Chapter 6

The two stayed at the waiting shed without talking to each other. Then suddenly, it went cold. Shin saw Kumiko shivering.

"You're cold." He said.

"Uh, not really." Kumiko denied.

"But you're shivering. Are you alright?" he asked in a concerned manner.

"Yes. Don't worry. I'm ok."

Shin wasn't satisfied with Kumiko's answer. She's cold. Of course she's not ok. He thought. But hey? Why am I concerned? Why can't I stand to see her shivering like that? She looked at Kumiko. But of course. Who can stand someone almost freezing to death? That person doesn't have a life. She glanced at Kumiko once more. If only I can do anything.

After a while, it got colder and Kumiko shivered more.

Then suddenly, Shin removed his shirt and gave it to Kumiko. "Here. Take this."

"Huh? Why? What am I gonna do with your shirt? Pu – put it back. Do you want to get sick?"

"You'll need this more."

"No. I'm ok." Kumiko assured him.

"Even if you refused, I won't wear this back."

"Tha – thank you." She couldn't do anything but to accept the shirt and put it on her. What's with this guy? She thought. Before, what he only did was to annoy me. But now, he acts so kind. He even sacrificed himself for my sake.

An hour has passed and the rain already stopped.

"We can go now." Shin said to Kumiko.

"Here." Kumiko said as she removed Shin's shirt into her and gave it back to him. "Thank you."

Shin didn't answer her and began to walk. "Come on now. Before they worry about us."

It took them a while before they got back at Shirokin.

"Here we are." Kumiko said.

Shin ignored her and headed to his dormitory.

"Such a snob." Kumiko said to herself as she, too, headed to her dormitory.

The next morning, Kumiko and Shizuka were hanging out with their fellow Kurogin classmates when they saw Ms. Tanaka, the school nurse, carrying loads of things. She went to the girls' direction and asked them if one could help her carry those to the clinic. Kumiko volunteered so she went to the clinic with the nurse.

Inside, Kumiko saw Shin's friends gathered around one of the clinic's beds. Who's there? She thought.

"Ok, Kumiko, dear." Ms. Tanaka said. "You could just put them here."

Kumiko followed what Ms. Tanaka said and put the stuffs on the desk.

"Thank you. You may now leave." The nurse said.

Kumiko smiled back. She was already outside the clinic when she heard what Ms. Tanaka said.

"Boys, how's Shin now?"

"Shin?" she asked herself. She went inside the clinic again and to the clinic beds. There she saw Shin lying on the bed, sleeping.

"What happened?" she asked them.

"He has flu." Ms. Tanaka replied.

Then, Kumiko remembered the night before when Shin lent her his shirt.

I told you. You'll be sick. She thought, worriedly.

"Is he ok now?"

Every one of them looked at him.

"I don't think so, dear." Ms. Tanaka answered. "Please excuse me, students. I have something to do over there." She said as she went to her desk.

Kuma suddenly stood up. "Hey guys, I forgot, we have a tutorial today!"

The boys looked at the clock.

"Damn that tutorial!" Uchi said.

"Oh! Come on now! Professor Watanabe will be mad at us if we're late!" Noda exclaimed.

The boys went outside leaving Kumiko there. Kumiko sat on a chair beside Shin and observed him.

Red hair… red lips…

Then, Shin opened his eyes. Kumiko hurriedly set her eyes on a different direction.

"Kumiko?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh…" Kumiko started her sentence thinking of words to say. "Uh… nothing. Ah… I'm about to leave now. Yah. Right. Get well soon." She said as she stood up and left.

Shin didn't say anything and just shrugged instead.

Shin was absent for three days. He went back the next Thursday. It was lunch that time when he turned up.

"Shin!" Kuma said.

"Hey pal! What's up?" Noda greeted.

"You're so early for tomorrow, huh?" Minami teased.

Shin ignored them when he saw Kumiko. Uchi noticed that Shin glanced at her so he asked, "Shin, will you answer me?"

"What?'

"Do you have a thing for Kumiko?"

"Huh! What are you talking about? Of course not!" Shin said but it was obvious that he was blushing.

"Pal! You're blushing!" Minami said.

The four burst out laughing but Shin just ignored them once again.

He glanced once more at Kumiko. That pig-tailed girl? He said and smiled.