Chapter 25: Friends Are Nurses
I opened my eyes and see a familiar ceiling.
"W...Where am I?"
I try getting up from the bed but it seems my strength could only let me get up half way.
My body feels so weak and it kind of hurts to move.
"Don't move too much or suddenly. If you need to get up, do it slowly."
It was Hijirikawa-san. He helped me sit up on the bed. I had to move slowly because it was really painful to move my body. What the hell. First I was banned from sweets and now I'm stuck on bed! I've done nothing wrong. I've been a good girl. God, why am I subjected to these sufferings? Huhu.
"T-thank you, Hijirikawa-san."
"Kaori! You're awake!"
Haruka was putting flowers in the vase beside the door and then approached me.
"Thank goodness you woke up. Syo-kun, Shinomiya-san, and I were so scared when you fainted all of a sudden."
"So I did faint. I'm sorry to cause you all trouble."
I looked around the room and realize that I'm in the academy's clinic.
"Good morning, everyone!" Otoya, Syo, and Natsuki entered the room.
"Good morning, Ori-chan! This is for you!"
Natsuki gave me a Piyo-chan stuff toy.
"Thank you very much! I love stuff toys! Thank you, Natsuki!" I hugged the stuff toy and it was soft and fluffy.
"Kaori-chan, you alright?" Otoya asked.
"I'm alright. It hurts to move my body though but I feel alright."
Syo placed the back of his hand on my cheek.
"Hmmm...you're not as cold as before but your skin is still cold. I think she'll need to warm up more."
Hijirikawa-san, who was seated beside the clinic bed, grabbed my hand.
"Yes, she is still cold. I'll get some porridge." He heads over to the pot placed at the table beside the window and puts some hot porridge into a bowl. He returns and gives me the bowl.
"Careful it's hot. It was cooked just a while ago."
I took the bowl and it was hot indeed. I tried it and it tasted good.
"This tastes really good! Where did you guys get this?"
Otoya laughs. "Masayan made it. He's good at cooking you know."
"Really? Hijirikawa-san, it really is good!"
"T-thank you for the complement."
"Haha. An embarrassed and flustered Hijirikawa-san is too cute."
I laughed and Hijirikawa-san just tried to keep his cool but his face turned red and it was just too cute. Haha.
"I thought the lady was the one who was sick. Why are you turning red over there, Hijirikawa?"
Jinguji-san came.
He approached me and handed me a big bouquet of roses.
"U-umm...t-thank you, Jinguji-san."
Jinguji-san then sits on the side of the bed and moves close.
"Hm? You still call me by my last name? Just call me Ren from now on. I would like that very much."
"O-okay. Sorry to worry you and thank you once again for the roses, Ren-san. I think that these are too much though."
"Nonsense. Those roses are not enough to express how worried I was to learn about you fainting and becoming really cold like ice." He pats my head.
"Cold as ice?"
"When you fainted, I was the one who carried you. Your body was really cold and your skin was cold like ice." Syo said.
"It's true. Nanami-san and I checked as well and when we touched your cheek and arm, you were really cold." Natsuki said.
"I-is that so? I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience and for worrying you all. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have gone with you guys after all."
I felt really bad because I hate being an inconvenience for other people. I shouldn't have gone with them.
"Nonsense! It was fun having you with us!" Natsuki said.
"That's right. We had fun on the rides and mini games at Carnival World with you." Syo said.
"Plus, without you, it would have been harder for us to handle Satsuki." Haruka said.
"Thank you, guys. You're all such great friends! I'm very thankful and happy I met you all." I felt really warm inside to have such wonderful people around me. I love everyone very much!
"Well, you just stay here and rest up! If you need anything or feel lonely or bored, feel free to call us!" Otoya said.
"That's right. You should rest if you want to get back to school tomorrow. You're lucky that you got sick on a weekend." Natsuki said.
Tomochan came too. "Kaori! Are you alright now? You're not going to turn into an ice cube, right? I won't let that happen even if it means I'll have to hug you forever to keep you warm!"
"I-I'm alright now, Tomochan. Please let go. I'm starting to suffocate."
I think Tomochan worried too much. I can't breathe, please let go.
The clinic was usually a quiet and empty place but with everyone around, it was really lively and noisy. Haha. It was fun. We all talked and played together. The others even sang while Otoya played his guitar. We also ate together and enjoyed the food Tomochan ate and Hijirikawa-san's cooking. It was fun even though the school nurse scolds us time to time for being noisy but what really touched me was that they took really good care of me and decided to spend the day with me here in the clinic. They're all so nice.
It was evening and it was getting late.
"You guys should go and rest. There are classes tomorrow. You guys might end up sleeping in class or become sick."
"I guess we should but will you be alright by yourself? You still can't move around so much too." Tomochan said.
The clinic has a doctor but he's out at the moment because he had an event to attend to and won't be returning until two days from now so we just have the school nurse at the moment but since the doctor left a hell lot of unfinished paper work, the nurse is usually busy finishing them before the deadline so she doesn't really get to tend to me so much. She thanked everyone for being around since it gave her the opportunity to do the paper works.
"I think I'm going to be okay." I said but Tomochan wasn't convinced.
"I can stay and watch over her." Hijirikawa-san said.
"Is that really alright with you, Masayan?" Otoya asked.
Hijirikawa-san nodded.
"Eh? I would like to stay here and watch over the lady as well." Ren-san said.
"No way. I don't trust you being with Kaori-san." Syo said with his arms crossed.
"Is that so, Ochibi?"
"Well, it's all up to you, Masayan! Take good care of her." Natsuki said.
"Don't worry! I also have Piyo-chan with me!" I held the stuff toy that Natsuki gave me this morning. He smiled.
Haruka placed two cups of tea on the desk beside me. "Goodnight, Kaori. Get well and see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight."
Everyone bid farewell and left me and Hijirikawa-san here in the clinic.
"If you need anything, just tell me." Hijirikawa-san said as he sat on the chair beside the bed and opened his book.
"What are you reading?"
"It's a fiction novel about a vengeful ghost that haunts and curses a village."
"Ohhh, that sounds interesting! I love horror and supernatural stuff!"
"You like horror?"
"Yes. I like horror very much! There are times that when I can't sleep, I'd read lots and lots of horror stories, legends, rumors, and myths online and I even watch horror movies or series when I have the time. I like them very much! Do you like them, Hijirikawa-san?"
"Masato."
"Hm?"
"You can call me Masato. I think that would be shorter and more convenient for you rather than calling me by my last name."
"Alright. I'll call you Masato but you call me by my name as well like everyone else, okay?"
He nods and turns a page of his book and places a bookmark on that section before putting the book away.
"Why did you stop reading?"
"I think that it would be rude to read while you talk to me."
"Not at all. I don't mind."
"Well, I think it's rude of me. I'd feel like I'd be ignoring you."
I remembered the tea that Haruka prepared before she left and took one of the cups and gave it to Masato-san.
""Here you go. Haruka prepared to cups of tea before she left. Enjoy while it's still warm."
"Thank you. You should be careful. You might drop the cups."
"Hehe. I'm not that weak!"
I spent the evening just chatting with Masato-san about random things. It's fun talking with him; he's actually really fun. He's just a little stiff at times but I guess that's because of his upbringing.
As time passed, I started getting sleepy.
"Masato-san, I'm getting sleepy. I'd like to lie down now."
He helped me lie down and I noticed that it wasn't as painful to move my body. I think that I can make it to class tomorrow if I get to sleep well tonight.
"Thank you, Masato-san. You should get some sleep as well."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll just be here if you need anything." He said.
I hugged the Piyo-chan stuff toy and I slowly faded away to sleep. I guess I'm still tired. I'll see everyone again tomorrow. I hope Masato-san won't stay up too late.