Chapter 9: You Must Be Sick!
“Kyoko, you’ve been acting strange lately,” Bubbles said, looking at Kyoko, who was sitting on the bed, lost in thought.
“Strange?” Kyoko jumped, “No way, what are you talking about?”
“You weren’t paying attention in class today and got scolded by Ms. Eve.” Bubbles held up a finger thoughtfully.
“Well… it was almost lunchtime. I was just a little distracted.”
Bubbles shook her head and held up another finger. “You’re not eating as much. You’ve only had two bowls of rice at every meal these past few days.”
“Heh heh.” Kyoko gave a dry laugh. “It’s not good for girls to eat too much. What if… what if I get fat…”
Before she could finish, she saw Bubbles’ eyes widen in alarm.
“You’re sick! Kyoko, you’re sick!” Bubbles cried, turning to run out the door.
“Wait, hold on!”
“Bubbles, wait!”
Sensing disaster, Kyoko leaped off the bed.
She caught up to Bubbles in a flash and grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”
“I need to get Ms. Eve! Let go of me, Kyoko, let go!”
Bubbles struggled for a moment, then gave up, her small limbs no match for Kyoko’s grip.
“We need to see a doctor when we’re sick! Don’t be stubborn!” Bubbles pleaded, her face etched with worry.
“Who’s sick? I’m perfectly fine!” Kyoko said, exasperated.
“…But you said you couldn’t eat anymore. You must be sick!” Bubbles insisted. “We have to tell Ms. Eve!”
Kyoko’s eye twitched.
‘Does she really think of me as some kind of bottomless pit?’
She sighed. “Bubbles, I’m really not sick. It’s just… you wouldn’t understand.”
Kyoko released Bubbles, her expression troubled.
“I wouldn’t understand?”
Bubbles tilted her head. “Bubbles might not be the smartest, but how would you know if I don’t understand if you don’t tell me? Maybe… maybe I do know.”
“Hmm…” Kyoko pondered this.
“Tell me, tell me!” Bubbles pleaded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“Well…” Kyoko hesitated.
“Please, please, please!” Bubbles shook Kyoko’s arm insistently.
“Fine, fine, I’ll tell you.”
“But you can’t tell anyone! Promise?” Kyoko fixed Bubbles with a serious look. “Not even Ms. Eve!”
“Not even Ms. Eve?” Bubbles’ curiosity deepened. After a moment, she declared, “Bubbles is a good girl. Bubbles never lies. So…”
“I promise I won’t tell a soul.”
Reassured, Kyoko took a deep breath.
“Bubbles,” she began, “Have you ever… felt this way?”
“There’s this person… someone you pretend not to care about…”
“But whenever they’re near, your heart beats so fast you think it might burst.”
“You act tough whenever you talk to them, but later you regret every word you said.”
“You think about them constantly… during class, during meals…”
“Even when you’re back in the dorm, your mind is filled with thoughts of them.”
Kyoko’s voice trailed off. She sounded as if she were speaking both to Bubbles and to herself.
“What’s wrong with me?”
“What’s wrong with you? It’s obvious!”
A voice interrupted them, smug and self-satisfied. “Our dear class president has a crush!”
Before Bubbles could even process Kyoko’s confession, the door swung open, revealing an unwelcome visitor.
“Kosan!” Kyoko shrieked, her face turning crimson. “You were eavesdropping!”
“Eavesdropping? How could you accuse me of such a thing?”
Kosan spread her hands innocently. “I just happened to be passing by and heard a commotion. Naturally, I was concerned. What if our usually uptight, goody-two-shoes class president was bullying our precious Bubbles?”
“Out of concern for my fellow classmates, I decided to linger for a bit.”
“That’s still eavesdropping!” Kyoko cried.
“Must you shout? What if someone hears you?” Kosan smirked. “It wouldn’t be good for certain secrets to get out, would it?”
She shut the door behind her, clearly not planning to leave anytime soon.
“What are you doing?” Kyoko asked, a sense of foreboding washing over her.
“Well, let’s just say…” Kosan drawled, enjoying Kyoko’s growing discomfort. “You might be bossy, loud, nosy, and act like a tomboy most of the time…”
Seeing Kyoko’s darkening expression, she quickly changed her tune. “But… you do have your moments of girlishness.”
Kyoko lowered her head. After a moment, she pulled out three candies from her pocket.
“Hmph, here.”
“Hmm?” Kosan didn’t move.
“This is all I have!” Seeing Kosan’s nonchalant act, Kyoko’s temper flared again. “Don’t push your luck!”
“Bubbles has some too!” Bubbles chimed in, her voice filled with reluctance as she produced the milk candy Ms. Eve had given her. “If it’s not enough, you can have Bubbles’ too.”
“Bubbles…” Kyoko was touched. She stepped in front of Bubbles protectively.
“This is Bubbles’! You can’t have it!”
“Oh, come on, you two.” Kosan waved her hand dismissively. “Do I look like someone who would exploit someone’s private affairs for a few pieces of candy?”
“Aren’t you?” Kyoko narrowed her eyes.
“Ahem, it seems you have a rather low opinion of me, Kyoko… Fine, I’ll be frank.”
Kosan’s expression turned serious. “This time, I’m here to help.”
“Huh?” Kyoko stared at her incredulously. “What was that?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. I, Kosan, am offering you my assistance.”
“Ms. Eve is worried about you, you know,” Kosan added.
“Ms. Eve? Worried about me?”
“Of course! You’ve been moping around for days. Naturally, she’s concerned.”
“I don’t really care how you feel about me, but…” Kosan continued, “This is stressing Ms. Eve out.”
“So let me help you.”
“Go back to being the bossy, nosy, class president we all know and love. Stop worrying everyone.”
“Even if you say so…” Kyoko sighed, deflated. “You can’t help me.”
“…”
Kosan raised an eyebrow, feeling a little offended.
“Hmph.”
“Hahahahahaha!”
Without warning, Kosan burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Before Kyoko could finish, Kosan interrupted. “It’s Yo, isn’t it?”
“You… you… you…” Kyoko pointed a trembling finger at the smug girl before her, speechless.
“‘You, you, you…’ What? Are you asking how I knew?”
Kosan snorted. “Please, it’s so obvious.”
“Obvious? What do you mean ‘obvious’?” Kyoko’s cheeks flushed crimson.
‘Really? Does everyone know?’
“Hello? Earth to Kyoko?” Kosan snapped her fingers, interrupting Kyoko’s spiraling thoughts. “Now do you believe me?”
“…”
Looking at Kyoko, speechless but clearly expectant, Kosan drawled, “I might have an idea.”
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