CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO – A VISIT (NatSuke)

"What? Sick?" asked Natsuki.

"Yeah, he texted us during third period. Fever and all."

The moment she had arrived at school and saw that Daisuke's seat was still vacant, Natsuki knew that there was something up. Daisuke always arrived at school first, ready to greet her with a smile and a question about how she was doing almost as soon as she entered their classroom. For the first ten minutes before class began, Natsuki wondered whether he was running late—a definite first for Daisuke if ever—but when he wasn't present for the entirety of the first period, she mused that he would be absent for today. As to why he couldn't make it to school, Natsuki decided to take the initiative of asking around at lunchtime. Had she not come along on the get-together that Monika Steinbeck of 3-A had planned and hung out with Daisuke's friends, Natsuki would have balked at the thought of approaching them to ask about him. Luckily, she managed to run into Kenta Yamaguchi in the school hallway as he was making his way to the cafeteria.

"No wonder I didn't know," said Natsuki. "I left my phone at home."

"Ah, there you go," said Kenta. "Well, I'm sure Daisuke's gonna be back tomorrow or Wednesday at most. He tends to bounce back quickly from getting sick."

"Yeah, I hope so. . ." Natsuki muttered.

Kenta smiled. "Are you worried about him?"

Natsuki blushed, glaring up at Kenta's visage peevishly. It didn't help that he practically towered over her. "That's n-not what I mean, okay?!" she hissed.

"Hey, don't sweat it, alright?" said Kenta, laughing. "It's just nice to see that you're looking out for my buddy. And I dunno if it's just me, but there are times when he seems worried about you too, you know?"

That softened Natsuki's irritation, though it also made her turn even redder. Thankfully, her face mask prevented Kenta from seeing how red her cheeks were—and everything else she kept covered behind it.

"I bet he is. . ." she murmured.

The rest of the day seemed to move by ever so slowly without Daisuke around. Natsuki always carried with her a sandwich to eat in case she would be having lunch alone, but it always made her miss his company sorely. Today, that feeling of longing was mixed with worry as she imagined Daisuke lying sick in bed. Of course, it could be less bad than what she was thinking about, but that didn't lessen the concern she felt, concern borne from the same worry and care that Daisuke always showed her. Natsuki sighed, knowing that no matter what she said in front of people like she did with Kenta earlier, she could never deny that she was indeed always thinking about him. Since the day she bared her face in front of him to show her father's handiwork, Natsuki felt like she had opened up a good part of her heart to him as well. From that moment on, Daisuke had become so protective of her that he always did his best to keep her company, even if it meant walking her to the street corner where she headed for home. Natsuki wondered why he didn't ask her anything else about her father or her home situation, but she was grateful for his company and care all the same.

Today, she knew that he was the one in need of company and care this time.

As soon as the dismissal bell rang, Natsuki quickly stored away her things and left the school, going for the convenience store where Daisuke occasionally took her for afternoon snacking. There, she used her remaining allowance for the day to buy Daisuke some of his favorite snacks—barbeque-flavored potato chips and a couple of caramel bars. Her heart pounded as she knew the risk she was taking, knowing that her father might come home later today with her not around, but it was a risk she was willing to take right now. Without her phone, she had no way of finding out how Daisuke was doing, so her best bet was a visit to his home.

Obviously, there was also the issue of arriving unannounced to the Matsuda household. Mrs. Matsuda and Hiroko were two of the nicest people Natsuki had ever met, but she wondered how they would react to him suddenly showing up at their place to see Daisuke. After all, the idea of a girl showing up at her male friend's house for a visit of her own initiative seemed to be rather too forward, but then again, during the small birthday dinner they had for Mrs. Matsuda, she was told that she could come around at any time. Natsuki decided to dwell on that thought in order to keep her courage up.

Clutching her purchases, Natsuki exited the convenience store and began the ten-minute walk towards the Matsuda Eatery. From there, she would take another ten minutes to walk back home after her visit. Natsuki made a mental note to remember what time she would be going home so that she would be there before her father showed up. He had calmed down enough since the last incident she had with him, but Natsuki knew that it wouldn't take much to set him off again. As she walked, she imagined what happened that day—how the walls of the house always seemed so thin as her father's fist banged on them, how her brain sagged with the hurtful words he threw her way, and how his hands always felt heavy with rage whenever they made contact with her face.

Natsuki wiped the tears that formed on her eyes before they could trickle down her face. Crying wouldn't do, not when she was about to see Daisuke. She decided to focus her mind on a more positive thought—namely, the get-together that she had gone to last week.

For the most part, Natsuki was still marveling at how much chemistry everyone had in the group, thanks in no small part to Monika and Kenta. Together, they worked so well as impromptu leaders that they practically managed to make everyone feel like a true part of the group. Even the purple-haired silent beauty Yuri Hoshino, whose near-formal politeness and quiet presence struck Natsuki as odd, managed to join in on whatever they had talked about on certain occasions during that day, even if she did so on a limited basis. Of course, there was also her sophomore classmate Sayori Matsuzaki, whose childlike friendliness always seemed to brighten the mood; Naoki Nakajima, whose intellect and cordiality helped him keep up with both the study session and the conversations; and resident gamer Akihiro Hasegawa, whose candid remarks and easygoing topics were always worth hearing. Natsuki had initially tried to keep quiet and go with their flow without drawing too much attention, as groups of new people didn't always have an appeal to her, but she was surprised that she managed to feel more comfortable around them than she had expected at first. Unsurprisingly, Daisuke played a major part in helping her feel so, as he always did.

There were still some people eating at the diner when she arrived. No one paid Natsuki much attention as she entered. Glancing at the counter, she saw a teenage girl arranging some things next to the cash register, while a boy of the same age was going around scrubbing vacant tables clean with a cloth. Natsuki guessed that they were the ones who helped Mrs. Matsuda man the diner daily, given that Hiroko had work and Daisuke was often at school.

Natsuki approached the counter, prompting the girl to look up. "Hello! Can I get you anything?" she asked politely.

"Um, I'm here for Mrs. Matsuda," said Natsuki in reply. "Is she around?"

"She's in the kitchen," the girl replied. "And you are . . . ?"

"Please tell her it's Natsuki Fujisawa. Her son's classmate."

"Ah, I see. Hold on a sec, I'll go call her."

"Thank you."

When the girl returned from the kitchen, Mrs. Matsuda was right behind her, looking rather excited as she wiped her hands on her apron. "Natsuki! What a pleasant surprise!" she exclaimed as she went outside the counter to meet her.

Natsuki inclined her head courteously. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Matsuda. I hope y-you're doing well?"

"Oh, I'm doing just fine, my dear," said Mrs. Matsuda. "What brings you here? Oh, wait! Don't tell me. You're here for Daisuke, aren't you?"

"Actually, yes, Mrs. Matsuda," said Natsuki. "I heard from his friends at school that he was sick, and I j-just wanted to pay him a little visit."

"Oh, that's really sweet of you," said Mrs. Matsuda. "Yes, he got sick yesterday. He said he wasn't feeling too well, but he insisted on going out to help me at the nearby grocer's—and without a jacket too! I told him to wear one for the cold, but he was just too stubborn. Said that it wasn't that cold to begin with, and that he might just be tired from school and all. Well, once his temperature started rising last night, he was proven otherwise."

Natsuki sighed. Yesterday had indeed been one of the coldest days thus far—a presage to the onset of winter—and the evening only grew even frostier from there. "Is he feeling okay now?"

"Yes, he's doing a bit better than last night," replied Mrs. Matsuda. At that, she waved her hands. "Come, come, I'll take you to him. He's just resting upstairs in his room."

With that, she took Natsuki through the diner's kitchen. Inside, there were various kitchen utensils and instruments that were strewn about—knives, chopping boards, ladles, bowls, and other such things. Next to them were small baskets of vegetables like carrots, potatoes and cabbage, ready to be chopped up for any other food orders that might come. In the air was a faint but tantalizing scent of cooked food. On one side, there was another teenage girl and a woman who were busy cleaning up some used pots and utensils among the counters and the nearby stove placing them in the sink to be washed.

Following Mrs. Matsuda, Natsuki was led through the door that connected the family diner to the house. It was almost as if Natsuki had stepped into a wholly different place as the scenery transitioned from the tiled walls and floors of the diner's kitchen to the house's interior.

"By the way," said Mrs. Matsuda, "what's with that face mask you have on, dear?"

"Oh, just for m-my autumn allergies," Natsuki lied.

"Ah, that explains it. Daisuke tends to have those during spring. Anyway, this way," said Mrs. Matsuda, beckoning Natsuki towards the nearby staircase. Natsuki followed her in silence, looking around at the house as she did. In a way, she was reminded of her own home, with the plain wooden floors and the walls decorated with simple wallpaper, but somehow, the place felt much more . . . alive by comparison. Then again, that could only be because her house's general atmosphere had felt so stagnant for a long time now.

The second floor had four rooms joined by a very short hallway. Mrs. Matsuda led her to the one farthest down the hall, rapping lightly on the door as they arrived.

"Come in," came Daisuke's voice from within. Natsuki took note of how hoarse he seemed to sound. Meanwhile, Mrs. Matsuda opened the door a little and peeked inside.

"Daisuke, dear? Someone's here to see you," she said, smiling.

When Daisuke spoke, he sounded genuinely surprised. "Really? Who is it?"

Natsuki swallowed nervously as Mrs. Matsuda stepped aside to let her through the door. Inside, Daisuke was lying in his bed, next to a couple of his school books. He was wearing a plain blue shirt with a pair of white pajamas, and his hair was wavier than ever with bedhead. In a way, it made him look cute in her eyes.

When he caught sight of her, he drew back. "Natsuki, w-what are you doing here?" he asked, sitting up as quickly as his weakened state would allow.

"Ah, don't you dare get out of that bed, Daisuke!" said Mrs. Matsuda with a slightly stern voice. "Just keep lying down, okay? I'll leave you two here for the meantime. If you need anything, just call. I'll be at the kitchen."

"T-Thank you, Mrs. Matsuda," said Natsuki with a polite nod.

When his mother had left, Daisuke asked again, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I heard that you were sick, so I just . . . d-decided to visit you for a bit," replied Natsuki nervously.

"Wait, 'heard'? But I texted you about that. I told you I was sick."

"Yeah, well, that's the thing. I forgot my phone at home, so I didn't see you text me earlier this morning. I only found out from your friend Kenta."

"Oh, that explains it." Daisuke sat up straighter with a grunt. "What did I miss at school?"

"Nothing much, except for some homework for Moral Studies and Science," replied Natsuki. "I'll tell you about it all later. Anyway, I bought you some snacks."

She raised the plastic bag where her purchases from the convenience store were. Daisuke turned slightly pink as he scratched his head. "You know you didn't have to," he mumbled.

"I know, I just . . ." Natsuki blushed as well. "I just thought that you might be hungry, okay?" she hissed in an effort to ward off her embarrassment.

Daisuke smiled. "Okay, okay, I get it," he said.

"And then your mom told me earlier that you got sick in the first place because you didn't wear a jacket last night when you helped her out," Natsuki went on, putting down her plastic bag of snacks on Daisuke's nearby desk in a huff. "I know that you wanted to help her even if you were feeling weird, but you could've at least worn a jacket while you were doing so, right? Especially for last night. Now look at you, missing out on school because of that."

With a sigh, she pulled up the chair next to the desk and sat down. She glanced at Daisuke, who was watching her with an unfathomable look in his eyes. His smile was gone, but the warmth on his face seemed to linger.

"Look, I'm just . . . I was just worried about you, okay?" she said in a gentler tone. "I thought you were down with the flu or something."

"I understand," said Daisuke, sighing. "It's just a fever, luckily. Took some meds earlier, felt a bit better, enough for me to start reviewing what I might've missed at school. Mom's telling me I should just keep resting for another day, but I wanna go back to school quickly. I might miss out on more stuff if I don't."

"Maybe you should just follow your mom's advice for now," Natsuki offered seriously. "Bed rest is the best thing to have against sickness. If you strain yourself too much while you're not yet at a hundred percent, your fever might return—or grow worse."

"Now you're starting to really sound like Mom," said Daisuke with a laugh.

"I'm serious," said Natsuki crossly. "Besides, your mom and sister are both busy, so if your fever comes back or gets worse, there might not be anyone who'll take care of you in the meantime. Trust me, I've been sick before, and I've had no one to—"

Quite suddenly, Natsuki stopped speaking as she remembered those times that she had just mentioned—being sick but also being the one who bought her own medicine simply because her father was too busy with other things to even care. When she spoke again, her voice shook slightly.

"My point is, missing out on another day at school is fine, okay? Besides, if you let this fever come back or grow stronger, you might end up missing the exams, and that's worse than being absent on an ordinary school day, right?"

Daisuke sighed. "Alright, you got me. If I'm not yet at a hundred percent by tomorrow, I'll take another day off to rest."

"Rest, not study, okay?"

Daisuke laughed again. "Yes, ma'am."

Natsuki glared at him petulantly. "Don't call me 'ma'am,' okay? It makes it sound like I'm an older woman or something."

"Sorry about that," said Daisuke lightly. "But you don't have to worry about being mistaken for an older woman, not when you're . . ."

"Not when I'm what?" asked Natsuki with a dangerous tone.

Daisuke chuckled. "Nothing. No, wait, seriously! It's nothing!" he yelled as Natsuki stood up, her hands balled into fists. He shrank backwards, using a pillow as a shield.

"You're saying that I look like a little kid or something, aren't you?!" she snapped, striding closer to him.

"I didn't say anything!" said Daisuke in between chuckles.

"You're thinking it, you jerk!" Natsuki cried. "Don't think that I can't punch you just because you're sick!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," said Daisuke, still laughing as he set down the pillow. "I couldn't help it. I missed you, you know?"

Natsuki stopped in her tracks. "W-What are you saying?" she stammered as she felt her face heat up. "It's only been just a day."

"Yeah, well, even so, I couldn't help but think about you," Daisuke admitted. "When you didn't reply to my text earlier, I got a bit worried."

Natsuki sighed, her embarrassment at Daisuke's concern deepening. "I'm fine. Like I said, I just forgot my phone at home."

"Yeah. Um, how's . . . how's home?"

Silence fell between them. Natsuki looked at Daisuke again. She had guessed that it would only be a matter of time before he asks her about her situation at home, especially since she was still wearing her face mask. Daisuke's tone was tenuous, as if he was careful not to set off anything untoward.

"Doing better," said Natsuki in reply. "Dad's calmed down a little. Pretty soon, my face will heal up, and I won't have to wear this stupid face mask anymore."

"I see," said Daisuke with a nod. Natsuki could tell that he wasn't satisfied, as if he had guessed the part that she left unsaid. She sat down on his bed quietly.

"I'll be fine," she told him. "It's like I told you before. I'll manage."

Daisuke merely kept looking at her. Natsuki stared into those amber eyes that she now knew so well and saw worry beneath them. She knew that it wouldn't do to tell him that everything would be fine in an instant, but she couldn't also bring herself to say that things will never get better. For now, all she could do was assure Daisuke that she would be able to soldier on and get back on track.

To change the topic, she reached out towards him and pressed the back of her hand against his forehead. Daisuke flinched a little, evidently not expecting her to do such a thing. Natsuki, on the other hand, let his hand stay where she had put it for a few seconds. Against her skin, Daisuke's forehead still felt unnaturally warm.

"Have you eaten already?" she asked.

"Not really," replied Daisuke. "My appetite's not exactly up to par when I'm sick. I only eat a bit before I take my meds."

"Ah. That's understandable," said Natsuki, "but you'll get better a lot faster if you eat up."

"Well, I think Mom's preparing some soup for me right now," said Daisuke. "She said earlier that she'll make me some."

"Alright, hang on," said Natsuki, standing up. "I'll go ask her about it."

"Wait, what?" Daisuke shifted nervously on his bed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," said Natsuki firmly. "Now, just stay right there, okay? And don't you dare get out of bed!"

Before Daisuke could reply, Natsuki left his room and went back down the stairs. As soon as she reached the foot of the staircase, she ran into Hiroko, who had just walked through the kitchen door and into the rest of the house.

"Whoa, hey there, Nats!" she said, looking surprised as she took off the coat she was wearing. Her uniform underneath—a white blouse and a black skirt—gave her boyish appearance a womanly air. "So Mom wasn't lying after all—you're actually here."

"Y-Yeah," said Natsuki with a nervous laugh. "I was just—"

"Visiting Dai on his sickbed. I know, Mom told me," Hiroko interrupted. She grinned knowingly at her. "Dai's had his buddies come here a few times before, but this is definitely the first time a girl came over."

That made Natsuki even more self-conscious about her choice to come over. "Well, someone at school h-had to keep an eye on him before he missed anything important, you know?" she said, laughing a little.

"Maybe," said Hiroko, laughing with her. "Anyway, with you around, I'm sure Dai's gonna get well soon enough."

"Y-You sure about that?" asked Natsuki.

"Of course," replied Hiroko with a wink. "You have that kind of effect on him, after all."

She visited me. She actually visited me.

Daisuke breathed shallowly as he rested his back against his bed's headrest. It had taken quite a bit of his willpower to prevent himself from lying down as he conversed with Natsuki. As if his fever hadn't done the job of raising his temperature, his heartbeat seemed to have skyrocketed as soon as he saw Natsuki standing at the doorway of his room. During the conversation they had, he had felt both relieved and agitated; of course, Natsuki's presence was always welcome to him, but the fact that she showed up while he was sick felt rather awkward to him. Of course, it wouldn't be Natsuki without her characteristic grumpiness, but still. . .

For the most part, he had been worried that his absence at school would mean that Natsuki would have to endure a day without him during the aftermath of a trying time for her. Monika's get-together had done wonders for everyone involved, taking off a lot of stress from their shoulders even for just a day. However, reality sank in after that as they went back to their books and their problems, which were always there waiting for them. For the former, Daisuke had tried to catch up by reading in bed despite the protests that his mother—and now Natsuki—gave him. For the latter, he knew he could never forget about Natsuki's home situation, and his worry far outweighed any discomfort he was feeling from his current sickness. Her face mask will always serve as a grim reminder of that day when she told him about it, even long after her bruises had healed and the mask is taken off.

Natsuki returned around five minutes later. Daisuke had expected her to simply come back in and tell him that his mother would soon be bringing over the soup that she was cooking for him to eat, but to his great surprise, she was actually carrying the bowl carefully with her. Her eyes looked dead serious, as if she was willing herself not to do anything clumsy and spill the bowl's contents all over the floor of Daisuke's room as she carried it. To protect her from the heat, she had put on a pair of oversized kitchen mitts, which gave Daisuke the impression that she had fluffy paws instead of hands.

"Okay, here's your soup," said Natsuki, setting the bowl down on the end table next to his bed with great care. Daisuke's nostrils soon caught a whiff of the soup, and in spite of the lack of appetite that he had because of his fever, he felt his mouth water a little.

"Alright, lemme just sit up properly," Daisuke grunted, using his hands to push himself to a comfortable sitting position on his bed. Before he could straighten himself up well enough, though, Natsuki clicked her tongue.

"Don't bother," she said shortly, "I'll just help you eat."

Daisuke stared at her. "What was that?"

"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm gonna help you eat!" Natsuki snapped. "Jeez, why do you have to make me repeat myself?!"

Natsuki's crabbiness aside, Daisuke could tell that she was just as flustered about this as he was. "Natsuki, I can eat perfectly fine on my own," he said a bit feebly. "Just bring—"

"No," Natsuki interrupted. "Just sit still, okay?"

Not waiting for any other reply or protest from him, Natsuki picked up the bowl from the end table, once again careful not to move it too much lest the soup inside got spilled. She propped the bowl on her left hand, cushioning it atop the kitchen mitt she was wearing there, and shook the other mitt from her right hand so that she could hold the spoon that was simmering in the bowl. Her eyes were concentrating on the soup, avoiding Daisuke's gaze; Daisuke could see how red her ears were.

"Alright," he said with a sigh. "Shoot. Or rather, 'soup.'"

Natsuki sighed in exasperation. "Very funny."

And so, resting his back fully against the headrest of his bed, Daisuke watched as Natsuki ladled a spoonful of soup, blew on it to cool it off a little, and carefully directed it towards him. He could feel his heart pounding a bit faster in his chest; there was something oddly intimate about what Natsuki was doing, making him feel rather mortified. Nevertheless, he knew better than to leave her up in the air with her obvious efforts to take care of him, so he readily went along with what she wanted.

It didn't surprise him that the soup his mother had prepared tasted nothing short of heavenly. Through the broth, he tasted chicken and vegetables even as his mouth felt rather parched from having been deprived of good food for a while now. As an added bonus, the heat of it warmed him up, warding off the autumn cold that prevailed faintly within his house and providing some form of relief to his heightened temperature. All throughout, Natsuki took care to never give him a spoonful of soup that was hot enough to scald his tongue, showing Daisuke just how careful and serious she was about this whole business.

When the bowl was emptied, Natsuki set it aside on the end table once again. "Do you need some water?" she asked, putting the kitchen mitts next to the bowl.

"No, not really," Daisuke mumbled. The soup had caused him to sweat out a bit of his fever already. "Maybe later, when I'm gonna drink my meds."

"Alright, just make sure you drink your medicine after this, okay?"

Daisuke grinned. "Yes, ma'am. I mean, yes," he quickly added as Natsuki glowered at him.

"Do you get sick often?" she asked.

"Not really," replied Daisuke. "Only when I'm too stubborn for my own good, I suppose. How about you?"

"As a kid, all the time," said Natsuki. "I wasn't exactly as fit as other kids were, so I was prone to getting sick. Now that I'm older, I guess my immune system's gotten a bit tougher than before, but I'm still careful about doing stuff that might get me sick. You should also be careful," she added sternly, pointing the spoon at Daisuke.

Daisuke chuckled. "Can't help it. I always help Mom because she can't always carry her groceries by herself when she restocks the diner. Last night was no different, with or without my jacket."

"You really like helping people out, don't you?"

"I guess you can say that. Mom needs all the help she can get. Hiroko's at work for the better part of the day, and I'm the only man in the house, so . . ."

As he said those words, Daisuke remembered his father. For a moment, not for the first time in his life, he imagined what it would be like if he was around again to help him, Hiroko and his mother. A short silence prevailed between them; even Natsuki seemed to have guessed what he was thinking about.

"Anyway, if you're done, I'm just gonna take this bowl back," said Natsuki after a short while.

"Oh, yes. Go ahead," Daisuke mumbled.

Mrs. Matsuda was still busy cooking when Natsuki reentered the kitchen; her helpers had gone off earlier to pick up some supplies at the grocery. Mrs. Matsuda waved her hand when she spotted her.

"Ah, Natsuki, is Daisuke done eating?" she called out as she checked the contents of one pot and adjusted the stove heat on another in one swift motion. "Or does he want some more soup?"

"He told me that he's full, Mrs. Matsuda," replied Natsuki as she set down the empty bowl near the sink. "I reminded him to eat some more again later, so he can get back on his feet faster."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure of that," said Mrs. Matsuda as she now began cutting up some vegetables on one of the nearby counters. "Thank you for bringing the soup up to him, by the way. It's rather hard to bounce between here and upstairs, especially when people start coming in before the evening sets in."

"It was nothing, Mrs. Matsuda," said Natsuki tactfully.

Mrs. Matsuda smiled. "Do you want to eat anything? I can cook you up something real quick if you want."

"Oh, no, I'll be fine, Mrs. Matsuda," replied Natsuki, even though at the back of her mind she knew what kind of food she might be coming home to.

"Are you sure? You look like you're not eating well again, young lady," said Mrs. Matsuda knowingly.

Natsuki looked around at her, startled. "W-What was that, Mrs. Matsuda?"

Mrs. Matsuda sighed as she finished slicing up a carrot. "Daisuke told me before about how you tend to go to school without eating breakfast. Sometimes, you even miss out on lunch! I haven't talked to you about this, and I know I'm in no position to poke into someone else's business, but it's been at the back of my mind for quite a while now."

Swallowing anxiously, Natsuki wrung her hands together. Daisuke's worry about her not eating properly was a given at this point, but to hear the same concern coming from Mrs. Matsuda first-hand was rather overwhelming. Of course, in hindsight, Natsuki knew that she should have expected her to know; she just did not expect her to mention it directly.

"I just t-tend to forget eating sometimes, that's all, Mrs. Matsuda," she lied. "I focus too much on a lot of things at school, so I end up skipping meals while I'm busy w-with stuff."

"Well, I can see where you're coming from, with how schoolwork can be too much for you kids at times," Mrs. Matsuda stated. "I've seen that a few times before with Hiroko back when she was still studying, and with Daisuke too. Really, schools should reconsider how their curriculums work; they shouldn't overwork you students all the time. Still, if you can help it, try to eat regularly, okay? All that study work won't matter in the end if you're too weakened by hunger to continue bothering with it."

Behind her mask, Natsuki couldn't help but smile even amidst her discomfiture. From the way Mrs. Matsuda spoke, it seemed obvious that this was how she talked to Daisuke as well. Once again, it reminded her of what it was like to have a mother, and even as her heart broke a little at the thought, she was greatly touched.

"I understand, Mrs. Matsuda," said Natsuki. "Daisuke keeps telling me similar stuff too. I'll be sure to keep it all in mind, thank you."

"It's nothing, dear," said Mrs. Matsuda with a smile. "Are you sure you don't want to stay and eat for tonight?"

"M-Maybe next time, Mrs. Matsuda," replied Natsuki. "I have to get going. I'll just go back upstairs to say goodbye to Daisuke, and I'll be leaving."

"Well, just take care out there, okay?" said Mrs. Matsuda. "Don't get sick like Daisuke did!"

Natsuki laughed a little. "Yes, Mrs. Matsuda. Thank you."

Daisuke was sorry to see Natsuki go, but he knew that she needed to, especially since he knew what might be waiting for her at home if she arrived a little too late. She had spent the last five minutes sitting next to Daisuke's bed, telling him about their homework for the day.

"Do you think I'll be able to go back to school by tomorrow?" he asked her.

"Only if you get enough rest, drink your meds, and eat as much as you can manage," said Natsuki shortly. "If you strain yourself too much, then you can forget about being cured of that fever by tomorrow."

Daisuke snickered. "Can't argue with that," he said. "You know, it's kinda weird to see you like this, Natsuki. Taking care of someone and all. Not that you're incapable of doing stuff like that, no. It's just . . ."

"Just what?" Natsuki asked quietly.

"You take care of people, even if you're the one who also needs taking care of."

Natsuki's brow furrowed. "I can take care of myself perfectly well."

"I know that, but . . . you know what I'm talking about, Natsuki."

Natsuki bowed her head. Before she could speak up again, though, Daisuke reached out and held her hand. Even with his fever, her skin felt warm to the touch. She looked up at him, her pink eyes shining oddly.

"It sounds lame, right? Like I'm some sort of knight in shining armor who wants to help a damsel in distress who's already strong enough to fight on her own," Daisuke went on.

Natsuki sighed. "I know where you're coming from. I just . . . I don't want anything bad happening to you because of this."

"What if I don't care if anything bad happens to me?" asked Daisuke. He wanted to sound determined, but his fever only helped him succeed in sounding a bit strained.

"I care, Daisuke," said Natsuki firmly as she tightened her hold on his hand. "You don't have to be always concerned about me on this. I'll do my best to be fine, so you won't have to worry."

Daisuke sighed. "Are you sure?"

After a brief pause, Natsuki took her hand off his for a moment to pull down her face mask. The swelling on her cheek had subsided greatly, though there was still some discoloration there. The cut on her lip had also healed up. She gave him a small but reassuring smile.

"Well, there's this saying that I always go back to: People can try, but that's about it."