Alive || 86: Eighty-Six [ vers. ENG ]

one step at a time

Since we had moved into the home of the acting president of the Giad Federation, I had never once set foot outside. My hermit life suited me perfectly. A bed, a desk and books; I didn't need anything more to live a quiet life.

However, after I had put my health at risk by working without rest, Anju had taken my books away from me. Raiden had made sure that I could not ask Shin to take them from the library where he used to go. Among other things, they had all bonded against me. They didn't seem to be moved by any protest from me, so I finally accepted the reality I was in.

At this point I had to find something else to do until this punishment was over. However, the one and only time I had decided to go outside, I had fallen ill that very night. And as a bonus, for some reason, a certain person had decided not to talk to me anymore. Or at least, not more than necessary...

"Yes, I'm up. You can come in."

Lying on my bed, my gaze first focused on the ceiling, I turned my attention to the door of my room, which opened. Shin entered, a tray in his hands. I immediately got up to a sitting position and let him pass it to me.

My eyes remained fixed on the strange mixture rather than on the person who had just brought it to me. At first glance, I realized that it was not Theresa who had prepared the bowl of soup. Some of the vegetables were still large chunks and I saw something unidentifiable floating on top...?

Was I supposed to eat that?

"Hm...Shin... Do you have a problem with me too?"

The young man sat down on the chair facing the desk. With a cup of coffee in one hand and a book in the other, he looked at me at first without saying a word before holding back a stifled laugh...

Then, surely after seeing the expression of terror that formed on my face, he explained.

"Theresa has been out shopping since this morning so Theo offered to make you some food while waiting for her to come home. I helped him a little."

"...So it's really a dish made to poison me?"

"No. There's nothing weird about it."

"In that case, I invite you to taste it first, Shin."

"No thanks. I am not hungry."

"..."

Should I really be testing my health with this?

The sound of my stomach rumbling for miles made me accept the reality. My hand trembling, I took the spoon between my fingers and dipped it into the soup.

"You have to drink it all if you want to get back on your feet."

I gave my interlocutor a murderous look.

He can keep making fun of me if he wants to. When I'd get better he would laugh less...

"..."