This is too hard to think about on an empty stomach

Given that this was Japan, you were spoiled for choice when it came to finding something to eat. Though you briefly considered eating at some restaurant or other, Emiru reminds you were going to have dinner back at her house. So instead, you choose to head to a convenience store to find a cheap snack, buying some fried chicken for yourself, and (despite her protests) some yogurt for Emiru.

Rather than stand around, you decide to find a bench nearby to sit down. A short wander led you to a small park square, complete with play equipment for children – A nice spot of greenery that stood out compared to the concrete streets and buildings surrounding it. As you both begun to eat, a serene silence descended on you both. The scene felt picturesque, a soft breeze blowing through, with the sound of rustling leaves and swaying trees creating a nice ambiance. Before coming to Japan, this was the sort of experience you fantasized about; even then, never would you have dreamed you’d get to experience it with someone as cute as Emiru. Now however, the beauty of the scene was lost on you, your mind simply having been preoccupied on its own problems.

Are girls somehow fucking me even though they don't really 'want' to?

The question had been bothering you since you left school; the idea that girls were somehow deciding to have sex with you against their will stuck in your brain like a thorn. It took you a while to think things over, but all the sexual encounters you'd had up until that point had been the girls asking to do it, not you. Heck, according to Maiko, it didn't seem like any girl would outright resist you even if you were the instigator. At the very least, this was enough to convince yourself that you weren't committing ****...barely.

Breathing a small sigh of relief, you begin to ponder what else having girls’ reactions change based on the Yellow Fever would mean. Glancing over at Emiru, you feel your heart flutter for a second. For a moment, the same feeling as when Maiko questioned you about your feelings towards her returns. You hadn’t thought much about it, but what would the fever even mean for you if you wanted to pursue a romantic relationship in the future? Sure, any Asian woman would happily fuck you for the sake of your illness, but that didn’t mean you had a relationship with them anymore than how being a regular at a hostess club would.

Then again, if Emiru is able to separate wanting to have sex with me for her own pleasure, then maybe…

As you finish off the last bit of chicken, you sigh, your brain complaining about all the thinking you’ve made it do. It felt like you’ve been constantly worrying about something or other since you left school. Scrunching up the wrapper, you massage your temple in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain.

“Is something wrong?” Emiru’s voice reaches you.

“No, I am fine.” You tell her. “I just have a little pain in my head, that’s all.”

Immediately, you realise your mistake. Emiru looks at you in horror.

“I-Is it your fever? We need to do something! Please, stay still-!”

Her hands reach up to undo her blouse, but as they reach the top button, you quickly grab her hands to stop her. “N-no, sorry, I said it wrong!” You say. “I feel OK. Really.” You want to slap yourself—she’s still hurt over what happened last night! Why dredge up those memories?

Emiru looks doubtfully at you. She withdraws one of her hands from yours and feels your forehead. “You...feel a little warm, I think…?” She murmurs. “But we shouldn’t much longer.”

“I understand,” You say. “Let’s go home then.”

“...We can do it here, if you want. I...I don’t mind.” Emiru says quietly. For a moment, you just stare at her. You weren’t expecting her to say that and, guessing by the way she was turning red, neither was she.

“M-Maybe so, but...I don’t think I could do it,” You’re beginning to blush yourself. “It feels too strange.”

“R-Right. I understand. We should be going then!”

With surprising speed, Emiru jumps up and grabs your wrist, leading you back out to the streets of Tokyo. You don’t say a word to stop her, not after you caught sight of that determined look in her eye.

You didn’t even think about leaving her side until you got back to her house.