The hospital in a neighboring town was finally delivered here after two hours of travel on the way. "How? Doctor? "It looks like someone is talking, obviously around, but I can't hear what they're saying." It's okay, fortunately, it was delivered in time, and it will heal as long as you rest for a while. ”

Aster is very flustered now, and she can't sit or stand. Just like that, pacing back and forth in the ward. "So, why hasn't he woken up until now?" Almost overwhelmed by the uneasiness, she jerked her head up the moment the door of the ward was closed again, and asked the doctor who had already stepped over the threshold with one foot.

"It's okay, don't worry. Patience is also very important at this time—" With that, the doctor walked out. But his smile before leaving at least relieved Aster a little. It didn't take long for her to sit back in her chair as if she had given up struggling, and her eyes kept staring at Chihiro lying on the hospital bed, never leaving for a moment.

"Aster—"

Just as sleepiness mixed with the sound of the hands of the wall clock turning towards Shion, she felt a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Hungry? I made a bento—" As she spoke, Lola opened the blue canvas bag she was holding and took out the two bento boxes from it.

"Thank you—" Shion, who had thanked her, couldn't help but yawn as she reached out to take the lunch box. "Thank you, Lola." Lola shook her head slightly, then took out a pen and wrote something in her notebook, "I put the side dishes casually, I don't know if it's to your taste." ”

"It's okay, I'm hungry right now, maybe even the radish and cabbage will be delicious—" As soon as she finished speaking, she took a fried shrimp with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth and chewed it with relish, "It's delicious, sure enough, whether it was before or now, your cooking level is still as good as ever." ”

As she spoke, she boasted; On the other hand, he picked up a piece of braised pork and threw it into his mouth. "Speaking of which, do you want to go back and rest for a while?" At this time, Lola put the bento on the chair next to her, picked up her notebook and wrote down this question. "If Chihiro wakes up, I'll let you know."

Unexpectedly, Shion shook his head without hesitation, "No need, it's all my fault why he was injured, so at least I should be here to guard him until he wakes up." Then he explained.

"Really?" Lola sighed, smiling wryly. "That's the kind of person you are." Immediately afterward, she added another sentence to her notebook. These words seemed to make Shion a little unhappy, she turned her face away, and said a little unconvinced: "Isn't it okay?" ”

Lola hurriedly shook her head, then gently closed the notebook and stood up from the chair, "Then I'll go back, and I'll finish the bento before it completely cools down, right?" She pointed to the bento, as if she wanted to say this. Got it—"

Shion smiled and nodded, despite her impatient look.

Then he waved at her as she was about to walk to the door, "Be careful on the road." Don't forget not to go to a dark place—" Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Lola grimaced at herself, "I'm not a child anymore!" The unconvinced expression seemed to emphasize this everywhere.

After Lola left, the moonlight that slipped in generously through the window enveloped most of the room, and vaguely elongated my reflection. In the end, it became entangled with the reflection of the coffee table behind it.

After that, I can't remember exactly when I fell asleep. Of course, I didn't wake up in time for the sunrise. However, I didn't want to see it in the first place, so it didn't matter. At this time, there were sporadic footsteps in the hallway. Probably the doctor is checking the patient's condition one by one, right?

Just as Shion thought so and went to the corner cabinet to pour a glass of water, there was a knock on the door, "Please come in—" She replied in a calm voice. The doctor walked in and said hello, and then asked seriously about yesterday.

While asking; While recording with a pen, Shion didn't hide it at all, and told him everything one by one. "Okay, that's it!" Then, after he finished recording, he finally raised his head, "Excuse me—?" ”

At this time, Shion suddenly found a place that she was a little concerned about, "Could it be that I didn't sleep well last night?" So, naturally, I asked. Unexpectedly, this question that seemed to be a whim made the man in front of him stunned for a few seconds, and showed a somewhat embarrassed expression.

"Is it seen?"

He smiled sheepishly and reached for his glasses off, "I think it's harder to pretend you don't see it." Shion quipped, and her expression was a little more relaxed than it looked just now. Is it? He replied embarrassedly; While scratching the back of his head.

Then, politely, he turned around and walked out of the room.

And at this time, Chihiro seemed to wake up just in time—he couldn't help but be a little confused as he slowly opened his eyes, "Where is this?" The unfamiliar ceiling, coupled with the smell of all sorts of potions that kept coming in from his nostrils, made him frown uncomfortably.

"This is the hospital."

The moment she heard his voice, Shion was overjoyed. That was to say, but when she walked up to him, that mood had been quietly hidden by her. "How much do you remember what happened?" Therefore, what Chihiro saw was still a poker face that she was used to seeing.

"All I remember was like a fight with your dad, and then—" Immediately after, I tried to recall all sorts of details, but I couldn't remember anything. "What happened after that?"

I can only honestly ask Shion with an embarrassed and embarrassed expression, "You fainted not long after you left my house, and then I was sent here with Lola, and Izumi, and it's the third day now—"

After saying that, she took a chair from the corner and sat in front of me, "That is, I slept for three days?" I couldn't help but ask her with wide eyes, "That's it." Shion nodded slightly, and the corners of her mouth slowly rose.

"But fortunately, you've finally woken up—" she said, with a reassuring expression, slowly rising up from her chair and looking at me with a sudden serious gaze, "What's wrong?" Suddenly, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous...... Unconsciously avoiding her gaze.

Suddenly, she bowed her head deeply in the face of me......

"So what's wrong!" I was startled and hurriedly asked. "I'm sorry that you were so badly injured because of my fault! I'm really sorry! "But her voice drowned out mine in the blink of an eye." Aren't I fine now? So it doesn't matter anymore! ”

With a somewhat embarrassed smile and tone, I said this. But she didn't listen at all, but said to herself, "I'm so sorry to have such a father, I'm really sorry to involve you!" Really, I'm sorry ......."

As she spoke, her voice began to tremble, and the calmness of the moment before was gone—"Enough, I'm not here to hear you say I'm sorry." "In an instant, I couldn't help but raise my voice and complain to her." I know, but ......! ”

But although Shion accepted my statement, she still refused to raise her head.

I scratched my head a little helplessly, and then said to her: "Seeing you beaten like that by him, I don't think anyone will sit idly by, so you don't have to blame yourself." Honestly, aside from the fact that I can't accept this result, it's really worth it—"

Shion raised his head with moist eyes, his expression was very surprised, "Is it possible, do you think you can win him?" After listening to her words, I corrected her with some unconvincing words: "To be honest, I don't think I can win." But I want to win! Isn't it possible? ”

Unexpectedly, as soon as I finished speaking, Shion was amused and laughed, "You, do you know what you're talking about?" How could you have won! She said with a smile, and then, stealthily, she turned her face away. Sitting back in his chair...... "Don't forget, we're just college students—"

"But don't you think that person deserves to be beaten up?"

I rushed to say it unconvinced. "Although I admit that I can't match my strength—" Shion looked at my face, and was amused several times. Then she got up from her chair and slowly approached me—"Thank you." ”

As soon as the words fell, he gently hugged him. Suddenly, I was very flustered, and I didn't know what kind of expression to show. wanted to respond to her, but didn't know what to say, and in the end, he could only let her hold it. At this point, I felt as if my whole body was stiff.

She must have felt it, right? "I'm sorry, it would be fine in a moment—" Shion said; While sobbing quietly, "In the past, whenever I encountered this kind of thing, no one would stand up to help me, and the neighbors always watched with the mentality that more things are better than less, and my classmates always laughed at me behind my back......"

Her voice was so small that only the two of us could hear her. "So, I didn't have any friends at that time, and I didn't trust anyone." Listening to these words, feeling the sadness contained in these words, I couldn't help but caress her head.

"Teacher, although I have been to the house many times, it has not worked. Gradually, I seem to have given up. "Now, I can't see her expression, and maybe, she doesn't want me to see it, right?" So, when you say to that person that you're my friend, I'm really happy! Thank you, Chihiro......"

Shion whispered in my ear in a very gentle voice, but—

Now, why is she crying? I don't know, is there joy or sadness in these tears? To be honest, I don't dare to speculate. "If that's the case, it's worth it for my injury."

I said with a wry smile, a little embarrassed.

"And I didn't know until now that you were going to have all kinds of expressions...... "Maybe you wanted to trick her on a whim?" After that, I added another sentence later.

"Can't you?"

Suddenly, Shion seemed to be a little angry and asked me rhetorically, the tone was as if she was making a fuss, although it was a little childish, but it was very cute! "I didn't say no, it's just that you weren't cold to me before?"

At the moment when I finished saying this, the door was opened by Izumi in one breath—"Shion, how is Chihiro?" As soon as the words fell, I saw her appear in the room with a hundred times more energy, "Oh? Chihiro, are you awake already! ”

She looked very happy, and immediately rushed to me and pinched my face vigorously and asked. "Yes, so you calm down first, it hurts!" I waved her hand away; While saying in a disgusted tone.

"Anyway, it's okay!" Izumi said as he pulled a chair from the corner of the wall and sat down. "By the way, what's wrong with you two?" Unexpectedly, as soon as she sat down, she asked this very sharp question. —Izumi's gaze alternately roamed back and forth between me and Shion, while we desperately avoided her sharp, confused gaze!

Especially Aster, she is probably even red at the root of her ears now, right? "Isn't it a coincidence that we're here?" At this time, Izumi asked again with a wicked smile. Suddenly, Shion ran out of the room as fast as she could......