Manager wa Maid-sama • 赤葦 京治

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 19

Sadly, the girls in the restroom weren't lying about your pimple. It grew on the side of your face, looking hideous and painful.

It was not a good time to have these hormones now. You needed to be active and energetic throughout the day, but you're only getting occasional headaches and excruciating cramps that hindered your task.

Halfway through noon and your face was already an oily mess. You're feeling hungry and sad at the same time. You wanted to lay down, curled up into a ball and just relented to the monthly torture. You wanted to die.

Bokuto saw the redness on your face but couldn't see it clearly behind your hair. He was worried it was a bug bite so he was making his way to ask you.

"Hey, [name]. What is that on your fac-"

Akaashi put a hand on Bokuto's mouth, stopping him from asking further about it.

"Bokuto-san. Let's not ask about such matters, all right?"

Akaashi put his hand down.

"Why not? The bite could potentially infect [name] if we don't tell her."

Akaashi furrowed his eyebrows, "What bite?"

"I don't know, that's what I'm going to ask. It could be a dangerous bug! We have to get her to the nurse's office!"

Bokuto would have rushed down to you in utter panic if Akaashi didn't grab his hand and notified him about what happened.

"Ohhh... it's just a pimple."

"Precisely. It would be wise if you don't mention it to her or ask her about it."

"Why not though?"

"It's a sensitive topic for girls, Bokuto-san. She'd think bad about herself and her appearance. You don't want that, do you?"

"Noo! There's nothing bad about our [name]. She's still as pretty as ever. Right, Akaashi?"

Akaashi chuckled, "Yes, you're right."

At each practice match, you couldn't focus on your notes as the pain was getting too agonizing to tolerate. Everything that's happening with your body had made you extremely uncomfortable for the past hours.

You slipped out of the gym to get some air and crouched down near a faucet. You clung onto your stomach painfully, whimpering, wishing to go home. The tight squeeze of your gut could make you faint.

"[surname]! Are you okay?"

Akaashi kneeled, wrapping his arms around you. Your head fell on his chest with a grimace.

"I'm... just... really... hurt—"

He called out to Onaga, who was the nearest person around.

"I'm taking [surname] to the nurse's office. Let Anahori substitute for me."

He kneeled, "[surname], please excuse me."

He slid his hand at the bend of your knees and another on your back. He hauled you up and carried you in his arms.

"W-woah Akaashi, you're going to break your back!"

"It's fine," he nudged your forehead with his nose, "Let's get you a bed to lay on. Just hang on."

You squeezed his shirt, waited, and waited until you reached the nurse's office. He gently placed you on one of the empty beds.

"Wait, no. No laying on my back. It'll spread all over my pants."

You grunted unconsciously while turning your body sideways.

Akaashi stayed quiet.

"Forget I said that."

"Okay. Are you doing all right? Do you need anything?"

You curled up while holding your stomach.

"This is better. Oh god, don't look at my face Akaashi. I have a terrible pimple, which I'm afraid will soon grow a colony on my entire face within a week."

Akaashi grabbed a chair and sat beside you, "You're going through a serious pain and you fear me looking at your pimple?"

"Duh, I don't want to look ugly in front of a guy. Especially you..."

"You're not ugly, [surname]," he chuckled, making himself comfortable in the room.

"You don't have to stay here. I can rest by myself."

"Who will help you get back on the bed if you fall?"

"I won't fall."

"Who knows? You were looking very pale earlier I thought you were going to faint. I'll be here in case you need anything." He laid back on the chair.

"Aren't we matching up with Itachiyama next? You should really go back."

"We have Anahori. This is a good chance for him to brush up his skills."

Your brows furrowed, "You're kidding. Bokuto won't be happy if he loses to Sakusa again."

"We'll have plenty of times for a rematch. He just has to get over it for now."

The cramps kicked in again. You sank your face into the pillow.

"Ugh... don't look at me."

"Here."

He slipped his hand beneath yours.

He had seen you squeezing the bedsheets so he thought it'd be better if you had someone to hold.

He could never know how much pain a woman had to endure every month just to bleed, but since he couldn't stop it, the least he could do was to be there for you when you needed it. He didn't want to see you suffer alone.

"I'm sorry for being like this."

"Don't apologize for having a functional body."

Akaashi was the first boy to ever hold your hand and you felt somewhat lucky.

He was many things and imperfection was one of them. You realized that, but you still didn't consider yourself worthy to be his special someone.

You wished you could spend another time with him in different circumstances. Where you could hold his hands again without undergoing a burning pain that left you lacking internal strength.

Perhaps in a situation where both of your feelings were finally mutual. Would it happen though?

***