Saiki handed the ice pack to Shiina Mahiru.
"Here."
Saiki then went to his suitcase and took out some topical medicine for promoting blood circulation, reducing bruising, swelling, and pain.
[For a sprained ankle, katniko spray is recommended, but I didn't bring any. Right now, only safflower oil will do.]
[Later you can apply this medicine yourself. You should be able to manage it, right?]
Shiina Mahiru took the medicine from Saiki without saying anything.
After a while, Shiina Mahiru set the ice pack aside, took off her stockings, and placed them to the side.
She started applying the medicine while looking at her red and swollen foot. The moment she touched the injured area, "Hiss, it hurts so much."
Shiina Mahiru looked at Saiki and, as if possessed, couldn't help but blurt out, "Saiki-kun, could you help me?"
She regretted it the instant the words left her mouth.
Shiina Mahiru [Oh no, what do I do? I accidentally said it out loud. Actually I could probably do it myself, it's just that it hurts too much. I wanted Saiki-kun to help, but…]
Saiki picked up the safflower oil, half-squatted in front of Shiina Mahiru. [Stretch your foot out.]
Shiina Mahiru blushed and extended her foot, placing it in Saiki's hand.
While applying the oil, Saiki said,
[Actually it's better to do this yourself since you can control the pressure best, but since you're really afraid of pain, I'll just finish it quickly for you. I used to see a lot of sprained ankles at the hospital, so this isn't a big deal.]
(Being shy is impossible. It's just applying medicine, and when I was little I used to help out at the hospital all the time anyway.)
After the above treatment, Saiki also used an ankle brace bandage to fix the ankle joint in place.
[All done. For the next few days, you shouldn't go to school. Strict bed rest, immobilization. You can put a pillow under your ankle to elevate it. That will help with reducing inflammation and swelling.]
Shiina Mahiru stared blankly for a moment, then nodded. She would listen to Saiki's advice since it came from someone with medical knowledge. Although she had just gotten permission to return to school after being sick, now she had to take another leave so soon. It felt a little…
[Tonight just eat here. Don't stand on ceremony. After that, go home and rest properly. Try to use your foot as little as possible. It'll heal soon.]
Shiina Mahiru clutched her chest and looked at Saiki. "Saiki-kun, why are you being so good to me?"
Saiki hesitated for a moment.
(Can't exactly say that I indirectly caused this, can I? Sigh, what a hassle.)
[Because we're neighbors. Looking out for each other is normal. You don't need to overthink it. There's no other reason.]
"Oh." Shiina Mahiru let out a small sound and didn't say anything more. [Is it really just that? Probably. Saiki-kun is very kind after all. But being taken care of like this feels really nice.]
Saiki stood up and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The leftovers from yesterday had already been finished at breakfast and in the bento, so he had to cook again.
[No food restrictions, right?]
"No, I eat everything."
Shiina Mahiru sat on the sofa like that, hugging a pillow and watching Saiki cook.
An hour and a half later, Saiki brought out several dishes: braised pork belly, chicken stew with mushrooms, bean sprout and pork rolls, broccoli egg salad, and homemade miso soup.
Then he helped Shiina Mahiru to the dining table. Seeing all the dishes laid out, "So amazing. I didn't know you were this good at cooking, Saiki-kun."
[It's nothing special.]
Saiki sat down as well. [Itadakimasu.]
Shiina Mahiru: "Itadakimasu."
Shiina Mahiru picked up a piece of braised pork belly, put it in her mouth, and tasted the rich flavor and perfect chewiness. "It's so delicious."
Saiki also picked up a piece and ate it with an "ah."
[Hm, it's okay I guess.]
(Instant ramen is still better. Japan has so many flavors, dozens of them. No matter what I make, it all ends up tasting the same.)
Shiina Mahiru saw that Saiki ate one bite and didn't seem satisfied. She picked up another piece for herself. "It's really good though. Even with your cooking skills you're not satisfied? Then what about the food I made before…"
[I'm just used to my own cooking.]
"Oh." Shiina Mahiru didn't say anything more and just quietly ate her rice with her head down.
After dinner, Saiki started washing the dishes. Shiina Mahiru, sitting on the sofa, wanted to help too, but her foot made it inconvenient, and Saiki wouldn't let her anyway. [I hope it heals quickly.]
After finishing the dishes, Shiina Mahiru prepared to go home. Saiki walked her to next door and reminded her,
[You just got over your cold yesterday, and today you went to school and played in the basketball match. You really need to take better care of yourself, or it might come back.]
Then he went back.
Shiina Mahiru watched Saiki walk back to his room, then slowly returned to her own home.
...
The next day, Saiki returned to the classroom. The few people who had stood out during yesterday's sports festival already had fans. They were already popular before, but now they had become even more so.
Saiki was standing by the window getting some air and eating lunch. Akihisa was complaining next to him. "Hey, yesterday during the sports festival our baseball team won too, right? So why, why is it only the girls' side getting all the attention?"
Shikimori was blocked at the door, being invited by classmates to eat lunch together.
Kubo was chatting with a crowd at her seat.
Even Nekozaki Kyo had people coming up to shake her hand. Hachimitsu Yui was next to her holding a megaphone. "Please line up properly, line up! Each person can only pet for 10 seconds!"
(Is she being treated like a rare animal?)
Inuzuka Shu couldn't help but comment, "Even Nekozaki is getting this treatment?"
Izumi Yuu: "It's just that Shiina-san is absent today. Otherwise it would be even livelier."
"It feels like we're no longer on the same level as Shikimori-san and the others. Their status is way higher now. We're not even in the same world anymore."
[You're exaggerating, Izumi.]
[Yare yare daze, it's too noisy here. I'm going to eat on the rooftop.]
Just as Saiki left, a ball flew in through the window, heading straight toward where Saiki had been standing. Now it was aimed at Izumi Yuu's position instead.
"Danger, Izumi!"
Inuzuka Shu shouted and pushed Izumi Yuu out of the way, but he himself didn't have time to dodge. The ball hit him square in the face.
(No way.)
"Inuzuka-kun!"
Izumi Yuu's expression turned serious as he helped Inuzuka Shu up.
"Sorry, this sudden bad luck is all my fault. I'm really sorry. This is mostly because of me."
Inuzuka Shu struggled to his feet. "Yeah, I think so too."
(Don't just agree, Inuzuka.)
Yoshii Akihisa: "You okay, Inuzuka-kun? Saiki just left that spot, and right away a ball came flying. It looked like it was originally going to hit Saiki."
(Shut up, idiot.)
[Do you need to go to the infirmary, Inuzuka…?]
Izumi Yuu suddenly pulled an ice pack out of nowhere and pressed it to Inuzuka Shu's face.
(Why does someone carry an ice pack around with them?)
Inuzuka Shu: "No need, I'm not going to the infirmary, Saiki."
[All right then.]
Saiki patted Inuzuka Shu on the shoulder and left, still heading to the rooftop to eat.
Shikimori had just managed to squeeze out of the crowd. Being so popular made moving around inconvenient. "Inuzuka-kun, are you okay? Where's Saiki-kun?"
Inuzuka Shu: "Saiki just left. Huh, it doesn't hurt as much anymore. This ice pack really works."
(Of course it works. It's because I used restoration on you.)