My Love Simulation with Them-Chapter 222: Being Called “Mom” Is... Kind of Nice

"Minami-san... this is...?"

Looking at the stack of test papers on the small round table, Nijika Ijichi stood up and glanced toward Minami.

But this time, she didn't get a response.

When she turned around, she found him lying back, eyes closed, clearly dazed from the fog in his head.

It seemed just getting up to answer the door and exchange a few words with her had used up all his energy.

Now, he was clearly in a daze.

"...."

Nijika looked at Minami, then at the neatly arranged test papers on the table...

The precise, clean handwriting stirred something inside her—she was moved.

She hadn't expected it at all.

Even with his health clearly in bad shape—

Minami had still been thinking of them.

Preparing four completely different handwritten test papers like these... even for someone like Minami, it must've taken considerable time and effort.

To be wracking his brain, coming up with problems while pushing through an illness like this...

"Minami-san... you really are something else..."

Nijika sighed and stood up with a helpless expression.

When she first came over—

Her heart had been tangled with uncertainty about how to handle her feelings toward Minami.

But now—

That confusion and anxiety...

Somehow, it felt like this moment had started to provide answers.

Nijika rose to her feet.

Not wanting to disturb his rest—

She tiptoed over to his side.

After a moment's hesitation—

She finally raised her pale hand and gently placed it on his forehead.

There was a fine sheen of sweat, as if he had intentionally bundled up to stay warm.

"You've got a bit of a fever..."

Nijika knelt on the floor beside him and used the towel nearby to gently wipe away the sweat.

Her gentle, attentive demeanor was almost like that of a newlywed bride caring for her husband.

"Minami-san, excuse me, but I need to take your temperature."

She picked up the thermometer from the bedside.

Her delicate fingers contrasted against the clear, glistening glass of the thermometer.

However—

"No energy... help me take it."

Minami's voice drifted out, like he was half-asleep.

"Eh?"

She hadn't expected that.

Nijika's cheeks flushed instantly.

If Minami were a girl, helping her take her temperature like this wouldn't be a big deal.

But he was definitely not.

Putting her hand under his shirt to help him place the thermometer under his arm...?

The sheer intimacy of it made her flustered—even for someone as warm and outgoing as her.

Girls' bodies during adolescence attract a certain kind of attention from boys.

And vice versa.

Teenage boys' vibrant energy also has a subtle, undeniable pull for girls.

Nijika was seventeen too.

She wasn't immune.

Especially when the boy was Minami—the one she'd been so aware of lately.

Her fair, delicate hand reached forward—then nervously pulled back.

The thermometer in her hand felt less like medical equipment and more like a burning brand—one she couldn't even grip properly.

But when she saw Minami lying there, eyes half-shut, clearly struggling—

She clenched her small fist, took a breath, and inched closer.

"Pardon me, Minami-san."

Her hand slipped beneath the blanket.

She could feel the heat and sweat.

That faintly masculine scent made her cheeks flush deeper.

Embarrassment gnawed at her.

And yet—

Looking at his peaceful, elegant face, seemingly unaware of what she was doing—

Another feeling bubbled up inside her.

Something like the joy of having him all to herself, of being the only one who could see him like this.

No, no! What are you thinking?

Nijika sucked in a deep breath, trying hard to steady her racing pulse.

Her hand found his chest—his firm muscles beneath her fingers.

Finally, she found the right spot and tucked the thermometer in place.

"Hold it tight, okay, Minami-san."

With her face burning, Nijika pulled her hand from beneath the covers and gave a quick instruction.

"...Mm."

Minami mumbled sleepily.

Good...

Looks like everything's fine now.

Seeing Minami instinctively clamp down on the thermometer, Nijika Ijichi let out a soft sigh of relief.

That action just now had been way too stimulating for a seventeen-year-old girl.

Especially since Minami was completely unaware of it.

It left Nijika with a strange sense of guilt she couldn't quite explain.

She waited a few minutes.

Once it seemed enough time had passed, she reached in again, cheeks flushed, and carefully retrieved the thermometer.

"38.7°C..."

A moderate to high fever...

Nijika set the thermometer down, her expression turning concerned.

This wasn't good.

He needed medicine to bring the fever down.

Luckily, Minami's cold medicine was placed right by the bedside.

No need to ask him or search around.

She quickly prepared the capsules and the cold remedy packet.

However, the next moment presented another problem for Nijika.

How was she supposed to get Minami to take the medicine?

If Minami were feeling well, she could just wake him up and have him take it himself.

But clearly, his condition was far from ideal now.

Waking him up...

Someone like Nijika, so gentle and considerate by nature, simply couldn't bring herself to disturb his rest.

And besides—patients needed their sleep.

No choice.

Nijika walked quietly over to Minami's bedside with the medicine in hand.

"Minami-san, time for your medicine."

She called softly.

No real effect.

Minami only furrowed his brow slightly and remained still.

She tried again, her voice even softer:

"Minami-san, you can rest more after taking the medicine, okay?"

This time, he finally reacted.

And his response was... quite typical of him.

"Feed me."

"Wha—?!"

Nijika's soft, pink lips parted in surprise, clearly troubled:

"Feeding you medicine... that's..."

"Ahhh—"

Minami opened his mouth like a baby bird waiting to be fed by its mother.

Nijika couldn't help but glance at him.

If his eyes weren't closed, she'd have thought he was awake and teasing her—like a mischievous kitten playing tricks.

She watched him for a long moment.

No sign of deceit.

It seemed he was simply reacting to her voice.

No helping it...

Nijika sighed internally. She'd just have to play the role of "Mama" for now.

She climbed onto the bed, her yellow-socked feet swinging at the edge.

Her plan was to prop Minami up and feed him from behind.

And that's exactly what she tried.

After getting onto the bed, she gently attempted to support his back, helping him lean against the headboard, then planned to feed him the medicine.

But—

Perhaps because of her flustered state.

Or perhaps because Minami's body was just too heavy.

Her hand slipped, and his head fell—

Right onto her chest.

Feeling the warmth and pressure against her chest sent her carefully composed emotions spiraling into chaos once again.

Nijika's face was bright red, her mind blank, unsure what to do.

She thought of Ryo Yamada. Then of Bocchi.

But as her gaze fell on Minami's peaceful face, eyes shut, his brows slightly furrowed—

She let out a heavy sigh.

This guy... really...

"You're impossible, Minami-kun."

She murmured, using the familiar name from her fragmented dream.

Lovingly, she brushed aside the hair that had fallen across his forehead.

The golden-haired girl gently stroked his brow.

After savoring that quiet moment—

Nijika took a deep breath, gathered her resolve, adjusted her position carefully, and began feeding Minami his medicine.

In the end, the process wasn't as difficult as she feared.

Though Minami was in a half-conscious state, he accepted the capsules and swallowed them when brought to his lips.

It felt as though he were fully aware, just too weak to speak or respond.

"All done."

Nijika gently laid Minami back down.

She wiped the fine sweat from her brow.

Taking care of a guy... it's way more exhausting than I ever imagined.

But...

"It really was just like in the dream..."

Staring at Minami's face, Nijika absentmindedly rested her chin in her hands, seated once again at the small round table.

She vividly remembered from those fragmented dream-memories—

She'd had similar moments with Minami in those dreams.

Usually, when Minami was teasing her, he'd ask for all kinds of ridiculous requests.

And as one of his "wives," she had always felt shy about his unreasonable demands...

Yet she'd always gone along with them in the end.

Sometimes, Minami would even tease her with, "Nijika Mama."

Just thinking about it now made her heart ticklish.

Nijika had always been someone who didn't mind being relied upon.

And if it was Minami, someone she'd always depended on, now relying on her...

Even if it meant being teased—

As his "Mommy," she probably wouldn't resist.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

She slapped both cheeks firmly, dragging herself out of her daydreams.

Her face was flaming red.

How could I think like that?!

Hadn't she told herself it was just a little crush on Minami-san?

Now she was sitting here lost in wild thoughts.

Just like Bocchi, always fantasizing about everything!

Her face burned even hotter.

It must've been all the close contact earlier—that's what messed with her heart and made her head spin.

From now on...

I need to keep my distance from Minami-san.

No more letting her desires and delusions run wild.

Having made that firm decision—

She suddenly heard Minami, lying in bed, muttering sleepily:

"Ugh... sticky..."

"..."

Nijika turned her head slowly.

Minami was still asleep.

She hesitated for a long moment.

In the end... her petite frame rose once more.

"Sleepwear... should I go with the white... or the gray set?"

She murmured quietly.

Half an hour later—

"Suddenly got some stuff to handle. Nijika, I forgot—you probably don't have a key..."

With the click of a key in the lock, a deep blue-haired girl entered the run-down apartment.

Yamada Ryo.

Her brows furrowed. "Huh?"

The atmosphere felt off.

The place was silent.

No lights on.

The room was dim, weighed down by an eerie stillness.

Normally...

When she walked in, Minami or Nijika would greet her.

What's going on?

Confused, Ryo blinked her amber eyes.

She kicked off her leather shoes haphazardly and stepped inside.

There lay Minami, in an incredibly relaxed position, asleep on his bed.

Even Ryo could see it.

Minami wasn't doing well.

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His complexion was pale, tinged with an unnatural flush.

As expected.

She had heard he was sick.

She came here to take care of him.

But then—

Her eyes drifted.

There, slumped by the round table, blushing furiously and breathing heavily—Nijika Ijichi.

"What happened, Nijika?"

Clad in black tights that traced her perfect legs, Ryo walked over, tilting her head, puzzled by the sight of the panting girl.

"N-Nothing..."

Nijika muttered, hands covering her nose.

"Doesn't look like nothing."

Curiosity piqued.

And when Ryo Yamada got curious, no one could stop her—besides Minami, maybe.

She marched up, and without hesitation, pulled Nijika's hand away.

Then, calmly but with a note of shock in her voice—

"Nosebleed. Nijika, that's a lot of nosebleed."

"I know! I KNOW!!"

Her golden side ponytail swinging wildly, Nijika shrieked and bolted for the bathroom, clutching her nose.

Five or six minutes later.

After dealing with her nosebleed, Nijika sighed, emerging from the bathroom.

Maybe that really was too stimulating...

Remembering the earlier scene, her cheeks flushed pink again.

But... it's okay now.

Ryo was here.

Another pair of hands to help take care of Minami.

She wouldn't be stuck alone, struggling like earlier.

Feeling reassured, Nijika gently closed the bathroom door—

And walked back into the room, only to see—

Ryo Yamada, full of curiosity, shamelessly slipping her hand under Minami's shirt, casually feeling around.

Her hand— replacing Nijika's own from earlier—bold, unapologetic.

The next moment—

"RYO!!"

The room exploded with Nijika's shout.

Ryo could swear—

This was the first time in her life she'd ever heard Nijika Ijichi yell at her that loudly.