I couldn't sleep again. Even after taking a bath, I've been thinking what we talked.
Ah...
I got my phone and immediately messaged him.
Me: I forgot to ask. What did you forget to say this afternoon? You return to the cafeteria, right?
Not long after he replied to me,
Akashi: nothing important, I just forgot to tell you that grandmother will be visiting you one of these days. I don't know when
...
It's important! What does he mean that it wasn't important- ah and since he responded,
Me: thanks for informing. By the way, I am curious of something. Where did you even learn about the love thing?
I waited for his response, and I just realized, Akashi is fast in typing. Because not even 30 seconds, he replied
Akashi: Daiki, Ryouta, Shougo
Gosh, of all people, he learned love from those three?!
Me: next time, ask Satsuki. She knows better than those three, especially than Ryouta and Haizaki. Anyways, thanks and see you tomorrow. Good night.
I finally understand why Akashi had this thinking about love. He learned from those three. Of all people!
~
That next day, oh gosh, I was in big trouble.
"Good... morning mom..." I greeted with a hoarse voice. I already changed to my uniform, but I still feel sluggish.
"Oh my gosh my dear" mom checked my forehead and worriedly looked at me "you don't have fever, but the colour of your face is not good. Your voice as well. How's your nasal?"
"I feel like something is blocking. My throat is itchy"
"You have cold. You need to stay home-"
"I need to go to school mom. I already missed couple of days, and it's sports day on Saturday."
"Tell your classmates that you can't join on Saturday. They need to find someone to replace you. You will attend school, but academic purpose only. I'll prepare your lunch, your medicine, bring my pocket thermometer, and if you feel dizzy or have fever, go to the infirmary and rest. Message me immediately, I'll pick you up. I'll send you to school as well. Understand?"
"Yes.." Ah yeah, as expected from mom.
"Eat your breakfast and drink a medicine. I'll monitor you. Drink the medicine during lunch, okay? I'll prepare your lunch today, and also to the person you always make lunch."
I nodded and started eating. Though I couldn't tell mom that I couldn't swallow nor could taste the food. But I need to take some food, or else mom wouldn't let me go to school.
After eating, mom sent me to school. And she insisted for me to wear a mask so I won't spread the virus.
~
"!!!" Yeah, everyone in the class had this surprised expression
"Sorry, but you need to find a replacement" I told them with a hoarse voice, followed by a cough
"You should have stayed home" they told me and I couldn't help but agreed
"But I need to at least teach some tricks to the basketball and even in Archery." I coughed and made a peace sign "Don't worry, I'm okay. Mom made sure that I'm okay. If it gets bad, I'll just message her to pick me up."
And yeah, they were all looking at me worriedly
~
That Thursday, I messaged Akashi about the lunch, but seemed he knew already and told me to go home immediately.
As much as I wanted this day to end peacefully, other people just didn't want me to have that. Everytime I would go to the bathroom, insane people would throw stuffs to me. Aside from those admirers' letters, threatening letters.
After class I just stayed for one hour to teach them some moves in basketball, and advices in archery.
That next day though, things escalated in a worse way.
I just remembered waking up in my room.
~Akashi~Friday~
"So as you can see Sei-chan, we need to find these people causing Rakuzan's reputation down. These anonymous victims were saying that these bullies are getting away of it because of who they are" Mibuchi told Akashi and showed the posts in Rakuzan's forum in the Student council room
"I saw these already. I asked some people to gather some evidence. I just need concrete one since these bullies are smarter than what we think of, and they are using their so-called reputation" Akashi responded then got his phone "Let's go Reo. Let's walk around the school for now"
Mibuchi just complied to Akashi's order and they walked around the school.
However not long after, while walking on the 2nd floor of the 1st year building, Akashi received a call from Jiro
Even before he say a word,
"Seijurou, where are you? Can you please come to the side court yard between the 1st & 2nd year?-"
"CAN YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!"
Akashi and Mibuchi looked at each other then looked outside the window
"It's (F/N)-chan!" Mibuchi shouted "she's soaked!"
"Jiro, what's going on with (f/n)?"
"I'll explain later. (F/n)-chan gave a sign not to interfere."
Akashi and Mibuchi hurriedly went down and from the first floor they could see (f/n), soaked and with trashes.
"We need to do something!"
Akashi was about to call (f/n), but he noticed that she was looking at him already. Shaking her head.
(F/n) took a deep breathe, removing her mask, and the dripping water, and trash from her face. She looked up, and raised her hoarse voice
"You sure are bored! Have nothing to do but bully others, huh?! Since you can get away from it anyways. You are after all sons and daughters of known businessmen, politicians, and even teachers" But because of that, another bucket of water was thrown to her, and it wasn't just a bucket of water, but water used in mopping. (F/n) looked up once again and smiled "Just because someone is getting more attention than you, you guys are wanting attention yourselves."
"Don't get too ahead of yourself, first year! You are just a bitch, attention seeker!"
(F/n) chuckled, and glared at them "It can't be helped, right? All I did was winning, representing our school, and the country. Aside you senpais, what have you done? Oh, aside from bullying other first years and 2nd year students?"
Because of that, bunch of banana peels were thrown to her
"We'll make your life in hell, first year!"
"THEN DO IT! YOU LOVE BULLYING OTHERS ANYWAYS! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY THIS TIME?! DON'T GET AHEAD OF YOURSELF! THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE ON TOP." (F/n) coughed and looked at Akashi and smiled.
And with that, Akashi, ran out from the window and caught (f/n), who finally lost conscious. Akashi could feel her body burning.
"Jiro, go to her classroom, get her stuffs and ask her friends for change of clothes. Ask her female friends to go to the nurse office. Anna, Ukyo, go get some clean water and towels"
"Eh?"
"You don't want her mother to see her in this state, right? Reo, call Kuwabe-sensei as well and inform him what happened" Akashi carried (f/n) then looked up to see the faces of the people responsible "I'll give you time to think of good excuse. But don't expect you'll be able to get away this time." Akashi glared at them and everyone there could feel his anger
"Seijurou-sama, bring (f/n)-san to the nurse office. We'll go and do what you ordered. Jiro-san, please go and get some change clothes for Seijurou-sama as well" Anna stopped him and they went to where they must to.
The students responsible to what happened looked at each other, and felt nervous. There were other students who saw what happened, even took videos. And to the bullies, they knew that they messed up this time, so they immediately moved, and tried to bribe the students who took videos.
~
As for (f/n), she was carried to the nurse office by Akashi, and the nurse asked what happened. He briefly explained what happened and told the nurse that the others would bring clean water, towels, and her change of clothes.
Not long after, Ukyo and Anna returned, with clean pail of water and towels. Followed by (f/n)'s friends, Ayumi, Hitomi, and Rie with (f/n)'s gym clothes.
The nurse asked the guys to leave the nurse office, and asked the girls to help her wipe (f/n) and changed her clothes.
While they were doing that, Kuwabe-sensei arrived as well. Akashi asked him to call (f/n)'s mother to pick her up.
Once Kuwabe-sensei left to call (f/n)'s mother, Akashi looked at Jiro
"So, what happened? Why (f/n) drastically decided to act like that?"
"She saw us while we were gathering evidence" Jiro responded
"She even suggested to be a decoy, she said she was being bullied already. We said no, and insisted that we could do it" Ukyo added "since she is sick, we couldn't ask her."
"When she left us, we saw those 2nd years were preparing something. We went out to take a video of what they were doing, but we were surprised that it was (f/n). She saw us and gave us a sign not to interfere." Jiro again explained "we were able to video what happened, though (f/n) seemed knew that we were taking video, so she provoked them"
"What are you planning to do now, Seijurou?" Ukyo curiously asked
Akashi looked outside and they could feel the dark ambiance that surrounded him,
"Send me the video, in my email and to Ken's email, along with the name of those so-called elite students. We need to clean up, there are weeds growing in the school" Akashi got his phone out and called Ken to inform him that Jiro would be sending a file to him, and he wanted to blur other students, aside from the bullies, "also, check if the the families of the names that are on the list, if they are partnered with Akashi family, tell father to remove them immediately."
"Eh? May I ask why?"
"You will know when you see the video" Akashi turned to Jiro and showed him that he already sent the videos and the name list "check them now. Do a background check, and update me right away"
Akashi ended the call then turned to the person approaching them, it was Kuwabe-sensei
"I called her mother, and she's on her way now." As he said that, Anna came out of the nurse office
"How's (f/n)-chan?" Jiro worriedly asked
"We already wiped the water off, and changed her clothes, but the nurse called an ambulance" she informed them "her fever is rising, and it's now at 39°, so sensei decided to call an ambulance"
"I'll wait for the ambulance and for her mother then. Please look after her." Kuwabe-sensei sighed then left
Anna looked at Akashi and seriously informed him "I don't think the issue with (f/n)-san is the same as the other victims"
"What do you mean, Anna?" It was Jiro who curiously asked him
"The 2nd year victims are the same as (f/n)-san. Well-known around their grades. Indeed (f/n) is a first year, but" Anna showed them a plastic bag full of letters "we saw these inside her bag. We checked some of them, but these were threatening letters, not because she became famous, but because they were accusing that she was seducing boys"
"False accusations" Jiro retorted
"Indeed. I checked couple of letters more, and they weren't about getting attention as those 2nd years were accusing."
"There are other people pulling strings" Akashi stated then crossed his arms "or should I say someone "Tadano Yukari"
"Oh wow, so you knew but not doing anything? That's surprising"
"The letters aren't threatening enough. However, she'll know her place after today." Akashi smirked and it was then (f/n)'s mother was anxiously running, with Mibuchi "Anna, let her in. She's (f/n)'s mother"
Without saying any word, they let her in, and they could see the expression from (f/n)'s mother, worried, stressed, and scared.
"Sensei already told her that ambulance is coming. So she became more anxious" Mibuchi informed them
"Let's go, Jiro, Ukyo. This matter will be handled by them now. Let's go and leave the matter to them. (F/n) is crazy enough to put herself in such situation for us to end this stupidity. We need to wrap it up"
Jiro looked at Ukyo and Mibuchi and smiled in retreat, then followed Akashi.
"Anna-chan, I'll leave now to tell the teachers who asked us to investigate the bullying" Mubichi bowed down then left
Anna sighed and it was then the ambulance respondents already arrived.
Anna moved from the door and let them inside. Mandatory locked down was announced in the school, to keep every students inside their classrooms. (F/n)'s friends went out as well and let the respondent to get (f/n).
~(f/n)'s pov~
I opened my eyes and surprisingly, I am in my room now. I feel my whole body heavy and hot.
I flinched when suddenly someone entered my room, it's mom.
"You are already awake, my dear" mom put down a tray of porridge on my side table, then she touched my forehead "your temperature went down already"
"Mom... what happened to me?" I asked with my voice still hoarse, while she helped me to sit down
Mom sat next to me then held my hand "your friends said you lost conscious. Your fever went up, I went there but they called an ambulance already. They put IV on you that helped cooling down your temperature. We waited for the IV first, then brought you home" mom looked at me worriedly "according to the doctor, fatigue, and stressed were added to your cold that was why it got worse."
"I feel like that's the case. Stuffs happened one after another"
"That's why" mom got the bowl of porridge and I felt intimidated from her voice "you need to have a complete rest. You are forbidden to go to school until you fully recover."
"But-"
"I know it's regional tournament as well next Saturday, but if you want to join that tournament, get better. I also wanted to watch you play, but if you are still not better, then I hate to say this but let someone take your place for the team competition. Now then, I'll feed you"
"I can eat by myself. Thanks mom"
She looked at me then sighed as she put down the porridge down
"Okay, eat the porridge, then I'll bring your medicine later. No phone, no gadgets, rest"
"Yes, mom"
And even before she left my room,
"Now what are you going to do when you are just by yourself. Good thing that I'm here. What if we are in South Korea? What are you going to do?"
"Kuwabe-sensei?" I responded and she looked at me "he's dad's cousin, so he's my guardian in a way" I smiled then got the porridge and just eat.
Once mom left my room, I started eating and felt my left arm so heavy. Seems they insert the IV through my left arm. It would be a problem though. Ever since I was young, if I got injection, or IV, I would feel my arm so heavy.
As much as I wanted to do stretching, mom will know.
I just couldn't help but sigh and retreat with the situation I was in.
I am also curious to what happened in school. I acted so impulsively, but as far as I remember, Akashi was there. I believe that he was able to wrap things up.
~TBC~