Chapter 9

Echizen sat in History class pretending to read his book, but all the while peering over the edges to watch Sakuno who was sitting two seats ahead and to the right of him.  She was quiet, which was usual, but not in the manner she was sitting.  She was slumped in her chair and her head was rested on her arm.  Her hair which were always in two neat braids, were frizzy.  Lucky for him, he sat some distance behind her, so it wasn't so obvious to steal glances at her.

Kuso.  Is she ok? 

"Ryuzaki." Ayanokouji-sensei called.  "Daijoubu desu ka?"

"Hai." She answered softly.

"You don't look very well.  You should go to the infirmary." He advised.

"Daijoubu." She said blinking slowly.  Ayanokouji-sensei looked worried but didn't push her any further.

Sakuno, what's wrong?  I know I shouldn't have said that yesterday.  I know I shouldn't have left you.  Are you okay?

For the remainder of the morning he kept his eyes glued on her, despite the other females in the class noticing this.  They had all turned their eyes on the prince and admired him, only to see him staring at the only girl in the class that didn't seem to care about anything at the moment.

Recess came around and Sakuno went up to the rooftop of the school.

The wind is so nice up here. She stood at the edge placing her hands on the fence and stared over the school grounds. Then she move to sit right in the middle of the open space, enjoying the serenity around her.  All the crying that morning, made her tremendously tired.  She was now physically as well as emotionally tired.  She sat and stared at nothing, toying with the tip of her hair, and finally just tugged on it until the braids came loose.  Her hair rippled out nicely down her back and she fell back and stared at the sky. 

It's moving so slowly those clouds.  The sky is so simple.  Why can't life be like that.  I'm still young, why do I have troubles like this?... Ryoma-kun.

She fell asleep with his name on her lips.

After Recess

Out of nowhere the sky had turned dark and rain was falling.  Echizen sat with his chin in his palm and gazing outside as the rain pelted against the window.  He was lost in his thoughts until he heard the teacher.

"Has anyone seen Ryuzaki?"  Echizen jerked to life.

"Tomoka-chan have you seen her?"

"Iie.  She wasn't with us at recess." Tomoka answered.

Where could she be? In a flash he remembered the figure he saw at the rooftop.  He had wandered over to the pond behind the school, to clear his thoughts, and saw someone up there.

The bottom of his chair made a scraping noise as he pushed it back roughly and strode out of the room.

"Echizen…"Ayanokouji-sensei called.  Echizen ran up the flight of stairs until he reached the top.  He thrust open the door and immediately saw her lying out there.

Kuso! Did she faint??

He ran out into the rain.  He shook her shoulders gently.

"Oi Sakuno.  Open your eyes.  Damnit open them please." He cradled her in his arm and continued to shake her gently. 

She mumbled something, and her eyes clenched tightly before she opened them slowly.  She gave a small yawn and coughed.

His heart released with relief.

"Baka! How could you be sleeping up here in this weather?" he asked sternly with the water running down his face.  He raised her into a sitting position.

"Gomen." She said quietly.  The rain didn't seem to bother either of them, as they stared into each others eyes.  She finally broke eye contact and brushed her wet fringe out of her face.

He ran his eyes over her.  Even in the rain her cheeks flushed a delicate pink and she looked beautiful.  His eyes moved lower and he blushed and turned away to hide it.  He didn't know how long she had been out there, but the rain had soaked her.  Her white shirt was apparently transparent showing her sports bra clearly.  Her blouse and skirt clung tightly to her body outlining her delicate developing figure.  He felt something stir inside him.

"Let's get out of here.  You're going to get sick." He got up and headed for the door.  He turned around to see if she was getting up.  His eyes widened at the sight of her legs giving way.  He ran to catch her before she hit the ground.

Really Sakuno, you're the only person that ever worries me.  And you're making good use of that unknown advantage too.

He pulled her gently so that she lay on his back and he piggy backed her with ease down to the infirmary.

"Taihen.  She has a high fever.  I need to get her out of these wet clothes right away." The nurse said.

"J-ja." Echizen said and proceeded to leave.

"Matte." She called to him.  "You're soaked as well.  Plus your cheeks are pink.  It seems that you caught a cold too."

I didn't catch a cold.  He was merely blushing and flushing from the fact of having Sakuno's warm body pressed against his.  With their wet uniforms, it felt as if there was almost nothing between them.

"Heh..where am i?" Sakuno's voice murmured.

"Your friend has brought you to the infirmary.  You passed out and you have a high fever.  Let's get you changed and rested." The nurse said warmly.  She ruffled around and found a spare girls uniform and handed it to Sakuno.

The nurse then pulled the curtain around the bed which Sakuno lay on and left the room to find Echizen some clothes.  Echizen stood with his back turned to the bed even though it was concealed, his blood level rose up a few level, just from thinking that Sakuno was undressing on the other side of the curtain.

He was sure that she heard his heart beating madly.  It seemed to beat harder and faster, from every movement that he heard her make.  He heard the ruffling of clothes and breathing.  He grew dizzy from breathing too hard.

"Maaa, your cheeks are very red.  Please hurry and change." The nurse handed him some clothes.  He looked at it and considered not taking it.

"Hora. Hayaku!" the nurse ushered him to the bed next to Sakuno's and pulled his curtain closed.

Maybe I should just walk out.  I shouldn't be in here.  I'll be fine in my uniform.

He was about to leave his little enclosed area when a big sneeze caught him off guard.

Damnit, looks like I have to get changed after all.

He unbuttoned his white shirt hesitantly, as his imagination began to play games on him again.  He remembered how delectable she had looked sitting in the rain, with her long dark hair framing her sweet face.  The wet clothes that had clung to her body……god…if only she knew how much that sight caught his attention.  Right now, only two thin curtains away, she was undressing just as he was.  He looked over his shoulder, and could see a faint silhouette of her back to the curtain and pulling on a blouse.  He gave a shiver.  He didn't know if he was cold, or just the sight of her enchanted him.  He was no peeping tom, he was just checking on her…right?

Damn right I'm checking her out. He gritted his teeth, and finished dressing.  He pulled the curtains open and was about to leave when the nurse came back.

"Young man, you turn around and head straight back to that bed.  I need to check your temperature.  The same goes to the little lady in there.

"Yada"

"Ano…" Sakuno pulled opened her curtain and stepped out.  His eyes widened, but luckily for his fringe that covered his eyes, neither the nurse nor Sakuno saw his expression.  The uniform that she was wearing, was a bit smaller than her usual size, thus, a tighter blouse and a shorter skirt.

These circumstances aren't helping me!!

God knows how much she already appealed to him.  Surely the heavens above were testing him.

"Alright I'm going to take your temperatures now, so go lie in bed.  Young man, you are not leaving, before I've confirmed that you're ok."

"Yada."

"Ryo--..ano Echizen-kun.  Onegai." He heard her voice speak up.  He lowered his head and walked back to his bed, dragging his feet.

The nurse smiled when she saw this.  How cute.  Then she busied herself with the thermometers.  After waiting for three minutes, she retrieved the thermometers from both students and looked at it.  She raised her eyebrows.

"Neh, Echizen-kun, are you really alright?" she questioned him.

"I said I was before."

"Well apparently you're not.   You both are both running a fever, strangely, you're both at the same degree."  She looked over at Sakuno, who looked extremely tired, then back over to Echizen who sat looking flushed in the face.

Well he doesn't really look like he has a fever, but his temperature is definitely high.

"Alright you two, rest now, and take the rest of the day off." The nurse clapped her hands, then returned to her office just outside the infirmary.

He dropped on to his back and stared up at the ceiling. 

Things couldn't be more out of the ordinary than today.

He glanced over to his right and saw Sakuno, who was already curled up and sleeping.  She wasn't that far from him, and he could hear her light breathing, and smiled to himself.  He shuffled his body to face her and continued to lie there and gaze at the one person he couldn't get enough of.

He was more tired than he thought, and began drifting off.

"Ryoma-kun…." He heard her murmer in her sleep.  With that he fell asleep with a small contented smile on his handsome face.

That chapter was kinda long.  Sorry if it seems like I'm dancing around this story too much.  I can't seem to find a place to stop, when ideas keep coming.  Bear with me!

Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!!