So you are both standing in your room on a Sunday morning.
Last night really was wild.

"So, huh... What do you plan to do on today?" You ask.
"I don't know yet... Maybe work on this case. I'm late on that" He replies
You pinch his cap.
"Of course! No, you rest when you're sick!"

You cross your arms and he looks away.
"I'm fine, Akamatsu..."
"It's Kaede!"
"I'm fine, K-Kaede, I swear..."
"Sure, your fever has went down, but it may go up again if you do stupid stuff instead of resting! So rest! I'm here for you anyway..."

You get night flashbacks.
What a shame he doesn't remember what happened.

He puts a hand on his forehead and you get scared as soon as you notice it.
"Hey, what's wrong?!"
"I... I feel a bit dizzy... I'm going back to sleep..."

He gets up, lays on your wall for support and slowly makes his way to his room.
You decide to follow him.
He does eventually reach his room, but as soon as he opens the door, he falls to the ground, sitting next to the wall.

"Shuichi, you're okay?!" you scream as you kneel next to him.
"C-could be better..."
He coughs and, at one point, spits again on the ground.
It's gross, but you look at it anyway. It's not any red at all at least.

You press your forehead against his, and guess why you thought his fever had went down.
Your hands were warm to begin with.

You slowly put him on his bed, hearing his breathing go haywire again.
Why can't this end?

Once he's in there, you rush to the infirmary, scared for his life and as worried as you were yesterday.
That mess isn't okay.


Huh, so it was some weird name in -is in the end.
At least, with the appropriate medicine, he should get better.
You woke up the late sleepers and made the nurse wonder what the hell was up on a Sunday.

But being scolded wasn't important at all when he was in danger.
You feel blue, and wish this never happens again.

"Akamatsu...?"

He looks at you with half-open eyes.
His cap is once again on the nightstand.

"You seem sad..." He says in a whisper.
"Don't cry..." He adds.
You whipe away your eyes.
"Sorry... It's just that... You scared me so badly..."
You just realize you've been holding his hand all along.
"Hey... It's fine, Kaede... I'll be alright..."

You can't help but try to smile. You're not the sick one.
"Maybe you should wear a mask..." He says. "I don't want to get you sick..."

"Oh, right!"
You go get your face mask in your room, mainly so he doesn't worry and that you don't have to switch roles.
That would be a shame.

You come back to his side, and he seems reassured you are wearing this mask.
You feel lucky you still had one.

"You seem so sad lately... What's wrong...?" he asks.
"Oh, huh... Guess it concerns you too..."
"What do you mean...?"
"I... I'm so worried for you!"

His face softens.
"You... You shouldn't be... It'll be okay..."
"But what if it doesn't turn out like that? I've seen you spew out nonsense and cry your heart out because of a vivid nightmare! Of course I'm

worried, and I'll worry until you're healthy again!"

"It... It was one nightmare... We all get those once in a while..."
"You've had two of those in one night! This isn't normal!"
"What were they about...?"
"I think we were both dying, but mine impacted you more... You seemed so... So broken..."
You barely hold back your own sorrow.

"Broken...?"
"Yeah... You were so... Fragile... Like if I hugged you too tightly you would shatter..."
"It's that bad...?"
You softly nod.
"You were in such pain, I didn't know what to do... So I just let you hold me and cry on my shoulder..."

He seems worried himself.
"I... I'm sorry, Kaede... I shouldn't have dragged you in there..."
"Stop apologizing dammit! It's not in your control! It's never been under your control! I wish you would just rest and let me worry so someone

can help you through this!"
He's startled. You have to calm down.

"I... You know how much I hate it when you start to depreciate yourself, Shuichi... I wish I wouldn't tell you that again and again and

again... I'm so scared for you, and I want you to be happy... I just want you to heal and recover... I don't care how, but I want to support

you through that... I want not to be on the side, powerless, while you suffer..."
You're definitely crying.

"I don't... Suffer... It's just not so good, you know..."
"Dont play on words, I see how you are!"
You clench the fist who doesn't hold his hand by now.

"You can't say you're just not good... I know it, you know it... But at least, I can try to ease it for you if I know how you're really

doing... I just don't want to see you cry anymore..."
You don't even know if your words make sense, and feel like you're just repeating yourself.

"It's just an illness..."
"Bronchitis is serious you know!"

He's even more startled
You're not good at keeping your calm.
"Don't try to make it less serious to reassure me..."
"Sorry..."

"Argh stop apologizing! Just tell me if you don't feel well next time! I feel like you may not even be able to breath!"
Maybe you're very

frustrated right now.

You decide you can't do any good in your current mood.
You get up.
"I'm going to get some food."
And you leave without adding a word.