The girl shook her head gently and extended the food box.
"This is your order. Please take it."
Shiro Sakamaki glanced at the large box in her hands. It looked unusually big for someone her size.
It had only been an hour since he placed the order, and yet it was already here. She must've rushed over without stopping. Her damp hair, pale face, and heaving chest all showed signs of exhaustion.
He quickly took the food box from her hands before she dropped it from fatigue.
There was something oddly familiar about her—her face looked off, like she wasn't well. With a bit of focus, he could sense her life force was faint and sluggish. She was likely overworked, undernourished, and barely holding it together.
"Wait here for a second, I'll grab the payment."
"Okay."
He turned back inside, leaving the door open, and walked to the kitchen. While boiling water, he prepared a glass of sugar water and cooled it down with a splash of cold water to make it drinkable. Then he grabbed his wallet and returned to the door.
"Your face doesn't look great—have some water first."
"Thank you…"
The girl didn't resist. She took the cup and drank every drop in one go, then instinctively licked her lips. Only afterward did she realize she was in front of a stranger, and her cheeks flushed slightly as she quickly returned the empty glass.
"This is the cost of the meal," he said, taking out a few bills and handing them to her. Upon realizing he didn't have smaller change, he simply gave her two 10,000 yen notes.
"Eh? That's too much! You've already paid earlier—this is more than enough!"
The girl panicked and tried to return the money, but Shiro gently pushed her hand back.
"It's fine. I told Chef Hinata earlier I'd tip the delivery person."
"No, I can't accept that. It's way too much," she said firmly, though her expression revealed a struggle. Her voice, however, was unwavering.
Shiro was surprised by her stubbornness. But instead of being annoyed, he admired her character.
"Alright," he said after a pause. "Wait here a moment."
He set the food box aside and crossed the hall, knocking on the Nakano family's door. It was Miku who opened it, headphones still on.
"Sakamaki-kun? What brings you here so late?"
"Miku, do you have change for a 10,000 yen note? I need two 5,000s."
"Huh? Money?"
She blinked, confused—then glanced past him and noticed the delivery girl standing in front of his door. Her expression instantly changed.
"I didn't think you were that kind of guy, Sakamaki-kun… I guess we were wrong about you."
She tried to shut the door, but Shiro quickly held it open.
"Miku, what are you talking about? What's with the attitude?"
"Hmph! You should know exactly what I'm talking about!"
Shiro was baffled. "Come on, don't speak in riddles. Just tell me—"
Thud!
Suddenly, a sound interrupted their conversation. The delivery girl collapsed, her legs buckling under her. Shiro rushed to her side and felt her forehead—burning hot.
She had a high fever, and it wasn't minor.
He looked up at Miku, signaling that as a guy, he couldn't exactly carry an unconscious girl inside his apartment—especially not when the situation already looked suspicious. She understood and immediately helped bring the girl into their place.
—
A few minutes later, Shiro returned to the Nakano household in clean clothes. Inside, Itsuki was tending to the girl, placing a cold towel on her forehead.
"How is she?"
Ichika, who stood beside the bed, shook her head. With their family background in medicine, the sisters had picked up a fair amount of medical knowledge.
During Shiro's quick change, they had already checked the girl's temperature—nearly 39 degrees Celsius.
"She's in bad shape. I've contacted the hospital; someone should be here soon."
"Thanks. Sorry for the trouble."
Meanwhile, Miku was standing quietly off to the side, visibly awkward. She'd clearly realized she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion and didn't know how to face him.
The sisters were all curious now. Who was this girl? She looked like a high schooler just like them, and she was… very pretty. That alone made Itsuki, who had her own feelings for Shiro, feel uneasy.
Shiro explained the whole story—from ordering food from the Fog House, to the unexpected delivery girl, to her collapsing from fatigue.
To prove there was nothing fishy, he even showed them the food box from earlier.
When Miku heard the full explanation, she turned beet red and covered her face before running upstairs in shame.
The other sisters exchanged glances, intrigued by her unusual reaction. Miku was usually quiet and composed, especially around Shiro.
Shiro wasn't entirely sure what just happened either, but he knew the smart move was to keep quiet and let the situation pass.
While they waited for the doctor to arrive, Shiro finally sat down and ate a bit. The aroma of the food was so strong that even Itsuki, despite having eaten earlier, found herself hungry again.
In the end, the sisters each nibbled a bit, and just as they were finishing up, the sound of the elevator came from the hallway.
A team of doctors arrived shortly after, carrying expensive-looking medical gear. Being from the Nakano family's hospital, they took the situation seriously and came well-prepared.
After a brief examination, one of the doctors spoke.
"She's suffering from fatigue and mild malnutrition, which caused her fever and collapse. It's not too serious, just a combination of overwork and insufficient care."
They administered antipyretics and hooked her up to an IV. One nurse stayed behind to monitor her while the others left.
Shiro stepped aside and made a call to Chef Hinata to explain what had happened.
"What!? Nanami fainted!? Where is she now—I'm coming right away!"
"No need, she's with the girls you met the other day. The doctor's already checked her—she's stable now."
"Whew… that's a relief. But the payment and food box—you'll have to bring those next time."
"Sure, no problem."
But then she added teasingly, "Still… wasn't Nanami supposed to deliver the food to you? How'd she end up surrounded by five girls instead? Sakamaki-kun… hmm?"
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