"Thank you for letting me study with you, Tsumiki-san," Komaeda smiled pleasantly from the nurse's office bed where he was seated, as he watched Tsumiki hard at work.

"Oh, no! It's no problem!" the nurse re-assured, nearly dropping the glass bottle she held. "But…if you're interested in medicine, you could have studied with Kimura-senpai instead…"

"But you're head of the school Health Care Committee! That's pretty amazing. I mean, Kimura-senpai is impressive as well, but she's only a just regular member. Besides that, she hardly ever attends your meetings; she's so busy hanging out with Andou-senpai and Izayoi-senpai…"

Tsumiki considered asking him how he knew so much- he always did, about everyone at Hope's Peak- but she held her tongue. "D-do you…um, think that you learned anything yet? From observing me, I mean…N-not that I'm very interesting to watch… Ooh! I could do a dance while pretending to be a duck! T-they used to think that one was pretty funny at my old school…"

That morning, Yukizome-sensei had announced to her class that it was 'Student Observation Week'. Each morning, half the class was to choose a field of study from a hat (Souda's, in this case. The scraps of paper all wound up a touch more sweaty than one may have liked). Whoever they were assigned to, they would shadow for the day, observing them preform their talent, with the purpose of fostering more well-rounded students.

Komaeda thought for a moment. "Well…I've learned that you stutter, that you play with your hair when you're thinking or upset…and that the band-aid on the face has come loose."

Tsumiki began patting at her cheek, attempting to reattach the offending bandage. "I mean! I mean…Did you learn anything about nursing. Sorry I wasn't clear!"

"I'm afraid that it's pretty hard to teach trash like me anything," He laughed. "Hey, do you think you have something more hands-on I could try?"

Finally, the band-aid fluttered off her cheek. "You could learn to treat small wounds! …If that's okay with you…"

Komaeda smiled, standing from the cot. "That sounds perfect."

Tsumiki handed him a box of band-aids, along with a tube of ointment, before sitting back down on the rolling stool.

Komaeda half-listened as she walked him through ridiculously simple steps. In truth, it was nothing he didn't already know. Having to care for himself at such a young age, he certainly knew how to treat his own bumps and bruises. Instead, he attention lay on the peach flesh of her cheek, the area he was meant to 'treat'. The skin there was…completely unmarred. Unlike Koizumi's or Kuzuryuu's, her fair skin was completely free of freckling, however, it was also free of any cuts or scrapes.

It took until she jerked back before he realised that he had ran his finger over the soft skin where the band-aid had been while lost in thought.

Her face was turned away from him now, worry, or fear in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tsumiki-san. Please let me try again."

Tsumiki slowly nodded, taking a deep breath, turning her face toward him once more.

He gently placed the band-aid onto her skin, rubbing the edges smooth.

Once finished, her gathered up his school bag to leave.

"Thank you, Tsumiki-san. I learned a lot today."

"Out of my way, Rotten Mikan!" Saionji sneered as Tsumiki attempted to enter the classroom.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'll move!" the other girl squealed.

"Nuh-uh. Walk backwards! Maybe that way you can go back in time and become less rotten!"

"Y-yes! …Ooph!" The air was knocked out of her as she backed into Komaeda who had entered behind her.

"Saionji-san, I didn't know you knew so much about time-travel! Maybe I should partner with you for today!" He said, holding Tsumiki by the shoulders to steady her. As he did so, however, he noticed that the band-aid on her cheek had fluttered away once more during their collision.

Quickly, he turned her away from Saionji. "Hey, how about you show me how to apply actual bandages today, now that I have band-aids down?"

He led her from the room, stopping in the hall.

She stared at him in confusion until finally he tapped at his own cheek.

"Oh!" She squeaked, quickly fumbling in the outside pouch of her bag for a band-aid.

"Here you go," Komaeda said, pulling one from his pocket, and beginning to unwrap it. "Now that I've been taught how to use one by such a master, I carry one where ever I go!"

Tsumiki squinted her eyes shut as he applied it, gently, although his fingers lingered for a moment at the feel of plastic covering skin.

He wasn't quite sure why she chose to wear a band-aid over uninjured skin, or even if the bandage on her leg truly covered anything or not. All that he did know was that she trusted him to know about her lack of injury, and that he wanted to help her keep her to keep it private whether he knew the reason or not. Besides, there were still a few more days left to the week-long event. Who knew who his luck would grant him the chance to observe for the next few days...

End