"Isn't it obvious? If I wanna do something, then that's what I'll do!"
The girl's casual remark reminded Mei of the time when they'd visited Yuzu's father's grave.
Flashback:
"Your father passed away?"
"Yeah... when I was three", Yuzu smiled, though there were obvious traces of sadness visible in her expression. "He died 'cause of a heart condition", she added.
Mei didn't know what to say other than "I'm sorry". To be honest, she didn't expect for Yuzu to have dealt with something so serious and tragic in her past. Actually, she really didn't know much about Yuzu and her past at all.
"Ah! But it's not a sad thing!", Yuzu insisted, "He'd been living with it for most of his life so he was prepared for it. Thanks to him, he taught me to live my life to the fullest, with no regrets…". She said that last part with a small, reminiscent smile, her eyes were full of hope and determination. A face that the younger girl had never seen Yuzu wear. She felt a tinge of admiration and envy for the older girl.
Thinking back on it, it may have been the first time she felt respect for Yuzu. Though her rebellious nature was a handful at times, she was starting to understand her. Thanks to the blonde's reckless behaviour she finally found the resolve to work hard for herself and follow her own path. She was now determined to take over the academy and become the Aihara successor.
At the moment, both girls were walking back home after seeing Shou off at the airport. Mei didn't know where he'd be flying off to so she made a mental note of asking her step mother and writing him a letter this time. She glanced over at Yuzu, who was walking beside her while pushing the bike. Looking closer she noticed that Yuzu was pale and seemed tired. Though it was understandable since she rode the bike from the school all the way to the airport at top speed. What was strange though was that she was still panting.
"Yuzu, are you alright?", she tried not to sound too concerned.
"...Yeah, I'm fine", Yuzu managed in between laboured breaths. "Just not very athletic y'know?", she brushed it off with a lighthearted chuckle.
Even if the blonde wasn't very fit it didn't explain why she was still gasping for air as if she'd just run a marathon. "Here, let me", the younger girl offered. Instead of asking any further questions she took the bike from Yuzu and started pushing it in her stead.
'Damn it. Calm down!', Yuzu tried to regulate her breathing. She turned over to glance at Mei, who, judging by the peaceful breathing, was already fast asleep next to her.
Yuzu had learned that Mei had a strange habit of kissing her at random times over the past few weeks. The blonde had had no romantic experience until she met Mei but even Yuzu could tell that the kiss they just had was… different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it and everytime she thought about it, it made her heart ache.
She got up from the bed and reached into her school bag, (Harumi dropped her bag off at her house after Yuzu borrowed her bike) where she had last left her medication. Being careful not to disturb Mei, she tiptoed out of their shared bedroom into the kitchen to get a glass of water.
"Yuzu? You're still awake?", the middle aged woman yawned.
"Sorry mom, didn't mean to wake you"
The older woman rubbed the sleep off her eyes and noticed the prescription bottle in her daughter's hand. "Are you alright? Should we visit a doctor?", she immediately started worrying.
"No, I'm okay mom"
"It's because you rode a bike all the way to the airport. You probably strained yourself!"
'Was it really because of that?' "Seriously, mom. I'm fine. I just need some sleep", she started walking back to her room.
However, when she got into bed, even though her muscles were aching, she couldn't fall asleep. Her mind wouldn't let her. Was the pain in her chest because of her condition or was it because she had fallen in love with the raven haired beauty? Or maybe it was because she knew that her newfound love for her step sister would only end in disaster. Even she knew that this love is doomed from the start. And yet, she didn't want to give up on these feelings.
Yuzu woke up feeling like a wreck. Her mind was heavy with thoughts and her muscles still ached a bit. Despite her mother's insistence she still decided to go to school the next morning. Her brain wasn't used to contemplating such deep thoughts so late in the night. However, on the rare occasions when she did have to ponder over her many plights, she always tried to focus on other things. What better way to distract yourself than go about your usual day. She did owe her best friend some ice cream after cancelling on her last time.
Meanwhile, Mei watched the blonde from a distance. She too noticed that Yuzu had been more tired than usual. Sure she would grumble from time to time since she was still adjusting to her new morning schedule (Yuzu insisted that she wanted to walk to school together) but today it seemed like she was too exhausted to even utter a word of complaint.
"Are you sure you want to do PE Yuzucchi?", the brunette asked. "You're looking a little pale..."
"Yeah… I'm fine-", she took a step backwards as nausea crept up from her abdomen and just like that her world went black.
"Yuzucchi?!"
Mei immediately rushed to the unconscious girl's side with the brunette already checking for breathing and any injuries the fall may have caused. Thankfully, after some vigorous shaking Yuzu awakened with a small crowd surrounding her. "Oh thank god. I thought you died there!"
Mei breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Taniguchi-san. I'll take her to the infirmary"
"No!", Yuzu practically shouted.
Both Harumi and Mei were taken aback by her firm refusal. "I mean… it's fine. Harumin can take me…", she couldn't meet the student council president in the eye. 'If I look at her now, my heart my burst!'
"I see", Mei's voice was cold. "Well then, Taniguchi-san. Please accompany her to the infirmary", she turned away without looking at Yuzu, the crowd started to dissipate.
That snapped the gyaru out of her daze and she held out a hand to help Yuzu stand up, "Come on Yuzucchi, let's get you to the infirmary". While they made their way to the infirmary neither spoke. Harumi knew that there was something wrong with her best friend for her to dismiss the student council president so harshly but she knew better than to ask her while she was sick. After all, Yuzu still looked like she could potentially faint at any minute so the girl focused on getting her to safety first.
"Huh?", when they arrived at the infirmary the nurse was nowhere to be found. "I'll go look for the nurse. You lay down on one of the beds!", she ordered before running off.
The blonde did as she was told and lay down on one of the beds. Now that she was alone her thoughts seemed to fill the silence around her. If it was going to be like this then she would have been better off staying at home. The point of going to school today was so that she wouldn't be alone with her thoughts like this.
Thankfully, she wasn't alone for long. "You are Aihara Yuzu-san correct? The chairman told me about your circumstances", an old woman, presumably the nurse, appeared in front of the blonde. "I'm sorry, I had some business to attend to", she took out her stethoscope and started examining Yuzu. "It seems like you fainted because you overworked yourself, or more specifically, your heart. But there is nothing to worry about, all you need is rest. Has your doctor prescribed you with any medications?"
Yuzu only managed to nod.
"Then, have you been taking them regularly?"
"I have"
The nurse nodded as she looked over some medical papers, "I see. All is in order. You can rest here then until school is finished. I'll be back later to check on your condition", the old woman smiled before closing the door behind her.
Yuzu sighed, 'Alone again'.
"What was that about medication, Yuzucchi...?"
The blonde's eyes widened in surprise and she bolted up from the bed. How long had she been standing there? "I… it's for…", she mentally kicked herself as her brain failed to make up an excuse.
The brunette picked up the clipboard that was on the nurse's desk. "Quinidine? Isn't this used to treat heart arrhythmia?"
'Crap'. There was no way she could talk her way out of this now. "H-how do you know…?"
"My grandma takes it as well", she said simply, though there was an underlying tone of anger in her voice. "Why?"
Yuzu hesitated but she knew that Harumi would never let this go until she told her. "I… didn't want you, or anyone for that matter, to pity me". Memories of her past flashed through her mind. Memories of her old 'friends' who looked at her with pitying, almost condescending looks. There were so many more reasons but that was all she could muster for the time being. "I didn't want you to be one of those people who felt forced to be friends with me… that's why I didn't want to tell you"
There was only silence which was intensified by the heavy atmosphere the topic had brought on. Yuzu was ready for her best friend to react angrily. Would she slap her or would she just storm out and never talk to her again? Either way, she was terrified which was another reason why she avoided telling her.
Suddenly she felt a sharp sting on her forehead. "Ow!" Yuzu rubbed the reddening spot above her brows.
"Stop being so stubborn!", the brunette looked angry but tears were welling up in her eyes, "I became friends with you 'cause I wanted to. Nothing more and nothing less! If you think that I'll coddle you 'cause of something like this then you've got another thing coming!", she basically tackled her.
The blonde was surprised but relieved. She returned the hug and managed a small smile. "Thanks Harumin"