Teacher

Chapter 8: Warmth

The next day there was rain.

Buckets poured down onto the streets, splattering on the window shields and onto the roof tiles covering Shiho's roof. She opened a tired eye and shut again. It was fifteen minutes later when her alarm sounded when she opened a sleepy eye once more. She watched the alarm clock with slitted eyes for a full minute until the alarm died away when she shut her eyes again.

" Shiho!" came her sister's voice at the door. " You're going to be late!"

She opened her eye again, before shutting it again.

The dog next door was barking at some cat, person or tree stump.

Shiho opened her eye before shutting it again.

" Crap." she muttered.

She rubbed her tired head and sat up right on her bed, trying to allow her eyes to get used to the bright light shining into her room. A burp tried to erupt through her throat but she merely groaned and fell back down, hitting her head hard against the pillow. " I think that burp died trying to get out of my mouth." she muttered to herself, massaging her chest uncomfortably.

Well, this was awkward.

" Shiho!" came her sister's voice again, this time more concerned.

" Yeah, I'm coming." Shiho moaned, but made no motion of getting up.

Around five minutes later, Akemi got the hint and opened the door, stepping across the room to her sister. " What's wrong, Shiho?" Akemi asked worriedly.

" Nothing." Shiho muttered. " Just tired, that's all."

Akemi bit her lip and pressed her wrist against Shiho forehead.

" Oh my, you've come down with a fever." she said. " I'll make you some chicken soup."

" No, I'm fine." Shiho said stubbornly, struggling to get up, but after much wasting of her enegry, she plonked back down onto her bed, exhausted.

" You don't look so fine to me." Akemi said, pulling up the blankets of her tired sister's bed to her neck and smiled down at her. " Just lie down and relax." she said confidently. " I'll call the school for you, and after that you can have some of my homemade chicken soup, okay?"

Shiho knew her sister well enough to know that there was no use arguing.

" Okay," she said. " Thank you."

Akemi walked to the door, before pausing.

" Come to think of it, you don't fall sick that much." she said.

" No." Shiho said, yawning. " I don't."

Akemi let out a mysterious smile.

" You only got a fever. . .that time, I think."

Shiho opened a tired eye once more.

" When?" she was about to ask, but before she opened her mouth, her sister had already swung the door shut, and left the room without a sight.

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" Where's Miss Miyano?"

" She's called in sick today." the replacement teacher said, coughing unnecessarily. " Now, Kudo-kun, would you please get back to you seat?"

Shinichi bit his lip and walked back to his place next to Ran, and sat down. Ran and Sonoko leaned in towards him questioningly. " Well?" Sonoko asked him eagerly. " Where did Miss Miyano go? Don't tell me she left already."

" Nah," Shinichi said, twirling his pen with his fingers. " She's on leave. I think I'll vist her later on. See if she's alright."

" You know where she lives?" Ran asked.