Sick

Rainfall

Swirling steam circled around a small, warm kitchen. Bubbling pots and pans littered the top of the oven and pieces of discarded vegetables covered the counter; the used parts spitting and jumping in boiling water. A young girl of around fourteen, Kyouka, was stood in the middle of it all, the folds of her long crimson kimono fluttering as she took small, sharp movements from one side of the cramped room to another, tensing her muscles as she cut through slices of meat with the precision of a killer.
Despite her strict, strong appearance, the expression on Kyouka's small face was soft and welcoming, with a small smile somewhat stretched across her mouth. Her eyes were swimming with thought and sometimes she would become so engrossed with the words flickering through her brain that her long, dark hair would almost slip into the pots and pans underneath her. The heavy rain cascaded over the city outside, workers and children running here and there while some merely strolled gingerly as though they were too thoughtful to notice their clothes were becoming drenched. Falling rain always made a sweet, soporific sound for her, as it drummed against the window; blurring and distorting the image of the dark clouds which loomed in the sky.
The only other sound that could be heard other than the boiling water and pouring rain was the low, hoarse breathing of the older boy, Atsushi, in the other room, as he shifted every now and then under his blankets.
After a few more minutes of dozing on his bed, the smell of cooking reached his senses and he lifted his drowsy head to see the storm outside; headlights from the street below reflecting in his cat-like eyes.
"Kyouka," called Atsushi in a croaky voice. "What time is it?"
The small girl quickly trotted to the adjoining room with a bowl of tea on rice in her hands, smiling proudly.
"Breakfast time."

After eating for a considerable amount of time, Atsushi sighed and placed his bowl in the kitchen, suddenly feeling as though he never had a cold in the first place. Kyouka came up beside him and gave him a hug (holding her breath) and he smiled and managed a hug back.
If anyone had been watching their interactions, they'd be able to tell the two youngsters cared for each other like a brother and sister.
"I have to go the agency now." Kyouka said, putting on her shoes at the porch and checking the strength of the string which held her phone around her neck; the bunny key chain swaying from side to side.
"If I get my shoes on, I can come too-"
Atsushi tried to go to his shoes, but Kyouka stepped on his hand.
He decided he should stay at home.

Looking outside the window and waving to the red blur outside the window, Atsushi couldn't help but feel mildly useless. He was sure that everyone was working really hard, and that Dazai was probably causing all kinds of problems for Kunikida. He laughed to himself as he pictured Yosano dragging Tanizaki to the medical room for a bruise, and Kenji looking after his plants as Ranpo and Naomi come up with pranks to play on everyone.
In fact, Atsushi was so immersed in his thoughts that he failed to notice another blur come up the steps of the dorms and make its way to the door of his apartment..