Campione: Strongest# 456: Let's Be Friends

“...”

The awkward silence was suffocating.

No matter how thick his skin was, being overheard during such ‘intimate’ moments was deeply embarrassing for Haru. He wasn't some pervert who got off on being eavesdropped on, so there was no way he could take this without a wince.

Kirié Fujou had long since stopped trying to move her wheelchair. As a frail, sickly girl, the scant energy she had used to wheel herself back into the room was completely spent.

Hoo!

Kirié’s delicate face was flushed with a strange pink color, and her pale lips were parted as she gasped for breath. Sweat beaded on her recently cleaned body, gradually dampening the blue and white hospital gown.

While trying to recover her stamina, Kirié raised her head and peered curiously at the silver-haired young man before her.

Heh. heh.

Seeing the rigid expression on Haru's face—his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open—Kirié let out a light, involuntary chuckle.

Immediately realizing her breach of etiquette, Kirié's face stiffened. She quickly covered her mouth and offered a slight bow.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to. It’s just… your expression was too funny, haha,” Kirié said, finally unable to suppress her laughter.

“Go ahead and laugh. I don’t mind,” Haru said, his lip twitching in weary resignation. Ultimately, it was his fault for not concealing the sound, so a bit of mockery was acceptable.

This was only tolerable because Kirié was a woman. If she were a man, Haru would already be contemplating a quick ‘mind-wipe.’ Whether the victim became an idiot from the process was irrelevant to him.

Besides, for someone stuck in this death ward, perhaps being an idiot would make life easier.

After a moment of subdued laughter, Kirié calmed herself but kept her bright, smiling expression as she spoke to Haru. “Sir, are you a relative of Miss Ryougi next door?”

“That’s right…” Haru nodded from the doorway. He was about to offer a simple greeting when he realized he didn't even know her name. A flash of embarrassment crossed his face.

Suddenly, inspiration struck, and he quickly glanced at the nameplate on the door, saw the name Fujou, and continued, “...It seems Miss Fujou is a temporary resident of Room 614?”

He said ‘temporary resident’ rather than ‘living here’ because this was a hospital, and no one liked to think of the hospital as their permanent home.

Kirié Fujou’s expression paused, then she managed a slight smile. “I wouldn't call it temporary. I’ve been living here for seventeen years.”

“...”

A look of pity crossed Haru’s eyes, and he fell silent before saying sincerely, “I’m sorry.”

He had only meant to have a friendly chat, but he seemed to have inadvertently poked a sore spot, which made him feel awkward.

Noticing the look of pity in Haru’s eyes, Kirié’s expression faltered for a moment. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.” After a brief pause, she recovered and offered a genuine smile, devoid of any forced cheerfulness.

“Miss Fujou, you are truly strong,” Haru said, his voice laced with complex emotion as he surveyed Kirié.

Her long, dark purple hair, which reached her calves, had lost its luster, and her face was mostly hidden by her thick locks, but her sickly pale skin was visible beneath. Her body was extremely slender and terribly fragile—the very image of a frail beauty. Yet, her smiling face projected a tough, resilient spirit, like a tenacious weed.

“I wouldn’t call it strong. I’ve only kept going because I want to see the outside world with my own eyes and make a few friends,” Kirié admitted with a hint of shyness.

From her modest expression, Haru could feel the girl's sincerity. To see the scenery and make friends? Her reasons were so simple they were heartbreaking.

“While I can’t promise to show you the scenery right away, I certainly think the friends part is achievable.” Haru smiled and walked into the room, taking a few small steps until he reached Kirié, then extended his hand.

Although he was capable of healing the girl before him, offering to do so to a complete stranger was inappropriate. Therefore, his current plan was to become her friend, interact for a while, and then offer his help. He had no grand reason for wanting to save her; merely seeing her plight was enough to tug at his heart.

“Let me introduce myself. Haru Kasugano... Of course, I prefer to just be called Haru.” Haru chuckled, giving Kirié his true name from his previous life without a second thought.

Kirié Fujou stared blankly at Haru’s outstretched hand, and it took her a long moment to snap out of her daze. She slowly raised her slightly withered right hand.

Suddenly, Kirié paused, rubbed her right hand on her hospital gown a few times, then shyly grasped Haru’s hand.

“Fujou… Kirié Fujou! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Haru-kun.”

“Kirié Fujou? Calling you Kirié would be—” Haru’s expression suddenly froze mid-sentence.

Kirié Fujou? The tragic girl who Araya Souren used to awaken Shiki Ryougi, who accidentally killed seven people while trying to make friends, and eventually committed suicide by jumping from a building out of guilt?

'Well, I seemed to have unintentionally reeled in a big fish.' Haru thought blankly.

Kirié Fujou tilted her head slightly, puzzled by Haru’s sudden lapse. However, she had registered his earlier words.

“That’s fine, Haru-kun. You can just call me Kirié.” Having just made a friend, Kirié Fujou displayed the most beautiful smile of her life.

“Oh, Kirié. We can actually drop the ‘kun’ suffix,” Haru said with a helpless sigh, snapping out of his daze. The Japanese use of suffixes like kun was something Haru found awkward, and as friends, a less formal address was better.

“Then… Haru?” Kirié asked hesitantly, testing the new address.

Haru smiled and nodded.

Seeing his smile, Kirié Fujou’s lips curled up, returning the beautiful smile.

“Um, Haru. Since we’re friends now, can I offer a piece of advice?” Kirié looked up at Haru, who was standing before her.

“Of course. Go ahead,” Haru said, smiling.

“It’s not right to bully girls. The sounds this afternoon went on for so long, and that girl kept shouting ‘Stop’!…”

Kirié Fujou lectured Haru relentlessly. She seemed determined to correct her only friend's bad habits, or perhaps she was just so starved for conversation that she had become a bit of a motormouth, firing off one criticism after another.

However, Haru didn’t hear a single word Kirié was saying.

‘You silver-haired Outer God, I’m going to tear you limb from limb!!!!’