CHAPTER 68

I do not own skip beat. Yoshiki Nakamura does.

A sprinkle, A morsel, A bed:

A galaxy of care.

Part one.

His first impulse was to call her but she didn't pick it up. He tried again and she sent him a message she was busy, trying to fool the hell out of him clearly, and not knowing he was back, and aware.

He pretended it had worked for only the small walk until he reached the hotel they were staying in.

"I'm back. I know you are sick." He sent.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest. Go working." She sent back.

As if he was going to accept that. The more she trivialize her state, the more likely it was she was hiding how she truly was. It would pain him too much to not be by her side to take care of her when he would be able to. He couldn't stand it.

"Wrong answer. I'm coming." He sent back. He didn't get an answer right away so he pocked back his phone and made his way in the hall of the residence.

—

Kyoko dropped back her head in her pillow and groaned in the fluffy cotton-filled thing. She sent back a message, telling him to not come, that he would catch her illness, and pushed her phone under her cushion. She felt so tired. Just typing those few answers had drained her.

She felt her cat climb on her back to sleep there, taking advantage of the fact Kyoko was lying on her belly, but she didn't mind. Snow was comforting her with a loud purr and keeping her warm. Her cover had dropped from the bed earlier when she was wrestling in her sleep and she just hadn't had the energy at that time to lift her body to fold it back on her. She swallowed a couple of times, feeling her tongue cling to the roof her mouth in dryness. She would have wished for some water but she was just too tired and sored, and gave up.

The purrs of Snow reverberating in her thorax were lulling her to sleep and her eyelids closed on themselves. She would just rest more, she was only good at that in her condition anyway.

It appeared like just an instant before her phone rang irritatingly loud, waking her up from a slumber that had been a little more peaceful thanks to Snow. She blindly stuffed her hand under pillow and head resting on it all at once, and keeping her eyes stubbornly shut in hope to keep the sleep in easy reach the second she had dealt with the damn ringing.

She drowsily grabbed the offending object and threw it across the room- startling her cat a tint guessed by her small jump but not enough to remove her from Kyoko's back-, and the she replaced the area her mobile had occupied under her cushion by her head, cradling it with softness to kill the new headache coming. Whoever it had been could be damned.

Unfortunately for her, the pounding was not done with her as soon enough she heard knocks at her hotel room's door. It was not a big room after all, and she had let the bedroom opened so that her cat stroll around from tiny living-room and kitchenette to the bedroom easily.

She ignored the door.

But then her phone started to ring again. She ignored it again. It rang again.

She crawled out of bed with much expletives, grabbed the comforter to cover her shivering body with, and dragged herself to her phone to reply.

"Hello?" Her coarse voice uttered tiredly.

A familiar voice gasped in the speaker and she held back another curse. Now she couldn't hide it to him.

"Why is your voice so rough?" he asked. "Did you let your window open? I just heard a car's sound."

"I let the one in the living-room a tint opened yes, to keep some fresh air in. But it isn't because of that, I just cough too much."

She could hear the silent worry and disapproval he was emitting even through the phone.

"Open up, I'm at your door." He demanded.

"No."

"Kyoko…"He signed.

"I'm sick, and I don't want you to catch it." She said weakly.

"I won't. Open up." He insisted.

"No. I just need to sleep on it some more." She affirmed. She did not know if she was right and truth to be told, her state hadn't get better despite much sleep. But she did not want him to see her in this state or to worry or feel obliged to help her. And most importantly, she did not want him to catch it too.

"From Shingai-san's words, it has already been three days, let me help." He said again.

"No."

"Kyoko-"

She hung up. Any more of his sweet voice and she would cave. She was in no state to pretend or do whatever, and she just wanted to be left alone in her corner and in her bed.

She went back to bed with her cat.

—

Ren cursed at his phone as he stared at the black screen. Then he snorted. So oddly moody. It was kind of exhilarating for him to see yet another side of her. Well, if he wasn't more preoccupied with her state. He kind of couldn't believe she had just hung up to him though. The part of her that was very polite hadn't change much after all. A few curses here and there was all he had ever heard in especially unnerving situations.

But if she thought it would be enough to deter him, she had another thing coming. He gave up on the door after one last attempt, clearly even if she was still awake- and he wasn't sure it was the case anymore-, she didn't plan to open the door for him.

He strolled through the reception while his mind kept circling the hidden information her tone had easily admitted. He wasn't the best with sickness as he hadn't been ill often, but he hadn't forgotten his only experience. Based on what he heard and what she brushed off too, her throat should be hurting a lot thanks to the coughing. Also, his colleagues had told him about this virus through some calls before he came back, so he also knew a few of the symptoms might be running nose and swollen glands. And she had sound weak too.

He rushed into spreading out the situation to the receptionists and fully understood they couldn't give him either a key nor the code from her room as it was against their policies and a violation of privacy, even in urgent matters. That's why, he proposed them something else. They were reluctant a first but after checking he really was who he pretend to be, his just to be sure, they were reassured enough to consent to this. What they had agreed to wouldn't cause them troubled if they were questioned, and being absolute sure of who Ren was made it clearer there wasn't any risk to the safety of the resident. The fact that they knew each other and were close were all over the new after all and Ren fully took advantage of this.

Matter settled, he twisted around with no hesitation and walked back on his steps to Kyoko's door. But instead of stopping there, he marched up to the adjacent grey door and nimbly wiped the card into the lock making it bip as it opened.

He snooped in the unoccupied room, padding quietly on the wooded floor after removing his shoes before unlocking the balcony glass door and sliding it open to step out. He fitted back into the brushed-leather-low-cut Brogues as he walked outside, hoping the lack of spring in his shoes would not hinder his attempt and wished to have worn baskets for the support it usually provided.

He placed his palms on the railing which contoured the balcony's surface. Then, maintaining his hands' position on where they were, he let his long fingers winded up around the bars shouting down from the rail to the the balcony's ground and violently jolted the structure.

It did not bulge. To his satisfaction.

He eyed the hotel's building as he turned around, observing the many room's windows that led up to more balconies until his gaze landed on the structure right besides the one he was leaning on. Though right beside as an estimation might have been a bit of an understatement but it was only 2 meters and half away, so close enough. And as he had guessed through their call, the glass door of that room was ajar.

He avoided looking down as he knew they were fairly high in the floors.

He heard some coughing even from where he was, and decided and he had lagged enough.

He breathed in and took a back step before jumping dexterously on his own railing, and paying attention to preserve his balance.

He walked cautiously a bit further on the left to stand at the angle. He focused all his attention in his future actions.

His eyes eagled on the other balcony.

He positioned himself. His knees bent.

He jumped. High.

His feet rising forward and upward. His head upside-down.

He twirled once in the air before landing safely on the cement of the other balcony. Even further he had anticipated as his hands were proved useless to stabilized him when he had imagined only receiving himself on the railing.

Not loosing a second more, Ren removed his shoes again and pushed swiftly on the glass door as he entered, not making a sound as deftly passed by the door and the curtains that had left the place in shadows. He felt like he was intruding and trespassing, and resolved himself to leave if she was in a good enough state to be left alone, and that she didn't wish for his presence.

Strong of his new determination to not overpass the limits, he prepared himself mentally and tried to quell his worry for her in advance, and attempted to squash any deep feeling of just wanting to be there. Even if he was to be fully useless. To at least be able to watch over her and care for her. What he desired was of little importance, what mattered was if she needed him. And subsequently went in second if she wanted him here.

The area was only lightened by the day's rays barely passing through the two curtains, and left him only seeing the things here and there of the small living-room provided as he quietly advanced in direction of what he supposed to be her bedroom.

When he reached the half-open bedroom he was met with the fluffy white cat of Kyoko watching him suspiciously, guarding the entrance.

He squatted down and lifting his palm up, he presented her tiny muzzle with some if his fingers so she could smell him. She had already met him several times and let him pet her so he was hoping his scent would suffice to reassure her. He did not want to light up the room if Kyoko had went back to sleep, and risk wakening her up so it would have to do.

The bumble of fur sniffed out his index doubtfully, and visibly relaxed after a few couple of seconds more; licked his finger. She even begun to purr, and he couldn't help the low chuckle that escaped him. She was too cute.

He took Snow in his arms and creaked wider the door open as he walked into the fully dark room, searching for where the bed should be and trying to make out the form that should be sleeping in it. He needed to see her at least a little, and hesitated for a second between the flashlight of his phone and a touch of day light the tiny window could provide if needed.

He decided his phone lamp would be too aggressive, and padding cautiously so he wouldn't knock off something he wouldn't have seen, he made his path to the tiny frame and lift the shutter of one centimeter.

A pale glow peaked through and turned stiffening darkness to grayish shadows and shapes, and he could finally make out where the bed was. As long with some other things. Two stainless steel bottles seemingly emptied, scattered tissues on the ground, and a wrinkled comforter barely covering up to the waist a curled-up sleeping form. He picked up a few tissues and dropped them in the trashcan as he walked to the bed, and the cat followed him and quickly hopped on the side of the bed and climbed on Kyoko to sleep on her. At that moment, he heard her cough and sat on the farther side of the bed quickly to be able to glimpse at her face.

She was sleeping but he had barely time to register this with how shocked he was when he saw how pale she looked. Even her lips nearly didn't have much color left. She was breathing heavily and through the mouth- he supposed because her nose was clotted-, and it was raucous. He pushed a few strands of hair to feel up her forehead and frowned not only at how much she was sweating- he had guessed as far with how much the locks had been clinging to her face-, but at how boiling it was.

He scurried into covering her back to her chin with the blanket but right at this moment bouts of coughs overtook her that eventually were strong enough to awake her.

He brushed her hair back so it wouldn't fall into her mouth as she was coughing so much, but only realized he was here when her fits eventually quieted down.

She dropped back her head on the side to be able to tilt it enough while starring at him and had to blinked several times before speaking.

"How?" She mumbled feebly.

"I wasn't about to let you be without checking you were fine by yourself" He replied simply.

She closed back her lids and sighed.

"I'm fine" was her reflexive answer and he squinted at her, very much ready to explain how far from fine she was. But she continued speaking between new coughs before he had the chance.

"But no, I meant…cough…How did you…enter?"

There was no beating around the bush on this one, he guessed.

"Err…Well,… I might have jumped from next door's balcony to yours…" Ren admitted sheepishly.

Her eyes shot open as she tried to lift her upper body, and as she strangled herself with a new cough and wanting to speak.

"…You are insane" She said as she laid back into the bed under his insistence and when she stopped coughing.

"Well, you had let the window wide opened so it wasn't so hard and it's you who refused to let me enter"He justified himself.

She had dropped an arm on her face and was mumbling something in circles like she hadn't heard him, and it took him a second to identified what she was saying.

"What a mad man! What a mad fairy man..!"

He couldn't help the laugh that escape him. It wasn't the first time she was calling him like this, and he kind of liked it.

"Now, that's not fair. Had you let me in in the first place, I wouldn't have had to use such convolute ways to reach you." He stressed.

"I'm sick" She told him like it explained everything, and with suck a hoarse voice he could barely hear her.

He made eyes at her, pointing at her tied-to-bed-by-fever-and-feebleness situation, daring her to deny it.

"Yes, indeed. Reason why I'm here and I'm so glad I did not take your word on how "fine" you were."

"You are going to catch my-cough-cold."

"Better now than later when the shooting would have resume to a normal pace" He countered.

"It's just a little cold," the infuriating woman changed tactics and had the boldness to say.

"Kyoko…"He sighed at the sight of that stubborn woman, not even able to move but still trying to do everything by herself.

But two could be play this game.

"When did you last eat?" He asked.

She guiltily diverted her eyes and he had his answer.

"And to say it's me who is talking of this…" He said, internally amused at the switch of positions. "I'm not leaving."

She groaned at this and he pinched his lips.

"When did you last hydrate yourself? Wash yourself?"

She turned around, ignoring him.

"Well, that settles it, I'm not leaving"He repeated after a minute passed and she sent flying one of her two pillows at him.

"You are funny" He said while catching the pillow and he would have laughed was he not trying to win an argument with a sick person just so she would let him help her.

"I'm sick." She said with a tone of finality.

"I know."

"I'm just sick. I just need to be left alone and rest" She grumbled, still presenting him with her back.

You need someone to be there and take care of you!

"I'm not leaving Kyoko. You are in no state to be left alone." He told her.

"You are annoying." She that certitude tone.

"You are just grumpy because you are sick." He said, smiling endearing at her back.

"Leave me alone." She grumped out weakly.

"No."

"I can handle myself."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can!" She attempted in shouting out with her hoarse voice but it ended up in a cough.

"No!" He replied in kind, loosing his temper at her bullhead behavior. "You can't, you are too sick! You need help right now!"

She hissed at him and turned on her belly before crawling her head under her other pillow, and grabbing each side to press on her ears. This time, he had to laugh. It was just too cute and uncharacteristic of her not be hilarious.

"Go away!"

"No."

"Let me be!"

"No."

"Leave me alone!"

"Never."

"Goddammit Ren, just go away…"

He place one hand from each side of her body and bent over her form.

"Make me."

She whined at what he was sure was the prospect of having to just do that, and he chuckled again.

"Once you don't have any more fever and can kick me on the butt and out, I will leave and consider you recovered enough, " He told her, "But until you can make me, I will consider you are too sick to be left alone."

Her shoulders hunched and he knew she was admitting defeat. Headstrong woman.

He slowly took hold of her pillow and extracted it from her hands. She opposed no resistance. He lifted the cushion and revealed a exhausted frustrated face, all teary, red and snotty thanks to the fever and the sickness. Her long locks were twisted in every sense and some strands had curled around her arms and waist and were clinging to her awkwardly.

She looked adorable. Annoyed as hell but adorable.

He fluffed it and placed the pillow back under her head.

"Now, would you please let me help?"

She sighed in the cushion, looking more tired than before, and he guessed their argument had taken what was left of her energy.

"As if I get a choice in this…"

"Good that you know" He replied, saltiness for saltiness. "When did you eat last?"

She didn't reply right away, hesitant.

"I don't know." She said.

He frowned at this, and then frowned at his frown, because if even him realized it, it must mean it was bad enough.

"Maybe two days ago…"She finally whispered, doubtful. "I was too nauseous to eat for a while."

He gaped at her. The least you could say was that he was shocked.

"You-…Two days? Coming from you, it's like a week for-…"

If anything could have convinced him that she was very sick, that was it.

"Eating it is then."

She stared at him with fear and he understood why, but he still lift his nose in mock vexation.

"Don't worry, I told you I trained. I should be able to do a few small things." He assured her. "And for more substantial food, I will order."

"Or are you still nauseous?"

"No but-…I'm not…hungry…"

Oh the irony, he thought as he turned a stern face at her.

"Once upon a time, someone told me you still needed to eat for energy and to be able to take medicine when you were sick." He said, recalling her exact words.

She stared at him blankly for a micro second, glared at him and then grabbed back the blanket before throwing it back on her as she lied down and faced away from him again. Eventually, she spoke to the stunned silence she was met with that last move, and said: "Suit yourself. Stay… if you want to. I'm sleeping." Her coarse voice uttered sulkily.

He let out a loud mooing laugh at this, then coughed. Seriously, she had her ways into bringing out the most unexpected things from him.

"I thought we already determinate you would let me help taking care of you for now?" He taunted.

No reply came.

"I'm going to have to employ dirty moves if you persist in not complying…"

She waved her hand away like he was a fly bothering her. He wanted to strangle her.

"Kyoko…" He warned.

She tilted her head toward him, and he could see how much of an effort it was for her with the fever right now. He would let her go back to sleep once she would have eaten a bit to take some medicine and drank water. But she needed it. He was no expert but her fever was too high to stay unattended. And that was even without counting she would only get weaker if she didn't nourish herself. Her words, not his.

"Food?" She said pitifully like if he was doing the worst kind of cruelties to cute innocent animals like squirrels. Just because he was asking her to eat.

"Yes." He stated firmly.

She pivoted fully on the back and initiated into removing her cover and getting out of bed. Her legs and arms were trembling and she was undertaken by constant shivering the second she was outside the warm of her blanket. Oh yes, her fever was high.

Ren deftly rolled back the blanket around her once she was sitting, and prevented her to attempt standing. Her cat came to settle in Kyoko's lap and purred loudly when he saw her hand pet her cat's head slowly.

"Don't be silly. Why am I here if not to help in this situation?"

She gazed weakly at him, more stunned by fever he had realized. He smiled at her, and decided actions were more efficient.

He scooped it all. Cover, woman wrapped in it, and cat curled up on Kyoko's lap. His worry actually worsen when Kyoko did not give any sort of protestation to this treatment and just let her head roll on his shoulder heavily. She shuddered against him, looking cold in spite of the blanket wrapped up all around.

He kissed her forehead. She didn't react.

"We are going to break down that fever." He said and carried them to the couch in the other room. Still, though he knew the temperature could rise a fair share, he was still worried. He did not know what were the limits and the points to be wary of. He had sent Yashiro-san to the pharmacy to buy some basic stuff in advance- trusting his manager to know what Kyoko would need-, but she might need to see a doctor. He would do some researches as soon as Yashiro-san would be back with at least fever-killers and a thermometer.

He delicately placed Kyoko and her cat on the couch, telling her she could lie down while he tried to figure out a little something she could eat. She nodded but didn't do so and sneezed. He felt silly.

He brought back her box of tissues, another cover he too wrapped around her and water. He changed her bed's sheets and cleaned a bit, then he made quick work of his phone to see what he could make to her that he was sure he wouldn't completely mess up. Yashiro-san was also supposed to come with some groceries. Sure he would have preferred to just be able to ask the hotel but they only provided food if you decided to come down in the dining room.

She lied down under the cover and Ren glanced at her every two seconds when he heard her cough, and it was noticeable it was because of it she couldn't sleep.

Keeping an eye on her, he focused on slicing tiny vegetables he found in her fridge so he would not cut himself. He was still sloppy sometimes with this, despite the hours of training. He had also started some rice with the easy rice cooker the kitchenette provided, and he was thankful for it. He had also exercised on some Japanese food he knew she liked, and her favorite meal. But that was about as far as his competences went.

Thus, he managed to make miso soup- though he thought it might be a tiny bit too salty-, and a fried egg. She didn't have hamburgers to make the exact replica of what she loved but he thought it might be too heavy right now, anyway. He could try when her fever would have fallen. Yashiro-san would bring some, and beside this, he was planning on browsing to order as healthy food as he would find after that, because truthfully he couldn't rely on his skills to feed her properly.

He had searched for recipes helping appetite when you were sick and had found a few interesting advises. Following those, when the rice was cooked, he put a couple of spoons in a bowl and added a little of sugar- it always helped appetite apparently-, and some coconut cream to it. He blended it a bit with the spoon then topped it with some of the vegetables. Then he assembled the miso soup. He crossed fingers it would be good enough while frowning at the mess he made in the kitchen.

He brought the meal to the low table near the couch, and went on about motivating a person in particular to eat.

"Kyoko, I made you some food. Come, on."

She groaned and lifted hoody eyes at him. If he hadn't been so worried, he would have found it a turn-on but he could see it was because she had troubled keeping her eyes opened, and it just made him even more concerned.

"I'm not hungry." She mumbled.

"I know, angel. But you need it. Come on, I will help you." He coaxed, brushing her cheek in a soft touch. God, she was burning up. What was Yashiro-san doing? They needed that thermometer. If he wasn't here in half an hour, he was calling a doctor.

Screw this. He was calling a doctor anyway. He preferred to be sure and be seen as paranoiac than waited not knowing what was going on, and how high her temperature was or how to help her.

"We can even watch some Disney if you eat." He added with the same cooing tone, and he could see the fever hadn't made her stupid even though she was out of it and knew what he was doing. Still, she smiled endearingly at him.

"…Not fairr," She drew out, "Where did you…find Disneys to…watch…cough, in such a short time?"

He chuckled, seeing he still had peaked her interest.

"You don't know about it?" He inquired innocently.

She vaguely shook her head.

"I will tell you if you eat."

"Bully." She grumbled without any strength in her voice and attempted to stand before giving up. "Too tired."

"Here." He said and brought her into his lap where he let her cheek rest against him, trying to not feel about how elated he feel to be this close and focus on the matter at hand. Her shudders started anew the instant the blankets weren't around her anymore and he apologized, explaining it was just until she had ate a bit. Still, he felt bad robbing her completely of the warmth she needed right now.

He took the small plaid he had brought back earlier that was much thinner and wrapped it around her. It wasn't as crowdy as the blankets so she would be able to keep it while she ate. It didn't stop the shakes completely but there were still much quieter. He held her in a tighter embrace, feeling for her state, and rubbed her back.

"Alright?"

She nodded feebly and he took a spoon of rice before presenting it to her. She sighed and still manage to sport a light hue as she opened up her mouth and took the food.

He managed to make her take five to six of those and half of the miso soup like this before she felt too disgusted for him to able to convince her of taking more. He also succeeded in making her drink the equivalent of a glass of sugary water but that was about it. And that was far from enough, especially after 3 days of not eating. He knew fasting could be when you were healthy but when you were sick it was important to eat to keep some energy so your body could fight against the viruses or illnesses.

But he was still more concerned with her temperature. He had the impression it had risen again. But Kyoko had some here.

"Do you have any ibuprofen or analgesics that reduce fever?"

She was drowsing against his chest but she somehow succeeded into shaking her head, saying it was either at one of her two flats but that she hadn't brought any. He kept her close to him, hoping to bring her some comfort and warmth and brought one of the blanket back on them.

Ren didn't think going to the hospital was good in their situation but he didn't lose any more minute, and called a doctor. The patrician told him he would be there shortly.

PS: Hello everyone. Who is back with a new chapter? It's me. Hope you will enjoy it. I don't know when I will post next chapter, I hope soon.

Anyway, new train of adventures…LOL I'm such a sadist.

It's only the beginning…

Lot of kisses and see you soon.

Mimagfan.

AUTHOR OUT.