Nodoka concerned about Negi's flying since he seems not to be at one hundred percent since his fall. Nodoka paid close attention to him rather then seeing where they were going. Meanwhile, Negi took a deep breath trying not to pass out.
"How are you doing Negi-sensei?" asked a concerned Nodoka.
"Holding my own Nodoka-san," responded Negi.
Nodoka put her hand onto one of his hands and held it there. Negi blushed and smiled.
They were almost to the main floor of Library Island. Negi stopped his staff as both Nodoka and Negi were suspended in mid-air. "Do not see or here anything?" said Nodoka.
Negi guided the staff over by some hidden bookcases. Negi slid off of his staff as he took Nodoka's hand as she slid off without falling this time. They were walking toward the exit of the building when all of the sudden Haruna and Yue spotted them in the distance. Negi took one more step as he collapsed to the floor. Students and some professors were making so much noise that no one heard or even noticed Negi fell.
Yue and Haruna, on the other hand was different from other students, ran as quick as they could to Negi as they saw him on the ground.
"What happen?" asked a worried Yue as both her and Haruna got there.
"He just fell," proclaimed a scared Nodoka not knowing what else to say.
Nodoka did not want to say anything of what occurred down into Library Island between Negi and her. Nodoka bent down by Negi's side and checked to see if he was still breathing. Negi was.
"Haruna-san go get help!" said Yue calmly this time wanting not to panic anybody.
"Please Negi-kun be alright. Do not leave me," said Yue to herself as she had a quick flashback of losing her grandfather.
"Is Negi-kun going to be to alright Yue-san," said a shaking Nodoka.
"He is breathing so that is a good sign," said Yue not knowing what else to say.
Yue looked at Nodoka with such a bewildered face.
"What?" said Nodoka nervously.
Yue looked down at their professor seeing a makeshift bandage around his head. Yue looked up at Nodoka and saw Nodoka was missing half of her shirt.
"Nodoka-san, I know this is not the time nor the place to ask what happened. But, I need to know," said Yue with a perplex look.
"Yue. I...cannot...tell...you?" spoke Nodoka with some hesitation.
"Nodoka-san, I am not asking you. I am telling you to spill later," said a frustrated Yue.
"But, Yue-san I should not," demanded Nodoka.
"You will if you know what is good for you," said Yue sternly.
Nodoka realized at that moment how in love Yue was with Negi. Yue cares deeply for him.
"Fine, Yue-san you win," Nodoka said.
Yue untied the makeshift bandage and handed the cloth back to Nodoka.
A couple minutes later Haruna rushed back with Nodoka's coat that was left behind the counter. Haruna handed the coat to Nodoka. Nodoka put the coat on and buttoned it so nobody could see her naked stomach. She then put the cloth Yue removed from Negi inside a pocket.
"Are you alright Nodoka-san?" asked a concerned Haruna.
"Yes I am fine," proclaimed Nodoka.
Haruna hugged Nodoka and said, "Do not worry. He will be fine Nodoka-san."
That really did not ease Nodoka's frantic emotions as Negi was still unresponsive on the floor.
"We will talk about what happen later Nodoka-san," demanded Haruna.
"But, Negi-sensei told me to not say anything," said a quiet Nodoka.
"Thinking this is needed for you own sanity Nodoka-san," said Yue trying to sound convincing.
Shizuna Minamoto, Negi's adviser, showed up out of nowhere next to the three girls and the falling Negi.
"Girls what happen?" asked Shizuna.
"Well he just collapsed," said a meek Nodoka.
"Is there anything else you girls would like to say?" asked Shizuna knowing there is more to Negi collapsing.
All three girls at the same time said, "No!"
The nurse and her assistant, Ako Izumi, rushed toward the falling ten year old professor.
Ako Izumi, the manager of the middle school soccer team, is one of Negi's students. She plays a good bass guitar as well. She also fell for the mature version of Negi and even went out on a date with the mature version.
Ako looks down at her professor and said, "What happen?"
"He fell and must have hit his head," said Yue dryly.
The nurse and Ako placed Negi on a stretcher and carried him out of Library Island to an ambulance. The nurse figured it was not life threatening but he needed to be watched. The ambulance stopped at the infirmary as the nurse and Ako brought Negi inside.
The three girls rushed over to the infirmary that had Negi. Nodoka felt guilty all along the way. Yue kept looking at Nodoka wondering what happened to make Nodoka look that way. Haruna kept saying Negi was going to be fine.
Ako met the three at the door of the infirmary.
"Only one visitor is allowed at this time," said Ako dressed in her nurse outfit.
The three girls looked at each other and knew who should go in. Yue and Haruna prodded Nodoka toward the door.
"But guys, I do not want to go in there," spoke Nodoka.
"Girl, the guy you love is in there and you do not want to see him?" responded Yue angrily.
"Yue-san, he needs his rest," said Nodoka as a tear fell.
"Nodoka-san, he needs someone by his side. He may be unconscious but he will know you are there," said Yue.
Haruna opened the door as Ako looked on.
Nodoka stepped into the room and headed toward Negi. Ako followed her as the door shut closed.
Outside the room, Haruna asked, "Are you alright letting Nodoka-san spend time alone in there with Negi-kun?"
"Yes!" confidently said Yue.
"So it does not bother you Nodoka-san is playing nursemaid to a boy you love?" questioned Haruna.
"Why is everyone that knows I am in love with him, picking on me?" responded Yue.
"It is not picking. It is just that we are concerned is all. Yue-san you are not doing yourself any good in pushing back your feelings for Negi-sensei. It has to hurt a little knowing you cannot be by his side. Even if you cannot admit it to yourself," said Haruna.
"Yes you are right Haruna-san. I am going to our room. Are you coming?" said a calm Yue.
Haruna followed Yue back to their dorm room shaking her head in disbelief.
Nodoka sat down next to the bed where Negi was in. She began to cry silently and felt still guilty over Negi saving her and getting injured for it.
"I am so very sorry Negi-sensei for causing this. Lately all I seem to do is cause you pain. I know you told me that I am never a burden. But, it still feels like I always will be," whispered Nodoka.
Nodoka looked around the room. Nobody was there with them. Nodoka took Negi's hand into hers.
"I know you may or may not be able to hear this, but I will always love you even if I am not the one who is chosen to be with you in your life. Yue-san likes you. Makie-san seems to like you. And Ayaka-san, well she fawns all over you. There are probably more who adore you in secret. All I guess I am saying is that I hope I was the one in that book Chao-san had of the future that Asuna-san burnt," whispered Nodoka.
Ako appeared from a room close by. Ako looked at Negi then at Nodoka.
"He will be fine Nodoka-san," said Ako smiling.
Nodoka looked up at Ako and responded, "I hope so!"
"Nodoka-san, can I ask you a question? Akira-san and Yuna-san wants to know what is so special about Negi-sensei that just about every girl seems to fall for him? We know Makie-san likes him, but she has a hard time explaining her feelings," questioned Ako.
Nodoka looked up at Ako and responded with, "Well, for me at least, he is granted still ten years old. But, he is sometimes more mature then the rest of us in class. You saw him at the tea ceremony. The way he looked. I overheard from Chachamaru-san about the girls and you there. He is strong, focused on a goal, passionate at what he does, cares about all of us in his class, and he is smart."
Ako said, "Yeah but like you said. He is just ten years old."
"Yes he is." said Nodoka trying to not say anything about magic.
The nurse called Ako into her office. Ako smiled at Nodoka and walked toward the nurse's office.
Hours passed as Negi opened his eyes. He was in a confused state because he did not know what happen or where he was. He felt something within his hand and looked over. He saw Nodoka and she was holding his hand. Nodoka had her head bent down toward the bed as she was asleep. Negi tried to carefully remove his hand within hers. The nurse sneaked in to his other side.
"So you are awake?" asked the nurse.
Negi jumped an inch from his bed and said, "Yeah awake."
"You apparently fell inside Library Island. This girl has been here since," said the nurse as she was pointing at Nodoka.
Nodoka awoke wondering what the noise was.
"Ah you also are awake. Good!" said the nurse.
Nodoka looked over toward Negi. Nodoka smiled and then blushed as she still had a hold of hand. He held her hand tight.
"How are you feeling this morning professor?" asked the nurse.
"Well better since I slept and hungry," said Negi as his stomach growled.
"Alright, you missed dinner and its about three in the morning. I can get you some fruit for now. Then you should rest. About noon, if you feel a little better, will release you to your dorm room. But, you should stay in bed there and not do any school work or leave that room. Do you understand?" sternly said by the nurse.
"Yes, I understand," exclaimed Negi.
The nurse turned to Nodoka, "You must be a little tired yourself young lady. You can go back to your dorm room and get some rest. I will let you know if your professor is gone to his room in the dorm."
Negi released his grip on Nodoka's hand.
"Thank you nurse," said Nodoka as she got up beside Negi and started to head out of the door.
Negi stopped her and said, "Nodoka-san, thank you for earlier and I am so sorry I became a burden for you."
Nodoka was shocked at what Negi said about being a burden to her.
"No Sensei, you will never be a burden to me. Hope you feel well and will check on you later if that is alright," said Nodoka shyly.
"Sure!" chirped Negi as Ako put a plate of fruit on Negi's lap.