KiLLER KiNG's story – Tender Memories

[kozvme]

 Yuzuki: ...... Good morning, Akane.

Fudo: Morning, Yucchi!  I was just about to call... wait, huh? You still haven't changed? Will you make it?

Yuzuki. Ah... Uhm, about that...

Haruhi: Cough, cough, hack!

Fudo: Eh- Harupyon!? Are you o- okay? That was a nasty cough... Have you caught a cold?

Haruhi: Hah... it seems so. I'm not sure, but I believe it is... I feel kind of feverish and my head hurts... I think~... Maybe my knees and lower back... hurt, too... I guess?

Fudo: This is serious... I'm sure that's a cold. Or maybe a different illness. What about you, Yucchi? Are you okay?

Yuzuki: Eh... N- No... I might also be a bit feverish......

Fudo: I see... If both of you have it, it's definitely a cold. One of you must have caught it and given it to the other... This is bas. It may be better to rest for today.

Haruhi: Ah, I know right!? I was thinking the same! Gotta rest, so let's go back to our room and sleep, Yuzuki!

Fudo: Ah, wait. I'm calling a taxi right now, so you two wait here.

Haru: Eh... W- Why a taxi?

Fudo: I was thinking maybe you should see a doctor first. It's just a cold, but if it drags on it'll be troubling, right? If you catch a cold, it's important to respond properly from the beginning, so let's get rid of it now.

Haruhi: Ah~... No!? It's nothing that grave... Right, Yuzuki? It'll go away after a good sleep, right!?

Yuzuki: Y- Yeah. If we sleep, it'll pass.

Fudo: Don't worry, if I call we'll be able to see the doctor immediately. I'll also go with you. If there's anything you want to eat, we'll buy it on the way home, okay?

Yuzuki: A- Akane... but, that's...

Shingari: ... Hm. It doesn't look like you two have a fever, though.

Haruhi: Guwah!?

Yuzuki: To- Tono......

Haruhi: Oh my god~... Geez, if you grab my face from behind all of a sudden I'm gonna get scared!

Shingari: I wasn't grabbing your face, I was just touching your forehead. That aside, you're not coughing anymore? I was under the impression that you couldn't stop earlier.

Haruhi: Eh- my cough? ... Ah! That's... A-! Achoo! Cough!! Hack......!

Yuzuki: Haru...

Fudo: Are you okay!? It looks like Harupyon's about to vomit blood or something...! S- Should I call an ambulance?

Shingari: ... Are you two okay with making Akane worry this much? I think it's time to tell the truth.

Haruhi: Urk...

Fudo: Eh-... The truth?

Shingari: ... Yuzuki?

Yuzuki: ... I'm sorry, Akane. The truth is, we're fine. We just... pretended to be ill.

Fudo: For real!?

Shingari: I thought you'd realize it was too forced, but... It's a good thing I looked out for you.

Fudo: I see... I'm sorry for not get it. When someone tells you they're not feeling good, of course you'd worry.

Yuzuki: Eh...

Fudo: But I'm glad you were just pretending. Hehe, I was seriously worried.

Haruhi: Ugh... You're too kind, Akane, my heart hurts a LOT!

Shingari: Serves you right. Still, you didn't want to deceive Akane, so you two were answering evasively, right? That's why from my perspective it was even more suspicious.

Haruhi: I guessed much~... Waaaah, I'm sorry, Akane! Don't be mad~!

Fudo: Woah!? Ha- Harupyon, calm down...!

Haruhi: Buuuut~!

Fudo: Fufu! Don't worry, I'm not mad. Still... Why don't you two want to go to school? Did something bad happen?

Haruhi: Hmmー, that's not the case, buut-!

Yuzuki: It's just... we've been very busy lately. I did my best to get class credits in between jobs... I'm relieved it's over.

Haruhi: Yeah, yeah. And we haven't had a day off in a while, right? It doesn't look like we have problems with the number of days we attended classes, so before sleeping it came into my mind that I'd like a whole day off.

Fudo: I see, that's what it is... You should have just said so, then.

Yuzuki: I'm sorry, but we thought you'd be annoyed if we told you.

Haruhi: You're so honest, Akane. You'd worry if we talked about skipping school to you, right?

Fudo: What? No way. It's fine to play hooky!

Yuzuki: ...... Eh?

Fudo: I mean, skipping or not it's important to take breaks, right? Besides, it's true that we've been busy lately.

Shingari:  But it's still playing hooky.

Fudo: I guess so, but... sometimes that's not bad either. Since you two want to rest, we can make today "KiLLER KiNG plays hooky day".

Haruhi: Forrear!? Yaaaay! I LOVE YOU, AKANE~!!

Fudo: Ugh!

Shingari: W- Wait a second. Akane, are you serious? Don't tell me you also have a fever...

Yuzuki: That might be the case. Akane, show me your forehead.

Shingari: He already is.

Yuzuki: ... You're right.

Fudo: Ahahah, I don't have a fever, don't worry. That aside, what do you think, Miroku? About "KiLLER KiNG plays hooky day".

Shingari: What do I think... wait, I have to take the day off, too?

Fudo: That's right. Ah, it's not mandatory, of course!? But, you have been busy, too, Miroku. It's not gonna happen every week or every month, but once in a while it's okay to have a day like this~

Haruhi: Nah~ wouldn't it be impossible for Tono? He looks like he'd get a fever due to stress for skipping.

Yuzuki: ... You may be right.

Shingari: That's an exaggeration... It's just, I'm reluctant to rest just because I'm tired.

Yuzuki: I see... so you're well aware you're tired, Tono.

Shingari: Eh? ...... Ah.

Haruhi: Isn't that enough of a reason to rest, Akane?

Akane: Yup, I believe so. Both mind and body.

Shingari: Still, you've never taken a day off because of that, right?

Fudo: When it comes to work, yeah. But... actually, when I was younger I've cut classes once or twice.

Haruhi: Heh~ that's hard to believe!!

Shingari: Indeed... I've never heard of such a thing.

Fudo: Hehe~! That's because I've never told anyone until today. It was a secret between gramps and I.

Haruhi: Eh-! But isn't Akane's grandpa that impressive man from your dojo? Wouldn't he throw you over his shoulder, saying "I won't forgive you for skipping~"?

Fudo: Ahahah, he wouldn't! Gramps is a strict person, but that's flexible. I forgot the reason, but in elementary school I had an extremely blue day. I couldn't say I didn't want to go to school, though... so while I was reluctantly preparing, Gramps confiscated my school bag and brought me a backpack telling me we'd go out to play that day.

Yuzuki: Your grandad... noticed how you were feeling, huh, Akane?

Fudo: Yeah. That day, he took me to a theme park with a hot spring, but I really enjoyed it. He didn't ask for a reason or why I was reluctant, I laughed all day...  And, the next day even if there was school again I wasn't feeling negative anymore.

Shingari: Sounds... like a teacher. He personally taught ou that sometimes there are more important things than pushing yourself too hard.

Fudo: Right. I took over that lesson and right now I'm trying to teach it to you, Miroku! You work harder than everyone else, but sometimes you're too strict on yourself.

Shingari: Akane... Pft, you're right. I admit I have been overdoing it lately.

Yuzuki: Then you're going to rest, too, Tono?

Shingari: ... Yeah. But just for today.

Haruhi: Wow! Does that mean today is forreal "Official KiLLER KiNG plays hooky day"!?

Shingari: You should drop the official to it, though.

Fudo: Ahahah, I guess so. For now I will call the president and the staff. If I am direct with them, I won't make them worry, I guess?

Shingari: Yeah, right. Please do.

Fudo: Yup, leave it to me. ♪

Yuzuki: ...... Fufu.

Haruhi: Eh, what, what? What is it, Yuzuki?

Yuzuki: Ah... it's nothing, I'm just happy. Akane's grandad story, too... reminds me that granny also let us stay home once.

Haruhi: Ahー! She did, she did! It was that time a guy told you something that made you angry! That morning Yuzuki wouldn't get out of his futon... I didn't know anything, so I was reaaaally worried...!

Yuzuki: Yes, that time. Granny let me stay at home without asking why. Haru, too.

Harahi: Yup, we went to the department store without telling anyone at the orphanage!

Yuzuki: Yeah. The matcha parfait I ate that time... was big and delicious. Just remembering makes my heart warm.

Haruhi: It brings back memories~! Hey, hey, what about you, Tono? Have you ever had a stay at home experience like this?

Shingari: Never.

Yuzuki: Not even once...?

Shingari: Yeah. My family is strict, and if I were to stay at home, my mother would have to take a day off from work, too, so I never thought about skipping... But-

Yuzuki: But?

Shingari: I have special memories from when I was absent from school.

Haruhi: Eh, what is it! I wanna know!

Shingari: It's not a big deal, though... When I cought a cold, mom put the futon in the living room. And so she let me watch TV and movies all day. What's more... that day dad came home earlier, too.

Haruhi: Eeeeh~ what's with that, that's really nice!

Shingari: Yeah. My big brother didn't go to his room and did homework next to me... What's this, how strange. When talking about it like this, it's like the atmosphere and feelings at the time came back. 

Yuzuki: I feel you.

Haruhi: Me too, same! It's like a bubbling sensation in your chest or something!!

Yuzuki: Yeah...... I wonder if there will come a day like today when, somewhere, we will remember... this conversation and the temperature of this room.

Fudo: Guys~!

Shingari: Mh?

Fudo: President gave the okay! He said the office will contact the school!

Haruhi: Yaaaay! So, what are we gonna do!? Indoor bowling!?

Yuzuki: Before that... we should take care of food first.

Haruhi: Then let's have delivery from morning! I'll check some sites!

Fudo: Pff... You sure are fired up, Harupyon.

Shingari: If I get tired because I'm too excited, that'll defeat the purpose, though.

Fudo: ... Miroku?

Shingari: What. Even I am a little excited.

Fudo: Ahahah, yup, yup! Now that's what you call plaing hooky!