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"The cleaning is done. Luckily the wound isn't deep, so it shouldn't leave a scar…"
The female doctor set down her tweezers and cotton swabs, then picked up a square piece of sterile gauze.
"Just stick this on and you're good."
Blake stared at the perfectly square white patch and tried to negotiate. "Do I really have to wear the gauze?"
If he went home like this, Sagiri would definitely notice. And that would… probably lead to trouble.
"No." The doctor shut him down without hesitation. "Keeping the wound clean is important. You don't want an infection, inflammation, and then a high fever that lands you in the hospital, right?"
"…Fine."
A moment later, Blake glanced at the mirror. The bright white waterproof gauze on his forehead was ridiculously eye-catching. He let out a quiet sigh.
Meanwhile, the doctor pulled Ruri Goko aside and whispered a series of instructions.
"Make sure you keep a close eye on your boyfriend's condition. He hit his head, so don't take it lightly. If he gets dizzy, nauseous, feverish, or feels anything unusual over the next few days, don't hesitate. Bring him in for a full checkup immediately."
"H-He's not my boyfriend…!"
Ruri's face flushed bright red as she protested.
Even so, Black Cat still pulled out her phone and carefully noted everything down.
"Goodbye, doctor."
After saying their farewells, Blake and Ruri left the medical station together.
"Blake… how are you feeling now?" Ruri looked up at him, clutching her bag, concern clear in her eyes.
"Much better. Just a dull ache now." As he spoke, Blake took out his phone and contacted the cat's owner. "Let's finish the job first. Getting paid comes first."
Twenty minutes later—
An elegant, bespectacled woman rushed over, scooped up her dirt-covered British Shorthair, and thanked them profusely.
"This is the agreed payment. Please take it…"
True to her word, she didn't try to short them. After thanking them again, she opened her wallet and pulled out a thick stack of large bills.
"Thank you, ma'am," Blake said politely, accepting the money with both hands.
At the "ma'am," the woman's face lit up. "Oh my, what happened to your forehead?"
Blake briefly explained how they found the cat, then grew serious.
"That stray cat's injuries were clearly caused by a person… There might be someone around here abusing cats."
The woman's expression darkened as she listened.
"No wonder cats have been going missing lately… Someone's been hurting them?" Her face filled with anger. "What kind of person could do something so cruel?!"
"No, this won't do. I'm going to contact the neighbors. We need to stay alert—and if we catch that bastard, he's going to regret it!"
With that, she turned and hurried off, decisive as ever.
Blake looked at Black Cat and smiled. "Alright, time to split the loot."
"It's not 'loot'!" Ruri put her hands on her hips and shot back. "It's the reward for saving the world."
"Yeah, yeah~"
After dividing the money, both of them were extremely satisfied. Then they headed down the mountain together and made their way to the subway.
An hour later—
They stepped out into Tokyo.
Night had fallen without them noticing. The sky was dim, streetlights flickered on, and neon signs lit up the surrounding buildings.
"Blake… are you hungry?" Ruri looked up at him and asked softly. "Want to grab something to eat together?"
"Another time." Blake shook his head. "It's already late. If you don't go home, your mom and sister will worry, right?"
Ruri bit her lower lip, caught off guard by his thoughtfulness. A quiet warmth spread through her chest.
"…Then tomorrow at noon, let's eat at the school cafeteria. My treat."
"Sounds good. I won't hold back, then."
"It's a promise." Ruri lifted her chin and added seriously, "If you feel unwell after you get home, message me right away. Don't try to tough it out."
"As you command, Lady Ruri."
"Y-You idiot…!" Her face flushed instantly, voice turning shy. "Don't just say people's names like that!"
…
They parted ways at the station. Blake took the train home alone, stopping by a convenience store to pick up two seafood sushi bentos for dinner.
He quietly opened the door, hoping to slip in unnoticed—
"Big brother, you're back?"
"…Yeah, I'm back."
Blake let out a small breath and turned toward Sagiri.
The gauze on his forehead would have to stay on for three days. There was no way she wouldn't notice.
"Huh?!" Sagiri, who had been lying on the couch scrolling on her phone, shot up instantly. Her bright blue eyes locked onto his forehead, her voice trembling. "B-Big brother, what happened to your head?"
"It's nothing, don't worry. I just tripped and fell—"
Before he could finish, Sagiri had already rushed over.
Thump, thump, thump—
Her hurried footsteps echoed as she threw herself straight into his arms.
Blake: …
She used to hide in her room and wouldn't even speak. Now she's throwing herself at me? Did she secretly eat something weird while I was out?
"Don't…" Sagiri looked up, her eyes already misty. "Big brother, don't leave me like Mom and Dad did…"
Blake's gaze softened. He gently placed a hand on her head.
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you alone."
Even though she shut herself in her room all day, it was obvious—what Sagiri feared most was being alone.
"You rushed out this afternoon, and now you're back hurt…" she said, looking up at him, eyes shimmering with tears. "There's no way it was just a fall, right? What were you really doing?"
Hey, don't overthink it. It really was just a fall…
Blake clicked his tongue. "Wipe your nose before you talk."
"Huh?!"
Sagiri quickly stepped back and wiped her nose—only to realize she'd been tricked. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she clenched her fists and stomped on his foot.
"You jerk, big brother! That's mean! I wasn't even sniffling! And stop changing the subject!"
"Ow—my foot's going to break. Please show mercy."
"I'm not even wearing shoes. You're exaggerating."
…
Once Sagiri calmed down, Blake gave her a brief rundown of the afternoon—leaving out Ruri's "witch" identity, of course.
"Today was just bad luck for you, big brother." Sagiri tied her silver hair into a side ponytail, then put her hands on her hips and sighed like a little adult. "Tonight, I'll take care of you."
"That's not necessary—"
"Idiot big brother, don't talk. Go sit on the couch."
…
Blake sat down and held up the bentos. "You're hungry, right? Let's eat first."
"We can eat later." Sagiri puffed up her cheeks, looking serious. "From now on, I'm in charge of home security. First, I'll check all the doors and windows—just in case some bad guy tries to break in. With you in this weak state, you'd probably get knocked out in one punch."
Blake: …
Hearing the term "home security officer," he couldn't help but think of a certain series by Suzuki Company…
A true classic—no explanation needed.
"...."