Chapter 128 Things That Stand Stand Up
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Haru-kun, can you tell me what happened to your mom?”
”……”
Haruto didn’t answer.
It wasn’t because he didn’t want to.
He just didn’t have the strength. Even speaking in full sentences felt too heavy.
Harue sat across from him, watching him closely. That’s when she noticed it.
The dark circles under his eyes were deep. His skin looked pale, and his lips were cracked and dry.
Dryness like that can come from different things. But stress, not drinking enough water, and not eating enough are often the biggest reasons.
(Akane-chan said she gave him water. Then what he needs now is food.)
Harue got up, walked to the kitchen, and opened the fridge. She checked what was inside.
There were some vegetables.
(If I make something warm with water, maybe he can take it in easier… soup might work.)
She started looking around to cook—but the knife was missing.
(This is a problem…)
Instead, she found a pair of scissors in a drawer. She cleaned them carefully with rubbing alcohol, then used them to cut the vegetables.
Once the vegetable soup was done, she poured only the clear part into a bowl.
Then, she brought it back to Haruto.
”Haru-kun, I made soup. Try to drink a little, okay?”
”…I don’t want it.”
”You need to eat something. Even if it’s hard… please try.”
”……”
Loss of appetite happens for many reasons. It can come from problems with the stomach, liver, or other organs.
But it also happens when your mind is sick.
If someone is under a lot of stress, fear, or worry, a part of the brain called the hypothalamus stops working right. That part usually sends out the signal: “I’m hungry.” But when it’s too overwhelmed, it shuts down.
※The hypothalamus helps control many things that keep you alive—like body heat, hunger, sleep, stress, and emotions.
※Strong feelings like fear, sadness, or anger can quickly change how the body works.
Whoosh.
Harue blew on the spoon to cool the soup down. She lifted it toward his lips.
Gulp.
”That’s it. Good job. Just a little more, okay?”
Bit by bit, Harue helped Haruto drink the soup. It wasn’t much. But for him—who felt lost and helpless—it meant a lot.
(I wish I could get him to eat the vegetables too,. But if he hasn’t eaten at all, this is a start. A small step is better than none.)
”Still, Haru-kun…”
Sniff. Sniff.
”…You haven’t had a bath, have you?”
”…No.”
Taking a bath needs more energy than people think.
If someone is just a little tired, a warm bath is fine.
But if they’re this weak, it can actually be risky.
”Then… I’ll help you clean your body, okay?”
”…Okay…”
Harue brought a small bowl of warm water, a soft towel, and a fresh change of clothes.
She started by wiping his upper body gently. After that, she paused before going lower.
She looked at him and asked, softly:
”Do you want to wipe your lower half by yourself?”
Haruto slowly shook his head.
He didn’t seem able—or maybe didn’t want—to do it on his own.
So Harue went ahead and began to wipe his lower body.
It had been days.
There was sweat. Dirt. And the smell of an unwashed body.
Of course, she had to clean him well.
But the better she wiped, the more his body reacted.
That was natural, too.
(Oh… Haru-kun…)
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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