Hime might have sprained her ankle.
If it was only a mild injury, I thought it would heal with rest, but just to be sure, I took off Hime's indoor shoes and socks to check her condition.
(...It's really small.)
The indoor shoes and socks I took off from my left foot were slightly larger than the palm of my hand.
"Hime, what size are your feet?"
Now Hime is embarrassed that her bare feet have been seen.
I asked, thinking it would be best to chat to clear my mind.
"My feet are... 19 centimeters."
"Hmm. Maybe the smaller one?"
"No, he's about average. He's not underdeveloped by any means, but... from your perspective, Yohei, he may indeed be small."
As she continued talking, Hime's voice gradually regained its composure.
I had been shaking with excitement just a moment ago, so I felt relieved when he spoke in his usual calm tone.
"By the way, what's your shoe size, Yohei?"
"I'm 27."
"...It's big."
"Well, it's about average."
If you think about it objectively, Hime and I are nine years apart in age.
It's only natural that there would be a difference in size. Even if we're average for people of our age, Hime is small to me, and I'm big to her.
Normally, even if they become friends, the age difference is not enough to understand each other.
However, thanks to Hime's precocious mind, it is strange that there is no difference in their inner ages.
"I'll touch you. Let me know if it hurts."
"...Yes. I understand."
The redness in my face is starting to fade.
Thinking that he was okay, I touched his ankle, which I assumed was the injured area.
Because she is still young and has not yet gone through puberty, her body is not very bony.
I think the soft texture is unique to this generation. It feels similar to Shinyo-chan's.
"Where am I?"
"it's okay"
"So, what about this one?"
"...There doesn't seem to be any problem."
After all, it seems like his upper body isn't that bad.
Hime doesn't seem to mind if I squeeze her lightly. She doesn't seem to be enduring it either, so it must not really hurt.
"Um, then... what about this?"
"Oh. It might hurt a little."
On the outside of her left ankle, a few centimeters below the ankle, there was a slightly reddish area. I pressed that area lightly, and Hime nodded.
"...Maybe I shouldn't push myself too hard."
So far I don't think it's terrible at all.
However, I don't have any medical knowledge so I'm not confident.
"I feel like I can walk after a bit of rest."
"But it's also possible that you're not feeling any pain because it was just after the injury."
"I see. I can't deny that... Now that I think about it, the last time Onee-chan sprained her ankle, it was swollen afterwards too."
At times like these, Hime's calmness is very reassuring.
Of course, I feel like I'm being overprotective or overly sensitive... but having said that, I don't think a pessimistic perspective is bad in a situation like this.
"My sister said, 'It's not that bad!' and didn't do anything about it, so after it got worse, Mei scolded her severely. She was so serious that she cried a lot."
"So that's the kind of past you had..."
"Yes. By the way, this happened last year."
It was surprisingly recent. Hijiri-san is the same as always.
Well, it seems like he's a bad example for Hime, so I guess that's okay.
"Mei-san is a licensed nurse, so I would like you to examine her."
"Nurses are amazing"
"If she hadn't become a maid, she would have been a nurse. After becoming a maid, she also obtained qualifications in nutrition management and cooking. She worked while attending school."
She's an extremely versatile maid. She's very reliable.
In any case, it would be good if he had some knowledge about medical matters.
I'll leave it to Mei to judge Hime's condition.
For now... I have to go back to the empty classroom.
Of course, I still want Hime to rest.
In other words, I can't ask her to walk.
When that happens, there's only one thing I need to do.
"Hime, I'll give you a piggyback ride, so get on."
When I told her that, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
"...picture"
He looks surprised, as if he doesn't understand what is being said.
Even with that face, Hime was still cute.