EX-istential Crisis

Chapter 24: The Caring Visit

Nelly stirred awake for the second time, his senses slowly coming back to him. The first thing he saw was Mira's face, smiling down at him with a gentle expression.

"Good morning, sleepy boy," she teased softly.

Nelly, still groggy and confused, squinted at her and mumbled, "Mira? Oh, I'm dreaming..." Without thinking, he started to close his eyes again.

But before he could drift off, a sudden smack from a tarpaulin roll hit him square on the side. It was Ran, standing over him with her usual mischievous grin. "Yo, you're taking your chances again," she said, laughing.

Nelly groaned, now fully awake, rubbing his side as he sat up, realizing it was already 8 p.m. Everyone—his friends and the girls—was gathered backstage, eating dinner. They were all waiting for him.

"Oh shi—you guys were waiting for me?" Nelly said, scratching the back of his head, feeling a bit guilty for making them wait.

Dan, chewing on some noodles, nodded. "Yeah, we waited. Amadeus and Hiro were here earlier, but they had to leave to do some student council stuff."

Still a bit tired, Nelly looked around, thinking for a moment before casually lying back down onto Mira's lap. He sighed, feeling the comforting warmth again. Mira, however, blushed instantly, her body stiffening slightly.

"Uhm, Nelly... that tickles..." she said in a soft, flustered tone.

Nelly's eyes shot open, and he looked up at Mira, suddenly aware of how close he was to her. His face turned red with embarrassment as the realization hit him. "Wha—"

Shin, sitting nearby with a smirk on his face, couldn't resist a jab. "Dawg, you need to get up—you're making Mira weird."

Nelly quickly apologized, lifting himself off her lap as the group chuckled. "Sorry about that," he said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "I think I'm still half-asleep."

After gathering his thoughts, Nelly stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna head home, guys," he announced. "Still feeling tired... I need to rest properly."

Mira stood up with him, looking a bit concerned. "Take care, okay?" she said, offering him a warm smile.

Nelly nodded, grateful for her care. "Thanks for looking out for me today... and uh, thanks for the pillow. It was... warm," he said with a playful grin.

Mira blushed slightly but smiled back, stepping a little closer. "I don't mind doing it again... for you," she teased, her voice soft and playful.

Nelly laughed, feeling his heart skip a beat. "Can't wait," he said with a wink before grabbing his things and heading out.

As Nelly made his way home, his body ached from the strain of the day, and every muscle felt like it was ready to give out. The moment he stepped into his room, he collapsed onto his bed, too tired to even change clothes. Within seconds, he was fast asleep, his dreams drifting back to the warmth of Mira's lap and the teasing smile that made his heart race.

The Next Day

Nelly woke up groggy and sore, his body protesting every movement. He muttered to himself, "Fuck... over-fatigued... can't move..." as he attempted to sit up. He failed miserably, rolling right out of bed and landing face-first on the floor. In a last-ditch effort to reach the door, he began crawling, using whatever strength he had left.

Just then, his sisters, Aiko and Arisu, rushed upstairs after hearing the noise. They flung open the door, panic written on their faces. "Broskii! What happened?!" Aiko exclaimed, her eyes widening as she saw Nelly sprawled out on the floor like a zombie dragging himself forward.