An hour later.
Akira Fujimiya finally left Yukinoshita Yukino's room.
As soon as he gently closed the door behind him, he saw Yuigahama Yui walking toward him from the corridor, holding a small plate in both hands.
On it was a carefully decorated dessert.
The moment Yui saw Akira, her eyes widened slightly. Almost reflexively, she hid the dessert behind her back.
Akira stopped in front of her and looked down at her.
"…Be careful about getting fat."
"I—I only eat desserts occasionally!" Yui explained hurriedly.
Akira leaned closer, his gaze deliberately sweeping over her face.
"Look at your cheeks. They've gotten a little rounder."
Before Yui could react, Akira raised his hand and gently pinched her soft cheek between his fingers.
"…!"
Yui froze.
Her face turned bright red.
After a brief moment of struggle, she reluctantly took the dessert out from behind her back and handed it to him.
"…Here. You can have it."
Akira chuckled.
"Exercise consumes energy. It's fine to eat desserts after that."
He patted her head lightly.
"I'll help you burn it off."
"You— you big bad pervert!" Yui exclaimed, her face completely red now.
She turned around and hurried back toward her room without looking back.
Akira watched her leave, a faint smile lingering on his face, before turning and walking toward Isshiki Iroha's room.
He stopped in front of the door and knocked.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Isshiki Iroha peeked out.
She was wearing a rather bold swimsuit, her shoulders and collarbone exposed, her cheeks tinged with pink as she looked up at him.
"I really did come to discuss the cultural festival," Akira said calmly as he stepped inside.
"We can talk about the cultural festival anytime," Iroha replied with a smile.
"I want to play games with my senior right now."
She closed the door behind them and naturally hooked her arm around Akira's.
"What game?" Akira asked as he sat down at the low table.
Isshiki turned on the game console, handed him a controller, and leaned comfortably against him.
Akira looked down at her but didn't refuse.
Time passed quietly.
.....
After leaving Isshiki Iroha's room, Akira was just about to look for Yuigahama Yui again when he noticed someone standing not far away.
Hisako Arato.
She seem to be waiting for him.
The moment Hisako saw Akira step out of Isshiki Iroha's room, her eyes dimmed slightly.
Akira walked up to her.
"I'm sorry, little secretary," he said gently. "It's not that I don't want to care about you. It's just that your young lady doesn't want me to bully you, so this is the only way."
"So that's how it is…" Hisako murmured, understanding dawning on her face.
Akira reached out and held her hand.
"I know what you're thinking," he continued. "To be honest, I don't want to give up on you either. So… can we maintain this relationship for now?"
Hisako hesitated.
"I… I am Miss Erina's secretary," she said with determination. "I won't get married."
"I understand," Akira replied softly.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly.
Hisako's arms wrapped around him, and she rested her head against his chest.
Akira hugged her back.
At that moment—
Creak!
The sound of a door opening echoed through the corridor.
Both of them turned their heads.
Sakurajima Mai stepped out of her room.
At first, she didn't seem to notice anything. But when she lifted her head and saw them standing together—
She froze.
"I—I'll go first!" Hisako blurted out, her face flushing bright red as she hurried away.
Akira watched her leave, then turned his attention to Mai.
"Sakurajima-san," he said lightly, "you've disturbed my good time."
"I… I'm sorry," Mai replied, lowering her head. Not understanding why she was the one apologizing.
"If you give me a hug, I might forgive you," Akira said, looking at her.
"…!!…" Mai hesitated.
"Forget it," Akira said with a sigh as he turned away. "If Sakurajima-san hugs me, I probably won't be able to sleep tonight."
He walked away without looking back.
Mai stood there, stunned.
A few seconds later, she finally realized what he meant.
Her face flushed red.
.....
Naturally, Akira went to help Yuigahama Yui afterward.
....
The Next Morning,
After breakfast, Akira went to look for Aria Shichijō.
With the resources of the Shichijō family, there were already doctors on the island. However, Nishimiya Shouko's condition was not something they specialized in.
So Aria Shichijō contacted the Shichijō family's private hospital.
Every doctor there was a top expert!
Less than half an hour later, a medical team had been assembled.
They would arrive by helicopter in the afternoon.
"The success rate of this surgery doesn't seem high," Aria Shichijō said after hanging up the phone, looking at Akira.
"...But you don't look worried at all."
"I might not look like it to others but I am very worried....but I also believe that miracles exist," Akira replied, gazing out at the endless sea.
"…Do miracles exist for me too?" Aria Shichijō asked quietly, brushing her long hair aside. 'And are you worried about me too?' She asked inwardly but didn't say out loud.
"To trigger a miracle, prerequisites are needed," Akira said slowly. "And I've already found yours."
"Oh?" She looked at him curiously.
"What are they?"
"Medicinal cuisine," Akira replied in his usual calm voice.
Aria Shichijō froze for a moment.
"You might think I believe too much in medicinal cuisine," Akira continued, "but the fact that it can alleviate your condition is proof enough."
"...I believe you," Aria Shichijō said seriously.
"....Miss Nakiri has developed medicinal dishes," Akira said carefully. "There is a top chef who can improve them. And the perfect God Tongue can help in figuring out the medicinal cuisine that can truly cure you."
"Erina… Kazami Nana… and…" Aria Shichijō hesitated.
She didn't know who the third person was and she didn't think that the God Tongue he was talking about is Erina!
Akira stood up and walked toward her.
Aria Shichijō blinked, confused by his sudden movement.
Then—
Akira leaned down and kissed her.
She froze for a brief moment, but didn't push him away.
Kiss! Kiss!
"Mmm.."
Instead, she responded.
The maids witnessed the scene, their expressions complicated.
Logically, they should have stopped him.
But the person who could save their Young Lady, Aria Shichijō—
Seemed to be this Perverted man.
So they could only watch silently.
A few minutes later, Akira straightened up.
"I already know how that medicinal dish was made," he said calmly.
"I also know how carefully your maids prepared it. They respect you—not because of your status, but because you saved them."
"They would give their lives for you."
"…Is this the perfect God Tongue?" Aria Shichijō asked softly, she made a bold assumption!
"Yes," Akira replied.
"I need time to research medicinal cuisine and formulate one that can cure you."
"If I fail," he added quietly,
"I'll marry you. Our lives will be tied together."
Aria Shichijō smiled.
"I don't know how to feel about this, now."
She knew.
If Akira said this, it meant he was absolutely confident in it.
And also—
He really didn't want to marry her....
...
Leaving Aria Shichijō's courtyard,
Akira found Hiratsuka Shizuka having breakfast.
Hiratsuka-sensei looked pale. It was obvious she had drunk too much.
"I've asked Shichijō-san to invite the best doctors to perform surgery on Shouko," Akira said.
Hiratsuka Shizuka paused and looked up at him.
"The time has come," Akira said firmly.
"…If—"
"No ifs," Akira interrupted.
"...I hope you won't let us down," Hiratsuka Shizuka said quietly, her expression complicated.
...
The entire morning, Akira stayed with Nishimiya Shouko.
They sat together reading a picture book.
Akira held her in his arms and read aloud at the same pace she followed.
Every time they were about to turn a page, Shouko would glance up at him.
Only after he nodded would she turn to the next page.
Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't disturb them.
She waited silently in the living room for the doctors to arrive.
At lunchtime, Akira and Shouko ate together in her room.
This time, Akira didn't let her feed him.
Instead—
He carefully fed her lunch, one bite at a time.
Nishimiya Shouko was very shy about this.
Even though she had already experienced so many changes in such a short time, when Akira Fujimiya looked at her with that gentle, unwavering gaze, her heart still beat faster than she expected.
{T/N: He always looked at her the same way, but since the whole time Akira has been only looking at her and taking care of her, she felt it more then before}
Akira noticed her hesitation immediately.
He didn't urge her, didn't say anything unnecessary.
Instead, he simply looked at her quietly, his eyes calm and reassuring, as if telling her that no matter what happened next, he would be right there.
...
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Bonus Chapter:-
4 Bonus chapter at 100 powerstone
6 Bonus Chapter at 150 powerstone
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Word Count — 1,523