"I'm fine. I'm sorry, but if possible, please let me rest here for a moment."
Yanagi shook her head lightly, trying to reassure him. But as soon as she turned, her steps faltered and she nearly collided with the counter.
'How could I not be worried?' Wise thought.
He immediately closed the distance between them, reaching out to support her arm while speaking softly.
"Miss Yanagi, you're pushing yourself too hard. Let me help you inside to rest first, alright?"
Yanagi seemed to understand and stopped resisting, simply nodding as a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
With Wise supporting her, an unexpected sense of security washed over her, similar to what she experienced with her Section 6 teammates.
But the feelings weren't quite the same. Chief Miyabi made her feel secure because of her incredible strength, while Wise felt dependable in a different way.
Ever since coming back from that place and joining Section 6, where she basically had to handle everything herself, Yanagi hadn't felt like this in forever.
Once Wise settled her onto the sofa, she offered him a grateful smile.
"Thank you. I apologize for the trouble."
"Don't mention it. But Miss Yanagi, what happened? Are you certain you're alright? Should I call someone to come get you?"
Wise grabbed his phone, thinking about calling Soukaku at first, but then realized she was just a kid. If he called her, she'd probably just freak out.
Other than her, the only person he could call was Miyabi, who'd just left. But right then, Yanagi waved her hand.
"It's fine. I just have low blood sugar. I'll be okay after getting some sugar."
"I see. Then please wait a moment."
Wise wasn't fully convinced, but he rose to retrieve something to eat. Right then, Belle appeared from the kitchen.
"Did I hear someone say low blood sugar? Want some red bean buns? I just picked these up today."
Belle hurried over and set the plate down on the table.
At the sight of her favorite treat, Yanagi subconsciously swallowed.
While she focused on eating, Belle quietly leaned toward Wise and whispered, "Brother, what's going on? Miss Miyabi was just here, right? How'd you manage to swap her out for another girl so fast?"
Belle gave Yanagi a suspicious look, then glanced at Wise, her expression practically screaming that she'd completely underestimated what her brother was capable of.
Catching her look, Wise offered a quiet explanation, and Belle's eyes lit up with comprehension.
"I mean, you're not wrong, but..."
'Saying it so bluntly just seems kind of tactless,' he mused internally.
Wise had been about to voice that thought, but he hesitated upon seeing Yanagi finish several red bean buns, ultimately letting his words trail off.
"Thank you both so much for your kindness. I feel considerably better now."
By this point, Yanagi appeared much more vibrant than earlier. At least her vision wasn't blurry anymore and she could actually see where she was going.
"You're welcome. It's the least we could do."
Wise responded politely, and Yanagi's favorability increased to 65.
Previously, she'd wanted to repay him simply because Soukaku frequented this place for meals, but now she found herself in his debt once more.
'Wait, now that I think about it, isn't this a video store? Maybe I should get a membership card before leaving?'
Thinking that, Yanagi casually brought up something that was bugging her.
"Hmm, you know, these red bean buns taste awfully familiar. Were they purchased from Bun Rose?"
"Yep! I saw them when I walked past earlier. There weren't that many left, and they looked amazing, so I just bought whatever was left," Belle said this with a huge smile, like she was totally expecting to get praised for it.
She remained oblivious to the slight stiffening of Yanagi's expression, though Wise picked up on the subtle shift immediately.
"Miss Yanagi, is something wrong?"
Hearing Wise's words, Yanagi finally snapped back to her senses.
"No, nothing's wrong. I just remembered that when I tried to buy red bean buns earlier, the owner said they were completely sold out."
Yanagi said it with a smile, but Wise got a weird feeling from her words.
He'd accidentally bought up all the honeydew melon that Hoshimi Miyabi wanted, and now his sister had bought all the red bean buns Yanagi was after.
Was this mere coincidence? Or some kind of fated connection binding them together?
Belle obviously figured it out right then and looked pretty awkward about it, but there wasn't really much she could say at this point.
And Yanagi clearly knew she'd said something she shouldn't have, so she dropped the subject. After chatting a bit more and making sure she felt better, she got ready to leave.
Before leaving, she did not forget to rent a few videotapes and apply for a membership card, planning to watch them whenever she had time.
Though whether she would truly have any free time was another matter.
"Miss Yanagi, are you sure you're good to go back alone? How about my brother walks you home?"
Belle said this as she practically shoved Wise forward, and he clearly agreed with her. Letting someone who had nearly fainted walk home alone simply did not feel right.
Upon hearing this, Yanagi's first instinct was to decline, but after a moment's consideration, she nodded in acceptance.
She could acknowledge that her condition remained less than ideal, and stubbornly insisting on returning alone might truly invite complications.
Having someone reliable by her side would give her a little more peace of mind.
"Very well. Then I'll trouble you."
"It's no trouble at all. You're our store's super member now, so a bit of special treatment is only natural. Go on, big brother."
With Belle urging him forward, Wise accompanied Yanagi out of the video store and headed toward the bus station on Sixth Street.
The silence between them along the way felt slightly awkward. Gathering his courage, Wise brought up Soukaku to ease the tension.
As expected, the moment Soukaku was mentioned, Yanagi visibly brightened.
They walked and talked side by side, sounding almost like a married couple discussing their child. The harmonious atmosphere drew curious glances from passersby.
However, as they neared the station, Wise noticed Yanagi's face turning pale again. It seemed the few red bean buns she had eaten were far from enough.
She tried not to show it, but he could not simply ignore the signs.
Without a word, he reached out to steady her shoulder again, and she visibly flinched at the sudden contact.
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Novels Available:
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