I wrote Chapters 2&3 over the weekend, in case all of you were wondering why the chaps came out so fast (haha). Okay. Here it is! But there won't be an update for 2 weeks at most due to my tests and all, so I made this chapter super long. Yeah!

I don't own Hanazakari no Kimitachi E, its characters, plots, or anything related. Hisaya Nakajo-sensei does. Yupps.

Chapter Three- Ashiya Mizuki: Head of Dorm 2

Ashiya,

Come to my room after dinner, I have something to pass to you.

Nanba

The note seemed so innocent, and Nanba-senpai had passed it to me in the most innocent of ways; he had slipped it onto my tray during breakfast and walked off, grinning, with his hands in his pockets- Nanba Minami-style. And yet, it had gotten me so worried that I couldn't concentrate what he meant. Did he find out my secret? What am I going to do about this?

"Oi, Ashiya!" I felt my forehead throb, and my eyes began to water. I glanced at my table and realised that there were pieces of broken chalk all over it. My head automatically jerked up, and I realised that sensei had thrown a piece of chalk at my forehead.

"Ah-hait!" I blurted as I stood up, knocking all my pencilcase onto the floor and succeeding in scattering all my stationery around my feet.

Sensei rubbed his temples, sighing. "Ashiya, did you hear what I had said?" He asked, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and disappointment.

I glanced at my classmates for help. Everyone just stared blankly at me. It was obvious that they didn't get the lesson either. "I…I…" I began, stuttering. I hung my head. "I'm sorry, sir, I wasn't paying attention…" I admitted.

I got to stand outside the class for that. Whatever Nanba-senpai was going to pass to me better be worth this. But then again, maybe I shouldn't dwell on this either.

-

I knocked on his door, and a call came from the other side, signalling to me that it was OK for me to open the door. So I did.

"Senpai, you called for me?" I asked. I told myself that maybe he just wanted to pass me his old exam notes- you know, to help me next year? It couldn't be that he had found out about my secret. After I knew that Sano had discovered, I had taken extra precautions to take care that no-one else found out, to the extent of wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts after school.

Nanba-senpai stretched out his arms behind his head and grinned at me. "Yep. Hang on," He replied, and got off his chair. He crossed the room and went to the cupboard. After a few minutes of digging around, he pulled out a pile of clothes, neatly folded, and flung them at me.

"Wha-?" I gasped as I caught it. I held it out in front of me and nearly dropped it when I realised what it was.

"Nanba-senpai! You can't give me this!" I couldn't believe it. I really couldn't. I held out the suit in front of him, but he didn't take it.

"Don't you want it?" He asked, his expression serious. He folded his arms and stared at me. "Honestly, Ashiya, I've been looking out for you ever since you came here, and from what I see, I believe that you have the potential to do this, and carry out this duty well."

I was stunned by his words. I couldn't believe it. Nanba-senpai thought that I had the potential to lead Dorm 2? I fingered the uniform, running my fingers over the cold silver buttons of the coat. "But senpai… are you really sure about this?" I asked, looking up at him.

He nodded firmly. "I trust you, Ashiya! That's why I'm passing you this," He sighed, and for the first time, I could see the weariness on his face. "You guys don't know how much you mean to me. I mean, sure, all of you are foolish, but you're all my underclassmen, and that is why I work so hard to be a good dorm head to all of you,"

Nanba-senpai turned to his study table, and pulled out a file amongst his textbooks. "Ashiya, I'm going to kill you if you don't do your job well. But I trust you. You're the best one for this job and that is why I'll be handing the dorm over to you when I graduate in three days' time."

I nodded, accepting the file and my new responsibility despite the million questions that I have in my head, and despite the uncomfortable gut feeling that seemed to be killing me. Woman's intuition? I hope not. I don't want to think that I won't be a good leader.

"You can text or call me if you have any questions," He grinned as he held up his cell phone.

"Yes, senpai. Good luck for the rest of your papers," I forced a cheery smile, and made my way to the door.

"Ahh, and one more thing-" Senpai began, cocking his head in my direction. "Don't let me down."

The file read "Dorm Head Duties".

-

I collapsed on my bunk the second I got back to our room, and a wave of nausea hit me, causing me to jerk upright and cough. I felt so worried of my new responsibilities to the extent that I had made myself sick. I got off my bunk and went to the bathroom, trying hard to calm myself down. Then I thought of Yuujirou.

After half and hour of Yuujirou Therapy, I dragged myself back to our room and found Sano reading a magazine on the floor.

"Welcome back," He greeted, looking up. Suddenly, he got up and placed a hand on my forehead, his expression that of a worried father. "As I thought, you have a fever," He concluded. "You looked so pale."

"What?! I do?" I can't believe it! This is so weird! How can I not tell that I have a fever? "Do I really look that pale?"

Sano nodded, and pressed the back of his hand against my neck, causing me to blush. "I think you better lie down," He advised, and led me to his bunk. He pushed me down on his bed and covered me with his blanket. "Wait here," He said, and rushed around our room, grabbing a thermometer and some cooling sheets from his drawer and a towel from his closet. Then he went to the bathroom and came out with a wet towel and a basin of water.

Sano switched on the thermometer and placed it under my tongue, and passed me a cooling sheet. As I put the cooling sheet on my head, he wrapped the towel round my neck and told me to relax.

"Don't think so much about it," He said, a soft and yet worried smile playing on his lips.

"Sano," I began, holding on to his arm. "Nanba-senpai picked me as his successor."

"I know," He said simply, checking the thermometer that I had pushed to the side of my mouth in order to speak. "I saw the file and the Sakura committee uniform."

"But-"

"You'll do a good job, so don't worry," Sano kissed me on my forehead, and I fell into unconsciousness.

-

I couldn't sleep well, that night. I was so worried about her, and I hoped that I didn't show it. The whole night, I slept next to her, sleeping for an only an hour or so at a time as I was afraid I might roll over and crush her. I was so proud of her, so proud that she was to be Dorm 2's Head. I know she would do a good job.

Everytime I woke up that night, I would change her cooling sheet and towel and check her temperature, thinking 'She can't fall ill now; She's got the ceremony to attend and a duty to accept'. That thought kept me going the whole night as I watched over her.

Ashiya Mizuki: I love you so much, and I want you to be by my side forever. No; I need you to be by my side forever. So stay with me, just like this, as I hold you in my arms. Just let me be the one to wipe your tears and hold you up when you're falling. And just be the one who never fails to make me smile.

-

I woke up in the middle of the night, just one, and the first thing I felt was Sano's warm arms around me. I glanced over to my right and found that he was indeed next to me, fast asleep. Out of curiosity, I stuffed the thermometer than happened to be lying nearby into my mouth, and found that my body temperature was nearly back to normal.

"Thank you, Sano," I whispered softly into his ear. "For taking care of me," I kissed him on his cheek, and fell back into slumber.

-

"We are all here today, gathered, to pay our respects to our graduating seniors, and to thank them for all that they have done for us."

The hall was filled with applause and cheering from the audience- the teachers and the students, though the senpais seemed to be much more enthusiastic and loud, of course.

The top student of my year, excelling in both academics and co-curricular activities, had been given the privilege to present the valedictorian speech to the seniors. Watanabe Shiki, Himejima-senpai's successor, was proudly up on the podium to present his speech with such pride and enthusiasm that only a Dorm 3 student could. He highlighted the achievements of the senpais, in both studies and co-curricular, and thanked them repeatedly for what they have done.

Watanabe-kun ended his incredibly entertaining speech with a "Good luck for the future, senpais! We juniors will be rooting for you from behind our textbooks!" It had received a standing ovation from a group of senpais and rounds of applause from the rest of the school.

After his speech, was the passing on and the swearing in of the dorm heads, the one event that I had feared. I was longing for Sano to be by my side to hold my hand, but that was impossible as he was sitting with my other classmates while I sat in front, being the next dorm head and all. I took deep breaths as Tennouji-senpai passed on his post to his successor, Yamada Jirou, who also presented a short speech thanking the seniors for what they have done and promising to lead Dorm 1 to victory.

Then, Nanba-senpai went up on the podium. It was my turn soon.

"Dorm Two," Nanba-senpai's voice filled the hall. "You were the best underclassmen I have ever had. Thank you for the opportunity that you have given me. I really have treasured my days with all of you, and I know that it is my time to leave. I hope that I have been able to be a good role model to all of you by providing you with the best a dorm head could possibly give. My last act as your dorm head would be to make sure that you have the same good role model to lead all of you. As I only choose the best for you, here is your next dorm head, Dorm Two: Ashiya Mizuki!"

He turned to me, smiling, and I could feel the stares of everyone in the hall. I got up, and made my way to the podium, my legs becoming more and more jelly-like with each step I took. I shook hands with Nanba-senpai, who pinned a corsage on my blazer and handed the mike and the audience to me.

I took a deep breath, and felt a bit calmer. "Principal, distinguished guests, teachers, students of Ohsaka High, a very good morning to all of you," I took another deep breath and glanced at my speech cards before continuing. "My name is Ashiya Mizuki, and I am proud to have been selected by Nanba Minami-senpai as Dorm Two's head," I glanced around and found Sano among the crowd, and felt all my worries leave me.

"I can't say that I had expected this to occur. This scene- of me on this podium- has never once crossed my mind until now. But that does not mean that I am not ready for my post as Dorm Two's head. I have seen Nanba-senpai go about his duties, and I would love to be just like him. He was a great leader, firm, strong, encouraging, giving us the little push that we all need. And he had led us to win this year. And I believe that he deserves a round of applause for that." I paused, and as if on cue, everyone clapped, but those from Dorm 2 cheered loudly and whistled.

"I, as you new dorm head, will do my best to give you that same support, that same strength and motivation that Nanba-senpai has given all of us, and more. And as I move on to this new role, I hope that all of you will continue to support me as you did for Nanba-senpai. I thank all of you for this, and I know that this would not have been possible without all of you cheering me on," I felt so proud, so proud of myself that I had given my entire speech out to the students. Everyone was clapping and cheering, and I could hear Sekime, Noe, Sano and Nakatsu's voices, screaming "Yeah! Go Mizuki!" Of course, Nakatsu's was the loudest.

As scared as I am, I know that I will be able to be as good a dorm head as Nanba-senpai, and more.

Ahh Here you go! Super dee dooper long chapter. Well, not really, but quite lah huh. Okay. Two-week hiatus after this, but here's a little peek into what's going to happen after this chapter:

It's the Christmas holidays! And Mizuki goes back to America. But before she does, she makes Sano swear to go visit his family. Will he? And what about his birthday celebrations?