A/N: I finally decided to update just so I could get closer to finishing!

And after this chapter, I might skip a day or two, so it's kind of getting near the end. I hope.

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Emi walked out of the gym. The girls had just left. They were all chattering happily away about weekend plans.

Today had been an unusually productive class. No one had begged for a break, and everyone had exercised to her full ability.

The girls were apparently trying their best not to get on Emi's bad side again.

Maybe she should lecture them every morning!

Emi smiled at the thought of a daily scolding as a pep talk.

But then she got serious. She had a mission, and it would start as soon as she got back to the infirmary.

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The sick room was deserted when Emi did her usual scan of it.

They must be in the TV room. The occupants of the infirmary were allowed two hours of TV a day, and they typically used up some of that time around lunch.

Sure enough, the half-dozen or so students who were sick today were grouped around the TV, looking with glazed eyes at a soap opera rerun.

Not that Emi payed attention to soap operas! Okay, maybe she watched a minute or two here and there...or maybe even a full episode here and there...but she wasn't nearly as obsessed as some women!

However, what was on TV was nowhere near as intriguing as the positioning of the people watching it.

Oddly enough, they seemed to be sitting/slouching/lying down in a rough semicircle formation.

The reason was apparent almost right away. Misawa was slumped in the middle of the room. The other kids were trying to sit as far away from him as they could.

Emi immediately reached for the remote and turned off the TV.

Some kids grumbled. Others were too sick to do more than look at Emi plaintively.

Emi explained, "You want to save some time for the good programs this evening, don't you?"

Of course, the REAL reason was to stop this game of "sit-as-far-away-from-the-nerd-as-possible". Obviously, Emi didn't mention that tidbit of information.

To further divert the students' suspicions, Emi then said brightly, "Who wants lunch?"

Well, want it or not, they were going to eat it, even though it was a half-hour earlier than usual.

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Everyone was now distracted with eating. Good. Now Emi could try to talk to Misawa.

He was now well enough to sit at a table in the lunchroom. He was slowly sipping the refrigerated protein shake that was given to students who couldn't eat solid food.

And it didn't look like he was particularly enjoying it, either.

Well, it wasn't Emi's fault that the sickroom's food was crappy. She'd have to write to Seto Kaiba about increasing the infirmary's budget.

But...Emi was letting her mind wander yet again. It was imperative for her to have her full attention on Misawa for now.

He had noticed she was there by now, and was looking up at her curiously.

Emi cleared her throat and started, "We have to talk about things..."

At once, Misawa took his tray and wordlessly moved to the other end of the table.

It was no use trying to be nice. However, Emi knew that Misawa would not disobey a direct order.

So she said, "Meet me in my office at two. Don't be late."

Misawa reluctantly nodded.

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Sure enough, Misawa was knocking on her office door at two PM.

He'd even gotten dressed in his regular clothes.

Emi had gotten out a notepad (since Misawa still couldn't talk for long), a pencil, and some medicine for just in case.

She hoped she didn't look too formal and unapproachable, sitting at her desk like this. Not that she should worry about that. She was the teacher, after all.

As soon as Misawa was seated, Emi said, "I have talked to the female students, and they will not spread any more rumors about you unless they want a severe punishment."

Misawa looked quite embarrassed.

Emi rushed on, "Which is what I want to talk to you about. Something must have happened to start these rumors, and I want to find out what."

Misawa mumbled something into his hand.

Emi told him to either speak up or write it down.

Finally, something seemed to snap in Misawa. He looked Emi in the eye and whispered, "It's true...it's all true...I am a pervert!"

Emi couldn't believe her ears. Could the fever have messed with Misawa's mind so much that he was starting to believe the rumors himself?

As calmly as she could, Emi asked Misawa to explain what he meant.

Misawa replied, "It's not quite like how they say. I don't TRY to do anything wrong. I just try to talk to girls, and it never sounds right!'

Emi, feeling relieved, said, "Is that all? Well, that's just the girls not getting to know you well enough! It doesn't mean you're a pervert!"

Misawa was looking very uncomfortable. He started biting his lower lip. Finally, he abruptly said, "I have to leave."

"But we were just getting somewhere! You can't just leave now!"

Misawa sat quietly for several more seconds, then repeated more emphatically that he had to leave.

This time, Emi let him go.

As Misawa ran out, Emi reflected on what she had just learned.

The meeting had not been a total waste of time, but there was a lot more that needed to be discussed.

Emi briefly considered not bothering Misawa anymore, but decided that was not an option. Whatever the problem was, it was evidently eating away at Misawa's self-image.

Now the question was: how would Emi get Misawa to tell her what was wrong?