Not long after, Ichiko came in with the Doctor, and Inari was with them.
He hadn't slept for most of the night, not because he was worried about Haruko, but because he was worried about Ichiko.
Now that he saw Haruko was awake, he could finally persuade Ichiko to go and rest properly.
The Doctor was the first to walk up. After observing Haruko's complexion and checking some of the instruments connected to her, she asked, "How does your body feel now?"
"It's okay." Haruko answered truthfully, "My head feels a bit dizzy and swollen, my whole body is weak and powerless, it's hard to even lift a hand. Also, I feel a bit cold, my breathing is warm, and I'm not coughing or producing phlegm."
The Doctor nodded, "You were already weak. The main problem now is the high fever. Besides that, there are no other serious issues. You need more rest and nutrition. Let's keep you hospitalized for a few days to observe the situation."
"Don't stop taking the medicine." After the Doctor finished speaking, she was silent for a while, then glanced at Ichiko and Inari, and still hesitated before saying, "Also, the injury on your hand... don't do such things again in the future."
The Doctor looked up at the IV drip connected to Haruko, then hurried out to re-dispense the medication based on her waking condition.
As soon as she left, Ichiko gently sat on the small stool by the bed.
Inari leaned against the table with a playful expression, "Tell me, what exactly is going on with you?"
Haruko glanced at Inari and turned her little head away, "Don't want to say."
"You--"
Inari pursed his lips in a smile and took a deep breath, "You, after causing such a big commotion tonight, are you planning to say nothing? Ichiko has a high fever because of you, and Sento probably wants to kill you."
"I'm sorry..."
Haruko lowered her head again, looked at Ichiko, and her voice softened.
This sentence was directed at Ichiko.
Her pair of crimson eyes lacked their usual charm; the slight mist filling them softened one's heart.
Ichiko gently held one of Haruko's hands, turned back, and said to Inari, "Okay, stop talking for now. Let Haruko rest first."
Inari looked at the two of them helplessly and sighed, "Fine, Ichiko, you should also rest quickly. Your body isn't much better than Haruko's."
"Okay, okay, I'll stay with Haruko for a while longer. I'll go to sleep when she falls asleep."
Her ward was next door. She knew in her heart that she should prioritize comforting Haruko's emotions right now.
Haruko, of course, also wanted to sleep; she was both tired and sleepy. But with Ichiko by her side, she wanted to look at this girl who was taking care of her despite having a high fever.
There were some things she wanted to say to Ichiko in her heart.
But with Inari here, Haruko gave up that idea.
After the Doctor came to change the IV drip, she ultimately couldn't hold on and was coaxed to sleep by Ichiko.
After confirming that Haruko was truly asleep, Ichiko stood up, gently tucked her small hand under the blanket, and softly smoothed the scattered hair that had fallen onto her cheek.
Only then did she quietly leave the room with Inari.
Then, holding her head and enduring the physical weakness and discomfort, she said, "Inari, thank you for tonight. Without you, I really wouldn't know what to do."
He had truly helped too much along the way.
Praised and thanked by Ichiko, Inari's lips curved slightly upwards, and a hint of sweetness couldn't help but well up in his heart. "Since it's related to you, I can't just stand by and do nothing. You should rest well first, and I'll arrange for someone to look after you."
"Okay, I'll treat you to a meal another day."
"Okay."
If Ichiko had been sick alone, and Inari had accompanied and cared for her so diligently, her favorable impression of Inari would likely have greatly increased.
It's just that now her mind was entirely focused on Haruko.
Towards Inari, it was more a feeling of gratitude.
As for romantic feelings, her mind was too chaotic to think about such things.
Leaning against the wall, she walked into her ward but couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
At 8 o'clock the next morning, Haruko, who had rested for a night, was woken up by a nurse and, with her help, washed up, changed her dressing, and ate breakfast.
By the time everything was ready, it was already 9 o'clock. After eating, her complexion was much better.
Her spirit and energy were incomparable to last night.
She leaned against the bed, idly fiddling with her phone, "Calculating it, at least for the few days I'm hospitalized, I'm safe, and Sento won't make things difficult for me. But I also need to make some preparations for after being discharged."
"Also, regarding Ichiko, these few days are an important opportunity to increase her favorability. I need to come up with a plan."
At this moment, the System in her mind suddenly spoke.
[Host, I have a plan that can turn the grim situation bright again.]
[The female lead absolutely can't let go of you now. According to the Host's actions yesterday, you can completely continue being yandere these days to deepen Ichiko's impression of the Host.]
[You don't even need to increase favorability. Given the female lead's character setting, the Host only needs to show an attitude of 'if you don't listen to me, I'll die'. This will surely allow you to firmly control her. In this process, perform more PUA.]
[Hehehe...]
Listening to the System's words, Haruko couldn't help but roll her eyes, "How many Soul Hall Elders did you eat at once? Your tone is so arrogant."
She helplessly explained her thoughts, "Using yandere actions like this to restrain Ichiko is only a temporary method. As a friend, she will never sit back and do nothing. Instead, she will try to understand me and correct me. If I act like I'm going to die every day in front of her, what will happen in the long run?"
"So, increasing favorability is a necessity."
"The first step is to make Ichiko care about me and place me in a position higher than protagonists like Inari and Sento. This effect was achieved by the 'death misunderstanding' I deliberately created last night."
"Once time passes, she will calm down. What needs to be done now is to strike while the iron is hot."
"I need to make her realize that I am very cute and her only one. Only by making her fall in love with me can I truly gain the protection of the female lead's halo."
[But we are villains, shouldn't we do something more villainous?]
"Vulgar!" Haruko lightly snorted, "I never said I was a villain. Although my plan is a bit extreme, the starting point is fine. Look at Ichiko's mid-to-late plot."
"She gets brutally killed by the suddenly appearing female supporting character, betrayed by the male lead, loses her family and friends, and finally ends up mutilating herself to death."
"I'm not doing this for my own selfish desires, but to save her, which is why I had to take an extreme route!"
Haruko spoke with righteous indignation.
What yandere evil loli?
Please, my values are super upright, okay!
Just as she was getting into the conversation with the System, Haruko's phone suddenly vibrated.
It turned out to be a message from Yuri sent to her alt account.
"What on earth did you do to Ichiko? She actually sent me a message asking such a strange question first thing in the morning?"
Haruko raised an eyebrow, a look of joy on her face.
She had only subdued Yuri and placed her by Ichiko's side two days ago, and she didn't expect the effect to come so quickly.
Just in time, her next plan could be launched!