Sorry this is late!

Chapter 38

"Huh? Where am I?"

Makoto glanced around the white space that surrounded him. He was completely alone in this strange void. He picked a direction and started to walk down the path, his footsteps echoing.

In the distance was a door, and a short figure stood in front of it. His eyes widened when he realized he was not alone and he rushed towards the door.

Black hair… black hoodie…

"Kanade?" Makoto called out.

Kanade turned her head, revealing tears streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes looked tired and her lips were parted.

"Kanade?! What happened?" Makoto asked, approaching her.

He tried to get to her, but an earthquake stopped him in his tracks, creating a wide crack in the white ground. It separated the two, with Kanade still standing in front of the door on the other side.

"Kanade!" Makoto called from across the hole. "Are you okay?" he called, his voice frantic.

Kanade just stood still, not moving an inch. Her back was still facing Makoto but her head was still turned to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Please, Kanade! Let me know if you're okay!" Makoto called back.

Kanade paused to look at the ground, and then she turned fully around.

Makoto's eyes widened.

There was a large hole in Kanade's chest, right where her heart should be. Blood was pouring from the hole.

"Kanade! You're hurt! We need to get you help!" Makoto called.

Kanade's eyes squinted and she shook her head. She turned around and faced the door, putting her hand on the knob and opening it slightly.

Beep….

"It's too late," Kanade mumbled.

Beep….

She opened the door, and beyond the door shone a bright light, practically blinding Makoto. Makoto shielded his eyes for a moment and then reached out his hand.

"Kanade!" he called.

Beep….

"KANADE!"

...

Makoto jolted awake and shot up from his bed. His heart was pounding in his ears and he could barely hear his beeping alarm clock on his nightstand. He reached over and silenced it with shaking fingers. He huffed out a sigh and fell back on his pillow, trying to catch his breath.

What kind of dream was that?

The air was crisp as Makoto walked down the busy streets of Tokyo. He bundled up in his scarf and shivered as a cold wind bit through his jacket. He sighed once the wind passed.

Summer was definitely over.

It was not that Makoto hated fall, but he definitely preferred the warm sun as opposed to the cooler fall. He probably liked summer because of Haru, who would swim in a pool no matter what the temperature. And if it was warmer, Haru would not get sick. Makoto's lips pursed.

I hope Haru is swimming indoors…

Another breeze blew past his shoulders and he shut his eyes to shield the cold. After crossing the street, he quickly rushed to the library on campus and entered through its doors. A sigh of relief fell from his lips as he walked through the warm library. He found an abandoned table in the corner and took out his notes and books. He sighed again when he saw his jumbled notes.

Finals.

Finals would start next week, and Makoto was anything but relaxed. He could feel it in his neck as anxiety crept up his spine, leaving aches and pains in its wake. It definitely did not help that the weather had suddenly turned cooler. It was like a light switch had been flipped.

Makoto shuddered as he removed his scarf and jacket from his body, letting the cooler air pick at his torso. He hunched over and started to study his notes. After a grueling two hours of nothing but studying, Makoto could feel the stress starting to take its toll. He lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck to soothe his aches.

Suddenly, Makoto felt hands rest on his shoulders and start to knead out the knots. He jumped at the sudden touch and turned his head.

"You're going to wear yourself out, y'know."

Kanade stood behind him with a small smile on her face. Makoto smiled in return and sighed dramatically.

"Ah, well, these finals could be the death of me!" Makoto whined. "So once that happens, I won't be worn out anymore."

Kanade giggled at him and continued to push her thumbs into his shoulders and neck. She rubbed small, firm circles into the muscles and frowned.

"You're really tense, Makoto," Kanade said, her voice low and concerned.

"Oh, am I?" Makoto asked. He rolled his shoulders a little and then let her continue. His lips pushed together in a tense line as he looked back down at his notes.

"You shouldn't stress yourself out," Kanade said. Her hands moved down to his shoulder blades and Makoto flinched and hissed in pain. "See? Your body needs rest."

Makoto sighed and leaned down until his forehead rested on the table.

"I know," he finally answered.

Kanade then smacked Makoto on his back, making him yelp and shoot up in surprise. He glanced at Kanade as walked his chair and to the table. She closed his books.

"Then let's go get dinner," Kanade suggested.

Makoto blinked at her and then he slumped in his seat. He still did not feel ready for these exams. He still had so much to study and so much to reread from his classes. He did not want to be behind and he had to pass in order for him to continue school and—

"Ma-ko-to."

Makoto jolted and straightened, his gaze turning up to look at Kanade. She was staring back at him with a raised brow and pursed lips. Her arms folded across her chest.

"We're going to go eat," she commanded.

Makoto gulped and then stood up from his chair. He pulled his jacket on and wrapped the scarf around his neck. He leaned down to grab his backpack, but he felt a hand touch his wrist. He looked up and saw Kanade smiling at him fondly.

"How about we study together tonight?" she suggested. "I bought a cake…" she added, giving him a sly smile.

Makoto's eyes immediately sparkled and he smiled at her.

"Ah, I could go for some cake!"

They left the library made their trek back towards the rec center. Kanade talked to him about practice and how coach was really impressed lately. She also brought up Watabe, who had recently stopped giving her glaring looks. Makoto would hum in response, his eyelids feeling heavy.

I need to study more… Makoto thought. But I'm so tired… Maybe I should reread that last chapter tonight? Or maybe I should work on that final essay. Or maybe—

"You look exhausted, Makoto…" Kanade said, stirring Makoto out of his tired stupor.

"Hm?" Makoto said, glancing down at her. Her brows were upturned and creased in worry. "Oh, no, I'm fine," Makoto said, trying for a smile.

But Kanade did not buy it. She grabbed his elbow gently and made him stop.

"Have you been sleeping okay?" she asked. "I mean… you've had sleeping trouble before, especially when you're stressed."

Makoto blinked at her, a little surprised that she remembered. Back before he moved into the rec center apartment, he was so stressed and tired that he would fall asleep in class. Kanade had to wake him a few times.

"Ah, well…" Makoto stammered. "I did have a weird dream last night."

Kanade cocked her head and raised a curious brow. "A dream? What about?"

Makoto flushed.

It was about you…

"Ah, ahaha… I don't really remember," Makoto chuckled nervously. He scratched his cheek and then took a step forward. "C'mon, I'm really craving some cake!" he said as he took a few more steps, leaving Kanade behind.

"Hey, wait!" Kanade called as she tried to catch up to him. "We have to eat dinner first!"

The ceiling greeted Makoto as he woke up from his restless sleep. His body felt heavy and exhausted, and a touch of nausea churned in his stomach. He groaned as he got out of bed, and then immediately put a hand on his head as a dizzy spell wracked his body.

A wave of nausea plagued his stomach and climbed up to his sore throat. He grimaced and leaned against the wall, trying to fight it off. Once it passed, he sighed and felt a tickle in his throat. He coughed and sniffled.

Makoto heaved and leaned his forehead against the cool wall, pondering if he should skip classes today. He thought about it for a moment, but then sighed, realizing that he needed to go to class to get the last minutes notes before exams would strike next week.

After another minute of feeling the cool wall against his head and palms, he pushed himself off and trudged to his dresser to grab fresh clothes.

The air was freezing in comparison to just a few days ago when he and Kanade left the library together. Makoto could feel the wind cutting through his jacket as he walked to campus. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he crossed the street. The ground beneath his feet swirled with every step and Makoto felt his stomach grow queasy.

He dragged his feet to the academics building and entered the classroom. He sluggishly climbed the steps and sat in his usual seat, allowing the seat next to him to be empty for Kanade.

After a few minutes of waiting, students started to flood the classroom, including Kanade. Her hair was damp from practice and pulled back into a ponytail. She had her normal smile on her face and she climbed the steps to sit next to him.

"Morning, Makoto!" Kanade greeted.

Oh, how Makoto loved that sweet voice of hers. But right now, any voice that spoke to him too close only made his pounding head worse. He sighed lightly.

"M-Morning," Makoto grumbled.

Makoto kept staring down at his notes, which were swirling on the pages, and he strained to focus on reading the words. He squinted and tried to make heads or tails of his writing, but it only made his head spin.

He sighed and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. Finals were coming soon… he needed to focus. He needed to make sure he understood the material. He needed to—

"You okay, Makoto?" Kanade asked suddenly, pulling Makoto out of his thoughts.

Makoto sighed again and nodded. His hand on the back of his neck rubbed furiously at the skin. He squeezed it hard, trying to fight off the dizziness.

"You look pretty stressed there," Kanade said with a light chuckle.

"Ah… I'm fine," Makoto mumbled.

"C'mon, Makoto," Kanade started, eyeing him carefully. "I know you're stressed, but you're going to rub your neck raw."

Kanade grabbed Makoto's hand and moved it off of his neck, her finger brushing the red skin. It was hot to the touch, making Kanade's brows push together in worry. She laid her palm flat on the back of his neck and felt the heat radiating through her palm.

"Makoto," Kanade called, her voice turning serious. Makoto sluggishly turned his head to look at her with glassy eyes. "You feel okay?" she asked.

Makoto blinked at her, his eyelids heavy. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine," he said, putting on a strained smile.

Kanade's brows only creased more as she moved her hand up his neck and to his cheek. She pushed his hair off of his forehead and gently rested her palm against it. The heat seeping from his head caused Kanade to flinch in alarm.

"Makoto, you're burning up," Kanade said, her voice laced with worry.

"Huh?" Makoto squeaked. "Oh, no, I'm okay," he insisted. Kanade dropped her hand from his face, clearly not convinced.

"You should go home," Kanade said sternly.

"Huh?" he groaned. "N-No, what about class? Finals are next week!"

"I'll help you study," Kanade said, standing to her feet. "You can't be just wandering around all day. You need rest."

"Ah, Kanade, really, I'm fine," Makoto said, forcing another strained smile on his face. "I'll just go to bed early tonight."

Kanade ignored him, putting his things into his bag for him, and he flailed his arms in an attempt to stop her.

"Kanade! W-What are you doing?" Makoto asked, a little bit of panic in his voice.

"You're too sick," Kanade said, straightening. "C'mon, let's go before class starts."

Makoto pouted, his forehead wrinkling remorsefully. He quietly stood up from his seat and turned to walk down the steps. He swayed as he turned and Kanade latched onto his arm to steady him.

"S-Sorry," Makoto mumbled groggily. Kanade smiled at him.

"Remember what I said about apologizing?" she said softly, guiding him down the steps. "It still applies even when you're sick."

"Ah, yeah, but… I'm being a burden to—"

"You're never a burden, got it?" Kanade said firmly. Makoto blinked at her a few times, her statement shutting him up. "Now let's just get you home."

Makoto swallowed thickly and sighed. "Mmn."

Once off campus, they headed down the Tokyo street towards the rec center. Makoto had his hands in his jacket pockets with his eyes on the road and his head hanging. Kanade glanced over her shoulder to peer back at him.

His face was flushed, a line of red blossoming over his nose and to his cheeks. His eyes were glossy and heavy, the green color in them turning pale, and he was slowly plodding behind her with heavy legs. His frame shook slightly, the breeze cutting through his jacket and biting into his skin. It made even his bones feel frozen and stiff.

Kanade huffed out a worried sigh and turned around to face the road. She crossed the street with him and then they walked down a few blocks until they reached the rec center. After unlocking the door to her apartment, Kanade helped him up the stairs and into the apartment. She helped him take off his jacket and she hung it by the door.

"I'll get you some medicine. Why don't you lie down?" Kanade said, putting a hand on his shoulder. She forced him to sit on the couch while she got him water.

Makoto groggily nodded and let himself be pushed onto his back. Kanade left a water bottle on the coffee table and she quickly fetched a small towel. She ran the towel under the cold water in the sink and then squeezed out the excess. Once she returned to his side, she gently laid the cold towel on Makoto's forehead and he let out a relieved sigh.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Kanade asked him. Makoto looked up at her and shook his head, his eyelids heavy over his tired eyes. His body was shaking and wet with sweat dripping down his neck.

"Makoto…" Kanade said softly, her brows creasing at his response. "I can't give you medicine on an empty stomach. I'll make you some soup. Here."

Kanade pulled a blanket from the couch and wrapped him in it. He hummed in response, not even phased by her hands touching his chest as she smoothed out the blanket. He closed his eyes at her touch, only opening them when he felt her cold hands touching his neck to wipe away the sweat.

"Rest now," Kanade said with a small smile. "I'll make you lunch in a bit."

"Mmn," Makoto groaned.

He snuggled up under the covers and closed his eyes, breathing softly. Kanade stared at his flushed face and pursed her lips. Gently, she combed her fingers through his brown hair and he sighed at the touch. She smiled at that, feeling warmth flood her body.

Suddenly, she heard buzzing from Makoto's jacket hanging by the door. She glanced at the jacket, then to Makoto's sleeping face, and then back to the door. She stood up from the couch and walked over to his jacket, digging into the pocket and retrieving Makoto's phone.

"Hm? Nanase?" Kanade mumbled as she read the name glowing on the screen. She glanced back at Makoto, who was still sleeping lightly on the couch. She looked back down at the phone and gulped. She answered it tentatively. "H-Hello?"

There was a long pause.

Kanade felt sweat start to bead on her back.

"Shizumi?" Haru finally answered.

"O-Oh, yeah! Hey, Nanase. How are—"

"Where's Makoto?" Haru interrupted. His voice was urgent and Kanade felt her back stiffen.

"He's sick, actually," Kanade said, turning her gaze to stare back at Makoto.

"Sick?" Haru asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah," Kanade said. "He's running a pretty high fever."

"…"

Haru paused for a while, and Kanade's eye twitched. Should she go wake up Makoto? Just for a phone call?

"I'm coming over," Haru said suddenly.

"Eh?!" Kanade squeaked.

Then, there was a click, and the line went dead. Kanade stared at the phone in disbelief.

Was he serious?

Makoto coughed lightly and groaned, pulling Kanade out of her thoughts. Right, she was making lunch. She tried to busy herself in the kitchen, feeling the impending doom that was Nanase Haruka. Of course, they had made up, but there was no telling what he would be like when his best friend was sick.

Sure enough, after fifteen minutes, there was a knock at the door, jolting Kanade from chopping up vegetables. Kanade shivered at his sudden promptness. The trains must have been on time today…

She walked to the door and opened it, greeting a deadpan Haru on the other side. He greeted her with a simple nod and Kanade gestured with her hand for him to enter.

"Pardon the intrusion…" he said softly as he crossed the threshold. Kanade waved her hand at him and walked back into the kitchen.

"You practically live here, anyway," Kanade said, going back to chopping.

Haru blinked at her and then turned his attention to the living room where Makoto was lying on the couch. He walked over to his sick friend and hovered over him. He reached down and carefully placed the back of his hand on Makoto's cheek. His brows creased. She was not joking about the fever.

"He hasn't eaten anything all day, apparently," Kanade said from the kitchen. Haru straightened and walked to the kitchen to hear her better. "And he really shouldn't take anything until he's got food in his system."

Haru watched her chop for a minute. Since she was so short, she was standing on her tiptoes to get a better angle on the veggies. She was sticking her tongue out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated on each slice. Haru pursed his lips, feeling inclined to speak.

"Mackerel would help," Haru said bluntly. Kanade giggled at that, and Haru felt his body jolt at the sound.

"Oh, trust me," Kanade said, turning her head to look at him. "I would love to make mackerel, but I know that Makoto wouldn't be too happy about it."

Haru blinked at her, suddenly remembering how much she liked mackerel. He fidgeted with the hem of his sweater, suddenly feeling out of place.

"Want some tea?" Kanade asked as she put the veggies in a pot.

"S-Sure," Haru said softly.

Kanade nodded at him and then started some tea while Haru stared back at Makoto's sleeping form.

"How long has he been sick?" Haru asked. Kanade sighed.

"I'm not sure, really," Kanade said. "I only noticed it this morning. He seemed okay at dinner last night. Although, he was a little groggy…"

Her voice trailed off a little and Haru could not see her face. He wondered what expression she was making. She was silent until the tea was done and she pulled out two cups.

"I didn't think he would hide how he was feeling, but he even went to class like that," Kanade said softly as she poured the tea. Haru's brows furrowed in annoyance.

Dummy, Haru thought.

"But I made him come home," Kanade continued, handing Haru the steaming cup. Haru's eyes widened a little.

"You made him?" Haru asked. Kanade's brow twitched unnervingly at his question.

This could be either a really good thing or really bad thing, Kanade thought. She inhaled slowly as her shaking hand reached to grasp her own cup.

"A-Ah, well… there was no way I was going to let him just sit in class being miserable," Kanade stammered.

Haru glanced away from her and down at his tea. He took a sip, his eyes lighting up with the taste, and then promptly swallowed more. He set the tea down on the counter and pursed his lips.

"Th… Thank you," Haru started. "For taking care of him."

Kanade blinked at him but then smiled fondly. "Of course."

Haru glanced over at the soup that was cooking over the stove. He paused and then looked back at Makoto. Kanade followed his eyes.

"I feel bad that I'm going to make him eat soup," Kanade said. "I wanted to make him green curry tonight, too."

Haru turned back to look at her, his eyes widening a little.

"Maybe we should make him green curry for his birthday," Haru suggested.

"Oh? When's his birthday?" Kanade asked.

"November 17th," Haru answered.

Kanade's eyes shot wide and she practically spit out her tea.

"That soon?!" she yelled, and then slapped a hand over her mouth. She glanced over to Makoto to check if he had stirred and then looked back to Haru. "Seriously? That's so close!" Kanade said, her voice going to a soft whisper.

Haru nodded and took another sip of his tea. Kanade bit her lip and put a hand to her chin. She thought for a moment and then smiled.

"I have an idea!"

Beep….

"It's too late," Kanade mumbled.

Beep….

She opened the door, and beyond the door shone a bright light, almost blinding Makoto. Makoto shielded his eyes for a moment and then reached out his hand.

"Kanade!" he called.

Beep….

"KANADE!"

Makoto jolted up from the couch, panting. His head was throbbing and his chest ached. That stupid dream again… and what was that annoying beeping? He thought the beeps from last time were because of his alarm clock. Now, they seemed to be a part of the dream itself.

"Makoto?"

"Makoto!"

Makoto turned his head at the sound of his name and was met with four blue eyes. Four blue, concerned eyes. He felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Haru asked, his eyes wide.

Makoto blinked at him, trying to clear the blurriness from his vision. He stared at Haru in disbelief.

"Haru?" Makoto whispered. "What are you…"

Makoto lifted a hand to clutch his head, feeling it throb with every word he spoke. Dizziness took over, and Makoto immediately regretted moving so much.

"Lay back down," Haru said. "You need to rest."

Makoto was having some strange déjà vu, his mind wandering back to their first training camp a few years ago. He let Haru gently push his tired body back against the couch and he dug the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"Still feeling dizzy?" he heard Kanade ask. He felt a cool, wet towel rest on his forehead. A contented sigh left his lips as the cool towel touched his head.

"A little," Makoto answered. She let out a shuddering breath and lowered his hands from his eyes.

"You all right?" Kanade asked.

"Mmn," Makoto hummed. "Just… just a bad dream."

"Bad dream?" Haru echoed.

"Yeah," Makoto said. He glanced up and saw their worried expressions. He immediately waved his hand and smiled. "It's fine, really. Just a dream."

Haru and Kanade exchanged weary looks before looking back at Makoto.

"Well, if you're sure," Kanade said. "You up for some food?"

Makoto whined and covered his eyes again. She gently tugged on his wrists and moved them from his eyes. She smiled gently down at him.

"C'mon, Makoto," Kanade said, moving her hands to grasp his shoulders.

She pushed him into a sitting position and set a steaming bowl of soup on the coffee table in front of him. Makoto leaned forward and smelled the soup, a smile coming to his drowsy face.

"It smells good," Makoto said weakly.

He grabbed the spoon and slurped some noodles and veggies down. He smiled when the soup warmed up his belly and glanced up at Kanade.

"Thank you," he said gently, and Kanade nodded. "Ah, Haru, you don't need to stay if you're busy. I'll be fine," Makoto said, turning his attention to Haru as he lifted the spoon back up to his lips.

Haru blinked at him, his lips pursed. Makoto swallowed down another bite.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Makoto said, reading Haru's mind. "I didn't think it was that bad, actually. At least, not until class this morning." Makoto chuckled lightly.

Haru leaned forward and flicked Makoto's forehead. Makoto yelped and covered his forehead, rubbing the sore spot gently.

"Dummy," Haru said plainly. Makoto pouted at him, but then smiled weakly. His eyes were lidded and his face still red with fever. Haru stole a glance at Kanade and then took a deep breath. "I'll let you rest, then."

Haru stood up from his crouched position and headed towards the door. He grabbed his coat and started to slip on his shoes.

"Haru," Makoto called, and Haru looked back at him. "Thanks for worrying about me."

Haru blinked a few times and then turned away his gaze, the skin under his eyes tinting red. He gave a simple hum and then disappeared through the door. Makoto smiled at the door but then broke out into a coughing fit. Kanade rubbed his back soothingly.

"I'll go get that medicine," Kanade said, taking a step away.

"I'm surprised," Makoto said suddenly, and Kanade stopped to look back at him.

"Surprised about what?" she asked.

Makoto rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm surprised Haru decided to actually leave," Makoto looked back at Kanade and tilted his head weakly. "He trusts you."

Kanade's eyes widened and she scratched her cheek. "Heh… I guess he does."

She quickly disappeared into the bathroom and raided the medicine cabinet for some pills. When she shut the cabinet door, she was met with her reflection in the mirror. She was smiling.

He was unsure of when he had fallen asleep, but when Makoto awoke, it was close to seven in the evening. He lifted himself from the couch, feeling hot and sticky. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"How you feeling?" came a voice from the side.

Makoto turned his head and saw Kanade sitting on the floor by the coffee table. She sat with textbooks and notebooks surrounding her, and she wore a curious look on her face, although her eyes were tired.

"I feel… okay," Makoto answered. He tugged on the collar of his shirt. "I feel really hot though."

Kanade stood up from the floor and walked over to him. She placed a hand on his forehead.

"I think you sweated some of the fever out, but you still feel a little warm," she said. She glanced down at his shirt and saw that it was damp. "Take off this shirt, I'll go get you a fresh one."

Makoto's face reddened and he blinked at her for a moment, trying to gauge her seriousness. Once he realized she was not joking, he reached down and grabbed the hem of his shirt. Kanade nodded in approval and then walked down to his room to fetch a clean shirt.

She came back quickly and found Makoto sitting stiffly on the couch, shirtless and embarrassed. The tips of his ears were red, and a maddening blush was traveling down his neck. She stifled a giggle and walked up behind him. She plopped the shirt down on his shoulder and then walked around the couch to sit in front of him.

"You feeling up to studying some?" she asked from the floor.

Makoto put on the shirt and then smiled gingerly.

"A-Ah, sure," he answered.

Kanade smiled and grabbed one his textbooks that she snatched from his backpack earlier. She opened it up to a bookmarked page and giggled to herself. Of course, Makoto put sticky notes on what sections he needed to study.

"Okay, so let's go over this part," Kanade said, pointing to a section that had a sticky note next to it. The sticky note had a question mark on it.

Makoto sighed and wrapped himself in the blanket, trying to fight off the relentless nausea and dizziness that plagued him still. They looked at several different sections in different subjects. Kanade would quiz Makoto over and over, and Makoto almost got every question correct. They studied heavily together for over an hour, only taking a break to eat some more soup.

When there was a lull in the studying, Makoto scratched his cheek and felt some guilt bearing down on his shoulders. Kanade was doing so much for him, maybe too much.

Did she go to class today at all?

The guilt made Makoto's stomach churn. His head was cloudy.

"Kanade, did… did you stay here all day?" Makoto asked quietly. Kanade looked up from her textbook.

"Yeah," she answered plainly.

"You didn't go to any classes?" Makoto asked. She shook her head. "What about practice?"

"Oh, well practice has been canceled this week because of finals next week," Kanade said with a smile.

Makoto bit his lip. "You're doing so much for me," he said softly. His body started to feel heavy again, and his head started to fog. He clutched his head and closed his eyes, letting a small sigh escape.

She had helped him through so many trials already. His living arrangements, finding a new job, helping him with his fear of the ocean, the Iwatobi swim club, his friendship with Haru, and…

…making him fall for her.

Makoto squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of dizziness overtook him. He owed so much to Kanade. He needed to repay her, do something nice for her… she deserved that much. She deserved a nice dinner. She deserved friendship and companionship. She deserved to seek out her dream and follow it.

How could Makoto tell her how much she means to him?

"Makoto, really, don't worry about it," he heard Kanade say.

Oh… her voice… Makoto thought, his mind slipping. She sounds so pretty...

"You're thinking too— Makoto are you okay?"

Makoto felt a hand on his shoulder and he forced his eyes open to look up at Kanade. She was blurry and he could barely make out her face, but she still enraptured him.

She smells so good...

"Mmm… I'm fine," Makoto mumbled. He was teetering a little, looking like he was about to fall back on the couch at any second. He felt her hand touch his forehead.

"Makoto, lay down. Your fever is back," Kanade said. She pushed him to lie back down on the couch and covered him with the blanket. "I'll get you more medicine."

Oh, no… she's walking away, Makoto thought. I need to tell her… I need to tell her something. Something that will let her know… how much she means to me.

Kanade stood up to go get more medicine but felt a tug on her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. She turned her head to look at Makoto, his face red and his eyes dull. He reached up with his other hand and cupped her cheek.

Tell her something. Anything…

"Kanade," he said breathlessly.

Kanade's heart skipped a beat. He stared into his eyes, as dull as they were, and felt her chest swell.

"Kanade," he said again, and he pulled her head down to him.

Kanade's heart started to go into overdrive. She could feel his breath on her neck and breeze past her ear.

Something.

"You're…" he started.

Say something….

Then, Kanade felt something wet and soft press to her cheek, near her ear. She stiffened and her eyes shot open. Tingles shot down her spine and goosebumps rose on her neck.

Was… was that a kiss?!

"You're so beautiful," Makoto whispered.

Then, Makoto fell back on the couch with a groan and his eyes fluttered shut. A small sigh escaped his lips and he fell right asleep.

Kanade, her face beet red, lifted a hand to touch her wet cheek where his lips had pressed just a moment ago. Frazzled, she glanced around the apartment. She could feel her chest tighten and throb as her emotions swirled around in her mind. She hurried to her bedroom and scrambled for her oxygen tank. She put the mask to her face and slowly took wheezing breaths to settle down her erratic heart.

What… what was that?

Did he… just… kiss me…?