In Tokyo: They are heavily dependent on me

Chapter 74. Fever-reducing suppositories

Kaoru was woken up by the urgent sound of the alarm clock.

He turned over, turned off his buzzing phone, and went to the bathroom with his eyes closed.

He turned on the tap and washed his face, but he was still very sleepy.

He was so tired last night that he didn't even get any exercise. He's almost finished learning Spanish, and he plans to start learning German next month, but time is very tight.

Hoshino Kaoru believed that for someone as outstanding as him, earning 20 million yen was only a matter of time.

Yes, I need to work even harder starting tomorrow!

After brushing his teeth, Xun was about to go downstairs to get some groceries when his phone, which was lying next to him, lit up. He glanced at it and saw a message from Xiaolin and a bank card payment record.

Hmm? 500,000 yen?

[I spent a lot of Hoshino-kun's money... I'll pay you back.]

[This is the money you paid for my mother's medical expenses. I'll pay you back now. As for the remaining four million yen... I'll take on a part-time job to earn more money, and I'll pay you back slowly.]

If Kaoru were a zaibatsu with wealth and power like the young lady, she would definitely be very generous and not have to repay the 500,000 yen she paid.

However, he was short of money. Rin's illness needed to be treated as soon as possible, and he planned to earn 20 million yen within two months. Therefore, he needed money more than anyone else.

However... he didn't expect there would be an extra gain.

Four million yen! That's about how much he spent renovating the ramen shop.

The system covered this cost... In other words, in addition to the points and items, he received an extra four million yen as a reward!

In that instant, Kaoru felt a sense of relief that her efforts were well worth it.

We're one step closer to our goal of 20 million yen!

He turned off his phone and was about to go downstairs when the door to the bedroom across the hall opened.

"Rin, good morning."

Kaoru greeted Rin, who came out of the door. Rin swayed as if she had lost her balance and walked over, her body unable to stop and crashing straight into him.

Feeling the intense heat emanating from Rin's back in his palm... Kaoru quickly noticed Rin's unusual behavior.

He gently pressed his chin against Rin's forehead, his eyebrows quickly furrowing.

The temperature... is so high.

It's higher than last night.

Has the condition worsened? Or is the medication not working?

"Rin, how are you feeling? Is something wrong?"

Kaoru looked at Rin, who was weak and listless, with concern on her face.

"I feel so unwell... dizzy... can't see clearly... and my mouth tastes so bitter..."

These are indeed symptoms of a fever.

Could it be that the medicine I took last night didn't work?

"Let me take you to the hospital to see a doctor. You should rest today."

Kaoru plans to call the young lady and ask her subordinate to help take Rin to the hospital.

"No...don't go to the hospital...I can still work..."

"Work? Absolutely not. What if my condition worsens?"

The most important thing right now is Rin's illness. Kaoru called Aozora, who wasn't at work, in advance to tell her to come to the ramen shop to work earlier, and then called Kobayashi.

"You should have some time today, right? Come help out at the ramen shop. Rin is sick, and I need to take care of her."

"Shut up! You woke me up so early... I'll help, but deduct 100,000 yen from what I owe!"

"In that case—the interest is 100,000 yen per day, and as a reward, you don't need to pay today's interest."

"Idiot! I'm here because... no interest allowed!"

Xiaolin hung up the phone.

With two people helping out, there's no need to worry about the upcoming morning rush hour.

Kaoru looked at Rin lying on the bed and wondered if the medicine she took last night had no effect.

Rin has been afraid of going to the hospital since she was a child; she would cry from the pain of blood draws and injections.

Being sick is very uncomfortable, and he wants Rin to recover as soon as possible. At present, going to the hospital is the only way.

At this point, her temperature was measured, and the thermometer showed a body temperature that had exceeded 39°C.

"Brother...don't leave me..."

Rin, who was so ill that she could hardly turn over, stretched out her hands and lifted part of the blanket covering her.

"I will not leave you, and I will not go anywhere today."

Xun held her hands, feeling guilty when she saw how sick she was.

If he could have come back sooner... Rin wouldn't have waited for him until so late.

If she had rested earlier, her fever might have subsided and wouldn't have gotten worse.

It's all because of him... that Rin got sick.

"Rin, I'm sorry, I didn't take good care of you... I made you suffer so much."

Kaoru pressed Rin's hand to her lips, feeling guilty and unsure how to face her.

Rin has done enough for him, giving up her studies, having very few friends, and spending most of her time working instead of enjoying the beauty of youth like other girls her age.

However, he couldn't even do something as simple as taking care of his sister's health.

"It's okay. As long as my brother is willing to stay by Rin's side, I'll be very happy and content."

"Yes... I will always stay by Rin's side."

"Brother... I'm so happy that you're willing to say that."

Rin smiled.

Beneath that somewhat weary smile lay a heavy heart that no one could know.

That's great!

The older brother is blaming himself and feeling guilty.

As long as the goal is achieved, it doesn't matter if it's fake.

"Brother, I want to recover quickly... so I need your help from now on."

A greedy glint, unknown to others, appeared in Rin's eyes—a glint of something she had long harbored.

"Are we going to the hospital? If so, I'll go with you as soon as possible..."

No, that's not it.

Rin interrupted him halfway through his sentence and the movement he was about to make.

"The medicine I took last night might not have been effective... If I want my body to recover as quickly as possible, I'll have to use a more effective fever-reducing suppository... But I'm very weak right now... Even turning over is very difficult..."

"Fever-reducing suppository... I understand, I'll have Qingkong help you."

"no."

Rin, who never expressed any resistance to Kaoru, spoke in a strangely unfamiliar tone at that moment.

It was as if he were facing a taboo that should never be done, and he spoke it out as if it were perfectly natural.

"What does Rin mean...?"

"Brother, I believe you. There's no need to bother others with something this simple."

You could tell from that look in Rin's eyes that she was quite serious.

"Rin wants my help? Is that it?"

Xun understood what she meant.

"Hmm... I'm not familiar enough with Asuka-chan yet, so this kind of thing won't work. But with you, brother... it'll be fine."

"......Yeah."

Remembering how Rin's condition had worsened while waiting for her to return, Kaoru knew she couldn't pretend nothing had happened.

He had to take good care of Rin; he had no reason to back down.

"I see."

Kaoru made up her mind.