(Un)lucky Naofumi

(Un)lucky Naofumi 2

"A-Are you g-going t-to hit m-me? I d-d-didn't o a-anything w-wrong. I WAS SET UP! I SWEAR, KITAMURA!", said Naofumi while getting worked up and scared, trying to get some distance from Kitamura who stopped stroking Naofumi's hair.

"Hush, Naofumi. I believe you. Just go and take it easy. Nobody is going to hurt you here.", comforted Kitamura while stroking Naofumi's hair again.

Naofumi began to get calmer again after hearing Kitamura call Naofumi's name and telling him how he believed him when he told him how he was innocent. He looked around himself and suddenly begun to giggle. His eyes were resting on the Head Healer when he began and everyone was looking confused between Naofumi and the Head Healer. The Head Healer just sighed and explained how it was the fever and that he will sometimes get delirious or confused.

Kawasumi looked at Naofumi and asked him: "What's so funny?"

Naofumi looked at Kawasumi with a huge smile and said with a small stutter while pointing at the Head Healer: "He l-looks a l-lot like my Teddy Bear, Mr. Bear. But Mr. B-Bear never wore a white d-dress before! D-Did you buy it f-for him? W-Why did he g-get so b-b-big? C-Can I have him back, please? I'll be c-careful w-with him, Mister."

Kawasumi was speechless. He saw how fast Naofumi went from semi-conscious to delirious crazy-talk that a child would say. Amaki was looking with understanding to Kawasumi, but he didn't even try to give him a hand with Naofumi, still angry at him for throwing the sick Naofumi on the ground when he already told them that he was burning up and weighing almost nothing compared to Kawasumi and himself.

Kitamura saw how Kawasumi didn't answer and said: "You'll get later. OK, Naofumi?"

"Okay! Thank y-you very m-much, Mister!", stuttered Naofumi with a blinding smile, behind the oxygen mask, and begun to nod off.

After a few minutes of silence, Naofumi was deeply asleep again. Everyone was just about to talk when Naofumi mumbled something and they decided to keep quiet for a little while longer while Kitamura petted Naofumi's head. After another few minutes, Kitamura deemed it safe enough to move from his place, but Naofumi held his arm in a death grip. Kitamura sighed and signed for everyone to go out of the room for now. The others understood and did as Kitamura requested of them. Kitamura was slowly tugging his hand inch by inch from Naofumi's hold and gave him a last pet and went to the others.

When the door closed behind Kitamura, Kawasumi asked: "Why did you promise him a Teddy Bear? He's an adult for crying out loud!"

"Because he doesn't remember anything in this state. If he begins to panic, we may have needed to do something that could have avoided or he could have hurt himself in his panicked state. That's why I did that.", explained Kitamura and glared at Kawasumi, daring him to argue with his logic.

"Mister Spear Hero, I would like to ask how you would like to keep Mister Shield Hero's attention from the Teddy Bear that you promised him. I mean, he may be able to remember that in another delirious episode.", said the Head Healer to the other Heroes.

The Heroes looked confused at first, but after some time, Kawasumi's eyes widened and he yelled: "I WON'T SPEND MY MONEY ON HIM EVEN IF HE'S SICK! HE RAPED MALTY, THE KINGS DAUGHTER! I WILL NOT SPEND MY MONEY ON A MONSTER!"

The Head Healer looked uncomfortable when he tried to say the next, shocking thing that he discovered: "Actually... we had to scan him for injuries and requested his medical file from Miss Magic. We got every single sign of the first time he lost a tooth, got a scrape, papercut or when he had *cough* an intimate relationship. I'm sorry to announce that Mister Shield Hero is actually a..."

"A what? Speak up, old man. It can't be that shocking...", said Kitamura impatiently.

"We may have believed the princess too much.", was all the Head Healer said.