The Exchange Student

Why do you care?!

You opened your eyes slowly, blinded temporarily by the bright lights above your head. From what you could tell, you were led in bed, but that couldn't be right... why were you in a bed? Who put you here, since the last thing you could remember was being in someone's arms in your classroom, did they bring you here? Who-

"Ah (name), you're awake." It took awhile, but finally your eyes focussed on the school nurse, her warm brown eyes looking down at you with a hint of sympathy.

"I- Why am I here?" You were shocked to find your voice come out as a raspy croak; and your throat cracked painfully as you formed the words. The nurse gestured to the small bedside table, where a glass of clear water sat, a ring of perspiration at its base when you lifted it to your lips. It was icy cold and refreshing, and the nurse waited politely until you were finished before she began to speak.

"I was told you passed out in your lesson, so I checked you over. Good news, it's just a small bout of fever, you'll be fine; no worries."

"Yes but, how  did I get here?" If you had passed out, how exactly did you end up here? Did someone find you and call a teacher? Or was it-?

"I brought you." Noiz's tones flowed around the room, and you looked around until you noticed, with a jolt, that he was sat to your left, on a small chair. He rose to his feet, wearing his signature stoic expression, but you could see concern swirling in his emerald eyes. Was he worried about you?

"T-Thank you." Your voice sounded normal again, albeit a little unsteady. A warning beeped in the back of your mind, but you couldn't quite remember what it was you had obviously forgotten. "What time is it?"

"13:16, quarter of an hour into lunch." The nurse said, smiling; her clipboard clutched to her chest.

"Lunch? Crap!" Then you remembered you had to meet Mizuki! Not to mention you had missed break, therefore not meeting up with Aoba, Koujaku and Clear. Perhaps they were worried, most likely. You made a move to get up, and Noiz shifted, making a move to push you back down.

"Don't get up. You're sick."

"I don't have time to be sick! And I'm fine; I'm not even that warm anymore." Noiz looked to the nurse, who took out a thermometer and passed it to you. A few seconds passed as you waited for it to warm up, and then passed it back to the nurse.

"She's right. She hasn't got a temperature." Noiz suddenly looked distressed, then irritated.

"You can't let her leave."

"I can't stop her." With that the nurse retreated to the other room, and the sound of a tap running could be heard, then the opening and shutting of a door. Noiz glared after her with an angry gaze, as though he had trusted her to stick up for him, but instead she shot him down. You pulled the bedcovers back, slipped your uncomfortable shoes back on and made to follow the nurse, but Noiz grabbed your wrist without warning, stopping you in your tracks. You tried to pull out of his grasp, but he tightened his grip, almost painfully so. Who does he think he is? He doesn't even know me!

"Let me go." You demanded, but his grip remained firm.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you're ill."

"I'm not ill!"

"I don't care what the nurse said, you're still sick. I care about that."

"Why do you care at all?!"

"Because I-" Noiz paused, and you waited, breathless, for his answer. But it never came. He let go of your hand, and you stumbled forwards; towards the door. Resting your hand on the door handle, you risked a glance back at the boy; your heart skipping a beat when you saw his expression. He looked upset, lonely even, as though he'd missed his only chance to do something; to say something... you wanted to go back and check if he was okay, but doing that would completely contradict what your argument was about. So, regretfully, you left... your heart aching with every step.

The wind was warm and calming, blowing your hair gently; and you absent mindly tucked a stray strand behind your ear. You were halfway across the sports field when you caught a glance of Mizuki, making his way towards you with his head down.

"Mizuki!" You called to him, and his head snapped up; breaking into a smile. He waved in response, and you waited patiently until he approached you.

"'Sup? You're pretty late, where you been?"

"Nurses office."

"Why?"

"I passed out in second lesson, some sort of fever."

"Wow. Shouldn't you still be there though?"

"Don't you start Mizuki."

"Why? What happened?"

"Ugh. I don't want to say."

"C'mon, I can see you're upset." You sighed and gave up. Mizuki wasn't going to stop bugging you now you'd mentioned it; he wasn't a boy to give up easily.

"Well, after I passed out apparently the new kid, -Noiz- dragged me to the nurse's office. I've been asleep since second period, and when I woke up I remembered I had to meet you; but the stupid dick wouldn't let me go! He literally grabbed me and dragged me back!"

"The nurse dragged you back?"

"No, Noiz did."

"Oh, I see. Carry on."

"We had a little... disagreement. He kept insisting I was sick, but I'm fine! The nurse even took my temperature." You sighed, trying to recall exactly what happened in your little spat with the new kid. "He said he didn't care about what the nurse had said, but he cared about the fact I was still sick. So I asked him why he cared at all, and he began to say something, but... he just let me go and I left."

"Hmmm." Mizuki paused, somewhat dramatically. "You don't suppose he likes you, do you?"

"W-what?!" You stopped dead in your tracks, your face burning up and ears searing. Mizuki carried on walking, leaving you seething with embarrassment and shock a few paces behind. He called over his shoulder with a thoughtful expression.

"Just a thought." The idea of Noiz liking you swam around in your head. 'If it was true, you supposed it would make some sense; but how could he like you like that when you barely knew each other? When he began to say something earlier, about why he cared, was he going to... confess? No, no, no. No way. Right?' "C'mon (name)!"

"R-right! I'm coming!" You snapped out of your daydream, and ran to catch up with Mizuki; but thoughts of the worried blonde still stuck in your mind, no matter how hard you tried to get rid of them.