Love caught up in my throat(Nagisa x Kaede)

9

Kaede

My eyes snap open, I gasped for air. I choked out the water that got into my mouth, followed by a few petals. My vision was blurry but when it finally cleared, I saw the scared expression of Nagisa

Wait, Nagisa?! What's happened? What's he doing here?

I remembered the events prior. Oh right, I fell into the river and almost drowned. Luckily Nagisa found me

"Are you ok Kaede?! Tell me where does it hurt?" He worriedly shook me.

"I umm, I" I stuttered, didn't really know what to say. "I'm fine" I managed to say. Nagisa breathed a sigh of relief. He surprised me by pulling me close and hugging me tightly, like he was afraid I'd disappear

"Thank god you're ok, I was so scared" I heard him whisper in my ear. "I thought I lost you forever"

Lost me forever? He was that scared? I feel really guilty for scaring him. I should have been more careful.

"Sorry" I said sadly. "Don't be" he said firmly, pulling away from our hug. I felt disappointed, I wanted the hug to last longer. "It's not your fault, you slipped and fell and almost drowned... it was just an accident" he told me.

"But please be careful next time" he parted my bangs. "I care about you"

I felt so happy hearing that. But then again... he's a good person and I'm his friend. He'd care for any other person this way. I'm nothing special

"Let's go to the clinic in the main building"

"What? Why? I'm fine"

"You were coughing out blood earlier" he said, and I felt dread. "I want to know if you suffered I any internal injuries... Also we're both wet, we could borrow towels there too"

I suddenly realized Nagisa was still shirtless. I gulped and averted my eyes from his topless form. Nagisa isn't jacked like the other boys... but he's not unfit either. Karasuma's training allowed us to develop muscles and a leaner body. Nagisa isn't as built as the rest but.... I can still spy some developing muscles on his arms and stomach. "Uhhh.. Kaede?"

"Hm?"

"W-why are you staring at me like that?"

"W-what? I was staring? Hahah!" I awkwardly laughed. "Sorry!" I blushed darkly.

Nagisa nodded. "Ok uhhh, let's go!"

The two of us walked in silence to the main building

*******************

When we got to the clinic the nurse asked us what happened. Nagisa explained to her the accident and she scolded me for being careless. She ran some tests for us, but she couldn't find anything wrong with Nagisa.

She scolded him for being improper(not wearing anything on top and being shameless about it) and Nagisa explained that he left his top uniform behind because it was dirty and already had cuts on it anyway. "I was hoping you'd have an extra uniform I could borrow" he told her. She sighed "lucky for you kid, I do" she went to her desk and took out a nearly folded uniform that was right about Nagisa's size.

"Some kid left this here and never came back for it" she said.

Nagisa gratefully took it and put the dry uniform on

"Ah! And my friend has internal injuries, could you check that?" Damn it. Nagisa remembered.

The nurse nodded and pulled out a small X-ray from behind her desk. She ordered me to sit on the bed and let her examine me

I nervously sat on the bed she pointed at and let her do her job

She had a frown on and looked at me with concern. "Hey blue kid" she called Nagisa. "Go back to class, you're fine any way"

"But-"

"Go!"

"Go on Nagisa" I encouraged him. "I'll head straight to class after this, I promise"

Nagisa still looked reluctant to leave, but he agreed and headed out.

The nurse sighed.

"Ok kid, the X-ray didn't show me any broken bones or damaged organs"

"Great!" I was about to get off the bed but she stopped me.

"But instead I saw something more interesting" she clicked her tongue. "There's a plant- or should I say there are plants growing in your lungs. Roses by the looks of it. Lucky for you they are still small enough to allow you to breathe"

I swallowed hard. It's... getting worse

"You're suffering from the Hanahaki disease huh?"

"Yes" I quietly replied.

"How Long's it been?"

"Umm.... A while? Two months at best"

"Do you understand how serious this disease is? If you don't cut it from the root, the thorns from the roses will keep cutting your lungs and soon you'll drown in your own blood" the nurse said to me. "That's to say... if you don't suffocate to death first"

I shuddered at the image she put in my head.

"Oh don't worry!" I forced a well practices laugh "I know what to do. Confess my love for the person who caused my Hanahaki" easier said than done. "Or... remove it by surgery"

Not an option. I don't want to lose my feelings for him

The nurse nodded. "Good, you're a smart girl"

She took out a bottle from a cabinet and handed it to me

"This should numb the pain for a while" she said. "Now, go back to class"

I nodded and got off the bed.

I just want this day to end already