The rest area is located a short distance away from the night market value. It was a simple-looking place with just a few benches.
It was in a little elevated area and had a light view of the night market, and the lights from the stalls were beautiful.
I sat down on one of the open benches with Illness-san and served the food we had bought. It was an after-dinner meal, so the food we would eat isn't that heavy, and was instead something light to snack on.
It was a simple, but tasty-looking dish of french fries and sausages cut into small pieces, dashed with cheese and ketchup, as well as something that looked like rusk.
(T/N: Rusk is apparently a hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread)
[We're just a few steps away from the market, but it has gotten pretty quiet, doesn't it?]
[Indeeeed, the scale of the market isn't as large as a festivaaaaaal, so it's a little quieter off the main streeeeeeet.]
There are lights here in the rest area, but it feels a little dark when compared to the brightness of the night market street where we were just now.
And, being a plaza at night, away from the hustle and bustle, this place was kinda quiet... Unnn. It's quiet. Definitely quiet.
This place... sure has lots of couples. I guess they're here to have a date and take a break in a quiet place.
There are a lot of couples sitting on the benches here and there. How should I say this... Even though we're not doing anything strange, I can't quite compose myself.
[Kaito-samaaaa?]
[Eh? Ah, yes. What is it?]
[Noooo, aren't you going to eeeeeeat?]
[Ahh, you're right. I'm sorry... Well then, let's eat.]
I was feeling conscious about our surroundings, but when I heard Illness-san's voice, I snapped back to reality. I'm feeling strangely conscious about my surroundings and can't compose myself... but I decided not to mind my surroundings and just enjoyed my light meal.
Once I switched my thoughts, I was able to enjoy the light meal while having a casual conversation with Illness-san without worrying too much about my surroundings.
[...The container was small, but the portion was quite large.]
[The friiiiiiies had quite the amooooooount. I think we should take some break while at iiiiiiit.]
[Let's do that.]
There's no need to go back walking around the night market immediately, nor do we have some sort of time limit, so I just leaned my weight on the back of the bench.
Filling up my stomach, I'm starting to feel a little sleepy, when I looked towards Illness-san, to which she looked at me and happily smiled.
[Illness-san?]
[Weeeeeell, I was just thinkiiiiiiing that I'm glad Kaito-sama is enjoying yourseeeeeelf.]
Seeing the smile on Illness-san's lips as she said that, my heart inadvertently skipped a beat. Illness-san has the air of a calm, relaxed and mature woman... Today, she looks a little more innocent than usual, or rather, the expression on her face conveys that she's having fun, and seeing it, my chest couldn't help but throb a little faster than normal.
As I turned my gaze toward the night market to cover that up, I softly murmured in response.
[...Everything was fresh and fun. I apologize for the inconvenience caused by my sudden request, but I'm glad I asked you this.]
[That makes me glaaaaaad.]
Thinking about it again, it was like I suddenly intruded on Illness-san's plans, and I was acting like a nuisance to her. No, I mean, I should say that I was indebted to her again...
Hmmm, I'm really indebted to Illness-san on a regular basis, and I'd like to repay her in some way... but it's not going well.
How should I say this... It's like the times I'm getting indebted to her are more than me repaying her back... It's a very troubling situation.
As I had such thoughts in mind, Illness-san suddenly got up from her seat.
[Kaito-samaaa, please stay where you aaaaaare.]
[Eh? Ah, yes.]
As I tilted my head, wondering what was going on, Illness-san stood in front of me and gently placing her hand on my head, she began to stroke it... Eh? W- What's going on!?
She's stroking my head in an incredibly gentle way, and coupled with the gentle smile on her lips, it's very soothing... but seriously, why is this happening?
[...Usuallyyyyy, it's very hard to do this because of our height difference after aaaaaaall.]
[E- Errr, Illness-san?]
[I wondeeeeer, does Kaito-sama think like thiiiiiis? That you have received sooooo much that you haven't been able to give much in retuuuuuurn.]
[Uuuuu... I- Is it showing on my face again?]
[Oh myyyyy, I wonder about thaaaaaat?]
Apparently, what I was thinking about earlier wasn't lost on Illness-san... I mean, just as various people have told me, my thoughts may have been showing on my face.
[...I feel the same waaaaay.]
[Eh? The same way?]
[Yeeeees. I alsoooooo think that Kaito-sama gives me a loooooot of things on a regular basiiiiiis. I have received soooooo much from you that I feel as if I haven't repaid eveeeeeeen 10% of what you have given meeeeee.]
[I- Is that sooooo? However, I don't really think...]
[I suppose that is something you yourself wouldn't realiiiiiiize. Even I don't remember doing anythiiiiiiing that big of a deal for Kaito-saamaaaa. Howeveeeeeer, I'm thankful to Kaito-sama for always taking care of meeeee... I'm sure that's just how the way it iiiiiiiis.]
[!?!?]
Immediately after those words, Illness-san held my head in her embrace, gently hugging me. Even though I felt her soft warmth, her pleasant fragrance, and an indescribably sense of security, I was startled by the suddenness of the situation.
While she continued stroking my head as I had such thoughts in mind, Illness-san told me in a gentle voice.
[...And I'm sure that's a very happy thiiiiing. I think it's a blessiiiiiiing to have someone you can be thankful with to each otheeeeer, somoone who gives you sooooo much and who you naturally want to return the favooooor.]
[...It certainly is as you say.]
You are indebted to someone, and you want to return the favor. The fact that we can think of each in this way is undoubtedly something very hard to find and one you're fortunate to have.
At the very least, it makes me very happy to know that Illness-san feels that way about me right now.
[That's whyyyyy, don't worry about it too muuuuuch. I think it's fiiiiiine if we return the favor in whatever way we caaaaaan, whenever we can think of iiiiiiiit.]
[Right... I may have been a little too abject about it. Thank you.]
[Kuhihi, I'm glad that I could be of heeeeeelp.]
It's important to be grateful to others, but thinking about returning the favor too much could also be a problem huh... Unnn, I guess she's right. As Illness-san said, we should just return the favor when we can.
I now feel better about this matter... but putting that aside... Errr... How long is she going to be hugging me? No, with Illness-san's motherly nature, my mind is so at peace that I feel like I might fall asleep if I'm not careful... but I'm also feeling just as much embarrassment... W- What should I do...