Zerozaki Hajime had no time to appreciate Yukimura Seiichi in the rain, nor could she pay attention to the sudden pain in her lower abdomen.
The moment she made physical contact with Yukimura Seiichi just now, Zerozaki Hajime had already replenished her energy. She climbed to her feet and pulled Yukimura Seiichi up.
Then Zerozaki Hajime froze time once again, opened the System interface, and eliminated the fleeing monsters one by one.
Once it was over, space-time returned to normal.
Zerozaki Hajime turned around, just about to say something to Yukimura Seiichi, when a sudden wave of dizziness hit her brain, and her whole body uncontrollably toppled to one side.
Before losing consciousness, she saw the panicked expression on Yukimura Seiichi's face.
When the other regular team members hurriedly ran out holding umbrellas, they saw Yukimura Seiichi holding Zerozaki Hajime in his arms.
"Yukimura! Why did Zerozaki suddenly faint?"
Sanada Genichirou's umbrella was relatively large, able to shelter all three of them.
Yukimura Seiichi shook his head, his tone somewhat anxious.
"I don't know. Let's get her to the infirmary first!"
Infirmary.
After examining Zerozaki Hajime's body, the school doctor with a dark expression scolded Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichirou.
"I know the training requirements for your Tennis Club are very strict! But how could you let a female classmate who is under-rested, malnourished, and on her period undergo high-intensity training! That is simply inexcusable!"
At this, all the regulars were petrified.
Yukimura Seiichi was the first to react. He looked at the school doctor with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, Teacher. It was my oversight; I didn't notice Zerozaki... classmate's... special situation."
Seeing that Yukimura Seiichi, as the captain, had willingly taken responsibility, the school doctor did not make things difficult for him any further. She simply sighed.
"You guys go outside first. I'm going to change her clothes. Her physical condition is very poor right now, and she'll catch a cold wearing wet clothes."
Everyone filed out of the infirmary one after another, watching the school doctor close the door.
Marui Bunta was in no mood to blow bubble gum now. He looked at the closed door and frowned.
"I never expected... Zerozaki-san to faint because of these conditions."
Niou Masaharu also shed his usual playful and unserious expression. He leaned against the wall and said in a low voice.
"I actually thought an Order Officer... was omnipotent..."
Kirihara Akaya opened his mouth, a somewhat embarrassed look on his face.
"I heard that if a girl's body isn't feeling well, her period can be really painful."
Yanagi Renji turned his head to look at Kirihara Akaya.
"Akaya, how do you know about this so clearly?"
Jack Kuwahara also nodded.
"You talk as if you've experienced it yourself."
Teased back and forth by them, Kirihara Akaya's face turned even redder.
"Ah!! It's not like that! My older sister told me!!"
Only then did everyone understand.
Yukimura Seiichi had not yet changed out of his soaked regular uniform. He took a step back, shook the water droplets off his body, and then accepted the towel handed over by Yagyuu Hiroshi to wipe away the remaining rainwater on his face.
"You guys head back first. I'll be fine here."
"Yukimura, you..."
Sanada Genichirou frowned slightly, a trace of worry in his eyes.
"Sanada, go back. I'll stay here and take care of her."
Yukimura Seiichi looked at Sanada Genichirou and said with absolute firmness.
In the end, Sanada Genichirou still led the others away from the infirmary.
Not long after they hurried away, the door to the infirmary was pushed open. Seeing only Yukimura Seiichi standing in the doorway, the school doctor looked slightly startled.
"Is Yukimura-kun planning to take Zerozaki-kun home?"
Yukimura Seiichi nodded.
"Yes, I know where Zerozaki-kun lives. I'll just take her back."
The school doctor looked at him with great satisfaction. Since Yukimura Seiichi was the captain of the Tennis Club, she felt completely at ease.
"Alright, then I'll have to trouble you, Yukimura-kun."
Yukimura Seiichi told the school doctor that before he took Zerozaki Hajime away, he needed to go change his clothes, and asked the school doctor to keep an eye on her in the meantime.
Not long after he left, Zerozaki Hajime woke up. This was the first time she had lost consciousness since becoming an Order Officer.
Zerozaki Hajime clutched her lower abdomen, feeling extremely uncomfortable. She knew she was having her period.
She was human, after all; it was just that her world's civilization was somewhat different from the civilization of this world.
"You're awake, Zerozaki-kun. Honestly, you girls shouldn't force yourselves to exercise when you're on your period. You need to rest properly when you should."
Seeing her wake up, the school doctor began to nag.
Zerozaki Hajime looked at her in a daze, then obediently nodded.
"I understand. Thank you, Teacher."
She sat up and, seeing the white hospital gown on her body, realized the school doctor had changed her clothes.
Seeing Zerozaki Hajime about to get off the bed, the school doctor asked.
"Are you going back by yourself?"
Then the school doctor blinked at Zerozaki Hajime.
"Yukimura-kun said that when you wake up, wait for him for a moment, okay."
......
The other regular team members had already packed up and gone home. In the indoor court, only Yukimura Seiichi remained, having just finished showering and changing into fresh clothes.
He packed his wet clothes into a clean bag, and put both his own and Zerozaki Hajime's schoolbags into his tennis bag.
Yukimura Seiichi shouldered his tennis bag and took out his phone to call Yukimura's Mother.
"You're bringing a classmate home for dinner? And she's staying over for the night too?"
"Yes, Mom."
"Well... Seiichi, is this classmate a boy or a girl?"
"...... A girl."
Yukimura's Mother was somewhat surprised, but she didn't ask too many questions over the phone and silently agreed.
Yukimura Seiichi hung up the phone, put his phone into his pocket, and walked toward the infirmary holding his umbrella.Zerozaki Hajime was chatting idly with the female school doctor in the infirmary. The doctor handed her a glass of water and smiled faintly.
"It's a rare sight. In the past three years, the Tennis Club hasn't had a single female manager. Zerozaki-san must be exceptionally talented."
"You flatter me, Nurse."
"Well, hard work and talent are all very well, but you must take good care of your health, too!"
The school doctor reached out and pinched Zerozaki Hajime's cheek. Finding the skin remarkably soft, she gave it a few more squeezes.
Just as they were talking, Yukimura Seiichi arrived.
Hearing that Yukimura Seiichi intended to walk her home, Zerozaki Hajime was about to say it wasn't necessary, but as soon as she stepped off the bed, she lost her footing.
The school doctor was just about to finish her shift and head home as well. Seeing that Zerozaki Hajime was in such poor shape, she suggested to Yukimura Seiichi,
"I've called a cab for you. Yukimura-san, you should carry Zerozaki-san to the car. I'll hold onto your things for now."
Yukimura Seiichi nodded. He scooped Zerozaki Hajime up from the bed and smiled.
"Let's go home, Zerozaki-san."
Zerozaki Hajime naturally wrapped her arms around his neck, though her heart was a swirl of complicated emotions.
Once Yukimura Seiichi and Zerozaki Hajime were both seated in the taxi, the school doctor handed over Yukimura Seiichi's tennis bag along with a bag containing Zerozaki Hajime's damp clothes.
"Be careful on the way."
"We will. Thank you, Nurse."
It was her first time riding in a car in this world, and combined with her general physical discomfort, Zerozaki Hajime clutched her forehead, her head unconsciously leaning against Yukimura Seiichi's shoulder.
Yukimura Seiichi's brown pupils dilated for a fraction of a second. He looked down at Zerozaki Hajime, studying her expression.
"Zerozaki-san, are you carsick?"
......
For a long time, the interior of the car remained dead silent. When Zerozaki Hajime gave no answer, Yukimura Seiichi realized she had fallen asleep.
......Well, that was just as well. It made taking Zerozaki Hajime to his house a natural course of events, saving Yukimura Seiichi the trouble of having to invent a reason to persuade her.
When they arrived at his doorstep, Yukimura Seiichi thought about waking Zerozaki Hajime up, but then he noticed the dark circles under her eyes, which were truly severe.
In the end, he took out his phone and sent a message to Yukimura's Mother.
Upon receiving the message, Yukimura's Mother came out the front door moments later.
She walked up to the car, taking Yukimura Seiichi's tennis bag and the bag of other clothing, and then watched as Yukimura Seiichi carried a stunningly pretty girl out of the vehicle.
"Seiichi, is this the female classmate you mentioned? She looks awfully young..."
Yukimura's Mother spoke in an extremely gentle voice, terrified of waking Zerozaki Hajime.
"Yes, Mom. I'll explain everything to you in detail later."
Bringing a girl home out of the blue required an explanation, of course, but fortunately Yukimura Seiichi had already prepared a reason.
He carried Zerozaki Hajime up to the guest room on the second floor, located right next door to his sister Yukimura Chieko's room.
Yukimura Chieko was brimming with curiosity and had followed right behind Yukimura Seiichi the entire way, waiting until he finished tucking the quilt over Zerozaki Hajime.Nine-year-old Yukimura Chieko was still at the age for fairy tales. Looking at the sleeping Zerozaki Hajime, she blinked mischievously and whispered from the side,
"Big brother, this older sister looks like Sleeping Beauty. I heard Sleeping Beauty needs a prince's kiss to wake up."
Interrupted by Yukimura Chieko, Yukimura Seiichi's gaze involuntarily drifted toward Zerozaki Hajime's lips, then awkwardly looked away.
"All right, Chieko-san, let's go outside and not disturb her sleep."
With that, he took Yukimura Chieko's hand and they left the guest room together.
As soon as Yukimura Seiichi walked downstairs, he saw both Yukimura's Mother and his grandmother looking at him.
Only then did he explain to them why he had insisted on bringing Zerozaki Hajime home, selectively sharing some details about her background.
At this, Yukimura's Mother and the grandmother showed expressions of pity.
"Such a poor child, losing both parents at such a young age. No wonder she couldn't take good care of her health."
"Yes, Seiichi, make sure to invite her over more often in the future."
"Understood, Grandmother, Mom."
By the time the Yukimura family finished dinner, Zerozaki Hajime still hadn't woken up.
Learning about some of Zerozaki Hajime's physical condition from Yukimura Seiichi, Yukimura's Mother had gone in to help take care of her in the meantime.
This sleep was so deep that Zerozaki Hajime didn't wake up until early the next morning.
Seeing a strange yet vaguely familiar environment, she sat up and looked around in confusion. After a moment, Zerozaki Hajime realized this seemed to be Yukimura Seiichi's house.
As she was thinking this, a pain flared in her lower abdomen. Clutching her stomach and frowning slightly, she thought to herself that in the future she really needed to follow the normal rhythm of this world.
She lifted the blanket and was just about to get out of bed when she heard a knock at the door. Zerozaki Hajime told them to come in.
She saw Yukimura's Mother open the door and walk in. Seeing her, Yukimura's Mother smiled gently,
"How is Zerozaki-san feeling?"
Looking at Yukimura's Mother, Zerozaki Hajime wore a somewhat embarrassed expression,
"Thank you... Auntie, I'm fine now."
Yukimura's Mother placed the clothes she was holding beside her and reached out to pat Zerozaki Hajime's head,
"That's good. I've prepared toiletries for you. These are your clothes; I've washed and dried them for you too. Once you're all tidied up, remember to come down and eat breakfast with us."
Zerozaki Hajime stared blankly at Yukimura's Mother. Hearing everything she had done for her, she felt deeply touched inside and smiled as she agreed.
After Yukimura's Mother had been gone for a little while, Zerozaki Hajime took off the white hospital gown and changed into her school uniform.
After washing up, she opened the door and prepared to go downstairs, only to see Yukimura Seiichi standing right at her doorway.