I think Wakaba-chan read my letter. When I was walking down the hallway she stepped out of the way and bowed to me.

Personally I didn’t really like the idea of her bowing to me but it demonstrated that she was willing to accede to the President’s wishes. Hopefully this would make things easier on her.

Mao-chan told me that Yukino-kun had fallen ill because of all the rain. Oh my G.o.d! The poor boy!

I hoped he was okay. They did say that he had a weak const.i.tution.

Just remembering the little angel call me ‘Reika-oneesan’ was making my chest hurt now…

Enjou was in the salon so I called out to him on impulse.

“Ummm, Enjou-sama, is it true that Yukino-kun is feeling ill…?”

“Hm? You heard about that fast. Yeah. We had him admitted into hospital because of his asthma.”

“Eh!? Hospital!?”

It was that bad!? I thought he was just resting in bed, but now…

I grimaced as I imagined him suffering in hospital.

“Oh, it’s not that big of a deal, okay? It happens every year around this time. We’re just having him stay in the hospital in case.”

“But if it warrants a hospital admittance then is that not quite bad already?”

“Well, not exactly? It’s just quicker to have responders if he’s already in hospital. And I think he’s used to being admitted to hospital already.”

“Ehh!?”

In both my lives not once had I ever been sick enough to go to the hospital. I’d never ridden an ambulance either. Going to the hospital felt really serious to me.

Yukino-kun…

“It’s fine. My brother himself is just feeling bored from lying around in bed all the time. I visit him every day after school and it’s always complaints from him.”

“I see…”

He was only six still. It must have been incredibly lonely and discouraging to be separated from his home and family like that…

And hospitals had to be really scary at night… I hoped he wasn’t crying.

“Enjou-sama! If that is the case then should you not be heading there right now instead of wasting time drinking tea? He must be so lonely!”

“There’s no need to rush. He’s used to it already, so it’s fine.”

“How cold!”

How could it be fine for a child to be hospitalised so often he was used to it.

“Right now Yukino-kun must be staring out of his rainy window, waiting silently for his oniisama to visit him. ‘Is Oniisama coming yet? It’s so lonely…‘ Uuu, Yukino-kun…!”

Once I imagined it in my head I just…

“I’m pretty sure he’s watching a DVD or playing a game right now.”

“Haha! Sorry. Anyway, you really don’t have to worry so much. Today I’m going there with Masaya so we’ll be heading out the moment he’s here.”

“Goodness. Kaburagi-sama is going as well?”

Yukino-kun must have been happy to be getting more visitors. He did mention something about Kaburagi making a snowman for him, didn’t he. What on earth was he doing anyway. Hurry up already, Kaburagi! Yukino-kun is waiting, you know!

“Kaburagi-sama is taking a while. I wonder what his cla.s.s is doing.”

I couldn’t help but begin tapping my foot.

“Well, I think he should be here soon… See? Speak of the devil.”

Kaburagi opened the door to the salon. About time!

“Shuusuke- Huh. What are you frowning about?” he asked me in confusion.

What was I frowning about?

“Kisshouin-san here has been getting annoyed at how slow you were. Right, Kisshouin-san?”

“Annoyed at me? Did she need something with me?”

“No, I did not. More importantly, I think you should hurry along. Visiting hours might be ending soon.”

“Huh?”

Get a move on! If you don’t…

“Kaburagi-samaaa! How about having some tea with us?”

See!? The President and her friends saw you already! Don’t sit! Don’t tarry!

Guohhhgh! Yukino-kun is waiting, d.a.m.n you! d.a.m.n you!

I got the feeling that Enjou was giving a knowing smile to my side.

The next day I prepared a get-well gift for Yukino-kun. I remember that in my old life, once when I was sick with the cold my older cousin came to visit me. He gave me a fairy tale book as well as a letter written on a sheet with a cute snowman picture on it.

Anyhow, I was trying to get Enjou alone so that n.o.body would get weird misunderstandings about this but I was having a lot of trouble with it.

It wasn’t until after school that he was alone and heading to the car park that I caught him.

“Enjou-sama!”

“Kisshouin-san?”

It was showering faintly but I couldn’t be bothered with the umbrella and just ran over. Enjou covered me with his one.

“What’s up?”

“Could you please hand this to Yukino-kun?”

I held out a ribboned cloth parcel to him.

“What’s this?”

“A book. I thought it might help with his boredom.”

“Oh? Well thanks. Can I ask what kind of book?”

“Das Wirtshaus im Spessart. A fairy tale that I enjoyed as a child.”

“Fairy tale?”

“Yes. Eh!? Could it be that Yukino-kun does not enjoy fairy tales?”

Oh no! Had he already grown out of them by Year 1!?

“No, that’s not it. He loves books, so I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. Thanks for this,” he smiled after calming me down.

Was he lying…?

“Anyway, I’ll make sure he gets this.”

“Thank you. I apologise for holding you, Enjou-sama. I shall take my leave. Gokigen’yoh.”

“Yeah. See you tomorrow. Oh, and take this umbrella.”

“No need. It is but a short run away. Goodbye!”

I began running back to the school building.

Oh. Even though I told Wakaba-chan not to run, here I was as a Pivoine running with all my might… n.o.body was looking, right?

Two days later I got a letter back from Yukino-kun.

‘Thanks for the book and the letter, Reika-oneesan. The book was really interesting. It was so interesting that I stayed up reading it and then had a fit and they had to give me emergency treatment. Just kidding. Did I scare you?

My favourite story was Das kalte Herz. Which did you like the most? Tell me all about it when I’m back at school.

I go to the hospital a lot so I’m fine. The other day Masaya-niisama came by and we played games together. When we were done, Masaya-niisama gave me a DVD for a zombie movie but I’ve been too scared to watch it. What should I do…

– Yukino’

Kaburagiiiiiiiiiiii!

“Das Wirtshaus im Spessart. A fairy tale that I enjoyed as a child.”

The Inn in Spessart or – The Inn in Spessart Forest is a tale written by Wilhelm Hauff.

My favourite story was Das kalte Herz.

The Cold Heart or The Heart of Stone is written by Wilhelm Hauff as well.