Turtles

Confrontation

They didn't stay in biology for long.

Very quickly after the Student Council had left (as in, less than five minutes), it became very clear that Miho was suffering something akin to a panic attack; staring blankly ahead, face pale, slightly but noticeably shaking. The fact that every other student in the classroom was staring at her and muttering to each other was very obviously not going to help her regain her composure either.

So Koume raised her hand, asked the teacher for permission to take Miho to the nurse's office (which Ms. Uesaka immediately and graciously gave), urged Miho out of her seat, gathered both of their bags, and guided Miho out of the room.

Miho didn't talk during the walk to the nurse's office; she barely seemed aware that she was going anywhere, needing Koume's grasp on her hand to lead her in the right direction. She didn't talk when they reached the office and Koume knocked on the door, and she said nothing when the nurse answered.

The nurse seemed to understand essentially what was going on at a glance, which Koume was grateful for; it spared time wasted giving lengthy explanations. She asked for a suitably dark and quiet area for Miho to sit in while she calmed down, and the nurse pointed them to a corner with a few chairs and a curtain that could be drawn to separate the area from the rest of the office. Perfect.

"Ma'am, this may sound odd, but do you have something to drink on hand? Some tea? Soda? Something cold?" The nurse promised that she'd look, and Koume ushered Miho to the corner, nudged her into a seat, and drew the curtain halfway.

For the next few minutes, she simply sat there, her arm around Miho's shoulders. The shaking slowly subsided, but Miho still didn't say anything.

The curtain rustled as the nurse returned, a tall, thin plastic bottle labeled Sparkling ICE- Coconut Limeade in her left hand and a disposable cup filled with ice in her right. "I'm sorry, there wasn't any tea or soda in the breakroom fridge. I brought this for my lunch today, it's delicious. Your friend should like it."

"Oh no, I didn't mean for you to-,"

"It's perfectly alright. I always keep a spare anyways. Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"No ma'am. This is... kind of complicated. I can handle it, don't worry."

"Very well. I'll be at my desk if you need me." The nurse withdrew.

Koume twisted the cap off the bottle, filled the cup with the cloudy white liquid inside (the nurse was right, it smelled delicious, so much so that Koume was sorely tempted to start drinking it herself), and held the cup in front of Miho's face. "Smell this, Miho? Want some?"

Miho didn't respond.

"Come on, Miho. Talk to me."

Nothing.

Koume sighed through her nose. Using two fingers, she fished an ice cube from the cup. Then she pressed the ice cube to the back of Miho's neck.

Miho yelped and sat up straight, looking around wildly.

"Ah, that's better." Koume dropped the cube back in the cup.

Miho's eyes focused on her, terrified. Not good, but at least she wasn't catatonic anymore. "Koume... I, I, I-,"

"No, no." Koume held up the cup. "Before we do anything else. Take this."

Miho stared at the cup.

"Miho. Take it."

Slowly, Miho did.

"Now drink."

Miho did. Slowly at first, then in great gulps. Guess it really is delicious then. Within seconds, the cup was drained.