As soon as they arrived, their classmates had already returned to their seats. However, upon seeing Eva enter with Eillya's help, attention immediately focused on them. Eillya calmly helped Eva into her seat, then wordlessly returned to her own. Immediately, several students immediately gathered around Eva, especially the members of Team 4, who were still worried.
Conversations around Eva continued, her friends still looking enthusiastic.
"Hey, Eva, have you ever participated in sports competitions?" Jeanne asked, sitting on the edge of Eva's desk. "You were really agile earlier."
Eva chuckled lightly. "Ah, not really. Back then... well..." She wiped her temples, which were slightly sweaty despite being in the air-conditioned room. "I just... maybe I'm just used to it, we used to play together—"
She stopped. Her eyes flicked quickly to Eillya reflexively. For a moment, the atmosphere felt tense, if only in her own consciousness.
"—with... childhood friends, so I'm used to adapting to others," she continued quickly, but her tone sounded too rushed.
Carol raised an eyebrow. "Your childhood friends?"
Eva gave a short, slightly forced laugh. "Yeah, childhood friends... in the previous city. We used to play together a lot. So, yeah, the exercise movements are familiar."
"Oh," Meira responded, as if accepting it for granted.
"So you've been the active type since you were little, huh?" Kisa asked, leaning back in her chair.
"Hmm... you could say that," Eva replied, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. Her hands looked a little awkward—a habit she had when she was trying to hide something.
Jeanne smiled, unsuspecting. "Wow, no wonder you have the aura of someone who once saved a kitten from a tree."
"Hahaha! Not that bad," Eva replied, her face slightly flushed, either from embarrassment or from her near-miss.
Meanwhile, Eillya remained composed. But she did glance over at Eva. Her gaze was deep, as if she'd caught the slightest change in Eva's expression and perhaps... realized something.
But as usual, she didn't say anything. Shortly after, the bell rang for the next period, and they returned to their seats.
"I almost said that..." Eva thought.
The teacher entered the classroom and continued the lesson.
The final school bell of the day rang softly. The sound of chairs shifting, books closing, and small talk began to fill the classroom. The students were preparing to go home.
Eva remained seated in her chair, her hands folded neatly on the desk. Several of her friends approached her.
"Eva, are you okay walking alone? Do you want us to help you to the gate?" Jeanne offered sincerely.
But Eva shook her head with a small smile. "Thanks, but no need. I'm… being picked up. So just wait here."
"Oh, okay. But be careful, don't force yourself to walk alone if you're sick."
"Yes, I know~."
One by one, her friends excused themselves and left the classroom, until the room was completely silent. Only the ticking of the clock on the wall could still be heard.
Eva turned toward the classroom door. Her gaze was sharp, as if searching for something. Then she slowly called out, quietly but surely, "Illya."
A shadow appeared from outside the door. Eillya stepped in, having been standing there silently all along. She didn't say anything, just walked over to Eva, then helped her carry her bag with one hand.
"Let's go," she said simply.
Eva nodded and stood slowly, leaning on Eillya. They walked out of the classroom, through the now empty hallways, only the light of dusk and their footsteps could be heard.
When they reached the gate, they stopped for a moment. A dark gray car was parked there. Beside it stood someone they recognized: their gym teacher.
"Oh, you're all done," the teacher said. "Eva, I already asked the teacher on duty for permission to take you home. You got hurt during my class, so at least I must take responsible."
Eva looked taken aback for a moment, but then nodded with a polite smile. "Okay, thank you, ma'am. I live in—"
"I'll with her," Eillya interrupted, flatly but clearly.
The teacher simply nodded, not particularly surprised. The journey was fairly calm. Until they finally arrived in front of Eva's house.
The car slowed, then stopped.
The teacher looked out the window... then frowned. "So this is it? This is... your house, Eva?"
Eva opened the car door. "Yes, ma'am. Why?"
"No, just making sure," the teacher replied curtly.
The teacher pointed to the house next door. "This... is Eillya's house...?" she said after noticing the nameplate on the gate of the house next door.
Eva held back a chuckle. "Yes, ma'am. We're neighbors."
The teacher looked at them both in turn, paused for a moment, then nodded as if putting together a puzzle. "Oh... no wonder."
"No wonder?" Eva turned her head, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, no... it's just... yes, you two seemed to have some sort of... synchrony on the field earlier. So it makes sense that you've known each other for a long time or are close."
Eva smiled, more gently this time, but didn't elaborate.
Eillya helped Eva out of the car and led her into the yard. Meanwhile, the teacher excused herself and returned to the car, still shaking her head slowly with an amused smile on her lips.
Eva's door opened slowly, and Eillya led Eva inside with calm, almost silent steps. She knew exactly when to slow down when Eva winced slightly, and when to pause. The house seemed ordinary to anyone—but not to Eillya.
She knew where the light switches were on the wall even before her hands touched them. She knew which tiles were a little slippery. She knew that the sofa in the living room had been used for playing house, years ago.
"Sit here," Eillya said curtly.
Dexterously, she helped Eva sit on the sofa carefully, then walked to the kitchen without asking for directions. Her hands were practiced at opening cupboards and grabbing glasses without opening the wrong ones. She knew the dispenser was on the left side.
Eva stared at her from the living room with a look of surprise. "Wait... you..."
Eillya returned and handed her a glass of warm water. "Drink. You haven't had much to drink since the infirmary."
Eva accepted the glass, but her mind wasn't on the water inside. She continued to observe Eillya—her movements, her expression, and... the fact that everything felt familiar.
"Now change your clothes. That's uncomfortable, isn't it?" Eillya said, her voice as flat as ever.
"I can do it myself," Eva quickly refused.
"Your feet are still swollen, Eva."
"I can still stand!"
Eillya just stared at her silently for two seconds. Then she approached and extended her hand.
Eva, still blushing, finally succumbed to the stare. "Okay… but… don't look, okay?"
"I've been looking since we were little," Eillya muttered softly, barely audible.
"Eh?!"
But Eillya had already guided her into the bedroom, helping her sit on the edge of the bed. She opened the closet and immediately grabbed the right, suitable casual clothes without asking. Eva could only gape.
Eillya then placed the clothes next to Eva.
"Do you want help, or are you going to keep struggling on your own?"
Eva lowered her head, her cheeks red, and then gave a small nod. "...Help, but don't do anything weird."
"Who's weird?" Eillya helped calmly, her expression stoic, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
When she was done, Eva pulled the blanket over her face. "This is embarrassing..."
Eillya just snorted slightly, then helped tuck the blanket neatly. She checked the bandage on Eva's leg, making sure it hadn't shifted. After that, she sat for a moment on the side of the bed.
"If you need anything, I'll be outside," she said briefly.
Before leaving, she glanced briefly at Eva, who was still covering her face.
"Get some rest, Eva."
The bedroom door closed softly, and the sound of Eillya's footsteps began to fade away. Silence enveloped the room, only the faint ticking of the wall clock could be heard.
Eva lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling with the blanket pulled up to her chin. Her face was still red, her cheeks felt hot as if they had been touched by a frying pan.
After a few seconds of silence… Eva grumbled softly as she covered her face with a pillow.
"Aaaahhh… how can she be so calm?!!"
She twisted from side to side like a worm in the heat. "Cold hands, flat voice, calm face, but helping like—uh—no no no!! Eva, wake up!!"
She slammed her head lightly against the pillow. "You just injured your leg, not love poison!!"
Then she suddenly froze. She stared at the ceiling once more. Then she muttered in a small, resigned voice:
"…Really… your kindness hasn't changed, huh?"
Eva covered her face again with the blanket and rolled over once. "This is bad… she's too dangerous for my heart…"
Once again, Eva still couldn't believe what she had just experienced, knowing Eillya was far from the room, Eva talked to herself.
"Aaaaaaahhh!! That's so embarrassing!" she muttered softly, her voice choked.
She bit the edge of the pillow and hissed softly, "How dare she help me get changed... and force me!"
Eva sat up suddenly, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Okay, Illya. You go first, okay? We'll see who can make whose cheeks turn into a tomato."
Eva patted her cheek to make sure the blush had faded, then smiled with a plan. "You think you're the only one who can attack suddenly, huh? Just wait for my revenge..."
Meanwhile, outside the room, Eillya sat relaxed in the living room, opening a small book from her bag. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Then, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on her face.
After flipping through the pages of her book for a while, Eillya finally laid it down on the sofa. It was already a little past six, and the evening light was beginning to filter in through the gaps in the window blinds. From outside the room, light footsteps could be heard heading towards the kitchen without question, without a sound.
It was Eillya.
In the kitchen, Eillya didn't move as quickly as Eva when cooking. Her movements were a little clumsy but firm. She knew what to do, and while the results might not have been perfect, the aroma slowly wafted through the kitchen, comforting her. She served the food on a tray and took it to Eva's room.