The initial treatment was finished. What next?
Watching Yukino's back, Haizaki noticed the redness at the girl's ears.
Embarrassed, wasn't she? Any girl in this situation would be embarrassed—even someone like Yukino, the ice queen. So, he should leave.
"Yukinoshita-san, I'll go downstairs to prepare dinner now. In half an hour I'll check your waist again."
Half an hour was enough to prepare dinner.
"Tonight we have fresh lamb. Do you prefer braised, steamed, or pan-fried?"
Thanks to Yukino's cleaning, the house looked brand new. Apart from the lingering scent of cleaning agents, everything met the standards of a livable home. Clean, tidy. She had truly cleaned it as if it were a long-term residence.
"Pan-fried lamb chops… is that alright?"
Since Haizaki asked about the meal, Yukino felt that saying "anything is fine" would be disrespectful.
"Alright. Do you want it spicy?"
"That…"
"Then no spice."
He didn't like heavy spice either. To Haizaki, heavily spiced dishes often felt like tasting chili itself rather than the food.
"I'll head down now. If you need anything, call me—I'll hear you."
Worried she might endure pain silently, Haizaki reminded her again.
"Yusuke-kun, could you bring me a few books?"
Yukino noticed the bookshelf. Lying in bed doing nothing felt like a waste of time.
"Sure, no problem."
Haizaki walked to the shelf. Four tiers of literary collections lined it.
"What type do you want? There's Murakami Haruki's latest, and…"
He listed several well-known authors.
"Mr. Ōe's latest work will do."
That was a pleasant surprise. She could read a book that wouldn't be published until a year later.
"Here…"
Haizaki shook it out, wiped it with tissues, then handed it to her.
The girl lay on the bed, head on a pillow, her long black hair spilling over her shoulders. Her slender hands took the book and placed it before her, her expression serious, like a nun in prayer, as if performing something sacred.
In Haizaki's eyes, she radiated the aura of a literary girl. If she wore black-rimmed glasses, Yukino would look even more serene, like a true literary maiden. He couldn't help but think so.
"Yusuke-kun, could you… go prepare dinner now?"
Noticing he hadn't left, Yukino glanced back. Her eyes met Haizaki's scorching gaze, intense enough to make her heart tremble.
Instinctively, she felt uneasy. Not because she disliked his gaze, but because being stared at like that made her uncomfortable, unable to relax.
"Uh, I'll go right away."
Haizaki hurried downstairs.
Yukino touched her cheek. It felt hot, though perhaps not visibly red. Today's accident was the most embarrassing moment of her life. Thinking of her body being seen, being carried, and…
Her face flushed again. She buried her head in the pillow, wanting to vent her shame with a sound, but knowing Haizaki was downstairs, she forced herself to endure.
How should she face him from now on? Perhaps pretending nothing happened was best. She hoped Haizaki wouldn't mention it again.
…
Downstairs, Haizaki faced the husky's scorching gaze. Its ice-blue eyes were so intense he couldn't look directly.
Was one expired sausage not enough? Or had it upset its stomach, making it unhappy?
But Haizaki doubted that. A husky that had survived on raw meat wouldn't get sick from one sausage.
"Hungry, aren't you?"
"Awwooo…"
The husky's look said it all: Yes, I'm hungry. Hurry up with dinner.
"I know. Keep waiting."
The husky whimpered, feeling deceived.
Before leaving Chiba, Haizaki had found rice. Vacuum-packed, expired by a year and a half. But the grains looked clear and glossy. Cooked, they should be fine.
He opened the package and sniffed. No spoiled smell. But human noses weren't reliable. So Haizaki looked at the husky.
He beckoned. "Come smell this."
A dog getting lost was forgivable. But failing to detect spoiled food? That would be unreliable.
"Awwooo…"
The husky sniffed hard. No reaction. Haizaki felt reassured. If there had been a problem, it would have noticed.
He went to the kitchen. The rice cooker had already been cleaned by Yukino, saving him time.
He opened it, poured rice, rinsed, added water, and started it. After two years, the rice cooker worked again. Good quality.
"Alright, now for the real cooking."
The husky howled eagerly. Though the meal wasn't ready yet, it hoped for a taste during cooking.
Haizaki cut a lamb chop with his knife. Dividing portions for two people and one dog. The largest share, of course, for the husky. Its body wasn't huge, but its appetite was. Still, it had contributed much. It deserved it.
Haizaki never begrudged the husky.
"Keep watch outside. Twenty minutes at most."
Whether the husky understood or not, Haizaki went to the kitchen.
On the induction stove, he placed lamb fat in a pan, heating it to render oil.
"Sizzle…"
As the temperature rose, fat melted, spreading evenly.
When it was ready, Haizaki placed the lamb chops in. Beside him were common seasonings.
Cooking in the apocalypse was a way to relax and ease the mind. During the "Lonely Apocalypse," Haizaki had grown fond of cooking.
He cooked carefully. From afar, the husky's ice-blue eyes stared wide. If Haizaki hadn't ordered it to stay, it would have rushed back. Now it sat, waiting, its silly face full of anticipation.
…
"Whimper…"
Suddenly noticing Haizaki's gaze on it, the husky wagged its tail furiously, trying to act cute.
"Come here, this is for you…"
Haizaki prepared lamb trimmings especially for Duke—little meat, lots of bone, perfect for keeping it occupied.
"Awwooo…"
The husky dashed across the living room to the kitchen, grabbed the bone, and returned to the doorway, happily gnawing away.
The smell, the taste, the texture—it had missed this. Full of happiness. Choosing to come back had truly been the right decision. Those wild dogs eating raw meat had nothing compared to its comfort now. As for that female wolf—heh. This husky had no worries about finding a mate.
Seeing Duke's joy, Haizaki smiled helplessly. Dogs were easily satisfied.
He turned back to focus on the lamb chops sizzling in the pan. Salt, black pepper, cumin… The fragrance of spices filled the air.
Though the main dish was lamb chops, Haizaki also prepared vegetables. Around the town's fields, untended for years, there were still plenty of greens.
Ten minutes later, Haizaki finished cooking the lamb and vegetables, keeping them warm in the pot.
"Knock, knock…"
Upstairs, Haizaki knocked on the door. It was basic courtesy, respect for Yukino, important for their long-term coexistence. Mutual respect for privacy.
"Come in…"
Hearing the knock, Yukino spoke. Dinner must be ready. But right now…
She tried to move, but found she still couldn't rise properly.
With a click, Haizaki entered.
"This is an ointment for promoting blood circulation and reducing swelling. Will you apply it yourself, or should I help?"
Yukino tried placing her hand on her left waist, but realized she couldn't manage to apply it properly on her own.
"That…" she said shyly, "please help me."
"Mm…"
Haizaki carefully lifted the blanket at her left waist, removed the warmed towel, then wiped away moisture with tissues, tore open the ointment, and gently applied it.
"All done."
Because she had been under the blanket for half an hour, when he lifted it Haizaki caught a faint, pleasant scent unique to her. Different from Utaha's… It was Yukino's scent.
"Thank you…"
Even though it wasn't the first time Haizaki had seen her back, Yukino still couldn't suppress the rising shame inside. Fortunately, she was facing away, able to use the pillow and angle to avoid further embarrassment.
"Could you bring me a shirt? And… underwear."
She had no intention of staying bare. But at the moment, dressing was difficult. Asking Haizaki for help was too embarrassing. Putting on underwear wasn't the same as being carried from the bathroom.
"A shirt then, and underwear—you left clean ones in the bathroom basket, right?"
He had noticed them earlier.
"Yes… please."
The thought of Haizaki fetching her intimate clothing embarrassed her, but compared to him already seeing her body, it was bearable.
"It's nothing."
In less than half a minute, Haizaki returned with her clothes.
"Do you need help?"
His tone was calm, without ulterior motives.
"I'll try first…"
She couldn't bring herself to let him help.
"I'll wait outside. Call me when you're done…"
Haizaki left, closing the door.
Yukino struggled, managing to put on underwear and a shirt. But when it came to panties, she couldn't. Her waist wouldn't cooperate.
She gave up. Asking Haizaki for help was unthinkable. If he saw… she couldn't face him.
"For now, this will do…"
Maybe tomorrow she'd recover. She would endure for now.
But then another problem came to mind. What if she needed the toilet? Would Haizaki carry her there? And then…
Impossible. Endure it? Also impossible.
She realized she might face the greatest humiliation of her life. Whatever choice she made, it would be shameful. And it was her own fault. Yukino felt the world was targeting her.
Why did she have to encounter this?
"All done, Yusuke-kun. But… I still can't get up…"
In other words, she couldn't go downstairs to eat.
"I'll bring it up. Just mind your posture, don't strain your waist. We'll check tomorrow. Don't worry—we're not in a rush to Tokyo. The weather's bad, we'll be staying here for a while."
Bringing food, even feeding her, seemed normal to Haizaki. He had cared for the injured before. But if possible, he preferred not to. He didn't want to relive that feeling.
"Mm."
Yukino knew Haizaki sensed her guilt at hindering their progress. She hadn't meant to trouble him. She hadn't expected an accident in the bathroom, a fall, an injury, leaving her unable to move.
Luckily, the outside was stable, no danger. If mutants attacked, she would be his greatest burden. Haizaki might risk himself to protect her.
Would he abandon her? Her instincts said no. If he did, she wouldn't blame him. It would be her responsibility.
Haizaki had already done more than enough. If he could leave her cleanly, maybe she'd even be glad. But if it happened, she would regret it.
She shook her head, turning her thoughts to the lamb chops. Now wasn't the time for meaningless speculation.
…