Chapter 202: A Girl's Matter...

  The two of them stepped outside the classroom, and Kouya asked in confusion, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the girl leaning against his arm:

  "What’s going on?"

  They had been perfectly fine on the way to school—she’d even been cheerful, humming to herself as they walked side by side, stopping by a vending machine to buy a cold can of cola. Yet now, not long after, she looked like she’d just come back from a battlefield.

  Takanashi Rikka’s face was pale as paper, her lips drained of color. Both of her hands clutched timidly at Kouya’s arm, fingers trembling as though even standing upright was a challenge. Every few steps, her knees seemed ready to give out, her small frame leaning heavier against him.

  Kouya slowed his pace, worried. “Hey, are you okay? What happened?”

  Rikka’s eyes darted to the side, her small face turning a shade of pink that looked oddly out of place on such a ghostly complexion. She turned her head away and mumbled softly:

  “It’s… nothing…”

  'Please don’t turn away when you say that! Even you don’t sound convinced!'!'

  Her face was pale, her voice trembling. Anyone could see she was clearly in pain. Even the ahoge on her head—usually bouncing energetically—was drooping like a wilted flower.

  And this hesitant, shy manner? Totally unlike her usual self. Normally, she’d already be declaring something about having been cursed by a dark witch or attacked by demonic forces.

  “Did you eat something bad? Maybe you’ve got food poisoning?” Kouya asked, frowning.

  It didn’t look like a fever. She wasn’t flushed, just exhausted. Her breathing was shallow, her steps weak.

  “No…” Rikka whispered, her voice small and fragile.

  “Then what’s—” Kouya started, but stopped halfway as his nose twitched. He frowned, sniffing faintly. “Huh… smells like blood.”

  He turned his head toward her. The faint scent in the air was unmistakably coming from the girl still clutching his arm.

  The air fell silent for several long seconds.

  Then, Rikka’s entire face ignited in red. Her ears turned pink, her ahoge straightened in alarm, then immediately wilted again.

  “It’s… it’s a girl thing! Don’t ask!” she shouted suddenly, squeezing her eyes shut, her voice trembling from both embarrassment and pain.

  Kouya blinked, taken aback. Then, realization dawned.'Something you’re not supposed to ask about… so her “monthly visitor” had arrived, huh?'uh'But wasn’t this reaction a bit too extreme? She looked half-dead, clutching her stomach, breathing unevenly like a wounded kitten.'an expert on these things, but he’d heard about them—girls getting uncomfortable, moody, sometimes furious—but this looked way worse than anything he’d imagined. He hadn’t known it could hurt this much.

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  By the time they reached the nurse’s office, Rikka was practically leaning all her weight on him.

  Inside, the school nurse was lounging behind her desk, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a loosely buttoned lab coat that barely hid her cleavage. Her long ponytail swayed lazily as she scrolled through her phone, one leg crossed over the other.

  It was the same unreliable nurse from before—the one who’d patched Rikka’s scraped knee back in P.E.

  “Oh, it’s you two again,” she said with a grin, setting her phone down. “What’s up? Need me to give you some privacy?”

  Kouya’s face went dark instantly.

  Privacy your si'Privacy your sister! What do you think we’re gonna do in a nurse’s office!?'s your age can be…”

  Restless, my ass!

  How could she even say that with a straight face!? Where was her profe'Restless, my ass! How could she even say that with a straight face!? Where was her professionalism!? It had probably died years ago!'

  “Ohhh, Shizuka-chan’s students!” the nurse said, snapping her fingers. “We had drinks together the other night. On the way back, some creep tried to grab her, and she broke his arm.”

  “...We didn’t need to know that,” Kouya muttered under his breath. Completely unnecessary information.

  The nurse finally stood up and approached, her heels tapping lightly against the floor. She gave Rikka a quick glance and immediately said:

  “Menstrual cramps, right?”

  Rikka froze like a statue. Her face turned red again—deeper this time, almost steaming.

  “Heh, embarrassed?” The nurse grinned. “Don’t be. Happens to all of us. Was it always this bad?”

  “N-no… just this time…” Rikka stammered, her voice barely audible.

  “Ahh, so you probably had something cold, didn’t you?”

  Rikka’s eyes flicked downward. “Mm… yesterday I went to the Sea Park with my sister… and had some ice cream… It wasn’t supposed to come today, but… it suddenly did.”

  “Perfectly normal,” the nurse said casually. “A few days early or late is fine. But next time, avoid cold stuff beforehand. You’ve got a weak constitution, so this is your body’s revenge.”

  She lifted two fingers and said, “Now, since I’m out of brown sugar water, your options are simple: take some painkillers… or…”

  Her tone turned teasing, her lips curling in a mischievous smile as she glanced at Kouya. “Let your boyfriend give you a good belly rub.”

  “E-eh?!”

  Rikka’s face exploded into red again. She flailed her hands weakly. “He’s not my boyfriend! He’s my hero!”

  “Tsk, tsk,” the nurse smirked. “Didn’t expect you two to be into role-playing. A hero and his princess—no, a hero and the demon lord’s daughter, maybe? I like that one. Might try it with my boyfriend.”

  Role-play your head!

  She’s telling the truth, and you’re the one turning it weird!

  She looked at the screen, eyes lighting up. “Oh, my boyfriend’s calling!”

  Without hesitation, she handed Kouya the medicine and pulled a heating patch from the drawer. “If she doesn’t want to take pills, stick this on her. Instructions are printed on the back. Rub her belly or use the patch—whatever works. Anyway, I’m taking this call.”

  “Hey! Aren’t you supposed to be the school nurse!?” Kouya exclaimed as she hurried out the door.

  He sighed and looked at the patch in his hand, then at Rikka, who sat on the bed looking pitiful, eyes wet with tears.

  “Medicine or this?” he asked gently.

  Rikka hesitated for a long moment before shaking her head. “No medicine… it’ll mess with my mana, make it impure…”

  Even now, she couldn’t stop being chuunibyou. Maybe she wasn’t as bad off as she looked.

  “Alright,” Kouya said, handing her the heating patch. “Here, you can put it on yourself.”

  But no sound came from behind him. After a few seconds, he turned around—and saw her looking up at him with trembling eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It hurts… I can’t bend down…” she whispered weakly, clutching at her skirt with one hand as she bit her lip, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

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