Chapter 17: Scenes Where the Heroine Saves the Protagonist With a Single Sentence are Usually Memorable Scenes

[Heroine]

In romance stories, the heroine is, in a sense, even more important than the protagonist, and in works with romance as a theme, a charming heroine, both inside and out, is absolutely essential.

No matter how charming the protagonist is, or rather, the more charming the protagonist, the more the heroine must also be charming, otherwise from the reader's perspective, the protagonist becomes pitiable, and it becomes difficult to sincerely wish them happiness.

It may seem obvious, but a charming protagonist and a heroine who makes readers think, "Please be happy already! Get married you two!!!" are conditions for a masterpiece.

And I think that fans of rom-com and other works with romance as a theme have thought at least once that they want to be a wall that watches the interactions between the two of them.

At least I have.

The more the better, right...? Though it's not good to wish for too much...

What constitutes a good heroine varies greatly from person to person, and normally one shouldn't say what they think is good, as it would only spark a fire.

But, BUT!

I want to shout it out anyway!

'Sickly heroines are the greatest!!!'

I love stories where a seemingly frail, sickly heroine, who is usually saved by many people including the protagonist, shows inner strength at a crucial moment.

I also love stories where the protagonist is saved by a single word from the sickly heroine.

I love stories where she overcomes her suffering and she and the protagonist find happiness together.

I cry when I see scenes of her having children and being a mother.

I've cried a lot.

I love every single action of a sickly heroine.

I love sickly heroines!

'Ah, seriously, sickly heroines are just sooooo good...!!!!'

★★★

It's almost been a year since Chiharu-kun came to Onjōji family.

A full cycle of seasons has passed, and winter, the night of that self-proclaimed fateful encounter, is about to return.

Personally, I like winter because the falling snow and the frail heroine are a perfect match in terms of transience.

Well, a frail heroine smiling wistfully under the cherry blossoms is nice, and needless to say, a frail heroine smiling in a white dress and straw hat in the summer sun is also good. A frail heroine gazing at the falling leaves in autumn with an ennui expression is also a must.

'Damn... the sickly heroine is the perfect heroine for all seasons, isn't she...?'

And Chitose-chan, that sickly heroine, is in top form this winter as well. Even at this very moment, she's rapidly progressing down the path of a sickly heroine.

To be more specific, Chitose-chan caught a cold and is currently receiving treatment in her room, on complete bed rest. Ha ha ha.

Well, it's inevitable that children catch colds.  

Whether you're healthy or not, you'll get sick when you get sick, and this is especially true for children, who have less stamina than adults.

For anyone with children, this is a common occurrence, and in most households, it's simply a matter of "take your medicine and go to bed!"

However, Chitose-chan is, in her own way, a character who calls herself a sickly heroine.

She usually manages to suppress her Yin energy, and thanks to the Yang energy she receives from her doctor, her father, and recently, Chiharu-kun, she's able to live as a sickly heroine (but healthy).

In fact, she intentionally regulates her Yin energy, which helps her maintain her sickly heroine persona—it's like an indispensable partner in this world.

Actually, in this world, regardless of whether you're a sickly heroine or not, if you lose all your Yin energy, you're finished as a human!

Normally, there are no problems with this Yin energy; in fact, it's even reassuring.

However, when she's feeling unwell, things change. Specifically, because her body is exhausted, controlling her energy is more difficult than usual.

Because of this, I think her Yin energy appears about 30% stronger than other people. As a result, her internal functions are suppressed at an alarming rate, so even though she has a cold, she doesn't sweat, and her body doesn't try to heal her at all.

Simply put, she feels incredibly lethargic and exhausted.

In this world, a normal person, even if their Yin energy increases due to illness, would counteract it with an increase in Yang energy to restore balance, and would recover through a fever or other processes.

In Chitose-chan's case, because of her soul, her Yin energy is so concentrated that even if her Yang energy increases slightly, it's like a drop in the ocean; her body doesn't move towards healing.

In this world, there's a belief that the body, soul, and energy influence each other, and if we follow that, I think Chitose-chan's body is probably a Yin body with extremely high resistance to Yang energy.

Even so, this is what happens, so it's no wonder that an average person born with this constitution would die instantly.

Also, it's subtly painful that when I catch a cold, Ayame-sensei's medicinal concoction gets even bitter. And it's scary when Ayame-sensei's eyes stop smiling.

That being said, that expression is very exciting. There's something indescribably appealing about the serious expression of someone who usually smiles softly and gently, especially with the contrast.

Well, it's a bit tough, but it's only natural to feel bad when you have a cold. More than that, I'm really excited by Chitose-chan's skin, which is even paler than usual, and her eyes, which have lost their light and are watery.

Because of the Yin energy, her blood circulation is poor, so her lips and everything else are pale.

I feel breathless, as if oxygen isn't circulating properly in my blood vessels, so my breathing is ragged, and it's hard to even get up.

Actually, the futon feels heavy.

I get really excited seeing Chitose-chan looking so different from her usual cheerful self...!

I love the variations in her character portraits and expressions, not just the blood-soaked look...

Plus, everyone becomes even more overprotective when she has a cold, which is kind of nice.

It's always nice to be treated kindly when you're sick, whether in past life or this one.

Of course, if it was like this every day, we wouldn't be able to have any outing events, which would be a problem, but I think it's okay if it happens about once a season.

"Cough... cough..."

However, I'm incredibly bored.

I've told Sakura-chan she doesn't need to stay by my side all the time so as not to infect her with my cold, and Ayame-sensei isn't coming today either.

Onii-sama... well, he's Onii-sama, so if he came to visit, it would actually be difficult for Chitose-chan. He's a really nice person, but he's terrible at reading personal space, or rather, he's incredibly socially awkward. In fact, the one time he came to visit, he just kept talking to Chitose-chan, so in the end, Ayame-sensei and Okaa-sama had to scold him and drag him away.

'Hmm?'

I think I hear footsteps approaching. It's still a while until it's time for my medicine, so I wonder who it could be.

★★★

The Onjōji family residence. With winter arriving and the sun setting earlier, the mansion was already shrouded in twilight. Combined with the accumulating snow, the area was enveloped in silence, so quiet that it almost seemed as if the silence itself could be heard.

It was a winter night like that.

"Cough... cough..."

On such a quiet night, the sound of a dry cough echoed. The pale girl—Onjōji Chitose—was lying alone in her sickbed in her room.

Her already pale skin was even worse than usual, perhaps whiter than the snow silently falling outside. Her breathing was ragged, and she cried out in agony even when simply turning over in her sleep. Anyone who knew the girl as she normally was likely to want to cover their mouth in distress.

Then, the door to the girl's room opened. To the girl's surprise, she saw a boy—Chiharu.

"Chiharu? Is something wrong? No, stay away, you'll catch my cold."

Ignoring the girl's words of concern, the boy strode steadily towards her futon. He then slowly grasped her pale hand, and at that moment, an immense amount of Yang energy emanated from his body.

"Chiharu?"

"!"

The Yin energy enveloping the girl and the Yang energy overflowing from the boy mixed, balanced, and harmonized.

Just like that night, the two became one, a perfect harmony.

Was this a recreation of a year ago, the only difference being that the boy and girl were in opposite positions?

The girl's expression softened; her skin color and breathing returned to normal.

".... Thank you, Chiharu.... Hehe, you really saved me."

She still looked like she was in pain, but it seemed she had passed the worst of it.

With that familiar smile the boy knew so well, the girl stroked his head with the hand he loved so much.

"But, no, you can't do that. If you worry about me like that, Chiharu's body might get sick again. So, it'll be alright next time. I'll be fine if I take my medicine."

"No!"

"..... What you mean 'No'? Chiharu is important to me. That's why."

"Chitose! Same!"

"Umm, so you mean I'm important to you too, Chiharu?"

The boy nodded his head so vigorously it looked like it might break, as if to say "yes" a thousand times. He desperately tried to express himself using the hesitant words he had only just begun to learn to speak after a year.

His feelings.

The feelings for the girl that had accumulated over the past year, the emotions that had emerged from them.

There were many missing words, and the conversation was full of gaps, with the boy himself not knowing what to say.

Yet, something had certainly reached her.

Because now, the fair-skinned girl was smiling radiantly.

"..... When I have a cold, sometimes I feel like I'm all alone in the world. But this time is different. Thank you, Chiharu. You've saved both my heart and body."

Understanding that he had been praised, the boy puffed out his chest and looked at the girl as if to say, "It's only natural!"

The girl burst out laughing and confessed her feelings for the boy in a gentle voice.

"Everything has been so much fun since I met Chiharu. Thank you, Chiharu, for meeting me like this, and for being born in this world."

"....."

The boy will surely never forget those words, that voice, even if he becomes a Stranger.

Just like the smile he saw that day—the boy will never forget, no matter what.

This is a winter memory.

A precious, precious memory of the boy's second winter.

And so the seasons turn.

Amidst this, the boy, the sun, and the girl, the moon, like stars, like Yin and Yang, seek each other, are drawn to each other, repel each other, yet they are surely together.

This is such a story.

A love story between a boy and a girl that can be found anywhere.

(Wohooooooooo!!!!! This current flow is amazing!!!)