How much do you like/love someone? I dunno. I've never been in-love. Neither did I take my real life crushed seriously. Anime guys are enough for me. Real people suck. Ahaha. JK. [but I somehow mean it.]

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Chapter 22 – How much

Yachiyo thought. She stared at the vacant seat beside her. The sensei is already discussing the lessons. "Maybe he's just cutting classes. But, it's already afternoon. He hasn't showed up yet. Did something happen to him? Is he alright? Maybe he's sick or something? I hope not. Today is rest day. We don't have basketball practice today." Her thoughts were quick.

"Should I call him? Maybe I should." She thought. She looked at the clock. "When will the class end? Why is time moving so slowly?" She started packing her things already. "He's fine, Yachiyo, he's fine. But is he—"

"Okay, that's all for today. Class dismissed." The sensei finally said. Before anyone could even say a thing; Yachiyo already left the room. She left like a fast wind which shocked her classmates.

"Uhm… was that Kuroko-san?" a guy asked. "Maybe she's in a hurry?" He had a confused expression.

"But that's too much hurry." The other said as he shrugged.

"Is she a member of the track and field club?"

…

Yachiyo was already out of school. She's already running at the streets. Then she stopped.

"THE HECK! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE I'M GOING!"

"Okay, Yachiyo, calm down. Just call him. Maybe he's fine." She thought. She took her phone and called Kise. "Come on… pick up." It took a while before he answered.

"Hello?" his voice was rusty.

"Ikemen? Are you okay? Why are you absent today?" Yachiyo asked.

He paused and said. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just kinda sick. I forgot to inform the teacher."

"Is your sister there?" she asked.

"No." he answered. Then suddenly something shattered in the background. Like a glass or plate.

"What was that? Are you okay?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Y-yeah. I'm just trying to cook." Kise answered then he coughed. Then something shattered again.

"Wait there, and don't move." she said.

"Wha—There's no need—" Before he could even finish, she already hung up.

She ran fast… and faster. He got to his house after a few minutes.

She was still breathing hard and was sweating too. She rang the doorbell and in a few seconds, Kise opened the door.

He looked… not okay. His hair was messy and he's wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. His expression was consisted of furrowed eyebrows, dog eyes and a frown. His face was a little red too.

"Whatever happened to idiots not getting sick?" she greeted in a deadpan manner.

"I guess I got smarter." Kise said in a desperate response to sound okay. "I'm okay though." He turned around and hit his head on the wall.

"You. Bed. Now." Yachiyo said in an evil-looking expression.

"I'm fine. I'd just go and lie in the sofa or something." Yachiyo touched his forehead to check his temperature. In reaction, he blushed and a steam formed from his face.

"You're burning up." She said.

"N-no. I'm okay. I can take care of myself." He started walking to the living room. When he got there; he sat on the couch and placed a blanket over his head. Like a hikkikomori. Then he turned on the t.v.

Yachiyo watched him with a blank expression. –Silence— Then she walked up to him and hit his head. Hard. Brutal.

"Is that your way of taking care of yourself? You little piece of shit." She said in a cold evil tone. [gomen for the word]

She took the remote away from him and then stared at him evilly. "Sit there and do nothing."

Kise was terrified. "Y-yes, Ma'am."

...

After a while, Yachiyo checked his temperature. "38.7" she said with a frown. "Seriously? How did you get sick?"

Flashback:

Kise went home and placed the popsicle in a glass. It was melting so he placed it on the refrigerator. He was still blushing as he tried to touch his lips. "Meganekko… she… Uwaaaaaa… What should I do? Tell me oh great popsicle!" He started at the popsicle for hours. While it was on the fridge. After a while he sneezed. And he did that so long that he caught a cold afterwards.

End flashback.

"Uhm… I was… uh… I left the window open?" Kise said in an obviously lying manner. Yachiyo gave him an "I don't believe a thing you're saying" look.

"Did you drink your medicine?" she asked.

"No—I mean, yeah. Of course. Ha-ha-ha." He lied again. And she gave him another "I don't trust you stare."

"Did you eat already?" she asked again.

"A-ha-ha-ha. Of course." Kise lied in the most obvious way possible. This time she can't hold back.

"Stop messing with me, you little bastard." She said as her hair flew like Medusa's and her eyes glowed red. Kise was terrified again.

She sighed and gave herself a light facepalm. "Lay there for a while. I'd just cook food."

She went to the kitchen and turned on the stove. In a few minutes, she's already cooking soup. Kise was still on the sofa. "She's here… in my house… alone… and cooking food… for me…This seems like something out of an anime...*sniffs*... That smells nice." He stood up and walked to the kitchen.

Yachiyo was stirring the soup when he entered. Her hair was tied in a little ponytail. She turned around and said; "I told you to sit, didn't I? You nincompoop."

"Sorry… I'd just sit here." Kise sat on the chair and buried his face in his arms. He looked up at Yachiyo who was staring at him with crossed arms.

"I'm just making sure you won't do anything stupid." She said.

"Why are you taking care of me?" he asked. She turned around to turn off the stove. "Because I know how stupid and careless you are."

"Thank you…" Kise said. "For taking care of me… Even if it's just because you think I'm stupid. Ahaha"

Kise can't see her face. But she was blushing. "Yes, you are really stupid."

"It's kinda funny. You're acting like my wife. We're like a young married couple." Kise blurted out.

–Silence—

Yachiyo blushed, but she wasn't showing her face.

"I-I didn't mean that! Sorry! Sorry! Please don't kill me!"

"Y-yeah. I know... And how violent am I to you?" She said.

"So-sorr—" Kise tried to say again.

"Just stop talking." she interrupted. She turned around with a knife in her hand a demonic face. "Okay?"

Kise quickly covered his mouth. And nodded frantically.

After a while Kise was already eating the soup.

"Uwaa.. this taste good~" He placed down the half-empty bowl.

"Finish it. All." Yachiyo demanded. She stood up and asked; "Where's the medicine?"

"Up there." Kise pointed at the tall cupboard. She walked towards it and reached up her hand. She was standing on her toes but she can't even reach it. Kise was trying hard not to laugh. She was embarrassed and furious at the same time. "Are you laughing at me?" She flashed him a death glare. And Kise shook his head like a hundred times.

She grabbed a chair and stepped on it. She managed to open the cupboard. Then she placed the medicine in front of Kise. "Drink this."

Kise stared at the shiny silver aluminum in front of him and the glass of water next to it. He stared at it for seconds. Yachiyo crossed her arms and gave him a half-eyed look.

Then he reached up and took the aluminum. Yachiyo grew impatient and quickly took the tablet out and placed it in front of him.

"Take it. Now." she commanded.

And once again, he just stared at it.

"Oh come on! Are you taking it or not!?" she screamed.

"I will! I will! I'm just…" he took the pill and stared at it again.

"What are you? A kindergarten? Take it already!" she commanded. Then she took the tablet and forcefully stuffed it in his mouth. Then he swallowed.

"BITTER!" he screamed. Then he drank the glass of water.

Yachiyo laughed. Not an evil one. It's a genuine laugh. "You act like a 10 year old. Ahahaha." Kise looked at her and smiled.

After a while…

Kise lay on the couch with a blanket over him. Yachiyo sat on the floor and touched his forehead to get his temperature. "Maybe you should lay on your bed." She said. Kise tried to sit up straight but his head ached. He touched it and said; "Ouch."

"I'd help you. Hold on to me." Yachiyo said. "N-no it's fine!" Kise protested due to extreme embarrassment, but she already grabbed him arm. "Even if you protest, it's not like I ever listen to you." She said.

They got to his room. And… it was messed up. Papers were scattered everywhere. On the floor. On the bed. On the table. The bed was unmade. Like someone rolled out from it and never fixed it in a hundred years. There were posters on the side. And a mini messy book shelf near the desk. And the desk; untidy. Very. But there was the big white cabinet too. It looked okay though.

Yachiyo still held Kise's arm so he won't fall down. But… she sighed deeply.

"I know my room is messy! I didn't expect a guest you know!" Kise defended.

"Sit on the chair for a while, I'd fix this mess." She said. "What?!" Kise looked surprised. "SIT. DOWN." She ordered. And he did.

Yachiyo started picking up the papers first. Then she went to the desk to clean it up. She piled the papers neatly into a set and arranged the books. In just a minute, she's already on the bed. Trying to fix it.

"How do you make cleaning look so easy? You're acting like a house wife." Kise joked. He watched as she sat on the bed and arranged the pillows. "Lay down." She said. "Oh wait, change your clothes first."

Yachiyo stood up and opened the cabinet. And… there were hundreds of clothes. Of many colors, and types. "What the heck…" she reacted. "Why do you own much more clothes than me?" she teased.

"I-I'm a model remember?!" he defended.

"I have no idea what to pick." She admitted.

He stood and picked up some clothes then said to her. "This."

But she just stood there. "I'm just gonna change into this." Kise cleared. But she didn't quite get it. "So?"

"So… you're not gonna watch me change, are you?" he asked.

She turned red and said; "O-of course. I was just leaving." She walked out of the room and closed the door. After a minute…..

"Oi, why do you take so long?" she asked impatiently. "Yeah, I'm …. done." Kise said.

So she entered the room, but… Kise was just putting on his shirt. Yachiyo flared up and looked away. Kise turned around and faced her. But she was blushing furiously.

"You call that done?!" she shouted with a blushing face.

Kise laughed. "You're too affected. Ahaha. You're secretly a pervert aren't you?" he teased.

Her hair flowed like Medusa and her eyes glowed red. "I'm just kidding!" Kise shouted. He lay on the bed and she sat on the floor. She had her back turned and leaned against the bed, while Kise stared at her from behind.

"It's already late, aren't you going?" Kise asked.

"We don't have classes tomorrow. It's a holiday." She answered. There was silence in the air.

"Meganekko… I've always wondered." Kise said. "Do you hate the rain? I've seen you stare at it before with a lonely expression."

"I just keep on remembering some memories." She said.

"Bad memories?" Kise asked. "Can you tell me?" But she didn't answer. "I would listen." Kise added.

She sighed and said; "I never had any friends. Though that's quite obvious. I used to study in an all-girls middle school. I was awkward and shy. I looked cute though. And my grades were high." She sounded like she was boasting but her voice was lonely. "But I always have this feeling that nobody really liked me. One day, it was really rainy. Everyone started leaving. Unfortunately I forgot my umbrella. But everyone else had someone to share with. I was alone. I stayed there for hours. The rain didn't seem like it would stop. Tetsuya was always there to help me, but he lived far away. Mom and Dad are always busy and they come home late. I don't have any brother or sister. So I walked home alone." She said. "I didn't get sick like you though."

"I'm sorry…" Kise said. "I didn't know…"

"Of course you wouldn't. You're not psychic." She said in a deadpan voice.

"Anyway, I would transfer to Seirin once second year starts so I'd get to see Tetsuya more frequently." She said in a happy voice.

"Huh? You would?" Kise asked. "Yup, didn't you know?" she asked him. He sat up and she turned around. "Will you really leave?" he asked.

"You shouldn't move so much." She stood up and then sat on the bed.

"Will you… will you really transfer?" Kise asked again. "Please don't leave."

"Huh? Why not?" she asked.

"Because… I don't want you to leave." Kise replied.

"If it's because of me being the manager—"

"Don't leave! I-I haven't told you some things yet." Kise said.

"Things? What are you talking about?"

"I shouldn't waste time… I'm so stupid to only realize that now." Kise paused and looked straight at her;

"the things…how much I enjoy your witty response… how I think your eyes sparkle… how much I like to look at you when you're reading… how much I love to see you smile… how much I tremble just because you're right in front of me… how I keep many remembrance about you…" He was blushing. And she knew. But she can't speak. "And how much…

I like you."

.

.

.

TBC

How much END

Phew... one chapter finished... and one more to go before I take a 1 day break. XDDD.

Matta ne~