Chapter 37: Kamui Gakupo 5
Sunday, May 7, 2:41 pm. Freshman dorm's lounge.

After a late lunch with Rin and Len, we decided to relax in the lounge.

Rin and Len's relationship make me a little envious, but I assume that it is only natural. They go together like yin and yang. Although they are dating, it did not affect their relationships with their friends. They still respect their friendships along with their relationship. This makes me admire these two more.

"Gakupo-kun, when students are sick, they're sent off to the infirmary, right?" Rin asked abruptly. "So they won't get their roommates sick too."

I answered, "Yes. Why? Are you feeling sick?"

"Ummm... No. But I know someone that might be?" She said it like it was a question.

"Who is it?"

"I'm not supposed to say, but Luka's sick. Like, super sick." She had a very serious expression. "She doesn't want people to be concerned, so she didn't want us to tell anyone."

My precious Lu- I mean, Luka is sick! Terribly sick! I hope she feels better soon. I can not imagine her sick.

"How silly. She could have just gone to the infirmary without telling anyone," said Len.

I nodded. Surely she must have some reasoning behind why she would not go to the infirmary.

Len whispered something in Rin's ear. She smiled and nodded excitedly.

"Why don't you go check up on her?" the blonde girl asked. "She's all alone in our room, and has been since lunch time."

I would love to pay a visit to Luka. She may need something; whether it be food, water, or even company.

I cleared my throat. "I do not think it is in my place to visit a lady's room."

Len snorted and Rin giggled.

"It's allowed. We'll come with you." Rin got out her key and stood up. She took a step in the direction of the girls' dorms.

Len and I looked made eye contact. He shrugged and I returned a shrug of my own. We followed Rin, who was already walking to the girls' room.

When we got to the door to their room, she did not open the door right away. Instead, she put her ear to the door and knocked three times.

I looked at the room number: 1925. I looked to the dorm to the left of Rin's, expecting 1924. It was not. It was a five-digit number. I wondered why every dorm except for Rin's was five-digits.

Rin unlocked the door and peeked inside. She then opened it wide to allowed Len and me to enter.

Luka looked over at us from her bed and lifted her hand and waved weakly.

"Luka-chan!" Rin called out softy. She walked over to Luka. "You look... Terrible."

She smiled weakly at Rin's comment.

Len and I followed her to Luka's bed. She was sitting up on the bed, with a blanket around her shoulders. Her face looked pale and her hair looked limp.

"She's right," Len agreed, "You look awful."

"Hey..." She said with a low, raspy voice. "I'm feeling better tho-" she then burst into a coughing fit.

I shook my head. "Megurine-san, you are not alright. Please let me take you to the infirmary."

Rin handed her a glass of tea. "It's okay!" she said after taking a large gulp of tea.

"Dude. You sound like Batman." Len was always blunt when it came to serious matters.

Luka smiled. "I do not!" Then she frowned. "Rin, why'd you invite them here? I specifically-" she cleared her throat loudly before continuing, "told you that I didn't want anyone to know that I'm sick."

Len said, "I don't think it's easy to fool people into thinking you're healthy when you look and sound like that."

"Right. Besides, they're our friends too," Rin answered, "They have the right to know when their friends are sick and being too stubborn to get better properly."

Luka pouted. "You know, this is the first time we've had any guys over. I'm glad I always nag Rin on cleaning up after herself."

Rin sat on Luka's bed. "Are we really gonna say embarrassing things about each other now?" she asked playfully.

"Good point. Let's stop before it gets out of hand."

I realized that Len and I were standing awkwardly at the side of Luka's bed.

"So how long do you guys plan on staying here?" she asked bluntly. "Because I'm tired and I want to take another nap."

"Let's get going now!" Rin hopped off the bed and grabbed Len's hand. "Good night, Luka! Hope you feel better in time for dinner!" she called while dragging Len to the door.

I followed them after saying goodbye to Luka.

Rin scrunched up her eyebrows and frowned at me when we were at the door.

"Didn't you need to say something to Luka?" She put emphasis on 'need'.

"I did?" I stared at her dumbly.

"Yes!" Before I could do anything, she pushed my back away from the door and back into the room so she could close the door. The door closed and I was left in the room with Luka.

From behind me, Luka started coughing again. I rushed over to her bed. I handed her her cup of tea. She nodded in gratitude and took it.

"What did you need to tell me?" she asked after clearing her throat.

"Nothing at all."

"Did Rin push you in here to force us together?

I mentally thanked Rin. "I am not sure. But I would like to keep you company. Being sick and alone sounds dreadful."

"I was by myself for the majority of the time I was sick..." She cleared her throat again. For a second, I can swear she blushed. She pointed at a desk. "Go grab a chair. Standing looks uncomfortable."

"Thank you, Megurine-san." I went to the desk she pointed at to take the chair in front of it. It was easy to guess that she used this desk most often; I have never seen a desk so organized and immaculate. There was not a single loose paper or pencil. Everything was in its place.

I got the chair situated next to her bed. Then she admitted that she was quite bored.

"I want to read, but I can't. When I see the little words on paper, I get major headaches from trying to read them. Going on the computer is even worse. Probably because I have to stare at a lit screen. But I couldn't ask Rin and the others to stay with me since they have lives and I don't want to get them sick."

"It is alright. I am here. We can chat now so I can save you from your boredom."

"I don't want you to get sick either..." She started coughing again.

"It is alright. I promise I will not get sick." I smiled kindly.

She smiled back. My heart melted. "Okay. Thank you."

I watched her reposition herself on her bed. Her bed had light pink sheets with small white polka dots. It was cute and childlike. I chuckled internally.

She was now sitting with her back against her bed's headboard with the support of many pillows. Her pink blanket lay over her stomach and legs.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked. I definitely wanted to keep her mind off of being ill.

I could not think of a topic. Then she giggled and said, "You always look up when you don't know what to say!"

"Huh?" I never noticed.

"I guess it's just something I noticed after hanging around you so much." She took another sip of her tea.

I smiled. "I am sure you have quirks that you do not know about too."

She raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

I have her a once-over. "You only paint your nails the same color. They are never unpainted either."

She looked at her nails. "You noticed that?"

I nodded.

"I have a mild obsession with my nails looking perfect all the time." She kicked her blanket and peeked her toes out of it. "I even paint my toenails the same too." Her raspy voice neither sounded sick nor like Batman, but it made her sound more mature and seductive.

"Why do you have them painted all the time?"

"No reason at all. I really don't know why." She looked down. "You must think I'm weird. I'm overly clean and such a neat freak."

"Not at all. A sense of organization is an important and useful trait, Megurine-san."

She nodded. She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes. "I wish you'd stop calling me that. Just call me Luka. Because you're so polite and respectful, I feel the need to call you Kamui-kun all the time. Not that I mind or anything, but your first name is shorter to say than your last name and..." She trailed off and did not finish her sentence.

"But..." I swallowed. "If that is what you wish."

She giggled. She asked nervously, "Can I call you Gakupo?"

My heart skipped a beat when she said my name. "Yes." Call me whatever you wish.

"Now that we got that settled..." She looked at me, most likely to think of another topic to talk about. "Have you ever had a girlfriend?"

I shook my head. "I have never had feelings for another girl until I met you."

She facepalmed. "When you say things like that, it embarrasses me! Especially now, since I'm sick in bed and you're in our room!"

I bit my lip to prevent my chuckle from escaping. "I am sorry. But... You look so cute when you are embarrassed." She blushed.

"Fine! Whatever!" Her blush would not leave her face.

She looked down. "Y-you're cute too," she said softly, "when you tell me those sweet things."

"You are too kind, Luka."

She looked at me suddenly. "You called me Luka!" Her eyes were wide and a large smile was on her face. "Thanks!"

Unfortunately, I could lot say anything before another cough fit attacked her. I refilled her tea from the large thermos on her bed stand.

"Are you sure you really do not want to go to the infirmary? I can take y-"

"No! I'm fine."

I reached for her forehead and felt how warm she was. She was burning up.

"I strongly think you should! You are extremely hot."

"I just need to... Take a nap. But I don't want to. My body wants a map but my mind doesn't."

I wore a worried expression on my face. I sighed. "If you wish. But why do you not want people to know that you are sick?"

She answered simply, "I really really don't like it when people are concerened over me. I'll just suffer in silence while everyone else is enjoying their lives."

Despite her innocent answer, I could not help but receive a bitter connotation from it.

After a moment of awkward silence, she requested something from me. "Say something. Anything. I like hearing your voice."

I could not help smile at her. I racked my brain for something to say. Then I blurted, "Why is your dorm number only four digits?"

"You're so observant." She teased, "I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"And our dorm number is like that because when they made these rooms, they forgot a digit. Kinda funny, right?" Luka smiled fondly. "Rin took it as a sign; since there are four digits and four of us, it's good luck."

How sweet. "That is a very sweet way to look at things."

"Sometimes..." She didn't finish her sentence.

"Sometimes what?"

"Sometimes I wish I was as sweet as my friends," she admitted, "They're so cute and carefree all the time."

I opened my mouth to speak. I was cut off. "I over-analyze everything. Sometimes I wonder what it's like being friends with someone as boring as me. Neru's not always sweet, but she's blunt and honest. She attracts people with her attitude. I can't-"

"I am sorry for interrupting, but you should not compare yourself to others, especially your friends. You are all different and they- we like you for who you are."

I continued, "You really are sweet and cute. Just not always in the same way as Miku and Rin. You do not need to be like anyone else for others to like you."

"Oh. Oh dear. Umm... Thank you." She shook her head. "What am I even saying? Why did I tell you all that?"

I sat there, confused.

"I'm gonna, ummm... Blame my cold for blurting my insecurities to you. But you just... I feel like I can trust you, you know? I can tell you anything without feeling guilt or major awkwardness."

"Thank you, Luka." Her cheeks were pink, partly from feeling cold and her blush.

"I think you should rest now. You said you were tired earlier." I stood up to leave.

"Wait." I felt her hand grab mine. It was clammy from her being sick. "Can you stay here until I fall asleep? I don't want to be alone," she added quietly.

"Alright." I doubt I can reject such an innocent request from Luka. I sat back down and watched her settle into bed. She still has not let go of my hand.

I quietly muttered, "I hope you feel better, Luka. It doesn't feel right for you to be sick." I gently rubbed her hand with my thumb. She squeezed my hand back. My heart rate pleasantly sped up.

I took another look around her spacious room. It was certainly different from ours. Their's was decorated with various posters. Books filled the shelves and trinkets and plush toys could be found everywhere. Above one bed, which I easily distinguished as Rin's, had posters on the ceiling of various anime and manga.

Where our room had presumably a store's inventory worth of video games and consoles, a desk was dedicated to wires and cords, a large laptop, a printer, hard drives, CDs and other things a tech junkie might like. I had a safe bet that all of it belonged to Neru.

A cork board was almost completely covered with pictures of the girls. Some looked like they were from when they were quite young and some were from the carnival and circus.

"Mmm... Gakupo... Nnnn..." I heard Luka murmur.

"Yes? What is it?" I quietly asked.

She was talking in her sleep. She muttered something incoherent and the only word I could distinguish was "please".

I moved her limp pink hair away from pale face. I slid her hand back under the covers. I made sure she was warm and comfortable.

"Good night. Please get better, Luka," I whispered. I bent down and kissed her forehead lightly.

I opened the door, locked it, and took another look at her sleeping form. "Good bye," I uttered before leaving.

Gakupo couldn't resist giving Luka a kiss. I don't think I can handle this sugary sweet fluff I write! I'm not a cute, sweet person in real life! Where do I get the ideas for this? XD

Hey guys! I need to promote my friend here, JubyPhonic P on YouTube. She sings English covers of (mainly) Vocaloid songs. Her voice to me is quite refreshing. I collaborated with her and subbed two of her latest covers, "Witch Hunt" and "The Game of Life". Check them out on my profile!

I also subbed the sequel to "Tokyo Cyber Detective Brigade" (which I subbed months ago), "Impulse x Pandemonics". Check them out too!

This chapter was last altered on January 4, 2013.