless hands were behind her, as if tracing an outline.

From below to the side, it goes back and forth along the line under the armpit.

Sometimes it appears to be climbing towards the center of the mountain, then immediately turning back.

"Is he...not in the room?"

“I went to check, but no one was there. Haiyue said she’s been with you the whole time.”

“I’ve been sleeping in my room.”

"is it?"

"Oh, his phone is with you too. No wonder I didn't get a response when I texted or called him."

To avoid disturbing Rinne's sleep, Masumi silenced her phone.

Kurokawa Mio sniffed: "This room has Masumi's scent."

Her nose is as sensitive as a loyal dog's. Rinne has a headache.

"Yes, Masumi has been taking care of me in the room the whole time," she replied, feigning calmness.

“I see.” Kurokawa Mio’s tone was tinged with jealousy. “I suddenly envy Rinne when she’s sick, being taken care of so meticulously by Masumi.”

...Forget about that kind of "meticulous care".

Rinne felt so ashamed that her lips almost turned white when she recalled how Masumi had taken care of her in that way.

After processing her feelings, she said, "I don't want Mio to hurt herself by 'demanding love'."

"..."

Kurokawa Mio turned her face away and muttered, "I would rather hear Masumi say that to me than Rinne."

“If that person were there, they would have said the same thing to you.”

Rinne spoke with unwavering confidence, though she didn't know where the confidence came from.

Although that person is indeed present, they are doing something else that makes them blush.

"This self-righteous attitude of his, thinking he knows Masumi, is really annoying."

Kurokawa Mio snorted through her nose, "You should rest well and get better soon."

“...If you continue to feel unwell, Masumi will definitely be worried.”

"Yes, thank you, Mio."

Rinne breathed out hot air and said embarrassedly.

Masumi is making her very uncomfortable right now.

Kurokawa Mio seemed to take this as a shy reaction and immediately explained, "Don't misunderstand, I wasn't just showing you tender concern."

"Our rivalry will not change, but if Masumi ultimately chooses me, I might be merciful and become your friend."

"Hmm~"

"I feel the same way about Mio..."

Rinne tried to stop those hands, but she was too weak to stand and almost surrendered, unable to endure even the slightest bit more.

"I will protect everything in this coffee shop."

The declaration of war, which should have been delivered with a resolute tone, sounded weak and lacking in confidence at this moment; it must be due to illness.

A glass filled with fine wine will overflow at the slightest ripple.

"What was that like? That expression."

Kurokawa Mio openly expressed her disgust: "She really has a face that men find attractive."

"He's even wearing cat ears."

"Eh?"

Rinne opened her lips in a daze, her face flushing red.

Although Masumi helped her remove the bell collar, for some reason, she still wore the cat ear headband on her head.

"...I'm going out to look for Masumi. If he comes to your place to pick up his phone, remember to contact me as soon as possible."

"Oh, I see."

"Get some rest, Miss Heir."

Kurokawa Mio's tone sounded sarcastic and not very frank.

(End of this chapter)