CHAPTER 1: SICK AND DOWN (PART II)

His breathing was labored. Every breaths he take hurt his chest. His head seemed like it was being pounded on by a rock dozen of times.

Everything hurts.

"Honey, we need to take him back to the orphanage! We might get what he's having!"

From the slits the door of the dark room, he could see them – his supposed foster parents – dashing here and there. He tried reaching out to the door, releasing a cough as he did so, to call their attention. To say that he needs them.

But they did nothing.

They never came.

They only chose to close the door.

Izayoi drank the last bits of water and sighed. He was just getting worse. His head was now dangerously spinning that he can't concentrate his vision on something for too long. His throat was itchy and dry that caused him to cough time to time.

...He needed to get away from the kids.

He leaned his hands on the counter, lowered his head and closed his eyes. He needed to get himself together. He'd been able to take care of himself for the past years before Canaria got him. If he can fight against strong Demon Lords, he can definitely put a fight against something simple. He did it in the past, after all.

Staying in that position caused him to release a coughing fit. He covered his mouth to stifle the noise (and germs). When he had finally calm down, he was left with deep, heavy breaths and chest pain. His feet were shaking .

Then again, ever since he learned he can't rely on anyone, he'd become stronger.

"Are you okay?"

He turned to the doorway and saw Leticia standing there.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He straightened his posture like he wasn't sick. It was a perfect façade. He didn't look like he was hacking with air earlier. But, he believed that former Demon Lord didn't buy it. He'd known Leticia as someone as cautious and perceptive.

Her next words proved him right.

"You look pale. Are you sure?" Leticia said with an almost deadpanned expression but, her eyes told him otherwise. "I also heard someone coughing from here and I believe it was you."

"Oh that. Must have inhaled a huge amount of dirt." Izayoi weakly laughed to brush the topic off. "I'll be going back. Ojou-sama would kill me if I'm gone for too long." He left the kitchen without a backward glance. He doesn't want anyone to notice anything.

He's not weak.

His feet carried him as far as he can from the kitchen. It was taxing for his weakened body, as much as he hates to admit it. It was already getting more and more obvious that he wasn't in condition. Blurred vision, a super headache, nausea, dizziness – it was all in one go. The fact that it weren't for his tight consciousness would he been found out.

No... I can't let that happen, can I?

"Ara, if isn't Izayoi."

Izayoi sighed for the umpteenth time of the day for being unable to avoid any unnecessary eyes. 'Out of all people...'

"Pest."

The former Demon Lord stared at him with raised brow as if to emphasize her curiousness – or was that confusion? However, not even a minute later, her mouth tilted upwards.

"I didn't know you can get sick."

...Expected from the Black Death.

"Of course I do too, moron. Human, remember?" He said after not saying anything for a moment. He can't hide anything to this girl as long as it is related to sickness. That's her specialty, after all.
"And so you admit," The small smile from the maroon head was slowly replaced with a straight line. "If you're not feeling well, get yourself some rest. Jin wouldn't like his ace collapsing all of a sudden."

"Ojou-sama would be mad if I were to disappear from the farm too long." he replied.

"Are you an idiot? I thought you're supposed to be a genius," retorted an annoyed Pest as she crossed her arms, eyes narrowing as he observed Izayoi's leaning figure. "Saying that you're not alright would suffice."

"...I can take care of myself, thank you very much." The blond replied in the same tone of annoyance as he walked past the maid.

"You're afraid."

The problem child froze on his tracks as his widen a fraction. He slowly turned his head to look at Pest.

"I'm right, judging from your expression," She said in nonchalance.

Izayoi felt his tongue getting tied inside his mouth. He can't mutter a single reply or insult at the statement. Every part of his body was telling him it was the truth. Why...?

"You're a monster!"

"The intensity of the bacterias that may reside in that body—"

"How disgusting."

"Mommy, daddy, I'm afraid..."

Oh...that's right. His childhood experiences were at fault, aren't they...?

"Let me tell you something, Izayoi," Pest said in a tone of seriousness and—to Izayoi's inner surprise—concern. No matter what kind of weirdo the blond was to her, he still have done what other people didn't do to her in the past. Of course, the others too, but, he was more becoming of an older brother to her. "Whatever happens to you in your life, don't get stuck into it. Move on. The fact that all of you are making me let go of my past means to say that it's fair if I say this to you." She said while lowering her hands. "Learn to trust everyone to that certain degree...They're... willing to help," Izayoi didn't reply any word and instead, buried his eyes underneath his bangs. Pest could only sigh. "I soung like a hypocrite, aren't I? Talking about trust when I, myself, doesn't do that very often. But, I'm trying. You should too."

The second maid of the house left the taller male to his place, still unable to process what the other had said to him.

He was back at the farming field once again but this time, to avoid unnecessary attention falling on him again, he worked at the farthest side. At least from there, he can muse to himself all day long without hearing anyone. He wanted to be alone for the time being.

"...Talking about trust when I, myself, doesn't do that very often. But, I'm trying. You should too."

Izayoi puts a hand to his head. He doesn't know what was really happening to him now. Why didn't he said anything? He trusts everyone. He wouldn't be here if he didn't. Everyone is his friends. He shouldn't really mind such a trivial statement in the first place. He'd gone past that. But why is it affecting him to this extent? He wants to blame his worsening fever if anything...

Suddenly, a blurred image of a blond woman flashes like projector in front of him. It was all a blur and the voice he keeps on hearing was strangely familiar. Like it was just a memory...

"Little Izayoi... Allow me to take care of you as a mother would."

Izayoi felt his world stopped. His body stilled as a bitter smile came up to the corner of his mouth. He remembers it now...

Abandonment and being forsaken by foster parents... it was his early life. Was because of this that he want to prove that he could take care of himself without anyone? The answer is very obvious.

'No wonder she sounded upset...'

"I-Izayoi-san!"

Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews! They're motivating me to fix my so called sloppy writing. XD

Part three will be the last one of chapter 1~.

See you soon!