Rental No More - Chizuru Ichinose [Mizuhara] X Reader (Kanojo, Okarishimasu)

Episode 12: Something Oddly Magical

The rays of sun were nonexistent during the fifth day of this cold week, and as much as the somber mood of the near colorless afternoon made you pretty comfortable, you still couldn't shake off that feeling from days ago. Your brain ran wild like never before, with thoughts and scenarios in your head that you had not once in your life imagined, and you wished that wasn't the case now.

Your fever had significantly gone down and you felt better, with a few mishaps here and there of course, but overall better. You haven't spoken to Chizuru since that day she came into your apartment to take care of you, and maybe it was a bit weird that she hasn't tried talking to you either. Maybe it all falls on you to go see her, and since you weren't doing anything in particular right now...

Y/N: "I guess it's time for another talk. Balcony style."

Leaving your chair, you walked towards the glass doors that led to the balcony, but then you came to an abrupt stop when your phone dinged. After you walked back to grab the small device and check what specific notification caused that noise, you noticed there was one message, and only one message, on the lock screen that reminded you of an important 'meeting' that you had.

SaRu:
*Are we still seeing each other at 2:00?*

Distracted by your own thoughts, you forgot all about the fact that you would meet up with Ruka to:

"...do something, just the two of us..."

And now that you've remembered those words from Ruka, you weren't necessarily worried that you would be late—since you were usually really early to anything—but rather worried that your conflicting thoughts and strange feelings would affect this reunion you had with Ruka in a negative way.

You'll never know if you don't go. But first...

Y/N: "Gotta reply, gotta reply..."

You replied quickly, then dropped your phone back on the bed before walking out. Fortunately, you managed to hear someone react when they heard you step out into the balcony, a sudden movement, a misstep, so that's how you knew there was someone on your left, hidden by the thin wall between the two of you.

Y/N: "Chizuru?"

Chizuru: "Y/N?"

Hearing her voice again triggered something interesting within you, almost as if the lack of it during these days has made you miss it. For whatever reason, listening to Chizuru's voice captivated you.

Y/N: "Hey, I was just wondering if... if you were doing okay."

Chizuru wasn't okay. At least not emotionally.
The girl had gone through something completely embarrassing yet at the same time enjoyable exactly five days ago, when she provided warmth for your feeble self. Chizuru isn't exactly sure how to feel, and she tried to not make a big deal out of it, but after hearing your voice... well, her head ended up making it a big deal.

Chizuru: "Y-Yeah, I'm doing okay. Why do you ask, are you alright?

Y/N: "No—Umm... I mean, yeah. Yeah I'm alright. Just thinkin' about things, sorry."

If there was one constant variation in your relationship with Chizuru, it was silence. Whether it was a good or a bad type of quiet, it seemed like it was always present whenever you encountered the rental girlfriend, but you knew it would eventually go away, like most things do.