Hisaki brought a small non-slip stool from the corner of the bathroom and set it firmly on the soft mat outside the shower area.
She lightly stepped on the stool to make sure all four corners were stable and wouldn’t slide, then turned to look at Linnai, who was still curled up quietly.
The girl’s silver hair fell in messy strands, covering half her face, while her bandaged right hand rested gently on her knee, fingertips slightly raised, carrying a hint of cautious hesitation.
Hisaki crouched down slowly.
She moved with the utmost gentleness, careful to avoid Linnai’s injured fingers, and slowly helped the girl out of her clothes.
First, the loose short-sleeved shirt.
Her fingertips lightly lifted the hem, and the moment the fabric touched skin, Linnai’s body instinctively stiffened for a brief moment.
Then she relaxed, obediently raising her arms as Hisaki gently pulled the T-shirt over her head.
Next, the short shorts.
When Hisaki touched the waistband, Linnai’s legs instinctively pressed together, then slowly loosened again.
She followed the movements quietly, compliant and submissive the whole time, without a single trace of resistance.
The entire process was quiet, with no unnecessary sounds—only gentle, restrained care.
Hisaki neatly folded the changed clothes and placed them by the bed, then reached out and gently lifted Linnai in her arms.
The moment her body left the ground, Linnai trembled slightly but made no move to struggle.
Her legs curled up softly, her toes tightening from inner nervousness, as she leaned obediently against Hisaki’s embrace.
Hisaki carried her into the bathroom and settled her securely on the small pale-green round stool.
Linnai folded her hands in her lap, head bowed slightly, thick silver hair falling from both sides to completely hide her face.
She was like a gentle, reserved little cat, limbs drawn in softly, shrinking herself into a small bundle, sitting quietly with only her slender shoulders and pale nape visible.
Hisaki stood before her, quietly watching that lowered silver head.
Her gaze was gentle and restrained, falling only on Linnai’s shoulders, back, arms, and legs—no trace of overstepping, only pure cherishing and tenderness in her eyes.
!!!
For her, it was never about coveting outward appearances; it was simply about cherishing this one-of-a-kind Shiro that belonged to her.
Whether the girl before her was obedient or bristling, frightened or distant, it didn’t matter.
She had already made up her mind—she would never let go of her in this lifetime.
One day, Shiro would fully grow accustomed to her presence and never think of escaping again.
A faint, tender smile spread across Hisaki’s lips.
The Shiro who sat quietly before her now, behaving so well, was especially endearing.
She knelt before the girl, picked up the showerhead, carefully adjusted the water temperature to the gentlest, most comfortable setting.
She first caught the water in her palm to test the heat, and only after confirming it was comfortably warm did she let the water trickle gently over Linnai’s shoulder, letting her skin gradually adjust to the temperature.
The warm water flowed slowly down her slender back, and her damp silver hair clung neatly to the sides of her skin.
Hisaki squeezed out an appropriate amount of body wash, worked it into fine, dense foam in her palm, and with gentle fingertip pressure, carefully cleansed her back, shoulders, neck, and arms—meticulous, patient, decorous, and incredibly tender.
After simply cleansing her upper body, Hisaki gently pulled Linnai up and turned toward the bathtub that had already been filled with warm water.
The clear warm water shimmered with a faint veil of steam, its temperature pleasantly mild.
Hisaki stepped into the tub first to steady herself, then reached out to firmly support Linnai’s arm, carefully guiding her into the water.
The moment the warm water enveloped her body, Linnai’s long-tensed frame visibly relaxed.
Warm flowing water could soothe every strained nerve, dissolving the exhaustion and fear that had been piling up for so long.
The warmth seeped through her limbs, letting her unconsciously loosen her body, keeping only her shoulders above the waterline as she sat quietly with her head bowed.
Hisaki slowly wrapped her arms around Linnai from behind.
Linnai’s back rested gently against her, the back of her head settling securely against her shoulder, her whole being cradled in a warm, peaceful embrace. Gentle ripples swayed softly with the subtle movements, making faint splashing sounds.
Hisaki’s arms wrapped tenderly around Linnai’s waist, gentle and steady—simply holding her protectively, keeping her injured right hand safely shielded from the splashing water.
The girl in her arms was docile and quiet, neither fussing nor pulling away, leaning against her obediently.
This complete compliance filled Hisaki’s heart with tenderness and contentment.
She loved moments like this.
No chasing, no hoping, no fear that the other person might suddenly leave.
The person she longed for was right here, safe in her arms, belonging entirely to her alone. But Hisaki kept all her emotions in check, simply holding her calmly and steadily, without a single overstepping move.
There was plenty of time ahead—she had waited an entire month, fallen for her at first sight by the bridge underpass, so a few more moments meant nothing.
What she wanted was never fleeting closeness; she wanted Shiro to stay by her side completely and willingly.
Hisaki’s fingertips soaked in the warm water as she gently and slowly wiped the moisture from Linnai’s waist, her movements soft and proper.
She closed her eyes slightly, her nose lightly brushing against Linnai’s damp silver hair, quietly breathing in the clean, sweet scent of bath fragrance, her heart at ease.
Wait a little longer.
Wait until Shiro fully lowers her guard, until she no longer harbors any thought of escape.
The girl who had been silent in her arms suddenly spoke softly.
“Kidnapper.”
The voice was tiny and faint, mostly swallowed by the steam and water sounds, yet it landed clearly in Hisaki’s ears.
This was the first time Shiro had called her that since the last punishment.
Hisaki didn’t respond, simply holding her quietly, patiently waiting for the girl to continue.
Linnai was silent for a long, long time in the warm water.
Her mind kept replaying the system warning from before, replaying the thought of giving up escaping, and a question buried deep in her heart that she had never dared to ask now grew clearer than ever.
She spoke softly, her tone flat and even, as if recounting an old story that had nothing to do with her—no discernible emotion in her voice.
“What if I said that I can only lie in bed for the rest of my life, forever a sickly burden who can’t survive without someone?”
“Would you still keep me, take care of me, and stay with me forever?”
As her words fell, she fell silent again, quietly awaiting the answer.
Hisaki heard her but still didn’t respond immediately.
She keenly caught that “if.”
But Linnai had no mind to dwell on it now, her heart consumed by churning anxiety and confusion.
When the answer didn’t come for a long while, Linnai gently sank her face into the warm water, leaving only a delicate nose tip and wet eyes above the surface.
A hazy veil of steam shrouded her gaze, her sky-blue eyes damp and lost.
She didn’t know why she had suddenly asked that question.
Perhaps the system’s threat had reminded her again of the despair of being trapped in a hospital bed in her past life.
The system’s punishment was to send her back to a life of lying in bed forever.
And Hisaki’s punishment was to make her remember the price of betrayal and escape down to her very bones.
She couldn’t help but let her thoughts run wild.
If one day she really became that helpless, bedridden waste again…
Would the person before her still stubbornly keep her?
Would she only love the lively, noisy, bouncing version of her who talked back?
If she became fragile and burdensome, completely useless, would this obsessive care still exist?
Linnai’s heart was in a mess.
She couldn’t even figure out what answer she wanted.
If Hisaki said “yes,” then maybe she would truly never escape this gentle cage—whether healthy or not, she could only be trapped by her side.
If Hisaki said “no”… then this one twisted, obsessive yet genuine affection would vanish completely, leaving her with not even the last shred of comfort of being cherished by someone.
Caught in a tangle of indecision, she ultimately chose silence.
The warm water rippled gently, steam filling the bathroom.
The person behind her still hadn’t spoken, only her arms around Linnai tightening a little more, softly and tenderly.