Third Person PoV

"...Itai..." Kiyopon mutters as he lies in the comfort of his bedroom.

It's been a few days since that event on the rooftop. After beating up Ryuen's gang and even Ryuen himself....

His body reached its current limit and thus, he too, was knocked out cold. According to what he'd been told, he was sent to the clinic shortly after his body gave up on him. He stayed there for a day and was then sent back to his room to rest for about 2 weeks for a full recovery ( at least, just enough for him to move without worry. )

Suddenly, the room to his door slowly opens and in came Horikita Suzune with a bag of his prescribed ointment for his wounds and such. Kiyopon glances to her. If he recalls correctly....he hadn't seen Suzune that day after his admission. This was the first time he saw her after the rooftop incident, but it was to be expected since he requested Suzune with a particular task that had to be carried behind the scenes during the event.

But if things went accordingly, then Suzune should've made it to the rooftop, probably by the time Kiyopon passed out. It's likely that she took him to the clinic.

" ..." He didn't speak. His throat was honestly tired of speaking for now, and he can't exactly reach for his notebook either, so the best he could do was to try communicating with eye contact.

" ( ' - ') " He proceeds testing out the waters of their friendship.

" Good afternoon, Kiyotaka-kun." She greets softly before taking a chair and placing it down beside his bed. There, she takes a seat.

" Does it hurt?"

He nods in response.

" Good. I hope it does." She deadpans.

" ( '-') ?! "

Kiyopon was suprised to see Suzune, his best friend, glaring at him with animosity. He's had a fair share of experience when it comes to receiving cold glares from his companion, but this has to be the worst one yet. The girl crosses her arms and heaves a sigh.

" Do you recall the time when you first informed me of your plan on ending Ryuen?" She asks him.

Kiyopon nods.

" And do you also recall me being highly against it?"

Kiyopon slowly nods, he quickly connected the dots and knew exactly where this conversation will go....and he didn't like it.

" You see?! This is why I wanted you to reconsider, I mean, look at you! You're all bruised up and now you've basically been chained to your bed because of your wounds. I knew I should've went to the rooftop and stopped you from committing such a dumb mistake-"

And there she goes, rambling like a mother.

" I don't care if Ryuen and his stupid gang are there. I'll knock them all out if it means getting you safely out of danger. They mess with you , then they sure as hell are gonna be messing with me. Did I ever tell you how sharp compasses are? Especially mine? I can stab them in the jugular before they'd even react to it--"

" ( ' ' ) ....."

She wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Kiyopon thought it best for Suzune to finish her lecture than interrupt her mid-sentence and then accidentally escalate into an even longer lecture. Perhaps this was a decent simulation of what it'd be like if Kiyopon were placed in a normal family, where his mother would lecture him about things like these...

A real family....

A normal family filled with warmth and love...just like Matsuo....

....

Nah,

Suzune is just enough.

" Oh and don't even get me started when that egpplant prickhead had the audacity to mock me after getting his ass kicked by you. I wanted to kill him right then and there. Not only did he hurt you, which in turn, is basically picking a fight with me. But he also decided to pick fights with my pride? Is he asking for death? Why don't I answer him if Death refuses to. I'll make sure to send that guy to the underworld. That rooftop incident was going to turn into a crime scene real quickly if my brother wasn't there to stop me."

Ah, that's right. That's the exact task Kiyopon requested of Suzune during that day. To fetch her brother and act as ' witness' for the incident and hold the key to expell Ryuen if he still continues onwards with his frivolous acts against Class C.

" Ah, and one other thing." She suddenly narrows her eyes.

The air turns cold.

" So that girl from Class C, huh....Manabe Shiho, was it?" Her voice turned deep.

" ( " '-' ) " Why did the mood suddenly change?

" I didn't expect you to have another woman behind my back, Kiyotaka-kun." She scoffs.

Hold on, how did she go from scolding mother mode to jealous girlfriend mode? Kiyopon wanted..no, NEEDED to properly communicate his thoughts since it seems mere eye contact won't be enough to deter away the trouble that's upcoming.

But today, his throat was not cooperating--

" Of course, it's not like I care. " Suzune turns averts her eyes. " Despite your recklesness, it seems there was some chivalry to save you there. After all, she was the priority when you came the rooftop, no?"

" ( '-' ) "

" That's why..."

She sighs, her previously aggressive face no longer there to be seen.

" Perhaps doing something reckless to save someone you deem your ' friend'....is not something I should've stopped you from doing HAD you told me prior." She glances back to him again. " I'm not going to ask why you didn't tell me about your partnership with her sooner but, " She says, uncrossing her arms and taking out the ointment from the plastic.

" The next time you plan to do something risky like that....at least tell me, all right?" She pleas in a small tone. " You gave me quite the scare when I saw you passed out and hurt.... I don't want to see that again. Especially when..." She trails off.

Kiyopon knew what she wanted to say, even without the words leaving her lips. She was implying back to the time where Kiyopon was....well, not in the best mental health and physical shape. Back when he failed to properly process his father figure's death...

Kiyopon suddenly feels the guilt creeping in now.

He hadn't thought about it before, but he's troubled Suzune once again. The first being his depressing arc, and now this? She had every right to be worried.

As Suzune was about to open the ointment bottle, she heard a soft-spoken voice.

" I'm sorry....Suzune...."

Followed by that, was a hard cough. But his words didn't stop there.

" I've....troubled you a lot.....sorry for that. I'll make it up to you..." He manages to say.

Suzune just sighs in disappointment.

She flicks his forehead.

" ?!" Kiyopon looks at her, confused. Was the apology not sincere enough?

" I'm tired of hearing apologies from you. Why not just say ' thank you' ? " She smiles beautifully. " ' Thank you for being here, Suzune' , ' Thank you for putting up with my shenanigans all the time, Suzune' , ' Thank you for always taking care of me, Suzune'. Saying that instead of boring apologies will make me happy, Kiyotaka-kun." She says with sincerity in her tone.

"..."

Thump. Thump. Thump....

There it is again...that erratic heart beat.

"...Thank you, Suzune." He says.

" That's better." She releases a contented sigh before going back to business. " Anyways, let me apply ointment and replace your bandages. Can you sit up for me?" She asks.

Kiyopon nods and did what she asked without another word. And she begins removing his bandages and gently applying the ointment on the damaged spots silently...

.....

.......

.........

But for some strange reason, Kiyopon's mind is once again placed somewhere else....

Her touch....it felt weird to him. It sent weird tingles up and down his spine, but why is that?

Ah.His heartbeat doesn't seem to be calming down either. He wonders if it beats fast and loud enough, would Suzune hear it?

....

Does he want her to hear it?

That thought increases the tension within his inner-self. He still can't seem to place his finger on what exactly this feeling is.....it makes him warm, it makes his heart face, it sends tingles down his very being...

And this feeling...only occurs when Suzune is around.

Could it be...?

The thing Akito once said....about a crush, was it?

He wonders if the description Akito gave, matched his current feelings. And it did. But Kiyopon wonders if it's just some fluke on his end since he doesn't understand romance like most do. He's not a fanatic of romance novels and such, he may have to ask Akito about love later on.

Akito thinks Kiyopon is oblivious to it, but everyone in the group ( except Haruka ) is gravely aware of it.

------------------------------------------------------------

" There, all done." She announces before keeping away the items.

Kiyopon nods in gratitude before easing himself back into his previous position on the bed. He was both glad and disappointed that it ended rather quickly.

Her touch.....he wouldn't have minded it if it was there for just a second longer....or more.

" Oh, and....she wants to see you." Suzune suddenly mentions.

Kiyopon turns her head to her in question. Who is the ' she' that she is referring to?

" Manabe-san wants to see you." She says.

" ( '-') ...."

" Don't worry. She's doing okay, but if I recall, she caught a cold after the incident. Once you're ready to walk, I suggest checking up on the person you worked so hard to save." Suzune suggests.

Kiyopon nods.

He still hasn't properly settled somethings between them....there is still some room for doubt that Manabe might have for him. And he wants to clear that as soon as possible.

" Anyways, I'll be heading out now. Rest well, Ayanokoji-kun." She turns and heads to the door.

" Thank you for taking care of me, Suzune." He says, not missing a beat.

Suzune pauses her steps. She didn't turn to look at him, for if she did, then her blushing face will be all clear for him to gaze upon. And the thought of that is embarassing. Blushing over words of gratitude from your crush? How pathetic!

....

Pathetically accurate.

But besides that, a smile crept upon her lips once more.

" Anytime, Kiyotaka-kun."

It was christmas break....

Most students would spend their break hanging out with friends or revert themselves to hermits and chill in their rooms. A lot of time to be spent developing new skills or enjoying your hobbies without the need to worry about assignment deadlines or...those goddamn special exams.

" Achoo!" Manabe sneezes.

She grabs a tissue and blows into it before throwing it away in the half-filled bin full of her snot tissues. She sighs and leans back into her bed.

" This stupid cold..." She mutters.

It's been a week since the rooftop incident. Having water dumped on her body and her hair being cut short is NOT a good start for a typical winter break. After that, she developed a cold that hasn't gone away yet, and that frustrates her so, because she wouldn't be able to hang out with her friends at the mall for quite a while. Going out with a cold just isn't her style.

She checks her phone and she sighs at the amount of message notifications sent by her friends. She clears the slate and proceeds to type a response that should placate their worries in the group chat.

But then all of a sudden, a couple knocks interrupted her. She stops typing and looks towards the door, wondering if it was really her door that was getting knocked.

She raises a brow. The knocks weren't stopping anytime soon so she was forced to get up and walk to the door.

' I swear to god if it's Saki standing outside...' She thought. Saki and Yabu were the two girls who spammed her notifications. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to think that they'd inevitably end up going to her room when she's stated before that now isn't a good time, or anytime for the matter until her cold goes away.

She reaches the door, turning the knob and finally opening the door.

" Saki, I literally just said to not bother me--...."

She pauses.

Her eyes were met with the presence she didn't expect to see around this time, but it was also the same person she'd been wanting to see after all this time.

Kiyopon waves ' hello'.

Manabe smiles just a tiny bit.

-----------------------------------------------

" I didn't expect you to come here." Manabe says as they both sat down.

She can't help but constantly glance at the bandages around Kiyopon's face, and also the bandage wraps covering his knuckles.

" In fact, are you sure you should be even moving right now?" She asks in concern.

Kiyopon takes out his notebook and begins writing. Ignoring the soreness.

it said.

Manabe leans cheek to palm, raising a brow.

" A ' little' ?" She repeats.

Kiyopon writes in his notebook again.

it said.

" Figures." She sighs.

And then......the small talk just dies. And what's left behind is an awkward silence between the two of them.

' Shit. What do I say?' Manabe begins to think as the awkward atmosphere begins suffocating her.

' I know I wanted to see him and all...'

' BUT WHAT THE HELL DO I SAY NOW?!'

' Have we ever had a talk that didn't include him using me for secret missions? Is this the first time that we're talking to each other without any ulterior motives?!'

She subconsciously begins tapping her knee with her index finger.

' Say something, Shiho! Because we all know that this guy ain't saying shit!'

' C'mon, just say something that friends say to each other. You're experienced in that department, so this should be a breeze!'

She mentally nods to herself. Just talk to him like any other friend she has. Yep, easy peasy lemon squeezy.

" So, we have winter break right now. What do you plan to do?" She asks.

It was a good starter. Manabe gave herself a mental pat on the back for that one.

Kiyopon begins writing in his notebook...

" Oh, I see. Actually, that's also what I had in mind-- ACHOO!" She interrupts herself midway with an ugly sneeze.

She reaches for the tissue box again and does the same procedure.

Kiyopon stares at her blankly.

" S-Sorry about that..." She mutters shyly, clearly embarrassed. " That was an ugly sight, wasn't it?" She chuckles nervously.

" Is...Manabe okay?" He finally speaks. He seemed concerned.

" Yeah, I just have a cold." She replies. " It's been annoying me for the entire week since that....rooftop fiasco." Clearly, she was bothered by just remembering what had happened to her before Kiyopon arrived.

" But the nurse said my cold should be gone within a few days. I had a check-up about it yesterday." Manabe adds.

Kiyopon nods silently. His gaze softening, it seems like it wasn't anything serious. The tension between them slowly starts to dissipate as Manabe takes the initiative once more.

" Speaking of which, " She narrows her eyes. " Couldn't you have come to the rooftop sooner? Preferably, before the bastard cut off my hair." She says, half-jokingly.

Kiyopon quickly writes his apology.

Manabe blushes a bit. " Really?" She says, reaching for the short strands.

Kiyopon nods.

" Hm....Well, it's not like I'm holding a grudge over it. I think it somehow suits me as well, but no way am I ever gonna be grateful for that Ryuen bastard for something like this. " She says. She had to admit that her hair style looked cute on her if she does everything in her power to forget that Ryuen was the reason her hair style even ended up like this.