A/N: So this is my entry for Day One of Naegiri Week 2019. This entry takes place between the events of Trigger Happy Havoc and Ultimate Despair Girls. This is the first year I'm participating in Naegiri Week, so any and all input is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!
Naegiri Week 2019 Day One: Ill
The Ultimate Detective and the Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Kyoko's Collapse! Makoto Returns a Favor!
"Alright then. Byakuya, give us the summary of your financial statement."
Nodding to his boss, the former Ultimate Affluent Progeny distributed sheets of paper to the other members of the 14th Division, stating "Very well. I'll make sure to use small words, so even certain commoners can follow along."
Makoto and Kyoko rolled their eyes, used to Byakuya's jabs, while Hiro objected "Hey!" at the obvious knock on his intelligence.
As Byakuya droned on and on, Kyoko felt the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose, suddenly feeling a tightness in her nostrils. This caused Makoto to look in her direction in concern. He quickly scribbled on a piece of paper and passed it over to Kyoko, who discreetly read Makoto's remarks.
Are you alright?
Smiling at Makoto's concern, she wrote underneath it and passed the paper scrap back to him.
I'm fine. It's nothing that can't wait until after our meeting ends.
Makoto frowned but nodded, and both parties returned their attention back to Byakuya's report. As Byakuya continued to explain the 14th Division's expenditures and expected revenue, Kyoko felt her condition start to worsen; she started to feel clammy in her Future Foundation business suit. She wiped her hand on her forehead and looked at her glove; it had become covered in droplets of sweat. She discreetly wiped it on her calf, but not quick enough to skip Makoto's line of sight. His concern growing, Makoto scribbled some more on his sheet of paper, then passed it to Kyoko who read it.
Kirigiri-san, are you sure you're alright? You look like –
That was all she was able to read before the paper was snatched out of her line of vision; grasped in the hand of an irritated Byakuya.
"I wonder what's so interesting that you two would rather pass notes back and forth like we're still in middle school than listen to my report. It disgusts me to say it, but even Hiro is being a better student than you."
Makoto looked down sheepishly as Byakuya began to read the note exchange. Scrutinizing Kyoko, he noticed the sweat on Kyoko's brow and narrowed his eyes.
"I have better things to do than waste my breath on an oration to an audience who is clearly too ill to appreciate it. Go to bed, Kirigiri, and maybe we can reschedule this meeting to a time when everyone can pay attention."
Not offended by Byakuya's backhanded way of expressing concern for her health, Kyoko shook her head and explained "As I was trying to tell Makoto, I'm fine. I'm probably just a little tired from having to pull a few all-nighters getting crucial paperwork done. I'll take it easy after the meeting, I promise, but I assure you I have been following along with your report. Now, shall we continue?"
Byakuya scrutinized her face, looking for any possible tells that indicated fibbing, while Makoto continued to look at Kyoko with concern.
She pulled…several all-nighters?
"Alright. I'll give you a quick quiz to see if you've been paying attention, and if you can answer correctly, I'll overlook this and continue with my report. Are we in agreement?"
Nodding her acceptance to Byakuya's challenge, Kyoko tried to focus as he asked her about the total expenditures listed on his report. But to Kyoko, he may as well have been speaking gibberish; his words blended until the young woman unable to differentiate them. Soon her vision followed suit; colors mixed and swirled, and she was no longer able to make out individual people or objects.
"Kirigiri-san! Are you alright?"
Unable to make out Makoto's voice, Kyoko shakily stood up, her legs wobbling as she slammed her left hand on the table to steady herself while laying her right on her face, trying to relieve some of the tension she was feeling.
"Woozy…what's…where…"
She then lost her last grip on her ability to stay conscious, eyes closing as the blend of colors was replaced by pure black. Her hand slipping, she started to fall backwards. Time seemed to slow down for everyone else as they saw just how ill their leader was. Makoto's face morphed into one of horror as he spontaneously rushed to catch her. His arms wrapped protectively around her belly he fell with the momentum on his rear, Kyoko's head resting on his lap.
"Kirigiri-san? Kirigiri-san!"
As Makoto unwrapped one arm to move his hand to shake her shoulder, Byakuya took charge; he pointed at Hiro and ordered "Yasuhiro! Inform Yukizome that Kirigiri has passed out and bring her here at once!"
Still in shock, Hiro only nodded before racing out the door to find Chisa. Byakuya turned his attention back to Makoto who was till trying to shake Kyoko awake.
"Kiri? Kiri?"
Before long, Hiro raced back in the door with Chisa in tow, only to be greeted by the sight of a tearful and crying Makoto, who had grabbed Kyoko's other shoulder as well and was shaking her violently in a desperate attempt to wake her up.
"Kyoko! Kyoko!"
XXX
Chisa had luckily been able to persuade Makoto to let her carry the unconscious Kyoko to her dorm where she would perform a brief checkup to ascertain the cause of Kyoko's illness. Word of Kyoko's collapse had even managed to reach the 13th Division, and Hina immediately raced in after being given permission from her boss to go to Kyoko's side.
And there all the survivors of the 78th Class stood, huddled around Kyoko's bed waiting for Chisa to finish her examination. Makoto cried into Hina's shirt, still overwhelmed with fear and anxiety at Kyoko's condition, leaving the former Ultimate Swimming Pro to awkwardly embrace the young Ultimate Hope, trying to offer reassurances but feeling completely inadequate, relying solely on her memories of comforting her younger brother Yuta. Toko and Hiro bore distressed expressions while Byakuya merely stared with a neutral, business-like expression.
"Okay!"
As Chisa clapped her hands, everyone else stood at attention, Makoto letting go of Hina before wiping his eyes on his wrist.
"The good news is that Kyoko doesn't have anything remotely life-threatening, so all she needs is some time on bedrest and she'll be as good as new."
Byakuya retained his neutral expression while Toko settled into a matching neutral expression. Hina, Hiro, and Makoto beamed wide smiles with relief, thrilled that their friend was going to make it just fine.
"That being said…" Chisa suddenly put her ands on her hips and glared at the Hope's Peak survivors before lecturing "I took her temperature and it spiked at 102 degrees! Her arms and legs were slightly swollen from overuse. And her eyes were slightly bloodshot! It's obvious that the poor girl overworked herself to the bone, and it weakened her immune system until it reached the breaking point that you see before you. You're all a bunch of rotten oranges for letting her get this ill!"
Overworked? Why…why didn't I notice earlier? It was then that Makoto finally chose to speak, revealing timidly "She said…just today…that she had been pulling some all-nighters to finish paperwork…when I had asked her if she was alright…"
As Makoto kicked himself for being obliviousness to Kyoko's physical state, Chisa's eyes softened before she sighed and acquiesced "…What's done is done. Not much we can do about it now. But one of you should stay by her bedside for the next day or so to tend to her and help her recover. Any volunteers?"
Before anyone could voice why they could or couldn't, Makoto piped up "I'll do it!" At Chisa's surprised expression, Makoto explained "Like you said, Yukizome-san, it's kind of my fault that this happened. I wasn't observant enough about her health until it was too late. Plus…there was a time at Hope's Peak when I was sick, and she tended to me until I got better. So…" Makoto bowed and declared "I want to return the favor! I want to help to take care of her now that she's ill. And I promise, I won't abandon her. So please…let me stay be her side!"
Nobody could have gone unmoved by Makoto's speech; even Byakuya and Toko softly smiled at Makoto's devotion, while Hina and Hiro gave tearful smiles at his display.
Chisa smiled and patted Makoto's head before she squealed "There's hope for you yet, my little rotten orange!"
Does she have to call us rotten oranges?
The survivors sweatdropped as she repeated her kind-of-insult for them. She put her hand on Makoto's shoulder and said "Alright, Makoto; we'll leave Kyoko's care in your capable hands! Remember, you promised to never abandon her!"
Nodding violently, Makoto grabbed a chair as he dragged it to Kyoko's bedside, plopping himself down and focusing his eyes on his boss.
As he was leaving the room, Byakuya said "I'll assume leadership as Acting Head until Kirigiri recovers. Until then, our status meeting is hereby postponed pending her full recovery."
As Hiro and Toko followed him out, Hina pumped her fists and enthusiastically encouraged "You can do it Makoto! I'll drop off some super special, handmade donuts to help her recover afterwards!"
…Wouldn't soup be better for this kind of occasion?
Makoto shook his head in amusement at Hina's well-intentioned enthusiasm before adopting a more serious expression and turning his gaze back to his patient.
XXX
Kyoko unconsciously sighed as Makoto placed a wet hand towel on her forehead, the cool, damp texture soothing her fever for the time being. As Makoto later removed the towel and placed it next to the bucket of water on her dresser, his brow furrowed with worry and guilt.
"Why? Why didn't you tell me you were sick? And why didn't you tell me you had so much paperwork that you didn't even sleep? I would have helped you, Kyoko!"
Of course, Kyoko couldn't hear him in her delirious state, and to Makoto it was just as well. He sighed and sat back down, Hina's box of "Get Well" donuts sitting on Kyoko's dresser. Makoto reached from where he was sitting and wrapped his hand around her own, giving it a momentary squeeze.
"Please get better soon, Kyoko. We need you!" …I need you…
It was then that Kyoko groaned, alerting Makoto and making him drop her hand as he sprang up and leaned over the bed.
"Kyoko?"
Gingerly opening her eyes, the ill detective slowly raised her head off her pillow, her vision coming into focus.
"Ma…Mako…Makoto?"
"Shh! Don't talk, Kyoko! You need to save your energy."
Kyoko continued to groan as she started to sweat and utter "Hot…So hot…"
"You're hot? Don't worry, Kyoko; I'll get you a wet towel and you'll be cooled off in no time!"
Before he could run off, Kyoko grabbed his wrist and shook her head, making Makoto confused.
"Gloves…off…take them off."
Her gloves are making her hands feel hot? Gulping, Makoto asked "Are you sure, Kyoko?"
Nodding as vigorously as she could, Kyoko gave her consent. Makoto sighed and nervously got to work, removing her gloves off of her hands. Although Kyoko had removed her gloves in front of him in the past, removing them himself while she was still sick made him worry about whether or not this counted as consent. After her scarred hands were exposed, Makoto walked over to the dresser and placed her gloves on it, then soaked the hand towel he had used prior. Before walking over to her, he briefly locked the door to her room so that nobody would accidentally see the well-guarded secret of her exposed hands. Once he sat back down, Makoto gently washed her hands free of sweat with the towel, making Kyoko sigh in comfort.
It wasn't long though until Kyoko started to squirm under the blankets again as she groaned "Hot…still hot…"
Makoto quickly placed the still-damp towel on her forehead to try and cool her down, but Kyoko shook her head and groaned "Shirt…Skirt…take them off!"
Makoto blushed deep red as he realized Yukizome-san must not have removed them when she examined Kyoko!
Extremely hesitant to be the one to undress her, Makoto's resistance was broken with one final groan "Take them off…please…"
Sighing in surrender, Makoto slipped his hands under the blankets, trying to feel for the buttons on Kyoko's shirt.
Do not peek. DO NOT PEEK!
Makoto repeated his silent mantra as he got her shirt unfastened, sliding the fabric down her arms and throwing it next to him. Still as red as a tomato, he slid his hands down her sides until he felt the fabric of her belt. Quickly unlocking it, he quickly slid her lavender business skirt down her lags and quickly threw them in the same pile as the shirt.
Sighing with relief, Makoto looked back to Kyoko's face, his blush starting to disappear now that she was starting to settle down. However, the sense of calm was short-lived; Kyoko wrapped her hand around his own and started to yank him out of his chair.
"Whoa, Kyoko!"
Kyoko uncharacteristically giggled and slurred "Koto, come to bed, sweetie. It's all cold and lonely without you!"
Koto? What's with the nickname? And what's going on?
Kyoko gave an uncharacteristically loving smile that only creeped Makoto out as she rubbed her cheek on his palm.
"Come on, my darling. Quit being shy and hop in already!"
Feeling her still-burning face, Makoto realized The fever must be making her delirious. She won't listen to reason, so I'm gonna need to play along with her delusion if I'm gonna get out of this! His face still as red as a tomato, Makoto coughed and began awkwardly "Kyoko…honey…you're still sick. I need to stay awake so I can keep taking care of you…" Not a total lie; hopefully it'll be enough to dissuade her.
Kyoko pouted and whined "…It's not fair! You always work hard, and now you have to take care of my sniffles when you should be getting a good night's sleep."
Sighing in frustration, Makoto tried one more line to attempt to get her to stop her delirium-fueled romantic fantasy.
"Sweetie…please just go to sleep. I promise, once you're better, I'll sleep by your side as long as you want…" Which will probably be never once you're back to your senses…
Yawning, Kyoko surrendered, murmuring "You'd better…" before closing her eyes and falling back into slumber. Once he was sure that Kyoko was out like a light, Makoto ran in a panic into Kyoko's bathroom, violently turning on the faucet and splashing his face with cold water, attempting to make his blushing crimson face go back to normal while trying to process his interaction with Kyoko.
"What…was…that?"
XXX
Kyoko groaned as she opened her eyes, holding her forehead in her palm as she started to sit up, clutching the blanket to her body.
"My…my room? How…"
"Ah, Kyoko!"
Makoto rushed over and sat down in the chair he had been taking up, placing his hand on her cheek. The former Detective blushed before removing her hand from her forehead to look at Makoto. She frowned to see his eyes were bloodshot and he had bags under them.
Did he…pull an all-nighter? But what…
"Well, you don't feel hot. Hopefully your fever broke while you were sleeping."
Feeling especially confused, Kyoko asked "Makoto, what happened? I remember sitting in our status meeting, but everything after that's a blur. So how did we end up in my room?"
Feeling his whirlwind of emotions from the other day rise back up, Makoto started to explain "You collapsed during our meeting. I caught you and tried to shake you awake, bur…but you wouldn't wake up. We got Yukizome-san to help, and after examining you…told us that you had been working yourself to death, Kyoko. You were pulling so many all-nighters; your muscles were sore and your eyes were bloodshot. Not to mention your fever and congestion! So then I…I volunteered to …to take care of you while you recovered. I…" Makoto started to cry as he continued "I was so scared, Kyoko! I thought I wasn't ever going to see you again!" He then demanded "Why didn't you tell me you had so much on your plate? I would've…I would've helped you, Kyoko. I would've taken on some of your paperwork or…or SOMETHING so that you could actually get a good night's sleep!"
Kyoko looked up at Makoto's tearful face, shellshocked at how much her overworking had terrified the boy.
Looking away from him, Kyoko murmured "Makoto…I…apologize for worrying you. If it makes you feel better, I promise once I recover to teach you how to fill out some of the more monotonous paperwork."
Beaming at Kyoko's concession, Makoto wiped his eyes of tears. Kyoko smiled, then let her gaze wander until she spotted her pile of clothes on the ground next to Makoto's feet.
Wasn't that the business suit I wore yesterday? If that's on the floor, then…
Kyoko discreetly palmed her body underneath the blankets to feel only the texture of her lacy black bra and panties against her smooth skin.
"…Makoto…why am I only wearing my underwear under these blankets?"
Makoto blushed before hanging his head and explaining frantically "You…when you first woke up last night, you kept complaining that it was too hot, and you…you asked me to…disrobe you…I think your fever might have made you delirious…I'm sorry…But I promise you, I never took a peek, and I never touched you anywhere inappropriate!"
As Kyoko saw the tears fall from Makoto's hung head, she knew he was telling the truth. The peeping incident at Hope's Peak notwithstanding, she knew that Makoto wasn't the type to violate the privacy of his friends. Not to mention that she had heard the honest passion in his voice when he explained how ill she had become and the fact that he had tended to her every need.
Suddenly, all of the memories of her delirium came flooding back to her, making her blush at just how brazen and out-of-character she had acted.
"…I'm not mad at you, Makoto."
Gasping, Makoto looked at her incredulously and confirmed "You're not? But I…"
Kyoko shook her head and continued "I clearly wasn't myself, and technically I did ask you to do those things. I can't hold it against you for acting in your capacity as my caretaker."
Beaming, Makoto wiped his eyes, before glancing over to the dresser and informed her "I put your gloves over on the dresser during your delirium. Would you like me to get them for you?"
Rather than answer him with words, Kyoko decided to move her legs off the bed, getting up as she strolled over to her dresser and slipped on her gloves. Makoto yelped and covered his eyes with his palms, his face blushing again.
Smirking teasingly, Kyoko asked "Makoto, you've seen me in nothing but a towel. You're really gonna blush over seeing me in my bra and panties?"
Gulping Makoto yelped "I wasn't thinking straight back then. Besides, I never said I didn't blush when I saw you back then…"
Chuckling, Kyoko rolled her eyes and pulled out a nightgown, slipping it over her head before announcing "There, I'm decent. Happy?"
Peeking from behind his hands, Makoto sighed in relief, lowering his hands from his face. Both were content to smile at the other, enjoying the peace after the storm. However, their moment was interrupted by the growl of Kyoko's stomach.
She blushed in embarrassment before admitting "…I guess it's been a while since I had something to eat…"
Smiling, Makoto started to walk behind her and gently nudge her in the direction of the bed.
"I'll go make you some nice hot soup. Just get back in bed and relax, alright? I'll be back in a jiff, promise!"
Shaking her head in amusement, Kyoko acquiesced "Alright, Makoto. Since I've been ill for the past day, I'll let you pamper me this once."
"Awesome! Be right back!"
As the door closed gently behind him, Kyoko laid back and nestled into her pillow, taking the opportunity to nap while reflecting on her recent coming on to Makoto, and the possible implications it had towards her own feelings for the boy.
"Do I…really …want Makoto…like that?"
XXX
"Kyoko! Soup's ready!"
Kyoko sat up, leaning against the wall that her bed was up against as she took in the sight that made her mouth twitch in an urge to giggle. Makoto was precariously carrying a bowl of steaming hot soup, all the while garbed in a stereotypical chef's hat and white apron. As Makoto placed the bowl and spoon into her waiting hands, the aroma reached her nose, the sensational overload of the food causing her to involuntarily sigh in pleasure.
"Smells delicious!"
Smiling, Makoto replied "Thanks; it's a Naegi family recipe." Scratching his cheek, he explained "My mom made it for me and Komaru whenever we were sick, and when I was old enough to cook, she taught me how to make it for Komaru. I just hope I cooked it as well as mom did…"
Given how just smelling it elicited a reaction from me, I'd say you succeeded…
Kyoko took a spoonful of the yellow broth and slid it into her mouth, letting it run over her tongue and down her throat. Her eyes widened after sensing the taste, its flavor overcoming her as she started to shovel spoonfuls of broth, ramen noodles, chicken, and vegetables into her mouth in reckless abandon, unwilling to spend a single second without the taste of "Naegi Soup" covering her taste buds.
Makoto sweatdropped, chuckling as he remarked "…Yeah, that's pretty much how Komaru and I were as kids whenever we got to taste mom's soup."
In no time at all, the bowl was completely empty, drained of all its contents by its recipient. Passing the bowl back to Makoto, Kyoko sighed and patted her belly contentedly.
"That was the greatest meal I've ever tasted. You've obviously inherited your mother's talent for cooking."
Blushing slightly at the praise, Makoto smiled back at her, happy that his attempt to recreate his mom's signature recipe was so successful. Kyoko smiled back at him but frowned noticing his bloodshot eyes.
"Makoto…why don't you go get some rest in your own bed? You're obviously exhausted, and you took care of me so diligently all night. Besides, I don't think I'm sick anymore, so you don't have to continue being sleep-deprived for my sake."
Despite his fatigue, Makoto shook his head in denial of Kyoko's request.
"Kyoko…you're only just on the mend, and we don't know if you might have a relapse. Besides, I promised when I volunteered for this that I wouldn't abandon you. So please…let me stay and look after you…just for one more night so we can definitively say that you're in the clear!"
Blushing, Kyoko flashed back to their time at Hope's Peak between Mondo and Celeste's executions, when Makoto stubbornly insisted on being her friend and letting him help her in her investigations.
That stubborn determination broke down my walls, so there's no way I can say no when he's this focused… Sighing in surrender, Kyoko ruefully smiled and acquiesced "Alright, you can stay for one more night. But after I resume my duties in the 14th Division, I'm ordering you as my employee to take a 24-hour sabbatical, during which you will spend the entire day sleeping in your own bed. After all, the last thing we need is for you to fall ill from fatigue and force me to return the favor."
Makoto nodded in acceptance of Kyoko's compromise, making Kyoko happy that he agreed to take it easy and recover from the burden of caring for her. The two spent the rest of the day chatting, even deciding to share in Hina's "Get Well" Donuts that she had dropped off the other day.
They're good, but they don't hold a candle to Naegi Soup…
Regardless, she made a mental note to thank Hina later for the treat once she had recovered. As time flew by and it became time for bed, she found herself easily falling into slumber under Makoto's watchful and protective gaze. Makoto smiled, unable to resist thinking that she looked cute while sleeping. It was then that he reached for her hand that was hanging off of the side of the bed, threading his fingers with her own and squeezing her hand. He felt a reflexive squeeze in return and smiled after seeing Kyoko's lips unconsciously twitch upwards in a peaceful smile. Her falling ill terrified him to be sure, but he was grateful that it ended up strengthening the bond between them.
…I really am lucky, aren't I?