Ch.5858. The Person You Think of When You’re Sick

The day after returning from taking care of Hwa Nabi, on a weekday morning.

It’s currently 9 AM, a time when normal students should have already gone to school.

But I’m still lying in bed.

The reason is…

-Achoo!

I’m bedridden with chills and headaches from a cold. I was suffering so much that I couldn’t even sleep properly all night. I debated several times whether I should go to the emergency room or not, which tells you how bad it was.

It seemed like overreacting to go to the emergency room for just body aches, so I endured it with just some over-the-counter headache medicine, but thinking about it now, I should have gone to the emergency room earlier.

“Sigh.”

Maybe it’s because I took medicine, but I feel a bit better than I did at dawn. With a foggy mind, I operated my phone to contact my homeroom teacher.

I wrote that I wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t be able to attend school today, and sent it.

The reply came back quickly.

[Alright, take care of yourself. See you tomorrow.]

Good. Now that I’ve contacted my teacher, I can rest.

I tossed my phone carelessly by my pillow, stretched out fully, and stared at the ceiling before wiping my forehead with the back of my hand. Half-dried sweat beads were forming.

“Ah, I’m dying here.”

Hwa Nabi, who fell ill right after returning, didn’t have a cold, so why did I catch one? Even thinking back with my foggy mind, I can’t figure out why. Is it because I spent almost the entire day without wearing a top?

“Could it be travel sickness…?”

That mild body ache you sometimes get when you go to a place with a different climate… maybe something like that, though I’m not sure. Actually, if it’s not that, there’s no explanation for why I suddenly caught a cold.

“…Whatever.”

Well, the reason doesn’t really matter. What’s important now is rest and stability. I’ll go to the hospital later after I wake up. Colds don’t get better faster just because you take medicine anyway.

With that thought, I closed my eyes. I’ll just get a little sleep, and then go out after lunch—

—or so I thought.

“…Ugh.”

…What just happened? When I closed my eyes and opened them again, it feels like time has passed significantly. I brushed my messy hair and checked the time.

[PM 5:31]

“What is this?”

It’s 5 PM now? Surprised, I rubbed my eyes and checked again.

It’s indeed 5:32 PM.

“My goodness.”

I was tired from not sleeping well, but I didn’t expect to sleep this long. I didn’t just waste the morning; I wasted almost the entire day. Well, at least I won’t need to sleep tonight.

“What the…”

By this time, the hospitals would probably be closed. Does that mean I need to go to the emergency room for outpatient care? Or should I call a doctor?

After considering various options… I just lay back down on the bed.

“Ah… it’s such a hassle.”

And I feel terrible. Maybe because I’m not feeling well, I don’t want to think anymore.

Maybe if I just sleep a bit more, I’ll get better naturally. With such an optimistic thought, I closed my eyes.

“…I miss you.”

Being sick makes me think all sorts of things. After muttering that, I turned to my side.

Just as I was thinking about going back to sleep—

-Knock knock.

Suddenly, someone knocked on my door.

Who could it be at this hour? No one should be coming. With that question in mind, I raised just my upper body. Before I could even say “come in,” the door creaked open.

And the person who appeared in the doorway was…

“…Huh?”

“Ah, hello, Siwoo.”

Am I still half-asleep? Or am I seeing things? I unconsciously spoke in a dumbfounded voice.

For good reason—Hwa Nabi was standing awkwardly at my door in her school uniform with her bag. If this isn’t a hallucination, it doesn’t make sense.

“…What is this, a fantasy?”

When I mumbled incoherently, Hwa Nabi looked at me as if I were something pitiful. She put her bag down on my desk and approached the bed where I was lying.

“Siwoo, how are you feeling?”

Only then did I realize. It’s not a hallucination; it’s really Hwa Nabi.

“…Just, so-so. Not good, not bad.”

“Have you been to the hospital?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“…What? Why haven’t you gone to the hospital for a cold? You should get examined and take medicine to recover quickly.”

“You didn’t go yesterday when I suggested it either.”

“Th-that’s different! I could get better without going to the hospital.”

“It’s the same for me, it’s just a cold.”

Hwa Nabi, sitting by my pillow, seemed at a loss for words and fumbled with her mouth.

Instead, she stared at my face and then suddenly lowered her gaze.

Then her cheeks turned slightly red… why is she suddenly acting like that? I naturally brought my hand to my neck, following her gaze.

“…”

And I paused.

Two buttons of my pajamas were undone. I must have unbuttoned them in my sleep because I was hot. As a result, my collarbone and chest area were exposed.

I turned my body slightly and closed my collar while muttering.

“…Ah, sorry. I was dizzy and not thinking straight.”

“N-no. It’s fine. It looked good.”

Is she sick too…? Feeling like I’d get into a quagmire if I responded, I pretended not to hear.

After buttoning up all my pajama buttons, I turned back to face Hwa Nabi. She looked at me with somewhat regretful eyes and spoke.

“Siwoo, you’re in a lot of pain, aren’t you?”

“No, I told you I’m fine? I’m not really in pain—”

-Cough,

A cough erupted from within me as I was speaking. The timing was fantastic.

“You are sick.”

“Huff, I’ll be fine after some rest.”

I tried to say it in a pleasant voice, but Hwa Nabi didn’t seem to understand at all. Looking down at me with serious eyes, she suddenly declared.

“This won’t do. Siwoo, I’ll nurse you.”

“…What are you going to do?”

It’s not like I live alone, and there’s not much to take care of. What exactly does she mean by nursing? Before I could ask, Hwa Nabi stood up abruptly.

“Wait a moment. I’ll change my clothes and come back.”

Taking quick steps, Hwa Nabi grabbed her bag and went into the dressing room.

-Click,

Seeing that she even locked the door, it seems she really is going to change clothes.

“…But why is she changing clothes here?”

Is she saying that a school uniform is uncomfortable for nursing, so she’ll change into casual clothes? …Even as I tried to make sense of it, my head was throbbing, and I couldn’t connect my thoughts.

Giving up on pondering, I lay back down on the pillow.

“Phew…”

I’ll find out if I wait.

*

Ten minutes later.

Just as waiting was starting to get boring—

-Clank,

Finally, the dressing room door opened. My gaze naturally moved toward Hwa Nabi, who had just come out of the dressing room.

And… I was immediately shocked.

“Wh-what?”

For a moment, I doubted my eyesight. Am I really seeing things? I couldn’t believe the sight before me, so I pinched my cheek.

The pain in my cheek confirmed this wasn’t a dream.

“H-how do I look?”

“……”

How does she look… is she seriously asking? I gaped as I examined Hwa Nabi’s outfit.

She had changed into a pure white nurse’s uniform.

Not the typical nurse’s uniform you’d see in hospitals, but the kind designed solely to emphasize the wearer’s figure. It could be considered a type of sexy appeal costume…

“No…”

The purpose of the outfit doesn’t matter. I couldn’t bear to look and covered my eyes with my hands. My already throbbing head seemed to throb even more. Who on earth would stop her…?

“…Siwoo, I asked how I look. Does it suit me?”

“Yeah… it suits you.”

They say the face completes the fashion, and Hwa Nabi would look good even in rags.

But that’s one thing, and this is another.

Why, of all outfits, is she wearing that in front of me right now?

As I trailed off, Hwa Nabi’s cheeks turned red. She seems embarrassed herself.

“W-well, as long as it suits me. …Now, Siwoo? I’ll nurse you now.”

“…You’re going to nurse me?”

In that outfit? I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. Yes, she wants to nurse me. That sincerity and heart is truly admirable.

But why is the outfit a sexy nurse costume? It’s the perfect outfit to develop inappropriate feelings while being nursed, isn’t this a bit too off track?

“Yes. Why, why?”

Hwa Nabi was wearing a miniskirt so short it was embarrassing to even call it a skirt.

Even though she chose to wear it herself, she seemed embarrassed and kept pulling down the hem of her skirt. But it was futile since the fabric wouldn’t stretch.

“Wouldn’t it be better to change into something else?”

A provocative outfit that clings tightly to her body, white stockings that reveal all her skin.

To be honest, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t pleasing to the eye… but the screams of my conscience were too loud to comfortably enjoy Hwa Nabi’s appearance like this.

That’s why I said that, but Hwa Nabi shook her head.

“No, I can’t do that, especially for your sake. Today, I’m going to nurse you.”

“I understand your feelings, but do you really need to wear that outfit to nurse me?”

“Your mindset changes with your outfit. My job today is to nurse you, so of course, I should wear a nurse’s uniform.”

“…Ah, fine. Do as you please.”

No joke, I’m so drained of energy that I don’t even have the strength to argue. As I buried my face in the pillow and muttered in a resigned voice, I heard a title that was hard to listen to.

“Yes, master.”

“…What did you just say?”

Did I hear wrong? I opened my eyes wide and asked again, and Hwa Nabi answered primly.

“What? Why do you look so surprised, master?”

If someone saw a schoolgirl in a nurse’s uniform calling me “master,” what would they think of me?

…What else? They’d think I’m a pervert who makes his fiancée do all sorts of things, a crazy person. It’s rather fortunate that no one else is around.

“Why, why are you calling me master?”

I asked in shock, but Hwa Nabi’s face remained unfazed.

“Well, because you’re my patient?”

“What nurse in the world calls their patient ‘master’?”

“Right now, right here in front of you.”

“…”

She’s always been spirited, but she wasn’t this unreasonable before. Why is she acting like this today? I was speechless, just staring at her, and she added another comment.

“Aren’t you hungry? Should I make you some porridge?”

“…Just stay here. People will be shocked if you go out in that outfit.”

After saying that, I checked the time.

[PM 5:45]

…The night is just beginning.

“Hehe.”

“…Why are you laughing?”

Usually, when a man and woman are together, isn’t it the woman who should worry about her safety? But why am I breaking out in a cold sweat?

“Well… Siwoo?”

“What, what?”

“What should we do now?”

“…Can’t you just stay quiet?”