Author's note: This story takes place sometime before the beginning of volume 4 and after the end of volume 3. I love the canon pairings, but I also deeply and dearly love Nakatsu. I will always pay homage to the genius of Nakajo-sensei, but that doesn't mean a girl can't wonder about the what ifs... Also– this story is for me. If you like it, that is wonderful, but please don't bombard me with "when is the next update!11" reviews, because the answer is when I feel like it. I am a busy college student who only finds time to write at work, and those times are very few & far between. Anyway, enough of my rambling and on to the chewygoodness... I mean... the story.
"Nakatsu?" He glanced up to see Mizuki looking at him expectantly. "Are you okay?" Nakatsu vision showed Mizuki's eyes sparkling and cherry blossoms drifting slowly past.
"I'm fine," Nakatsu replied, tears streaming down his face. "You're such a caring friend, Ashiya!"
"It's hard to believe that the big, macho, blazing lion of Osaka High is such a crybaby," Noe commented.
"We're going to be late for class if we don't leave now," Sano pointed out.
Nakatsu filed out of the cafeteria behind his friends, tears still fresh in his eyes. What's wrong with me? he thought. Every time I look at Mizuki, I feel things... that I shouldn't.
During class, Nakatsu tried to pay attention, but it often drifted over toward Mizuki. He looked lost in thought, his brow furrowed in the most adorable way. Nakatsu shook his head to get those thoughts out of his mind. Maybe he's paying attention, Nakatsu thought. And I'm sure he'd want me to pay attention in class... instead of think about him.
On the way back to the dorm, Nakatsu noticed that Mizuki wasn't looking well. He was hanging back behind everyone else and hardly laughing at Noe and Semike's joking. He slowed down, dropped back behind Izumi, and came up next to Mizuki. "Are you feeling okay, Ashiya?"
"Yeah, sure," Mizuki replied, trying to stand up a little straighter.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, do you know what's for dinner tonight?"
"Fried shrimp," Izumi answered. Nakatsu watched Ashiya wrinkle his nose in dissatisfaction.
"Don't you like fried shrimp?" he asked quietly.
"Eh, usually..."
"It's okay to say that you don't feel well, Mizuki," Nakatsu put his arm around his friend. "Maybe you should go back and see Dr. Umeda."
"No, I'm fine. I'm a man. I can handle it... I just have to convince my stomach." He put a hand on the disruptive body part.
"How about we go get some okonomiyaki instead?" Nakatsu proposed, hoping the other three goons couldn't hear him. Ashiya's face brightened.
"That sounds really good, Nakatsu... and I think I might just go see Dr. Umeda after all."
Nakatsu nodded. "I'll just go put my stuff at the dorm and meet you back at the school, then."
"All right," Mizuki waved at him as he turned to go back to the school. It was all Nakatsu could do to keep from running to the dorm and back.