Suchen felt a bit unwell, but he kept pushing through anyway. In the end, though, he simply couldn't manage, and the moment Lika noticed, without a second thought, she rushed him off to the nurse's office.
Suchen felt somewhat dizzy, yet he still managed to say, "The move you just pulled was so cool."
Lika retorted, "Well, obviously! I'm amazing, you know!"
After practicing a bit more, Lika started to grow drowsy, leaning against the wall to doze off.
Suchen asked, "Can I lean on your shoulder?"
Upon hearing this, Lika snapped her eyes wide open. Her face flushed instantly, and she stammered, "Y-Y-You... what did you just say?!"
Suchen repeated, "I said, can I lean on your shoulder?"
Lika froze for a second, then gently nodded. "Alright..."
Suchen sat down beside Lika and softly rested his head against her shoulder.
Lika felt a wave of warmth spread across her shoulder. Her heart raced, making her too nervous to speak. Then Suchen fell asleep. Lika turned her head to look at Suchen's sleeping face; a flash of tenderness crossed her eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved upward into a faint, soft smile.
During P.E. class one day, after sleeping for a bit, training resumed, but Suchen had truly reached his limit, and then he passed out. When Lika saw this, she panicked completely and carried him straight to the nurse's office—man, she was shockingly strong.
In the nurse's office, Suchen slowly opened his eyes, still feeling a bit dizzy, and the world remained somewhat blurry. Still, he could vaguely make out a flash of silver-white hair. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he finally saw the person in front of him clearly.
Lika was sitting beside the hospital bed, gazing down at the resting Suchen. Tucking a lock of silver hair behind her ear, she felt deeply worried. Seeing that Suchen was awake, she said, "Let me take care of you."
Lika reached out to brush some stray hairs from Suchen's forehead, her eyes filled with concern, though she quickly put on her arrogant demeanor again. "Don't go getting any big ideas, though! This is just an exception, got it?"
Lika gently picked up a damp towel from nearby and laid it softly across Suchen's forehead. She stared at his face, her originally icy gaze softening with a hint of tsundere warmth. Lika said, "You took care of me last time, so this time I'm going to do the same for you."
Suchen didn't want to hold her back from training, but his brain just went ahead and muttered, "Alright."
Lika looked at him, the corners of her mouth ticking upward into a barely perceptible smile. "What, are you actually unhappy about having me take care of you?" She gently placed her hand on Suchen's forehead. "Don't worry, I won't let you feel uncomfortable at all."
Lika took care of him for the entire day.
Lika asked, "Well? How was my service? Not bad, right?" She gently stroked his cheek, her eyes brimming with doting affection.
Suchen said, "Thank you."
Lika turned her gaze toward Suchen while gently stroking his cheek, a look of doting fondness in her eyes. "Well, obviously! I'm exceptionally talented, after all." She stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes.
Lika's lips curved into a sly, knowing smile. "In that case, I can finally relax." She gracefully sat back down and crossed her arms. "If you really want to thank me, you need to get some proper rest and not let all my worrying go to waste."
Suchen replied, "Okay."
Lika turned to look out the window and sighed. "Honestly, I don't know what to do with you. Why do you always have to push yourself so hard? But seeing you back in good health makes me glad."
Night fell, leaving only the two of them alone on the campus grounds. Suchen woke up to find Lika fast asleep beside him. When Suchen got out of bed, Lika woke up, discovered he was gone, and hurried outside. The moonlight was so bright that everything was clearly visible even in the dead of night.
Thinking Suchen had already gone home, Lika settled onto a bench according to her usual habit. Her normally tall and graceful figure was curled up slightly on the bench, her slender legs drawn up, head hanging as her silver hair covered most of her face.
Suddenly hearing a familiar voice, she jerked her head up, her gaze sweeping across Suchen's face.
Lika asked, "Suchen? You didn't leave after all?"
Suchen answered, "I wouldn't leave you behind by yourself. I just went to the restroom. If we're leaving, we go home together. By the way, what's wrong?"
Lika muttered, "It's nothing... I just suddenly got a bit tired," speaking coldly in an attempt to hide the turmoil in her heart.
Suchen walked up to her and asked, "Can I sit here?"
"Suit yourself," Lika replied impatiently, though she felt a little happy inside.
Suchen pulled her into his arms.
Lika demanded, "W-What are you doing?!"
Suchen asked with genuine concern, "Is something bothering you? Can you talk to me about it?"
A blush crept onto Lika's face and she averted her eyes. "N-Nothing's wrong. I'm just a bit tired."
Suchen said, "Come on, it's alright."
After a moment of hesitation, Lika slowly rested her head against Suchen's shoulder. "Fine. Since you're insisting..." Resting in Suchen's warm embrace, Lika's mind gradually settled. "Actually... it's no big deal."
Suchen urged, "Tell me about it."
Lika sighed and said, "I just feel like... life is a bit dull and boring lately."
Suchen asked, "Dull and boring?"
Lika nodded slightly. "Yeah. Every day is just studying, eating, and sleeping, with no surprises or excitement."
Suchen asked, "Does this morning count as a surprise?"
Lika replied, "Even so, that was only for one day."
Suchen asked, "Then do you like this beautiful starry sky?"
Lika looked up at the twinkling stars in the night sky, a spark of light flashing in her eyes. "Mm, I love it."
Suchen gently patted her back as if comforting a child, holding her close in his arms—tenderly, and straight to the heart.
Lika smiled softly. "Thank you. I feel much better now."
Suchen said gently, "Don't mention it." His soft words and warm embrace made Lika feel secure and comfortable.
Suchen added, "Thank you for taking care of me in the nurse's office."
Lika replied, "You're welcome, it's what I should have done." Then she looked at Suchen and said, "You were so incredibly attentive and thoughtful when you took care of me."
Suchen said, "I'm only like that with you."
A blush bloomed across Lika's face. "Hmph, well, at least you know what's good for you."
The two of them exchanged a smile, as if all their troubles had melted away into thin air. Suchen slowly leaned in close.
Lika nervously closed her eyes. Suchen kissed Lika, making her heart race as if it was about to burst out of her chest. "Mm..."
When they parted, Lika opened her eyes, her cheeks flushed scarlet. "Y-You... how could you just do that?"
Suchen asked, "Did you like it?"
Lika lowered her head shyly and whispered, "Mm... I did." Taking a deep breath, she looked earnestly at Suchen and asked, "Is this... really okay between us?"
Suchen answered, "It's okay."
Lika said, "Good."