I Reincarnated as the Villain in a Rom-Com but I’m Enjoying Youth with My Favorite Heroine - I Reincarnated as the Villain in a Rom-Com but I’m Enjoying Youth with My Favorite Heroine chapter 74

74. Nursing

After getting home with Masaki, I immediately lay down on my bed.

Every time I coughed, a pain shot through my body, making it clear that I had a full-blown cold.

The time was just past five-thirty in the evening.

The house was eerily quiet, and I could tell that no one else was home besides Masaki and me.

Right next to me on the bed, Masaki was preparing cold towels and sports drinks.

She moved quickly for my sake, and I truly appreciated her kindness.

After placing a cooling sheet on my forehead, Masaki handed me a thermometer.

“Okay, let’s take your temperature, shall we? Here you go!”

“Thank you, Masaki.”

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I slipped the thermometer into the gap of my clothing and firmly tucked it under my armpit.

The signal indicating the measurement was complete beeped, and when I took it out, it displayed a temperature of 38.7°C.

When I measured it in the morning, I thought it was just a slight fever and nothing serious, but now it was quite a high temperature.

Mashiro frowned slightly at the displayed temperature and began to stroke my head.

“I can’t let you go to school like this. You need to rest properly and get better quickly.”

“But, still…”

“It’s fine. Right now, it’s more important to take it easy and rest your body, okay? Your attendance days are still safe, right?”

“Well, for now… but I still want to go to school as much as I can.”

To break away from my role as the villain, I’ve been attending classes without fail. If I take a break now, there’s a chance that rumors would spread among teachers and classmates that Ryusuke Shindo is skipping school and goofing off again.

So I want to go to school as much as possible.

I thought that, but Mashiro lowered her eyebrows in concern.

“But, but, if you push yourself here, your cold might get worse, and you could end up taking several days off, you know?”

“That’s true… You’re right, Mashiro. If that happens, it would be counterproductive…”

“See? So just let me take care of you, okay?”

“Thank you. I really appreciate you worrying about me.”

“Hehe. It’s only natural as your childhood friend. Now, I’ll go make dinner. You be a good boy, Ryusuke.”

Mashiro smiled gently, patted my head one more time, and then left the room.

Being treated like this makes me feel like I’ve returned to being a small child. For now, I’ll quietly rest while being grateful for Mashiro’s concern.

Deciding that, I closed my eyelids and rolled around on the bed.

The cool sensation of the cooling sheet on my forehead and the softness of the pillow felt nice. However, the frustrating part was that I couldn’t fall asleep. Perhaps because of the headache, even lying down, I didn’t feel the presence of sleepiness coming.

“This isn’t good… I can’t sleep at all.”

Moreover, my body felt unusually hot.

Could it be a sign that my fever is rising? I could only drink the sports drink that Mashiro had brought me to soothe my throat and continue resting.

I wondered how long I had waited like that.

From outside the room, I could hear the sound of something being chopped with a knife. A delicious aroma wafted in, stimulating my empty stomach.

Just as I thought the door to the room had opened, there stood Mashiro in an apron, wearing a gentle smile.

With her black hair tied back in a ponytail that reached her waist and wearing a simple light blue apron, she looked just like an angel coming to her wedding.

As I was captivated by her appearance, Mashiro approached me holding a tray in both hands.

“Here you go, Ryusuke. I borrowed the kitchen and made dinner. I hope this helps you feel better?”

“Oh… It smells incredibly delicious…”

“It’s egg porridge and miso soup, along with fruit yogurt. If you don’t feel like eating, you can leave some behind, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll eat everything properly.”

“Hehe, I’m glad to see you’re looking well. Dig in!”

I found myself instinctively swallowing as I looked at the dishes laid out on the tray.

The dinner that Mashiro had made for me, she said it was okay if I left some, but far from leaving anything behind, my appetite was bubbling up inside me.

I was hungry, and Mashiro’s thoughtfulness was incredibly heartwarming to me right now.

In response to that feeling, I gripped my spoon tightly and reached for the egg porridge first. As I took a bite, the gentle aroma of the broth and the richness of the egg spread through my mouth, soothingly seeping into my empty stomach.

When I took a sip of the miso soup, the refined flavor, made with a solid dashi of bonito flakes and kelp, was absolutely delicious. It paired well with the slightly stronger-flavored egg porridge, and even with my lack of appetite from the cold, I found it easy to eat—Mashiro really is something else.

The fruit yogurt was also prepared with care, with the fruit cut and topped just right for me. The sweetness and refreshing acidity of the fruit spread across my tongue, and the gentle texture of the yogurt stimulated my appetite.

Mashiro always praises the dishes I make, but I love the meals she prepares too. Perhaps because our tastes are similar, the food she makes feels familiar and is truly delicious.

Then, I took my time savoring Mashiro’s home-cooked meal. I had thought my lack of appetite was due to my cold, but it seemed that worry was unfounded; I could feel Mashiro’s kindness filling me with strength.

“Ryusuke, I’m relieved to see you have an appetite. At this rate, if you take your medicine and lie down, you’ll be better in no time!”

“Yeah, thanks to you, I’m starting to feel better. I really appreciate it.”

“Hehe, you’re welcome. Now, make sure to get better and return to your usual energetic self, okay?”

“Yeah, I will. I’m going to rest well today. Thank you for the meal; it was really delicious.”

“Oh, no need to mention it! It was nothing. I’ll also prepare dinner for Mai-chan. She must be starving after club activities.”

“I’m really grateful for everything. Knowing Mai, she’ll probably cry tears of joy when she hears she gets to eat your cooking.”

“Ahaha! Then I’ll make a dinner that will have Mai-chan crying her eyes out!”

With a cheerful laugh, Mashiro gathered the used dishes onto the tray and left the room.

The way the strings of her apron fluttered was so cute that I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her retreating figure.

After that, I took out the cold medicine from my bag, swallowed it, and lay down to rest my body. I closed my heavy eyelids and drifted off.

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