Painted With Roses (Oreki x Chitanda)

Chapter 13 - Unseen Feelings

You've gotta be kidding me.

That was the first thought that came into Oreki's head when Chitanda fell onto him. 

"Ibara, help me," he said, lifting his head.

"I was thinking."

"What?"

"I was just thinking if you should be the one carrying her-"

"No," he cut her off immediately. "First of all, it is-"

"A waste of energy." she finished his sentence, folding her arms. "Look, I get it. But, I'm pretty sure Chii-chan will be happy if you're the one who carries her."

"I agree with you, Mayaka!" Fukube grinned and gave Oreki a small wink. 

He sighed. "Can you at least get her off me first?"

"Are you disgusted by her, Oreki?" Ibara asked mockingly.

"No, it just feels uncomfortable." he replied while he glared at her.

"Fine." She lowered herself, one of her hands gripping on Chitanda's right arm and her other hand slipping beneath her waist. While struggling a bit, Fukube helped her to have the unconscious leader placed on a chair.

"Now, it's your turn," Ibara demanded.

"What?" Oreki made an expressionless face.

"Fuku-chan and I helped you, so now, stop sitting there and do something."

"Like?"

Fukube sighed. "Houtarou, what she's trying to say is to carry her-"

"No."

Ibara shot him a cold glare. "You're heartless, Oreki. Can't you see that I'm trying to give you an opportunity to help her?"

There was a short silence after that. At that moment, Ibara was fuming while Fukube tried to calm her down with some smiles and words, and Oreki, on the other hand, was looking at her with no signs of reaction. 

"I've helped her a lot of times." he murmured, breaking off the silence. 

Ibara bit her lip, her face filled with great disappointment. "You're worse that I've expected, Oreki." She carried Chitanda on her back who was sitting on the chair and brought her out of the room, walking down the hallway angrily.

The boys were left in the room, and Fukube looked at his friend. "... You okay, Houtarou?"

He was silent; he didn't feel like saying anything. He stood up, taking his bag with him. "I'm... going home."

Fukube looked at him with mournful eyes. "I'm gonna go see if Mayaka's alright," he said as he saw Oreki leaving the room.

-----------------

Chitanda didn't come to school the day after. Ibara avoided Oreki, too. Fukube, well, he was trying to cheer Ibara up the whole day. 

Class was dismissed as the clock ticked, and Oreki decided to see Chitanda in the infirmary, even though he didn't want to.

"Houtarou, are you heading home?" Fukube asked.

"I'm going to see Chitanda today."

"Heh~ Did something happen?"

Oreki gave him a look. "Nothing happened. It's just my own will even though I don't want to do it."

"You're hopeless, Houtarou." Fukube sighed jokingly.

"I get that from you a lot."

Fukube grinned. "Chitanda-san is not in the school's infirmary, by the way. Her fever was high so she was sent to the hospital."