What Rules Cannot Hold (A Naekusaba story)

Chapter 13

''Now, now, Makoto, don't worry. Your secret is safe with me and Atua!'' Angie said loudly.

''I think that you're misunderstanding my situation.'' 

''Dude, you really think that we didn't notice?'' Kazuichi asked in disbelief. 

''Listen: she was injured and so now I owe her a favour.'' 

''So are you going to forget of everything you did with her before that? C'mon, Makoto, use that luck of yours to convince us somehow.''

''Yeah, Makoto. When I deal with those matters I usually try to imagine that I'm speaking to myself, that way, when I speak to a girl, I feel less stressed,'' Yasuhiro chimed in, flinging his arm around Makoto while chuckling to himself. 

''Hold on, so you confess to yourself or what?'' Kazuichi stopped eating and looked at him with disgust. 

''I mean...not really, but self-love is still important!'' 

''None of you understand love, so what's all this commotion for? You'll not advise Makoto wisely and so perhaps your silence would be of greater help to him,'' Korekiyo said and arose, taking his plate. 

''You don't know who you're talking to it seems. You're just some recluse,'' Kazuichi countered, puffing up and looking over Yasuhiro's hair to see if Sonia witnessed his rebuttal. 

''Sonia will never fancy you,'' Korekiyo added before leaving them. 

Kazuichi sat still briefly, then, as if having successfully registered what Korekiyo said, he chased after him, spewing insults along the way. 

''Soooo, Makoto, will you permit Atua to help you in solving your problem?'' Angie asked. 

 ''Thanks, Angie, but not this time.'' Makoto responded.

His chief occupation now was to help Mikan in nursing Mukuro. He arrived at her dorm regularly, assisting as far as a person with no medical expertise could. Naturally, there were days when Mikan preferred to work alone and he used that time to catch up with his studies. Everyone was waiting for next week's relocation with excitement, partly because they wanted to forget about the recent events. Meanwhile Makoto was more concerned about the practicalities of transporting Mukuro if her state didn't improve. Mikan assured him that an ambulance would help if needed, but he still feared that she would be forgotten about. A fear not out of place since Junko didn't visit her sister, nor asked about her, after she and Makoto passed each other in the hospital. Other students were more distant and that distance was apparent even when she was showered by some of them with gifts. Makoto suspected that it was her close association with Junko and her general reclusion that was the cause. 

Today was the day when he had to help Mikan so he headed to her dorm. Over there he met with the nurse and found her happier than usual. Apparently the medicine she requested from some clinic was available, however, she had to cover some formalities upon collection. 

''C-could you j-just stay with her for a while? I won't ta-take much time.''