Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 27

_Chapter 27~ Make It Up To You_

"Miss Reina, take care of me next!"

"No, me! I'm very, very sick!"

"No, it's me who's sick! See? Cough. Cough... Achoo."

Obviously uncomfortable, I forced a smile as all the delinquents bombarded me in the infirmary. "Um—"

"Miss Reina," whined the delinquent seated on the stool in front of me.

"Sorry," I said, seizing bandages and wrapping one around his bare arm. Doing my best to tune out all of their yells, I successfully finished wrapping the gash. "There you go."

The delinquent stared at my work for a while before opening his mouth. "Miss Reina, I don't feel so good."

"Why not? Is it a headache? Nausea?"

"I don't know." Reaching for his dress shirt, he undid the topmost button. "That's why you should check every portion of my body. Just in case."

My jaw fell collapsed as he continued to unlatch his buttons. Pink blossomed across my cheeks. "Huh! B-but I can only help out with small stuff! Go to my dad— U-um! P-put back on your shirt, please!"

I shielded my eyes and ducked my head. After about a second, I opened an eyelid. The delinquent in front of me was already being taken care of by the others.

"Dude, stop making a pass at Miss Reina! You're making her uncomfortable!"

"Yeah, get off the seat already! It's my turn!"

I let out a breath I'd been holding as they dragged the shirtless guy away from my vicinity. From the corner of my eye, I felt a smouldering gaze. I discreetly twisted to see both Dad and Ryu watching me. None of the delinquents here today wanted anything to do with them—only me (sadly)—so they were stuck watching this mass means of chaos that I was left to deal with.

Before I could dare make eye contact, I quickly veered. I'd understand if they were confused. Just the other day, I was still hiding in my usual spot— underneath the primary infirmary bed—and none of the visitors that came to the infirmary seemed to care about me. I still didn't know why this delinquent group had kept their distance from here these past few weeks, and why they suddenly decided to return today, but with everything that was going on right now, I really wish they decided to stop coming altogether.

I meekly returned my focus forward. They were all still arguing. As I scanned the never-ending crowd of boys, I spotted a girl cowering by the doorway. She was a petrified mess, but the lack of colour in her complexion instantly told me that she was either sick and too frightened to come in, or she was too frightened to come in and was in too much shock to remember what her sickness even was.

The poor soul...

Rising to my feet amidst all the madness, I stalked past the delinquents and towards the girl. She was too focused on the raucous energy to realize my presence, so I spoke up first, "Hey, are you feeling all right?"

At first, the girl screeched so loudly she nearly popped an eardrum. I winced but I accepted it was because she assumed I was a delinquent. Only after realizing that I was a normal girl, did she finally calm down.

"O-oh, um, I-I can wait..."

"No, it's all right," I reassured her. So she knew I helped out here? "That line of guys will never end. Plus, I think they're all faking their sicknesses anyway."

She bashfully shuffled from foot to foot, gripping her left arm. "U-um, b-but I can't just cut in front of th-them..."

The colour was returning to her face. She didn't have a fever then? My gaze fell upon her arm. Did she possibly hurt it...?