Chapter 224. [Caught In The Heat]

The fireworks illuminated the two of us.

Closing my eyes, I was captivated by Ah-nee, waiting patiently for her response.

“…Gulp.”

Unintentionally, my throat made a sound.

No! What am I thinking?

My affection is solely for the VTuber ‘Anegasaki Monet’.

Even now, I believe in maintaining the boundary between fan and subject.

Nevertheless, when I watch Ah-nee, I feel an intense tightness in my chest.

It seems I’m becoming drawn not only to her as a VTuber but also as a person.

“Iroha-chan…”

“Ah-nee…”

Gradually, our faces drew closer.

I couldn’t understand my own feelings.

My mind wasn’t functioning properly.

It was as if I were caught in a fever, feeling dazed.

“…………Ha, …A”

Ah-nee’s breath touched my lips.

Intensely hot.

“Iroha-chan, about you…”

“Ah-nee, I also…”

I slowly closed my eyes.

In the silence, the sound of fireworks echoed louder than ever.

“-Achoo!!!”

Ah-nee sneezed loudly.

Her nose was running.

“At a time like this!?”

I was about to complain that she ruined the atmosphere, but then I noticed.

…A sneeze?

“Ah-nee, let me borrow your forehead for a moment.”

“Huh?”

I brushed Ah-nee’s bangs aside and lightly bumped foreheads with her.

This wouldn’t precisely measure her body temperature.

But even so.

“It’s hot!? Ah-nee, you’re really hot!”

Her face was red, and she didn’t seem to be in her usual condition.

Come to think of it, these are all symptoms of a cold!?

“Ah-nee, didn’t you feel tired or your body ache!?”

“…?”

Ah-nee tilted her head, completely clueless.

This idiot is too oblivious to notice her own illness!?

“So this is the true identity of ‘Fools don’t catch colds’.”

I’m no different.

People often say love is a sickness, but mistaking love for an actual illness is something else.

“Hahaha, Iroha-chan, you have a lot of them~. And American summers are really hot, you know~.”

“Is that conscious or just a hazy state of mind!? Besides, the heat is due to the cold. If anything, the perceived temperature in America is… Hey, Ah-nee!?”

“Kyuuun….”

Seemingly reaching her limit, Ah-nee collapsed with her eyes rolling back.

Supporting her with a strained “Gigigi.”, I shouted.

“Help me!”

***

“Huh, what’s this? Big sis, you’ve gone crazy with a cold!”

“I knew it! I always thought it was strange for that big sister to act like that!”

The next day, Mai and Angu Ogu were shamelessly saying this.

Beside them, Ah-nee was groaning on the bed.

We had just been to the hospital. As expected, it was a cold.

In other words.

“Both of you were saying until just now, ‘Hahaha! Onee-chan catching a cold? No way~!’ and ‘You’re a fool, Iroha! Don’t you know the proverb? Fools don’t catch colds’!”

Both of them averted their gaze.

Really? Because of your misunderstanding, I’ve been tossed around quite a bit too.

“Come to think of it, could it be that Ah-nee started relying on me alone, and that’s why she acted that way? Maybe she was looking for support?”

“Ugh!? But Iroha-chan~!”

“That’s right, Iroha!? We were…”

“Iroha-chan, cough cough. Water, please~”

“Sure, here you go, Ah-nee.”

Ignoring their attempts to make excuses, I took care of Ah-nee.

I brought the straw close to her pleading mouth, and her throat made a clicking sound as she drank.

“Phew~. Thanks~.”

“You’re welcome.”

Unlike last night, there was no discomfort in our exchange.

Ah-nee seemed perfectly fine.

“I thought things might take a turn for the worse, but with this, it’s a bit of a relief.”

She murmured softly.

I’d like to scold the two who caused this absurd misunderstanding.

But accidentally reading their lips and knowing the content, I’ll refrain from questioning them.

“Ugh~. What about the planned live stream~, and the filming~?”

“You can do those once you’re feeling better. Also, that’s not filming, it’s… achoo!”

I sniffled and tilted my head.

Somehow, I feel a bit under the weather too.

I took out the thermometer and checked.

Ah, I see.

“I seem to have caught Ah-nee’s infection.”

I sighed in relief.

It wasn’t just Ah-nee who was acting strangely at that time.

But, in a different sense, I was also ‘caught in the heat’.

Not ‘falling in love’, but just ‘babbling due to a fever.’

It must be that.

Otherwise, I might have really started to feel something for Ah-nee.

“No, no, no. Absolutely not. Wait, what!?”

“Are you okay with the cold, Iroha-chan~!? Lie down right away~!”

“Rest, Iroha! We’ll take care of you!”

Mai and Angu Ogu approached me with tremendous force.

Th-these guys…

“Mai and Angu Ogu, your reactions are too similar to when Ah-nee was sick, aren’t they?”

“Well~ It’s like… We still can’t believe that big sis caught a cold.”

“Could it be that if it’s Anego, she’ll be fine in no time, right?”

Ah, this is more about deeds than likability.

“Show more concern for onee-chan~!”

Ah-nee half-cried and shouted. I gave a wry smile.

It happened that night.

“…Iroha, chan.”

Ah-nee’s breath tickled my ear.

The bed creaked.

My heart was pounding loudly.