'As a result, she's going for a goukon.'

'Hmmmmmmm. I see.'

'And I'm going to dress her up real pretty so all the boys will go crazy fighting to their death to vie for the beauty's affection!'

'Hmmmmmmm. I see.'

Riko punched Kurosaki in the guts and he toppled over his side, heaving laboured breaths as his eyes closed shut. That totally caught him off-guard and the impact hurt more than the usual punch.

'You should listen to me properly! Do you want me on your side, and prevent that ominous event from happening or do you just want to let it be?!' Riko's eyes were wide and red as she huffed angrily at Kurosaki. But he merely stood back on his feet and walked away, a hand holding on to his injured stomach, but his steps slow and steady.

'Argh!? That sloppy attitude annoys me so much! You'd regret being indecisive, Tasuku!'

Of course, Kurosaki was fully aware of the annoying behavior he is putting on. He really wish to put a stop to it, but his mind is scattered all over the place and his logics all in disarray. Teru had reported her invitation to a goukon, he had encouraged her. Of course he would, did he have any right to deny her? Did he have any right to be someone who desired becoming her everything, so she would not need something silly and immature like a goukon? He really wished he did, in an undisputed way without any doubt, be the rightful candidate and to be that person for Teru.

His fever escalated with his anxiety and his eyes blurred and his senses grew fuzzy, he had collapsed earlier on but thought nothing of it. Now, he has to make his way home and rest. Maybe, he can sleep through the weekends and ignore the need to be anxious. The next day, Riko heard about his cold and dropped by with medication and a cooling towel for him. That would certainly mean that Teru knew about his cold, right?

'Hey Tasuku, she's heading over to the goukon right now. Huh?! Are you sulking? What is this? If you didn't want her to go then you should have said something!'

Kurosaki frowned at Riko's teasing, and buried his burning face into his pillow. Am I that easy to figure out?! Damn it! I want to be a mature and mysterious grown up!

'Drop your nonsense pride already, be a proper man and just say it! I'd just tell her you are having a cold and need some tender loving care alright?'

'NOO! Don't tell her, if you tell her I'm sick she'd definitely NOT GO to the goukon. So you must absolutely NOT TELL HER, ye hear me?!'

Message sent.

'Yeah, okay.' Riko smiled her millionaire smile at Kurosaki and walked away, whistling a joyful tune of youth.

He felt his insides churn and his fingers stiffened by the cold air so he snuggled deeper into the blanket's warmth, but his mind was reeling from all sorts of possibilities. Was she in a skirt? And had make-up on? Maybe a dash of perfume? Damn it! I want to see it! He threw a silent punch into his pillow, and closed his eyes shut. Minutes later, his body was completely drained by the tedious worrying and he fell asleep.

The teenage boy smiled at Teru shyly and walked over, she stood so close to him and her face flushed a faded shade of pink. The wind made her skirt and hair dance gracefully, and Kurosaki could see the boy's capitvated face. He needed to walk over now, and stop the boy's advances. But the boy was quicker than him, he had raised his hand to hold Teru's face and then gently placed a finger on her shiny necklace. Kurosaki had to stop him right now, before he loses the right to be with her!

He felt a gentle hand on his forehead and made to grab it tightly. Had he been dreaming? Are they back in his room now?

'Ah is this your hand Teru? It's gentle. How was the goukon?'

Teru blushed as Kurosaki rubbed his cheeks against the back of her hand. Had the fever rendered his usual behavior into something else?

'Yes, it's done. Hm? The necklace? Riko-san said that boys would like this so..'

Kurosaki reached out and tugged at the necklace lightly, his eyes searched her eyes for affirmation as he desperately tried to escape the lingering fear from his nightmare.

'Take it off.'

His fingers found the back of the necklace and he unlatched it swiftly, and he carefully watched the beautiful metal flower piece fall onto the mattress in a soft thud. He closed his tired eyes and let his hand linger a moment longer on the nape of her neck, before turning around awkwardly to hide away from Teru.

'Ahh, I'm sorry. The fever must have-'

After an awkward exchange, Teru left the room quickly and she felt her knees tremble. The fingers were gentle, but warm, was it his fever that caused it so? She walked her way back to her room in a daze, trying to figure out the meaning of Kurosaki's serious look, gentle hands and smoothering warmth. She couldn't understand it fully.

But she knew that she liked it. Everything about him.

.

-Hello!-

I hope you liked the chapter! I tried my best to put my own spin to Chapter 16 in the manga, hope it still makes sense to you! *put hands together and pray* If you liked my writing, I'd be very happy to receive a Review or Rating (Fav or follow) because these motivate me so much, heh :D