Kumiko coughed, a loud cough. Her band members turned around.
" Are you alright, Oumae-chan?" Asuka asked as she walked over to Kumiko, holding her euphonium in her arms. Kumiko tried to smile. She did poorly. " Yeah, I'm totally fine. Just coming down with a cold I think."
Asuka frowned. " Are you wearing perfume, Oumae-chan?" Kumiko rose a brow. " No. Why?" She asked as she shifted on her chair. " It's just that it smells like flowers around you." Asuka said while shrugging. " Anyway, be careful, we can't have a sick member!"
Kumiko sighed later that day, putting on her shoes. She looked up when she heard footsteps coming closer. Reina smiled at her and leaned against the lockers. " How was your practice?" She asked as she took of her own shoes.
" Fine I guess." Kumiko said as she picked up her bag. " How was yours?" She then asked, walking closer to Reina. Reina rolled her eyes. " Yoshikawa-senpai was being trouble as always." Kumiko grinned but stopped when she coughed again. " Are you getting sick?"
Reina's tone was worried. Kumiko frowned. She bit her lip as she looked Reina into her violet eyes. She smiled weakly. " Yeah, just need some rest I guess." Reina did a step closer and touched her forehead. " You don't have a fever. Take some rest."
The two girls hold hands as they walked towards the station. Midori had stayed behind with Hazuki for just a little bit more of practice. Reina had decided to go with Kumiko, since she was getting 'sick'. Kumiko glanced at her friend sometimes and would then look away.
Reina noticed it. " Is something the matter, Kumiko?" Kumiko jerked up. " W-what?" She stuttered. Reina smiled. " Nothing, I just felt like you were staring at me." She said as she stroke a strand of her black hair behind her ear. Kumiko blushed. " Ah."
It was stupid. Kumiko was stupid. Her feelings were stupid. Everything was stupid.
Kumiko sighed loudly as she dropped down on her bed, hair still a little bit wet from the shower she just took. She studied the ceiling above her. She reached her hand out, as if she could touch her lamp. She let her hand down after a minute. " Unfair."
She didn't really understand herself, saying unfair like that. Kumiko got up as she coughed again. She coughed in the palm of her hand. She frowned when she felt something against her hand. She slowly pulled her hand away from her mouth. Flowers.
Not really flowers, flower leaves. Kumiko was shocked. She had no memory of eating flowers. But yet, there they were, bright pink leaves, almost like cherry blossom.
Kumiko slowly got up from her bed and exited her bedroom. She was home alone. She wasn't sure if she was happy with that or not. She sat down on the chair in front of the table with her computer. With care she laid down the flower residues next to her as she turned the computer on.
'Spitting flowers'
She typed the letters while glancing at the flowers. Nothing useful popped up. Kumiko sighed but didn't give her search up yet. 'Spitting flower syndrome' again nothing useful, only information over eating disorders.
Finally, she found something and her eyes widened. It was ridiculous.
' Oranthopysis, after having unrequited feelings towards someone for so long, you start to spit flowers.'
Kumiko laughed. A bitter laugh. Was she going crazy? Maybe. Crazy from her unrequited feelings apparently. She buried her head inside her hands.
It was really painful. Of course her feelings were unrequited. Reina was in love with Taki-sensei after all. She would never like Kumiko.
A dry sob escaped from Kumiko's mouth as she rubbed her eyes. A hiccup and a cough brought more flowers to her feet. She crouched down, hugged her legs, pressed them against her chest as she closed her eyes and let the tears and flowers escape.
Kumiko was sick the day after that. And of course Reina had to be so cruel and visit her sick friend. Akiko wasn't so sure what was going on so she just let Reina inside.
Reina entered Kumiko's room and frowned. Had it always smelled like flowers in here? She walked towards the bed. She could she Kumiko's curls coming out from beneath her blanket. " Kumiko, are you awake?"
" Go away, Reina." Kumiko whispered as the girl got closer to her. " Why, Kumiko? Did I do something wrong?" Reina asked surprised. Kumiko threw her blanket of her and glared at Reina as she stroke away a curl. " You are unfair."
Reina was even more surprised to hear that. " I don't understand what you are saying Kumiko." She said with a monotone voice. " Your stupid feelings for Taki-sensei, that is what's unfair!" Kumiko had raised her voice. Reina blinked. " Excuse me?"
" I'm jealous! I'm totally jealous of Taki-sensei, a man who knows how old!" Kumiko was now shouting and getting out of her bed. In the living room Akiko decided that it was time to go do some shopping and just leave this house.
" You're jealous of Taki-sensei?" Reina asked with disbelieve in her eyes. Kumiko coughed and another flower fell out of her mouth. She felt like they would choke her, take her breath away from her lungs. " Why do you love him and not me?!"
Kumiko fell down on her knees as she reached out to her throat. This was it. She would die because of her spitting flower syndrome. Reina crouched down to her with that worried expression. " Kumiko, do you love me?"
The end. The end of her piece. She had said it. She had confessed her feelings to the mysterious trumpeter. As she wiped away a tear she brushed the flowers of her lap. She looked Reina in her eyes as she coughed one more time. " I do."
Reina smiled.
How could Reina smile in a situation like this? Kumiko bit her lip as she looked away. " You finally said it, Kumiko." Reina whispered as she stroke Kumiko's hair. " I love you too." Kumiko frowned. Everything was confusing. One second Reina shouts at her teacher that she loves him and now she says the same words to her?
" Liar." Kumiko said with a broken voice. She got up. Some flowers dropped on the ground as Kumiko stared down on Reina. " How can you say that to me." Kumiko muttered as she clenched her fists. A tear rolled over her cheek. " Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"
Reina smiled, a sad smile. " I love you and Taki-sensei."
The sound of a slap echoed through the room and Reina squeezed her eyes shut. The burning on her cheek somehow felt justifying. Kumiko stared at her hand and then realised what she had done to her precious friend. " R-Reina, I-I'm s-so sorry!" She brought out.
" I guess I deserved that one." Reina muttered as she got up. She looked Kumiko in the eyes. " So, spitting flowers over your unrequited love." Kumiko nodded as she still felt in shock over what she had done.
" Interesting." Reina whispered as she began to stroke Kumiko's cheek. Kumiko flinched at the touch but couldn't swipe the hand away. " Reina, stop fooling around with me." Kumiko muttered as she avoided Reina's eyes. " Why? Didn't I say I love you?"
It disgusted Kumiko. Was this love? Love couldn't be unfair like this. Reina never did what Kumiko thought she would do. Since when was Reina like this?
" Reina please leave." Kumiko brought out as she pushed the hand away. She took a shaky breath. Reina rose a brow but didn't say anything as she left quietly.
Kumiko didn't know how long her spitting flower syndrome would continue.