A/N: So now you're seeing the chapter/idea that started it all. I really have no idea if people in Japan run the mile, but in my fan fiction they do ^^ Anyways it's another short(ish) chapter, so sorry.

~The 17th Day~

"Do we really have to run a mile every week?" complained Javier.

"Yeah, I barely even survived the last one," Hannah joined in.

"Yeah they take it pretty seriously around here, but after you do one year you don't have to do it again." said Kano, "Most people do it there first year like Hibiya here." he ruffled the boys brown hair.

"Knock it off, Kano." Hibiya pushed him away and started placing his hair back in place while Hiyori giggled a bit next to him.

"Ah, sorry did I embarrass you in front of your girlfriend?" Kano teased.

"Stop, she's not my girlfriend, were just friends." protested Hibiya.

"And she happens to be a girl." Kano pointed out. Hibiya let out a frustrated yell and stomped away.

"You really have to get on everyone's nerves don't you?" Kido said.

Kano laughed, but turned back to Javier and Hannah. "Like I was saying, most do take it in their first year, but there are those lazy few, such as me, Seto, and Kido-" Kido elbowed him in the stomach, "-Ouch! Okay sorry. There are those few that decide not to take it their first year."

"So you're doing it this year?" asked Javier.

"Onee-chan said it was a good idea to take it the second year like she did since if you don't, you miss a lot in your junior and senior year." Kano explained.

"But what about Takane and Haruka?" Hannah asked.

"They're from the special class so they don't have to take P.E till their senior year, except for Mary since she was just put there this year."

"Ugh, I really don't want to do this." Hannah groaned.

"Does anyone really?" asked Kido.

…

Takane stood in her P.E shirt and shorts with her arms crossed over her chest and tapped her foot against the dirt path the mile was supposed to be run on, staring at the imprints of other people's shoes tracked in the dirt.

"Are you ready, Takane?" Haruka asked.

She gave a sigh and lowered her arms from across her chest. "As I'll ever be." she said, "Let's just get this damn thing over with."

It was the first time Takane had ever run the mile, and she was not loving it at all. Last week when everyone else had run the mile, Takane had over slept and so had her grandmother, so she would have been late to class and had just decided to skip school that day.

Now she was facing the hell in its entirety. The P.E teacher assured her that she didn't have to make the mile in the time given, but as long as she finished four laps around the track by the end of the period she'd maintain her 'A' grade. But Takane wished that he'd never even mentioned anything like that, now she had to make the mile in the time given. Okay, she didn't have to, but because of her stubbornness and pride she felt the need to because she didn't like to be underestimated.

So now she ran. She ran and as she finished her first lap at 45 seconds her legs felt like jelly and every breath she took felt like she was swallowing sandpaper. But she didn't care. It hurt and her body begged her to stop, but she didn't care. The only thing she did care about was when she saw the world go black.

…

"Takane!" Seto, who'd been right behind Takane while she ran watched her collapse to the ground and was by her side in an instant. "Takane! Takane! Wake up!"

"What happened?" Haruka jogged over and knelt down with Seto beside Takane. Haruka started shaking Takane's arms, "Takane can you hear me?"

"Have to... finish... mile." was all Takane said and then she went completely limp.

"Alright, I have an idea." said Haruka.

"What? An idea?" asked Seto.

"Seto, put her on my back."

"What!? But Haruka you can't carry her."

"Yes I can." the boy insisted.

"But... but…"

"C'mon Seto, she really wants to finish it, pleeeeeaaaasse" Haruka pleaded.

Seto sighed, "Alright." He started to pick up the unconscious Takane. He slung the girl over Haruka's back.

"Wow, she's heavier than she looks." Haruka said. He held onto her legs and her arms hung limply around his shoulders.

"Do you really think you can do this?" asked Seto.

"I am almost completely positive."

Takane probably would have stayed asleep, all cuddled and warm if she hadn't noticed that the sheets she was laying in were so stiff and if her last memories weren't of her running the mile up until the world went black. She opened her eyes slightly since they were still heavy with sleep, but still enough to see that she wasn't in the nurse's office or home for that matter. She was in a hospital.

Immediately forgetting her grogginess Takane, sat up in the hospital bed she'd just been sleeping in.

"Hey guys she's awake." Takane spotted Kano sitting in one of the hospital beds. He nudged Kido who'd looked like she'd been asleep awake and Ayano, Javier, and Hannah all lifted their heads up from the magazine they'd been looking at.

"Takane!"

"What happened?" Takane asked, "Why am I in the hospital?"

"You've been passed out for five hours." Kano said and smiled brightly.

"That's not something you should look so enthused about," said Kido.

"Five hours huh?" Well I guess I have had worse days, Takane slumped back into her hospital pillow. "I guess this means I didn't make the mile."

"Oh no you made it," said Javier, "Technically."

"What?" Takane sat up again, "No I didn't, I only finished one lap."

"That's not entirely true," said Hannah with a sly smile. Takane felt something foreboding at the look on Hannah's face. "You see Haruka ran the whole thing with you on his back." the girl said.

Takane blinked a little, trying to process the words she'd spoken and their actual meaning until it actually clicked. And it clicked.

"He what!?" Takane could feel her face flush red a bit.

"Yup all the way through, y'know until he collapsed too." Kano added. Now all traces of red were gone on Takane's face and replaced by shock and concern.

"H-he collapsed?" she whispered.

"It was nothing serious." Ayano quickly assured seeing that Takane seemed pretty upset, "His body just kinda shut down from probably over working himself." Ayano stopped seeing her words weren't really helping the other girl.

"But he's fine~" Kano cut in, "He actually left for the bathroom five minutes ago."

"Hey guys you know the water fountains at this hospital are very weird, well either that or they're broken." Haruka came in a dabbed a hand at his wet green sweater.

"Speak of the devil."

"Oh~ Takane you're awake." said Haruka when he noticed her.

Takane had to admit she felt a lot more relieved when she saw Haruka standing there with his usual goofy and extremely bright looking smile.

"Well I think we should all get going." said Ayano, "It's late and now that we know Takane-chan is okay we can go home." she practically shoved everyone else towards the door, smiling like an innocent little angel. Too innocent in Takane's opinion.

"Hey Takane," Javier whispered, "Are you sure you don't like him cause I'm pretty sure he likes you." Behind him Hannah gave a little thumbs up of approval, but Takane just glared at them until they disappeared with the rest of the crowd out the door. Then it was just her and Haruka.

"Are you alright?" Takane asked.

"Eh? Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Haruka teased, but stopped smiling when he saw Takane still looking depressed. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I didn't mean for you to get hurt." Takane said in monotone.

"But Takane, I'm fin-" Haruka started.

"Don't say you're fine!" Takane almost screamed, "We both know that neither of us is fine." She looked like she was at the point of crying. "Just... don't do stupid things like that again. Don't... put yourself in danger just for my sake, okay?"

Haruka blinked, his face somewhat blank of emotion as he listened to Takane's rant, but when she was done a small smile spread across his lips. He approached Takane till he was standing right beside her and the bed she was sitting on, but she still wouldn't look at him.

"Thank you for caring so much about me, Takane." he said and petted her head softly in affection.

"W-why are you petting he so naturally!?" Takane pushed his away a bit too hard and Haruka fell on the floor. "Oh my god, I'm sorry Haruka. Are you okay?"

"It's fine," he said, "I'm fine."

Well, I'd like a review (just one maybe?), but I understand if you have more important things to do with your time...