113. The fact that adversaries still encounter each other suggests that they remain within the shared narrative thread, doesn’t it?

Opening the door, it was no surprise to find Renya Aki and Spencer Eriri Sawamura standing there. Naturally, they took in Jiang Yu’s stunned expression with keen eyes. Renya, already present before them, smiled and said, “Surprise! We heard you were sick, so we came to visit. Aren’t you touched?”

Eriri, cooperating perfectly, struck a proud pose that seemed to say, “Consider yourself honored,” crossing her arms and tilting her chin as she looked at Jiang Yu.

“Uh... please, come in,” Jiang Yu replied with a subtle, awkward smile, scratching his head unsure of how to respond to their ‘surprise,’ and stepped back a few paces to make room in the entryway.

As Jiang Yu led the two, now wearing guest slippers, into the living room, Renya and Eriri saw Utaha Kasumigaoka leisurely sipping tea, her demeanor calm and unbothered.

“Ehh—! Kasu-Kasu-Kasumigaoka Utaha!” Eriri exclaimed in surprise.

Utaha set down her cup without a trace of emotion and said, “Oh my, it’s Spencer Eriri Sawamura, the perennial loser. Didn’t I tell you ages ago not to use people’s full names as if it’s some kind of title?”

Wait a moment—Utaha, why did you feel the need to tack on that suffix after her name?

“You, you, you, you...” Eriri’s face flushed with frustration, but her poor command of words left her unable to articulate exactly how she felt.

“What’s wrong, Sawamura? If you’re feeling unwell, you should see a doctor right away, okay? Don’t be like me—a stubborn planner, director, scriptwriter, and rookie novelist who never tells their own clubmates when they’re sick,” Utaha said with a seemingly innocent expression and a tone that sounded genuinely concerned.

Though, if she hadn’t been bouncing her leg nervously while speaking, her concern might have seemed more convincing. And also, perhaps don’t use your long list of titles as a passive-aggressive jab...

“Um... I guess this time I’m at fault, so maybe Utaha-senpai doesn’t need to keep holding that over me?” Jiang Yu interjected with a wry smile, momentarily halting the verbal sparring between Utaha and Eriri. From his perspective, it seemed more like one was mercilessly dominating the other.

Seeing this, Renya spoke up, “We brought this as a get-well gift. Though, I’ll admit, it came straight from Eriri’s house—but it hasn’t been touched at all, I swear.”

Only then did Jiang Yu notice the fruit basket Renya was carrying. How had he missed it back at the entrance? This was actually the first time he’d ever received a get-well gift after falling sick. And Renya, if you hadn’t added that last half, I might have been even more moved.

Thinking so, Jiang Yu reached out and took the basket, which looked quite high-end, saying, “Thank you.”

“Oh, by the way, is Megumi Kato coming later?” Jiang Yu asked as he moved the basket into the kitchen to prepare it, intending to serve the fruit to his guests. Though it might not be entirely proper etiquette to handle it this way, he hadn’t expected so many visitors and hadn’t prepared much for entertaining.

“She’s not coming... huh, you seem a bit disappointed,” Utaha chimed in, her tone growing playfully teasing as if she had discovered something amusing.

“No, not at all,” Jiang Yu replied firmly, his hands pausing for a moment before continuing to cut the fruit as if nothing had happened.

Hmm, not at all? Maybe there was a slight hint of dissatisfaction...

After all, everyone who had received the news from that girl had come by, except for her—the first to get the intel—who had taken no action.

But on second thought, it was often himself who did strange things on his own, accidentally offended her, and then frantically apologized to win her forgiveness.

Considering that, Megumi Kato truly was a saint, wasn’t she? Yet why did he sometimes think she was easy to get along with, and at other times feel she was incredibly difficult to deal with?

Utaha, of course, was unaware of Jiang Yu’s inner turmoil. Yet she seemed noncommittal about his seemingly resolute words.

Tapping her fingers lightly on the table, Utaha said softly, “Megumi apparently hesitated about coming to visit you, but she said that if everyone came, it would just tire the patient out, so she decided against it.”

“I see... please, help yourselves—though it’s all stuff you brought,” Jiang Yu said as he nodded and casually arranged the fruit on a platter before placing it on the table.

Renya and Utaha both said “Thank you” before picking up toothpicks to spear pieces of fruit and eat. Eriri, however, simply snorted and remained seated, refusing to move.

Utaha glanced at the sulking Eriri, swallowed her fruit, and laughed softly. “Oh my, these apples are delicious—so bourgeois!”

Eriri shot Utaha a glare of displeasure and said, “If you’re eating other people’s food, then don’t say so much!”

“Tsk tsk, Sawamura, won’t you try some? Oh my, do you need someone to feed you? You really are innocent, aren’t you? Open wide—ah~” Utaha, seemingly oblivious to Eriri’s annoyance, continued chattering as she poked a piece of fruit and offered it.

“I have my own hands, so no need to trouble Kasu—Utaha—senpai!” Eriri dodged Utaha’s outreached hand and, grabbing a piece on a toothpick, bit into it fiercely as if that alone could conquer her long-standing rival.

“Is that so? I’m really looking forward to Irie Kashiwagi’s masterpiece,” Utaha said with a smile, setting down her fruit and addressing the childish Eriri.

Although, Utaha, if you didn’t drag out Kashiwagi’s name like that, she might believe you more.

Watching the two bicker again for reasons unknown, Jiang Yu and Renya exchanged glances, both wearing helpless smiles, clearly unsure how to stop them.

Yet, gazing upon this farcical scene unfolding before him, Jiang Yu felt a strange, unprecedented sensation he couldn’t quite put into words. Deep inside, it was as if a stream thawing in early spring was flowing gently. The water carried shards of ice, striking the riverbank with a crisp sound. Though the chill remained, it seemed to be slowly infused with a hint of spring’s warmth.