Love Live Oneshots

Sick Birthday (EmmaKanata)

(Published December 16, 2020)

Haruka's POV

"What should I do?"

I asked myself as I watched my sister sprawled across her bed. She was munching on nothing, probably her dream but there were tears appearing from her still closed eyes. Her pillow being crushed by the clenching of her other hand on it, the other just resting on her stomach.

The tears are certainly odd, but just to make sure. I put a hand on her forehead. She leaned into the touch but I took my hand away resulting in her tiredly opening her eyes.

"Ah, Haruka... Good morning..." She looked at me with a lazy smile, but one with her usual cheery and loving atmosphere around it.

"Stay in bed, I'll get you something, onee-chan." I gestured my hand for her to go back to sleep, which she gladly did in a heartbeat while I head back out of her room and into the kitchen.

It's like second nature. The second I wake up and get myself up and about, I would instantly go to her room and check on her. It isn't obvious with how much she sleeps, but she does catch colds more often than not and it would seem like she doesn't even have a cold sometimes.

But at the moment, it's one of those worse ones, not the mild one nor the unnoticeable one. She's having a fever, a high one. When I reached to get a feel at her temperature, it was hot, not the kind that would instantly make my retract my hand in reflex, but like a mug that's holding hot water.

I went to get a thermometer and cold medicine with water. For me to know the extent of the fever. The medicine for later when I'll be done with making porridge for her.

"I should call the school." I picked up my phone and dialed the number of my teacher, informing her that I'll be taking the day off to take care of my sister. Now I have to dial my sister's school and say the same thing.

With that out of the way, I went back to her room and put the thermometer on her. While I enjoy looking at her sleeping face, nothing beats the big smile she used to make when we were children and often out in the park. Without me knowing, a small smile forms on my lips as the thermometer sounds up a beat, signaling that it finished confirming the temperature.

"39.1 degrees... That's high." I picked up the thermometer and watched the numbers on it. Looking at her peaceful face, I cheer myself up. "At least you're getting peaceful sleep and not having nightmares judging from how you look. I'll be back in a bit."

I giggled at how my sister looked so pure sleeping like that. I put down the readied medicine down on her desk before going back to the kitchen to work on the porridge.

Humming a tune to keep myself occupied as I mix the porridge together and turned down the heat, then a familiar ring called for my attention. It was my phone. Lowering down the heat more before I might get it burned, I went to where I put my phone and saw a message. In the process, I was reminded of the date.

Ah, right. Today's her birthday. With her sick, I guess that disappeared in my mind. Let's check the message first before worrying about what to do for her.

It's from Emma-san. She's asking where my sister is. I sent her a quick reply and went back to the porridge I was making. I immediately turned off the heat, I left it over the fire for a bit too long than intended.

"...Haruka...?" I quickly turned my head to the direction of the voice and panic drove my mind. I went to her side full of worry. She was using the door frame as a handle and was holding a pillow on the other hand.

"You should still be in bed, onee-chan!" I kept my voice down so as to not startle her by my shocked state. I let her lean on me as I guide her back to her bed, gently laying over a blanket over her and she showed me an apologetic smile.