Haruki's eyes fluttered open, nearly half an hour later, and the first sensation that flooded his consciousness was the relentless, throbbing pain pulsating through his skull. Suppressing a hiss, he gingerly straightened himself, cradling his head in both hands.
"You awake?"
A familiar voice sounded nearby, and he nodded in response.
"How's your head? Better?"
Haruki shook his head, a tinge of frustration lining his features.
"Will you be heading to the club today or skipping like yesterday?" Kentaro continued to ask.
"If I skip again, Sensei will definitely kill—" Haruki halted mid-sentence, slowly pivoting to face Ken, who observed him patiently, chin resting on a supporting hand.
Ginger raised a curious eyebrow. "Definitely kill who? I'm listening."
Haruki scanned the empty classroom. The lunch hour had long emptied its occupants.
"Well?" Kentaro wasn't one to let go easily.
"What time is it?" Haruki tactfully deflected. He had come to collect Ken from this class as soon as the lunch break began, but his unintended slumber had derailed his plans.
Ginger grinned. "Are we pretending my question doesn't matter, then?"
Releasing a defeated sigh, Haruki finally relented. "Who told you?"
"Told me what?"
"That I skipped practice yesterday."
Kentaro gasped dramatically, feigning bewilderment. "You, the guy who's practically married to martial arts, skipped Judo??? Dear gods."
"I might just punch you."
"Feel free to try," Ginger's lazy expression returned, clearly unthreatened.
"You really—" Haruki hadn't even raised a finger when that piercing pain surged through his head once more, causing him to wince and massage his temples.
Kentaro's concern flared instantly. Removing Haruki's hands, he took over, pressing his cool palm against the other's forehead. "You're burning up."
"I'm always warm."
"I don't think that's the case this time." Kentaro was about to withdraw his hand when Haruki's own shot out to keep it in place.
"Instead of making a fuss, be useful and cool me down, you idiot."
Helplessly, Kentaro let his friend have his way, knowing that his cool palms alone wouldn't bring much relief.
"You should go home."
"No," Haru lazily responded.
"Are your parents around?"
"They won't be back until tomorrow evening."
Even if he went home now, there would be no one to take care of him. Haruki's condition needed monitoring, Kentaro thought. "How long have you been experiencing these headaches?"
"It's nothing."
Ginger's brow furrowed as he pressed on with his inquiry. "It's been a couple of days now, hasn't it?"
"Just where are you getting all this—Shimoda and Matsui told you, didn't they?"
"When did it start, Haru?"
Haruki exhaled and released Kentaro's hand. While arranging the books on his desk, he spoke, "Let's grab lunch before it ends. I'm starving."
"Stop evading the question."
"I'm not evading," Haruki stood up, stretching. "I already told you I'm fine."
"That's not what I asked," Ginger wasn't letting it slide.
"Dude, it's just a minor headache. I just need some cold water or a pain reliever. It's nothing to fuss over." Slinging his bag over one shoulder, Haruki held a stack of textbooks in his other hand, ready to be placed in his locker. "Now let's go."
Kentaro stared at him intently for what felt like an eternity before finally packing his own belongings into his bag.
Haruki smiled in satisfaction. "Much better. You shouldn't always—" His words trailed off when the other person snatched away his bag, leaving him with only the textbooks he held. "Huh? What's gotten into you?"
With an annoyed grunt, Ken turned to leave first.
Haruki followed, slightly bewildered. "Why are you so upset now?"
The other person ignored him.
Haruki pursed his lips, suddenly becoming equally exasperated.
Hmph, he sure knows how to dish out attitude these days!
The two walked down the halls in silence, one sulkingly leading the way while the other trailed behind, a mix of confusion and annoyance in his wake.
Having reached his limit, Haruki prepared to make a snarky remark.
"You know—"
"Nomura-sempai," Haru's anger was abruptly swallowed as a timid yet sweet voice interrupted his intentions. Intrigued, he also came to a halt beside Kentaro, who had been unexpectedly called out.
The girl who stood before them donned a yellow bow tie, a playful splash of color against her crisp white shirt, announcing her sophomore status. With her petite frame, luscious wavy locks cascading down, and a captivating oval face, Haruki couldn't help but feel a jolt of astonishment.
'Whoa,' Haruki's mind whispered, caught off guard by her presence.
Unaware of Haruki's stealthy approach, the girl greeted him with a respectful nod when she finally noticed him. "Fukuda-sempai, hello."
Returning the nod, Haruki took a closer look at her.
Hold on, I know her. Her older sister is in my class; he thought.
His gaze then darted to Ginger, who remained stoic, devoid of even a hint of a smile despite being the one who'd been called.
Directing her attention solely to Kentaro, the girl, her cheeks flushed with a furious pink, spoke again. "Nomura-sempai, may I please have a few minutes of your time?"
Haruki became instantly aware of where this was headed. Since it appeared to be a "personal matter," he cleverly excused himself with a knowing grin. "I'll go on ahead, Ken. You'll find me by the lockers."
Ginger didn't get a chance to protest as his friend swiftly ran away.
Haruki sensed that if he stuck around, Ginger would likely retreat due to overwhelming embarrassment, and that was simply not an option. Thus, he vanished around the corner, making his way to their lockers. Once there, he stowed away the books he had been carrying and leaned against his locker, patiently waiting for his friend.
Would this take long? Kentaro seemed to be gaining quite the popularity among the girls lately, so the occasional confession or two each month no longer came as a surprise to their group. Haruki couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret, suspecting that his little friend had no clue what it truly meant to "like someone." One of these days, he'd have to sit Ginger down for a heart-to-heart about it. Being surrounded by a bunch of single dogs all the time couldn't be good for the kid. It would undoubtedly hinder his growth in matters of the heart...
Haruki had barely finished pondering when a sharp pang shot through his skull, causing him to grimace in pain.
What the hell? These never-ending headaches...
"Oh, Fukuda, you're finally awake!" Takumi's voice echoed through the hallway, instantly recognizable. He chewed on a small snack as he and his shadow approached Haru.
"You're too loud," Tadashi scolded.
Takumi grumbled, "Dude, it's still lunchtime."
"Does that even matter?" Tadashi persisted before turning his attention to Haruki. His eyes registered a slight concern. "You look pale."
"You guys..." For some reason, Haru felt a sense of relief seeing them. But as soon as those words escaped his lips, his body wavered unsteadily.
"FUKUDA!!!" the two exclaimed in unison, rushing to catch their falling comrade.
...
It had happened again.
Kentaro's mind buzzed with the conversation he had just had with the unfamiliar junior girl in the corridors. She boldly declared her feelings for him, despite them never having met before. It struck him as odd.
Could someone really develop feelings for someone they hardly knew? Where did that 'love' even come from? And this wasn't the first time someone he couldn't even recognize confessed to him. Annoyance flickered in his narrowed eyes.
Had Haruki anticipated this? Was that why he'd run off?
Ginger hadn't given much thought to the words he would use to express his frustration later when his pupils contracted at the sight of Haruki, weakly hanging onto the support of Takumi and Tadashi's shoulders near the lockers. Panic surged within him as he rushed to the group.
"What happened?" Ken's eyes never left Haruki's strained expression as he inquired of the two. They hadn't been apart for more than five minutes!
"He suddenly collapsed and blacked out just now," Takumi explained. "Whatever his condition is, it's getting worse."
"We can't take him to the infirmary either; the school nurse is out, and her office is locked," Tadashi added, looking down at the person he supported. "Even if it were open, he'd still be sent home. He's showing signs of developing a fever."
Kentaro placed a hand on Haru's forehead. It burned hotter than before. "I'll take him home," he suggested, maintaining a calm demeanor despite his mind being in disarray.
"Good idea," Takumi nodded, instructing Ginger to take his place while he went to find any available staff.
Haruki rarely fell ill, and when he did, it never appeared this severe. Witnessing him in such a fragile state was a first for Kentaro. His heart refused to settle, no matter how hard he tried to steady it. Under his composed exterior, chaos reigned within his mind.
"What did he tell you?" Tadashi suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
Kentaro shook his head. "He just... He kept saying they were minor headaches and that he needed some pain reliever to feel better."
"He was clearly wrong. Maybe he had no idea it would get this bad," Tadashi remarked. "Even his parents will be worried."
"They're out of town," Kentaro replied.
Tadashi pondered for a moment. "Then you're the one who's going to take care of him. I would help, but the teachers won't allow all of us to leave. Besides, you're the best choice since everyone knows how close you are to the Fukuda family."
"Right..." Ken tried to calm his nerves by drawing in a soothing breath. "I'll take care of him, no problem."
He had always looked forward to the day when Haruki would rely on him for support. Now that the opportunity had presented itself on a silver platter, he should be happy, right?
Wrong!
This wasn't how Kentaro had envisioned the day when Haruki would depend on him. He was scared and nervous, okay?
Taking another deep breath, Kentaro reassured Tadashi with a newfound determination. "I'll do my best."
~~~~~~