Archive of Our Own

1.

In the rowdy corridors of Furin High School during break time, a student with striking split black-and-white hair walked with a scowl that forced the crowd to part ways. Along with his messy hair, disheveled uniform, bruised face, and scraped knuckles, he looked like a walking warning sign: stay clear or become the next target.

His name was Sakura Haruka, a permanent fixture at the infirmary tucked away in the corner of the second floor. Despite only being a freshman for six months, the school nurse, Hiragi-sensei, already knew his face by heart. It was hard not to, considering Sakura showed up once a week with fresh wounds decorating various parts of his body. Hiragi-sensei never got tired of lecturing him to stop looking for trouble, but Sakura figured that the problem was not about him who was looking for trouble, instead it was trouble who kept finding him.

Take today, for instance. Sakura was carrying an ice cream he’d just bought from the cafeteria. He hadn't even made it out the door when someone so menacingly stuck a foot out, making Sakura tripped over. The fall didn’t hurt on Sakura's side, but the ice cream was ruined, and being the center of attention in a crowded cafeteria was infuriating. The culprit who was a delinquent upperclassman known for bullying freshmen stood there with a sneer.

One punch led to two. Realizing Sakura was far stronger than he looked, the upperclassman called for backup. It turned into a three-on-one brawl. Sakura’s body ached all over, but as usual, he emerged the victor.

“Sensei, I need a bandage.” Sakura walked into the medicinal-smelling room without bothering to knock.

He braced himself for Hiragi-sensei’s inevitable lecture, but instead of the tall, stern nurse, he found someone else.

“Hiragi-sensei is in a meeting, so I’m watching the room for now.”

Sakura blinked. In front of him sat someone with fluffy yellow hair and round cheeks that looked like manju sprinkled with sesame seeds. He was so tiny that the nurse's chair looked like it was swallowing him whole.

“A teacher? Why are you so short?”

“Hey, that’s rude! I’m a first-year, so I still have time to grow!” The figure in the chair snapped back, clearly annoyed at being called small.

Sakura nearly choked on a laugh. His muffled snort earned him a sharp glare from the boy.

“Yeah, yeah, my bad. Since when do students pull shifts in the infirmary anyway?” Sakura asked, making himself at home by flopping onto one of the infirmary beds.

“Since Hiragi-sensei started a youth health education program with the nearby hospital. The school only has one nurse, so members of the First Aid Club fill in when he’s away.”

Sakura nodded, though he secretly wondered why the school didn't just hire another nurse. Then again, why bother if the current one couldn't even give him the bandage he asked for?

Sakura narrowed his eyes, scanning the boy from head to toe. He looked more like a middle schooler. “By the way, are you seriously a freshman? How come I’ve never seen you before?”

The boy’s face flushed red all the way to his ears. “I’m Nirei Akihiko from Class 1-9! Ask anyone there if you don’t believe me!”

“Really? You’re just too tiny, I thought you're like a pre-schooler or something,” Sakura muttered, genuinely baffled.

“Shut up! Just sit still!” Nirei grumbled, stomping his foot as he grabbed the first aid kit. He approached Sakura with a pouting, frustrated expression. “No wonder you’re all bruised up. Your foul mouth probably makes people want to punch you.”

“Hey, they started it first...” Sakura rolled his eyes but a small smirk played on his lips. It was probably fair that Nirei wanted to hit him, but he couldn't help teasing someone who was just too cute to exist.

Nirei huffed, soaking a cotton ball with alcohol. “Hold still, this is going to sting.”

Sakura was stunned. Usually, Hiragi-sensei didn't bother with alcohol for minor scrapes; he’d just slap a bandage on and call it a day. But Nirei was being incredibly meticulous.

The moment Nirei’s hand touched Sakura’s face, Sakura went silent. The room, which had been filled with their bickering just seconds ago, suddenly felt very quiet.

Nirei moved with gentle care. Sakura could feel the boy’s small, soft fingers against his skin. It was a stark contrast to his own hands that were rough, calloused, and scarred from hitting walls or jaws too many times.

“Why are you so quiet? Does it hurt that bad?” Nirei asked, his voice laced with worry. His face was only inches away now. Sakura felt the warmth of Nirei’s hand cradling his cheek; it felt like the gentle pressure was healing the bruise instantly.

Sakura, who had been ready to snap back with another joke, found himself flustered instead. He could hear Nirei’s uneven breathing. Stilted and awkward. He wondered what was going through the fluffy-haired boy’s mind.

“No… why are you holding my hand?” Sakura asked, his own cheeks heating up as he looked away.

“I was going to put on a banda—forget it!” Nirei dropped Sakura’s hand as if he’d just touched boiling water.

“Ouch, careful, Nirei. Be gentle? I’m the sick one here,” Sakura teased, unable to help himself. Despite Nirei’s rough movements as he tore open the packaging, his touch remained surprisingly soft as he finally applied the bandage to Sakura’s finger.

“There, finished! Now get back to class! Don't linger here, the infirmary isn't for skipping classes!"

The infirmary door slammed shut in Sakura’s face. He sighed, starting the walk back toward the cafeteria to find a snack before the bell rang.

“Why are you so spicy,” Sakura chuckled to himself. “Even though you're so cute like a Pomeranian.”

2.

Sakura fell from the stairs. For some reason, it felt much more painful than usual. He had calculated that a fall from a height of 200 meters wouldn't be that bad but gravity had other plans.

He felt something seeping through his knee. It was wet, sticky, and uncomfortable, making him realize he was actually injured. Staggering, Sakura made his way to the infirmary, which luckily wasn't too far. He couldn't even walk without leaning against the wall for support. If the person greeting him inside wasn't Nirei, all this suffering would have been for nothing.

When the door opened and a pair of panicked brown eyes came scurrying toward him, Sakura could finally smile in relief.

"You again?! How did you get hurt like this!" Nirei guided Sakura to the bed, his face etched with uncontrollable worry.

"Fell down the stairs. Slipped," Sakura answered curtly, hissing when Nirei tried to roll up his trousers to inspect the damage.

Nirei, who had been ready to lecture him, went silent out of pity. He sighed in resignation. "I can't treat this unless I see your injury."

"Turn around. I’m taking my pants off." Sakura didn't actually intend to tease Nirei this time, but seeing Nirei’s freckled cheeks turn bright red at his words made him smirk inwardly. It was far too entertaining to fluster this boy; Nirei’s reactions were always satisfying.

"Hurry up!" Nirei grumbled, scurrying toward the cabinet behind the nurse's desk to grab the first aid kit. He didn't want to spend a second longer than necessary in the room with someone undressing, even if they were both guys.

When Nirei returned, Sakura was thankfully still wearing three-quarter-length undershorts. Nirei stared at the wound intensely, his hands trembling as he reached out to clean the skin.

Sakura watched the way Nirei cared for him. It wasn't like a doctor treating a patient; it was like a wife who hated seeing her husband in pain. Sakura's heart thumped hard against his ribs. He felt a chill, his face flushing all the way to his ears. He felt embarrassed for having such stray thoughts.

However, as he looked closer, he realized Nirei wasn't just trembling but his face was deathly pale. "Can you even clean a wound with your eyes closed...?" Sakura asked slowly.

"S-shut up! It'll be over in a second..." Nirei replied, his voice completely unconvincing.

"You haven't even touched the cotton to it yet—"

"Argh, just be patient! I... I actually get dizzy when I see blood..."

Sakura gaped at him. "What?! Aren't you in the First Aid Club?!"

Nirei looked ready to cry. "I don't know either! During orientation, I wanted to check the Journalism Club box, but I think I skipped a line and checked First Aid instead! By the time I realized, my name was already on the core member list!"

Sakura fell silent for two seconds before exploding into laughter. Hearing Nirei's absurdity made his own decision to accidentally fall just to see the boy feel a little better. Apparently, he wasn't the only one in the world doing silly things that defied logic.

"Don't Laugh! Be quiet... it's going to be hard to bandage this, you're bleeding so much!" Nirei complained, desperate to just cover the wound so he could stop seeing the red.

"Fine, close your eyes," Sakura said firmly.

"Huh?"

"Close them." Sakura covered Nirei’s eyes with his left hand. Not wanting to get his eyes poked, Nirei reflexively shut them tight. He felt the alcohol and gauze being taken from his hands.

"What are you doing?" Nirei asked, staying obediently closed his eyes.

After a moment of rustling, he heard Sakura speak: "There, the blood is gone."

When Nirei opened his eyes, he was shocked to see Sakura’s knee already covered in white gauze. It turned out Sakura had cleaned the blood with alcohol and applied the pad himself.

"Wait, you can treat your own wounds?" Nirei muttered, impressed. If that was the case, why did this guy come all the way here and tell Nirei to do it?

Sakura placed a roll of bandage in Nirei’s hand and said with a confident smile: "Put the wrap on. I'm not good at wrapping bandages."

That was a complete lie. As if Sakura wasn't constantly in fights and used to patching himself up. In reality, he just wanted to be touched by Nirei’s soft hands for a little longer. He watched with satisfaction as Nirei nodded obediently.

Nirei began to wrap the bandage around Sakura's knee. He was confident now that there was no more blood to make his skin crawl. He was skilled at wrapping things tightly and neatly. Inwardly, Nirei felt that this heterochromatic boy wasn't as bad as people said. He was kind enough to clean his own blood just so Nirei wouldn't be scared. Nirei glanced at the name tag on the uniform.

Sakura Haruka.

Oh, what a nice name.

Once finished, Nirei wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "There. Can you... can you walk back to class?"

Sakura hummed in fake thought. "Ah, I think my leg is too sore. My class is close, though. I can walk, but can you help me stand up?"

Nirei, being far too kind for his own good, immediately positioned himself at Sakura’s side. He draped Sakura’s arm over his shoulders, while Sakura’s rough hand circled Nirei’s slim waist.

As the distance between them vanished, Sakura suddenly forgot his mischievous intent to tease the sweet infirmary student. Nirei didn't smell like antiseptic; he smelled soft and sweet. A blend of vanilla perfume and fruity shampoo. So sweet and fresh.

Since Nirei’s head only reached Sakura’s chin, Sakura’s nose accidentally and then very intentionally buried itself in the crown of Nirei’s head.

He smells so good... Sakura breathed in the scent of that blonde hair. The soft curls tickled his nose. The scent and texture were like cotton candy, making him feel a sudden, strange urge to take a bite.

"Sakura-kun? Why are you stopping? Let's go," Nirei looked up, making their noses almost touch.

"Y-yeah! I'm going!" Sakura immediately turned his face away, which was now a deep, ripe red, but his hand only tightened its grip around the petite nurse's waist.

Sakura-kun, he said...

That was the first time Nirei had called him by name. Sakura’s heart bloomed at the sound of Nirei’s melodic voice. He decided right then that Nirei needed to say his name much more often.

3.

Like every other student at Furin High School, Nirei loved break time. It wasn't because he could play soccer on the field or snack at the cafeteria. Minding the infirmary during break might have meant he couldn't go anywhere like the others, but it gave him the privilege of free time to write in his journal. On top of that, he could freely borrow Hiragi-sensei’s laptop to listen to music at a school that strictly forbade students from using cell phones during school hours.

Rarely did anyone stop by the infirmary during break. Even if someone did, it was usually just one or two sick students who obviously needed some quietness to rest. Feeling like a tiny tyrant of the white-tiled room, Nirei opened his notebook while listening to music through his headphones.

Click.

Unfortunately, there was one person who had been disrupting Nirei’s peace lately. He didn't even need to look up to know who had opened the door.

“Nirei… you got any headache medicine?” Sakura walked in with a limp posture, acting as if he were suffering from a severe ailment.

Nirei pulled off his headphones and gave Sakura a flat look. "Sakura-kun, I saw someone chasing people down the hallway looking perfectly fine just a minute ago. Why the sudden headache?”

"Tsk! It’s because of that damn Sugishita; he wouldn't back down over the last Taiyaki in the cafeteria. Dealing with a guy like him gives me a headache." Sakura dodged the question, looking away, then roughly dropped a plastic bag onto Nirei’s desk.

"Here. Eat. There's milk too, so you can grow taller." Nirei peeked inside the bag. There was the Taiyaki that had apparently been the subject of the dispute, and a carton of milk just as Sakura said.

"Sakura-kun... you’re so kind," Nirei’s eyes began to well up. He let out a small sob, feeling deeply touched.

Sakura was very attentive, Nirei realized. Sakura, who knows that Nirei rarely made it to the cafeteria because he was minding the infirmary and brought him food every day. Even though, in reality, Nirei always brought a lunch box from home and enjoyed his alone time in the infirmary.

“Sakura-kun, you really are a great friend! Thank you so much!” Nirei beamed beautifully, his face practically radiating blooming flowers.

Sakura could only weep internally at the word friend. Sakura didn't know if Nirei was just incredibly oblivious or genuinely dense, but the boy clearly hadn't noticed that Sakura had been hitting on him this whole time.

Sakura just wanted to cry thinking about how long it would take until they could actually date. It might take months, or perhaps until the sun starts rising from the west. It seemed Sakura’s journey to get Nirei's heart was going to be a very long one.

4.

One day, the infirmary door slammed open with a bang much louder than usual. Nirei, who was busy coloring his drawing, let out a long sigh without even turning around.

"Sakura-kun, if you’re just here for painkillers, I told you headache from math class can’t be cured with—"

"NIREI! IT’S AN EMERGENCY!"

Nirei spun around and let out a shriek. "What now?!" He nearly fainted on the spot seeing Sakura’s forehead scraped red and swollen. It turned out that for once, it wasn't a trick. Sakura really was the victim of something.

"That damn Tsugeura! Just because he’s tall, he purposefully threw a basketball at me while I wasn't looking! Then he had the nerve to say, ‘Whoops, didn’t see you there, sorry man.’ Like hell he didn't!" Sakura ranted as he sat on the bed, his hands trembling with rage.

Nirei hurriedly grabbed some cotton and antiseptic, squinting his eyes slightly out of fear of the blood. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as the wound from the stairs last time, but the blood mixed with the swelling was still scary enough to look at. "C-calm down, Sakura-kun. Maybe Tsugeura-san didn't mean it?"

"Didn't mean it my foot! He was clearly aiming for my forehead! Just wait until I—"

The moment Nirei’s fingers brushed Sakura’s forehead with a sterile cotton ball, Sakura went as still as a statue. He calmed down instantly, letting Nirei’s hands apply a cooling ointment to the bruise. Sakura’s eyes fluttered shut, savoring the sensation of Nirei’s small, soft hands placing a bandage on his forehead.

In that quiet, peaceful atmosphere, something suddenly occurred to Nirei. "Wait a second, Sakura-kun. Wasn't your PE class during the first period this morning? It’s break time now..."

Nirei pulled his hands back, looking at Sakura in confusion. "If you got hit by the ball this morning, why did you only come to the infirmary now? Shouldn't you have come right when it happened?"

Sakura opened one eye, giving Nirei a flat look as if it were the dumbest question in the world.

"Well, why else? Because I wanted to see you. If I came this morning, Sensei would have still been the one on duty," Sakura answered bluntly, without a care in the world.

Nirei’s face changed from pale white to tomato red in a matter of seconds. He froze, the cotton ball in his hand falling to the floor.

"You wanted to see me…" Nirei stammered, his heart feeling like it was about to jump out of his chest. But then, his innocent and optimistic brain immediately found its own answer. Nirei’s eyes sparked with light.

Sakura held his breath when Nirei suddenly grabbed both of his hands tightly. Nirei smiled so widely his eyes squinted into crescents. His expression was so genuine and bright that Sakura couldn't look away from his pretty face.

"Wow, I'm so happy, Sakura-kun! I thought I’d always be alone in the infirmary during break with only my books and music... but you actually endured the pain just to wait for my shift so we could talk!" Nirei pumped his fist in a touching moment, his eyes shimmering. "Thank you for wanting to be my first friend!"

Sakura: "..."

Sakura could only freeze there with the bandage still on his forehead. He wanted to scream that he wanted to be more than just a friend to Nirei, but seeing Nirei look that happy just because he felt he had a close friend, Sakura didn't have the heart to ruin the moment.

"Y-yeah... whatever," Sakura muttered, burying his face in his palms. For now, Sakura could only lament his still-unrequited love.

5.

Sitting side-by-side on the infirmary chairs, Sakura excitedly nudged his phone toward Nirei. On the screen was a photo of a tiny orange kitten, soaking wet but safely bundled in a warm towel.

"It was out in the rain by the roadside yesterday... poor thing," Sakura murmured softly.

Nirei was stunned. He stared at the photo, then back at Sakura, a warm smile spreading across his face as he listened to the heroic tale. He never imagined Sakura would rescue a kitten in a torrential downpour, especially with the lightning that had been crashing all night. It turned out that behind those hardened knuckles, Sakura had a heart as soft as cotton.

Suddenly, Nirei felt a weight on his shoulder. Sakura’s head dropped onto Nirei’s small frame. Sakura let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. Nirei felt soft, cool, and incredibly comforting. "Let me borrow your shoulder for a bit, I want to sleep," Sakura muttered, his head spinning and his voice raspy.

Nirei was tense at first, but the moment his skin brushed against Sakura’s forehead, he went into high alert. "Wait, Sakura-kun?! You're burning up! You have a fever!" Nirei panicked. Surely, Sakura had caught a chill from saving the kitten in the storm. "Come on, don't sit here. Go lie down on the bed!"

Sakura let out a weak laugh, sounding a bit mischievous despite his exhaustion. "Haha... that's pretty bold. We just met and you're already inviting me to bed."

Nirei’s face turned crimson. "S-Shut up! You're delusional!" Nirei shook his head. Honestly, sick people really lost their minds. It was even more reason for Sakura to rest immediately.

Sakura pouted. Instead of standing up, he wrapped his arms even tighter around Nirei’s waist from the side. "Don't want to stand. Dizzy. If I stand up, the room starts spinning. I just want to sleep like this, am I not allowed?"

Nirei’s heart softened for a moment. Sakura wasn't usually this docile. Usually, he was either shy or embarrassingly loud. But the Sakura now was so obedient, gentle, and acting as if he couldn't survive without Nirei.

Unable to stay firm, Nirei finally gave in. "Fine, but let's get to the bed first so I can give you a cold compress. Walk slowly, I’ll support you."

Sakura flashed a triumphant grin behind Nirei’s shoulder. He intentionally walked at a snail's pace. One step every ten seconds just so he could stay pressed against Nirei a little longer. It felt like he might actually wither away if he were any further from Nirei. Once they reached the bed, Sakura collapsed onto it, but he absolutely refused to let go of Nirei’s hand.

"Don't leave me... I'll get lonely," Sakura whined. Nirei almost shuddered; it was mind-boggling that Sakura could be this clingy when he was actually sick.

Fortunately, Nirei didn't have to go far since the medicine cabinet was right by the bed. He pulled out a fever reducer. "Here, take this first."

Sakura swallowed the pill with a look of disgust. "Bitter. I hate it. Can I have a candy to get rid of the taste?"

"No! Sick people need to take their medicine, you can't just eat candy whenever you want," Nirei stated firmly.

"Fine... if I can't have candy, how about I just kiss you? I'm sure you’d taste just as sweet as candy," Sakura quipped casually.

"?!?!?!!!?!" Nirei was so shocked he reflexively yanked his hand away. Sakura-kun had clearly lost his mind. The fever must have melted his brain until he lost all common sense. "Just—just go to sleep! Now!"

Sakura laughed with satisfaction at Nirei's rejection. He didn't feel tortured by his spinning head or his burning body at all. Not when he could spend this much time alone with Nirei. But then he remembered break time was almost over. "Are you going back to class? Leaving me all alone?"

Nirei nodded. "I have to. I can't just skip, right? The bell is about to ring."

"I don't want you to leave!" Sakura went back into sulk mode. "Fine, then write me a sick note. Then take it to my class and report it to the teacher."

If Sakura weren't actually ill, Nirei would have loved to smack him upside the head. But since he was genuinely unwell, Nirei had no choice but to sit at Sensei’s desk and neatly pen an excuse note. He’d have to go to the faculty room to find Hiragi-sensei for a signature and then head to Sakura’s classroom. It was a total hassle, but he figured it was fair payment for all the snacks Sakura had been buying him.

Before Nirei could step out the door, Sakura made sure to catch his eye one last time with a pathetic, sleepy face. "Nirei... you're coming back, right?"

Nirei paused at the threshold and offered a sweet smile. "Yes. I'll come back after school to pick you up. Get some rest, Sakura-kun."

With that promise, Sakura finally closed his eyes peacefully, still imagining the sweet scent of Nirei’s hair lingering on his pillow.

6.

Nirei stood frozen in front of Class 1-1, clutching the sick note as if it were a life-saving shield. He glanced around nervously, intimidated by the aura of a classroom where he didn't recognize a single person.

Suddenly, a boy with long pink hair tied back in a ponytail approached him with a playful smirk. "Well, hello there, cutie... what brings you here?"

The nerve! Aren't you a freshman too! Nirei cursed inwardly. He took a deep breath to steady himself, nearly snapping back that they were in the same year, but he chose patience instead. "I-I’m here to deliver... Sakura-kun’s sick note," Nirei stammered, holding out the paper.

Kiryu took the note, skimmed it, and then scanned Nirei from head to toe. He looked at the note again, then back at Nirei. His eyes suddenly went wide with shock.

"Wait... wait a minute... are you the one Sakura was talking about?!" Kiryu shouted so loudly that Tsugeura, who was busy lifting dumbbells in the corner, came charging over. Nirei wondered since when the school allowed dumbbells in class, but it seemed typical for a friend of a brawler like Sakura.

"What’s up? You're being too loud!" Tsugeura barked.

"Tsugeura! Isn't this the guy Sakura described?" Kiryu asked enthusiastically.

Tsugeura tapped his chin, appearing to think hard. "Hmmm... Fluffy blonde hair like a bird's nest, tiny and petite like a Pomeranian, and cute little freckles on his cheeks—"

Tsugeura stopped mid-sentence, his eyes locking onto Nirei, who was standing there with a bewildered expression. A second later, Kiryu and Tsugeura screamed in unison.

"OHHHH, SO THIS IS SAKURA’S BOYFRIEND?!"

Thud!

The entire class, previously busy with their own business, immediately descended into chaos, swarming toward the door.

“No wonder Sakura stopped picking fights during break!”

“It’s true then, he’s been busy dating someone!”

Even Sugishita, who had been napping peacefully in the corner, glanced toward Nirei and let out a huff. "Tsk... Sakura actually managed to land someone like him," Sugishita muttered under his breath.

Kiryu immediately draped an arm around Nirei’s shoulders, his gaze turning so friendly it was actually terrifying. "Well, Nice to meet you, Sakura’s boyfriend! What’s your name? Which class are you in?”

"I-I’m... Nirei Akihiko... Class 1-9... b-but I’m not his boy—"

Tsugeura cut him off, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Nirei-kun! Give us a tutorial on how to domesticate a feral cat like Sakura! What do you feed him to make him so obedient?”

Nirei felt like he wanted to vanish from the face of the earth. He only came to deliver a sick note. Why was he suddenly a guest on an impromptu podcast?! Cold sweat began to bead on his temples.

Suddenly, a boy with an eyepatch and a calm smile approached, patting Kiryu’s shoulder to make him release Nirei. "Easy, everyone. Look at him, he’s trembling like a terrified deer."

Suo Hayato looked at Nirei with a gentle gaze. "Are you alright? Sorry about them, they have a bit too much energy."

Nirei nodded. He felt like hiding behind Suo. He was the only person in the room who seemed sane and kind.

“Want to sit down for a bit? I’ll get you a drink. You can tell us all about Sakura’s weaknesses while you’re at it—”

Nirei shook his head violently. He had spoken too soon; everyone in this class was exactly the same. They were all terrifying predators, and he needed to escape immediately. "N-no! The bell is about to ring! I have to get back to class! Excuse me!"

"Awww, alright then!" Kiryu waved energetically. "Come visit us again soon!"

“As Sakura’s boyfriend, you’re welcome in our class anytime!”

"WE SUPPORT YOUR RELATIONSHIP!" Tsugeura bellowed from inside the room.

Nirei sprinted down the corridor, his face the color of a boiled lobster. He kept his eyes squeezed shut, too embarrassed to look at anyone in the hallway. He fumed with frustration; Class 1-1 was utterly unpredictable. He’d always heard it was full of the smartest, strongest, and most famous students. The hell with that! They were all lunatics.

But Nirei couldn't stop thinking about how Sakura had described him to Tsugeura.

Fluffy blonde hair... Pomeranian... cute little freckles...

Nirei pressed his hands to his burning cheeks, feeling his heart pound much harder than it ever did when he saw blood. What was even happening to him? It feels like Nirei himself was starting to lose his mind.

7.

Nirei had been standing frozen in front of the infirmary door for thirty minutes. His hands, gripping the straps of his bag, were slick with cold sweat. Honestly, he wanted to bolt straight home, but he wasn't cruel enough to break his promise to meet Sakura after school. Besides, Sakura was still sick; Nirei couldn't bear to make him sad.

He paced back and forth, practicing his breathing and mentalizing excuses for being late. The teacher called me in because I forgot my homework. It was my turn for classroom cleaning. Anything to justify the delay he needed to calm his heart, which had been racing ever since the chaos in Class 1-1.

The moment he gathered enough courage to push the door open with just a crack, Tsugeura's boisterous laughter erupted from inside. "I can't believe that Sakura’s boyfriend is actually that cute!"

Then another voice joined in, "Sakura-chan, you should've introduced us from the start!"

"When he dropped off the note, he looked so scared, like he was about to cry," a softer, more caring voice added.

"Hey! Do you guys think I’m so ugly that I can't talk to a pretty guy?!" Sakura’s voice barked back, sounding much more energetic than he had that afternoon. "Is it a crime to have a boyfriend who looks like an angel?!"

Nirei winced as he overheard. *So Sakura really has been introducing me as his boyfriend all this time?* He didn't know how to react. The thought of facing Sakura after hearing that felt impossible.

But just as Nirei turned to run, a massive shadow blocked the doorway. Sugishita stood there with a bored expression, looking down at Nirei, who barely reached the bottom of his chest.

"Get in," Sugishita grunted. He grabbed the back of Nirei’s collar and hauled him inside like a stray cat trying to escape.

The moment Sakura saw Nirei, he practically levitated off the bed, suddenly cured of all ailments. He dashed over and snatched Nirei away from Sugishita, making sure to swat at Sugishita’s hand for touching him. "Back off! Don't put your hands on Nirei!"

Sugishita merely narrowed his eyes and let out a huff. "Tch. Possessive."

"See? Just like I said," Kiryu laughed heartily. "Sakura-chan turns healthy the second he sees Nirei!"

Nirei could only think to himself that he disagreed, 'I feel like whenever he stops by, he always has an excuse to be sick!'

"Enough, enough! All of you, scram! Go home!" Sakura shooed his friends out impatiently.

Reluctantly, Sakura’s friends filed out of the infirmary, not missing a chance to tease him about being shy to have affectionate best friends or being in a hurry to get some alone time with Nirei. Before Sakura could hurl an infirmary pillow at Kiryu, they vanished down the hall, shouting reminders to rest and drink plenty of water.

Now, they were finally alone. Sakura scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry about that... my friends are all idiots."

"Sakura-kun... why did they say I was your boyfriend?" Nirei asked in a tiny voice.

Sakura’s face instantly turned a deep shade of crimson, reaching all the way to his ears. He looked away. "Well... sorry. I-it’s... because that’s how I introduced you to them."

Nirei froze. So Sakura really had been calling him his boyfriend? That statement indirectly meant that Sakura wanted Nirei to be his boyfriend—and the reason was simply because Sakura genuinely liked him.

Nirei shook his head slowly, still in disbelief. "But why? I only looked after you because I was on duty... it’s not because I’m actually that kind or anything..."

"No," Sakura cut him off, his voice firm. "Nirei, you never judged me even after I’d been in a fight. You still cleaned my wounds even though you were shaking because you're scared of blood. You were actually worried when I had that fever... besides, you're sweet-smelling and small and cute and kind—"

"STOP! AHH, SO EMBARRASSING!" Nirei yelled, trying to cover Sakura’s mouth with both hands.

"I’D BRAVE ANY EMBARRASSMENT FOR YOU!" Sakura shouted back against Nirei’s palms. The outburst made his face boil like tomato soup. Nirei, too, stared at him with a bright flush rising over his freckles.

Unable to handle Nirei’s gaze any longer, Sakura hid his burning face in the crook of Nirei’s neck, hugging him tightly.

Nirei was stunned. Sakura’s hug felt incredibly comfortable. His shoulders were broad, holding him securely, and the arms around his waist felt warm. In that second, Nirei realized he enjoyed the safety of Sakura’s embrace. He realized that maybe... he had fallen for this two-tone haired boy as well.

Sakura looked up, his eyes fixated on Nirei’s lips. He leaned in, but just before their lips could meet, Nirei held him back with a soft palm.

"No! There must be so many germs because you just had a fever!" Nirei protested.

Sakura groaned. Denied a kiss on the lips, he immediately moved to Nirei’s neck, sucking and nipping at it intimately. Nirei winced slightly at the sensation. Sakura smiled with satisfaction at the purplish-red mark he left behind.

"Sakura-kun! Why did you give me a hickey?! What if the whole school sees?!" Nirei panicked, clutching his neck.

"Just cover it up," Sakura replied casually. He grabbed the jacket his friends had brought from class and draped it over Nirei’s petite frame. The jacket was oversized, completely hiding the mark on his neck. Then, Sakura handed him a bag of snacks. "Here, these are for you too."

Nirei looked at the contents of the bag in confusion. Water, flu medicine, tissues, bread, snacks, and some candy. “Your friends gave these to you, right? Why are you giving them to me?”

"It’s fine. Think of it as compensation for the way they made you suffer in class earlier," Sakura snorted.

“No! They gave them to you so you’d get better!” Nirei shook his head quickly. Sakura just stared at him for a long moment, as if to say that once he wanted something, Nirei wouldn't be able to stop him.

Nirei sighed in resignation. “Fine... how about we eat them together?”

This time, Sakura was the one looking at Nirei curiously. "To my house. Let's just watch something while we eat the snacks from your friends."

Sakura smiled broadly at the promise of visiting and having a date at Nirei’s house. He nodded quickly, grabbing his bag to head home.

All the way back, Nirei kept his head down. It felt far more embarrassing to wear Sakura’s oversized jacket. Nirei doesn't know why it feels like announcing to the whole world that he was 'Sakura’s' rather than just letting a hickey be seen by the public.

Meanwhile, beside him, Sakura walked with his chest puffed out and a proud grin, flaunting his petite boyfriend to anyone who dared to look. Nirei could only grumble inwardly; it was all according to Sakura's plan. But Nirei couldn't possibly stay mad at his cute, embarrassing new boyfriend. He loved Sakura so much!