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As soon as Raiden Mei stepped into the classroom, she already knew something was amiss.
Usually, a certain white-haired person would already be clinging to her neck, screaming her name at the top of her lungs just to greet her ‘Good Morning!’, yelling how she already missed her despite seeing each other everyday in school.
“But we just met yesterday, Kiana-chan,” Mei told Kiana that one time. Kiana wouldn’t even give time to Mei to bring down her bag since she wouldn’t let go of Mei's arm.
“Even so! Just seeing you can make my day complete already.” Kiana looked up to Mei, now removing herself from Mei.
A sigh was only Mei’s reply. For all the years they’ve known each other ever since middle school, Mei has been used to Kiana’s antics… It was a usual occurrence, and she never got annoyed. It was Kiana after all.
Mei brought down her bag. It was still early in the morning. The room wasn’t even half-full of students. Looking around, there was no Kiana greeting her nor hugging her.
Hmmm, Mei thought to herself. Is Kiana absent?
Mei was confused. They just met yesterday to buy some things they need for a school project. Even if Kiana wasn’t too keen on going to school, she wouldn’t really do it – especially if it would result in her not seeing Mei.
Or maybe it’s just too early, Mei convinced. It’s a more reasonable explanation.
Bronya then greeted Mei, ‘Good Morning’ not a while after.
Mei didn’t even notice that Bronya just arrived. “Good morning too, Bronya-chan.”
Bronya was settling in her seat when Mei thought that it was better to ask Bronya about Kiana. They were after all, in the same dorm building.
“Oh, Kiana? Himeko-sensei told me that she had a cold and she’s feeling unwell to go to school,” Bronya shrugged her shoulders. “It's flu season, so an idiot like Kiana would eventually catch one.”
Bronya then noticed Mei’s worried look.
“Hey, don’t worry about her. Kiana is a strong person, she’ll be back tomorrow.”
Mei knew that already. But she still felt worried despite Bronya’s assurance.
Mei stood up.
“Mei? Hey, where are you goi-?
“Don’t worry Bronya-chan, I’ll be back,” Mei called back. She was already at the door. “I’ll also inform our teachers and ask for notes for Kiana.”
Bronya could only scratch her head in defeat. These two are really-
She sat down in her seat since she couldn’t really make Mei change her mind anymore. Mei’s gone after all.
Kiana just roused from her sleep.
She felt shittier now than earlier when she woke up to go to school. Back then, she tried to call Himeko-sensei, their respective dorm mother as well as their homeroom teacher, saying that she was feeling sick.
At first Himeko thought that Kiana was just kidding and it was just an excuse to skip school, but upon checking the girl, she was really feverish. She suggested to Kiana to be bedridden for the day.
Kiana was initially opposed to the idea but now she's thankful since she was really aching all over.
Kiana closed her eyes, wanting to sleep off her sickly state but when she heard a clamor on her mini-kitchen, she suddenly felt wide awake.
Wait, did someone enter her room? Her first thought was that she was getting robbed.
But when that someone peeked inside her room, she suddenly felt relieved.
"Mei!" She yelled happily, not really expecting a visit from her. But, the next thing she felt was embarrassment.
Kiana suddenly felt insecure about herself. She hand-brushed her hair. Trying to look decent in front of her Mei. Kiana didn't really want to be seen in this state.
"Wait, why are you here?" She asked Mei, who walked back to the kitchen, probably to grab something.
Well, it turns out that Mei grabbed a bottle of water and a drink for Kiana. "Drink this. You should drink more fluids so you shouldn't be dehydrated."
Kiana blushed. Mei is such a good friend, taking care of her. That’s why Kiana loves her so much.
After wiping her hands with a cloth, Mei then touched her forehead, and compared it with her own. When Kiana felt Mei's hand, it was cool, and Kiana couldn't help but be relieved from the cool sensation. A few seconds after, she removed her hands and Kiana immediately missed the sensation.
Mei clicked her tongue. I think your fever just got worse. Her words just implied that Mei already felt her up earlier. But Kiana didn't realize it. Instead, she complained about something.
"Whaat? Eh, that’s it?” Kiana looked up to Mei.
Mei was confused.
“Mei, you’re not gonna use your own forehead to check on me?!” Kiana said, talking about the infamous forehead-to-forehead temperature check usually being done in anime series.
There was a flick on her forehead. "Kiana, even when you're sick, you’re still like that? That’s not even accurate." Mei suddenly went outside, bringing out something again.
"Hehe”, Kiana chuckled. When Mei came back, there was a thermometer in her hand. She handed it out to Kiana, which she immediately put inside her shirt.
"I'm glad you're here, Mei,” Kiana said after a while. “I thought for a while you're a dream since I know there's class and you’re-”
Kiana then realized that it really was a school day and if Mei was here then...
“Wait! There IS a class! What are you doing here, Mei?”
Mei shrugged her shoulders. “I informed Himeko-sensei that I’ll be taking care of you, and she approved,” Mei simply said. “Also, don’t worry about the lessons, I can easily catch up with the lessons and I have also asked out the missed lessons for you.”
“Hmmm.” Kiana looked at Mei with a teasing look. She was smiling - well, more like grinning. “Is this your way of reciprocating my undying love to you?” She immediately stretched out her arms, an act like hugging Mei, but she could only grab Mei’s arms since she’s still perched up on her bed. “You know you can just tell me about it.”
Mei rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up Kiana.” But she didn’t remove herself from Kiana. Mei was worried because she could definitely feel how feverish Kiana was. Kiana also looked so flushed which just made it so obvious because of her pale skin.
Instead, it was Kiana who let go of her hands. “Oh wait,” Kiana quickly backed away. “You might get my cold. We don’t want that.”
She was about to say something more, when there was a high-pitch beeping sound, which came from the thermometer.
“Ahhh…” Kiana looked at the thermometer once she got it. 38.1°C. “Well, it’s definitely higher now,” muttered to herself.
Mei then looked at the digits. “What was your temperature earlier?”
“37.7,” Kiana answered.
Mei nodded, her eyebrows creasing in worry. “Well, I just made a soup for you… you know, for easy digestion.” She gave Kiana the water bottle that she also brought earlier along with the soup. Kiana thanked her for it. “Once you're finished with this, you can take your medicine and sleep afterwards.”
When Mei looked at Kiana, Mei could entirely see the heart-shaped eyes the Kiana was making to her. “Did you come here because you know that just seeing you would already make me fine?” Kiana then shook her head. “Ahh no, no. Scratch that. Just seeing you could really make my fever go away, you know.”
Again, Mei rolled her eyes but this time she was smiling. “Oh, shut up, Kiana.” Mei turned her back to Kiana and took something from the table “Now eat this.”
Kiana didn’t even realize that there was a bowl of soup on the table, she probably cooked it for her.
When she ate the spoonful of soup that Mei was giving to her, Kiana touched her heart in a gesture. “Ah, being spoon-fed by Mei when I’m sick. That one’s now ticked off from my bucket list...” Kiana then muttered something about how she was always strong and she didn’t easily get sick so this was a very good moment.
“You know, I’ll stop feeding you if you won’t stop your antics.”
“Oops. Sorry, hehe,” Kiana chuckled. She knows that Mei really won’t stop feeding her but of course, Kiana would still do anything Mei wants.
After finishing the soup, Mei made Kiana drink the fever medicine and tucked Kiana to sleep.
“You’ll be coming to class, right?” Kiana asked while Mei was busy with washing the finished bowl.
Mei nodded. “But I’ll be back here… Probably after lunch.” It was still minutes before 10 o’clock and Mei can still catch up on one subject before lunch time period. Also, Kiana still has to take her lunch and dinner. So, Mei would definitely be back here again.
Although, Bronya and Himeko-sensei might visit here too.
Mei remembered Himeko-sensei’s expression when she convinced her to take care of Kiana. It was supposed to be Himeko-sensei’s job as Dorm mother, but in the end, she eventually entrusted it to Mei. That was a good thing for Himeko too, since she still had a Homeroom class to teach.
“Ah,” Kiana nodded in understanding. “Okay, see you later, Mei!” Kiana then closed her eyes, preparing herself to sleep. She was, actually, very tired. Although it was true that seeing Mei really gave her the energy, it still took its toll on her own body, especially now in her condition.
Kiana was really close to sleeping. When suddenly, she felt a pair of lips on her forehead. It was very quick that Kiana momentarily thought it was just her imagination. She opened her eyes to look at a blushing but smiling Mei.
“See you later too, Kiana.”
Kiana was blushing. Not sure if that was just her mind making delusions.
Mei then stood up and walked away. But she stopped in her tracks as if she forgot something. She went back and bent down.
“Get well soon,” Mei told her in a whisper, before kissing Kiana’s cheek as a farewell.
Now, Kiana really wasn’t sure if that was real or she was getting more delirious, which is a very normal side effect of high fever. Her face was hot – and now just became hotter. She was sure her fever just got a degree higher. The moment she felt a kiss on her cheek, she had opened her eyes but the only thing she could only see was Mei’s back.
That view was etched on her mind until she had fallen asleep.
Kiana was better the next day. But just so it would be safer, she wore a facemask to school.
Kiana was late for school but it was Himeko-sensei that told her that it would be alright for her to not attend homeroom class, which is their first class in the morning.
Once she reached their homeroom class, her usual antic of greeting Mei was put off due to the fact that Mei wasn’t even there.
As she got inside, Kiana looked at her surroundings, checking if a certain raven-haired girl was there. But she was only disappointed.
Eventually, it was Bronya who told her that it was Mei who was sick now.
“What?! So even someone as smart as Mei can get a cold?” Kiana chuckled – a famous superstition.
“Dummy, you passed it to her.”
Kiana was dumbstruck. “Oh no,” Dread settled on Kiana, once she realized what Bronya just said. “It’s because she spent so much time with me yesterday.”
Kiana remembered how Mei really took care of her. She suddenly felt guilty that Mei was the one sick now. She definitely passed it on to her. She was about to run back to the dorms, when she remembered something.
It was Mei kissing her on her forehead and her cheek. Kiana blushed from the memory. She was sure it was a dream… but now she wasn’t sure.
Kiana gasped. Was it really a dream? Did Mei really just kiss her?
Oh my god! Kiana almost had a heart attack. It just sunk into Kiana’s head. That was Mei kissing her!
Risking getting a cold just to kiss me? She thought to herself.
“Ah. You’re such an idiot,” she muttered to herself, talking about Mei, before running outside to take care of Mei this time.