[22.1] A Different Kind of Sickness

I sat on the ground as a pair of large arms embraced me from behind. I sobbed quietly as I kept my head lowered.

A cruel, yet sickly sweet, voice whispered into my ear, "Aw… My dear… Why are you crying? Don't you realize it was your own fault?"

I tried to stifle my sobs, "B-But you… I… I didn't…"

His arms tightened around me, squeezing me painfully.

I let out a small gasp which seemed to excite him.

He laughed tauntingly, "What? You won't admit it? You haven't learned your lesson?"

His arms tightened like a boa constrictor wrapping around its prey, "Admit it."

Bruises started appearing on my skin from an unknown force as I gasped for air.

I cried out quickly, "It was my fault! It was all my fault!! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!!! Please… Just please stop hurting me…"

He didn't release me from his iron grip, "What are you sorry about, hm? Be more clear."

Tears rushed down my face, "I shouldn't have gone out with them. I shouldn't have danced and acted so shamefully. I should have stayed home as you said. You were right... I was only embarrassing myself. It's all my fault."

His malicious laughter echoed in my ears, "Exactly. It's all your fault…. It's always been your fault."

A pair of hands with a beautiful ice blue glow rushed out of the darkness. A commanding voice came from the shadows, "Be gone."

Those warm, bright hands shooed away the other as their light erased the entire presence of the man. The excruciating pain I had been enduring was chased away by the comfortable coldness irradiating from those arms.

A woman with light brown hair and eyes the color of ice embraced me with a gentleness that was otherworldly. She greeted me with a smile, "Aw… My golden Rei of sun… Don't cry."

I pinched my eyebrows as I sobbed, "But… It hurts…"

She smiled softly and used her fingers to wipe away the tears. She leaned forward to kiss my swollen eye, "Shoo, shoo~ Go away pain. Don't even think of coming back another day~"

I forced a smile as I felt my swollen eye recede until it disappeared.

She leaned back and beamed with joy, "There. All gone. Now go back to your family. They are really worried about you."

I lowered my dull eyes, "I don't have a family to return to."

She laughed with a heavenly voice, "What are you talking about? Have you already forgotten what I told you in the past?"

My eyes widened as I shouted hastily, "Wait! You! I know who you are! You are-"

Everything faded away before I could finish my sentence.

I sat up with a loud gasp.

Immediately, my body spasmed in pain.

I fell back down, grimacing in pain.

"Ah… It hurts… Why does it hurt…"

I forced my eyes back open and found the room to be blurry.

Where…?

I could feel the heat radiating from my forehead as I tried to regain my sense of self.

Ugh… I have a fever…

I need to take medicine….

I held out my hand to grab the table next to me. Using it as support, I tried to climb out of bed. However, my legs held no strength so I crashed to the ground instead. I groaned in pain.

I need that medicine…

I knew that I had to get to the medicine, but my body was so weak. I could only force myself to crawl.

I kept the medicine…

In the bathroom cabinet…

Right?

Suddenly I felt hands grab onto me, "What are you doing? Get back in bed stupid!!! Trashy human! Don't you have any sense?!"

These aren't…

His hands…

I weakly tried to fight off the foreign arms, but they were far stronger than me.

I cried out in a weak panic, "Stop… Don't help me… Please…"

The voice let out a sigh, "What are you talking about, idiot?"

Idiot?

He usually called me that…

I looked back at the man helping me, but couldn't make out his face. The person looked a bit small, but I wasn't sure.

Is it him?

No… He would never call me an idiot in such a way.

This voice is warm.

It's not even scary.

I mumbled, "He will get mad…."

The person ignored me and carried me back to the bed. He placed the covers over me and spoke, "I will go get the snowman. Just stay put."

Snowman?

There's a snowman?

Shortly after, I heard footsteps enter the room.

I moved my head to look at the intruder, but I couldn't make out his face either.

The fever was too strong.

I squinted as he came over, "Who…? Are you actually a snowman?"

The man bent down beside me and reached out to place his hand on my forehead, "You're still warm."

I closed my eyes and sighed in contentment at the comfortable hand which felt like an icepack. I giggled, "You really are a snowman, Mr. Frosty."

He sighed, "You're delirious. I'm not a snowman."

I opened my eyes and squinted to see his face once more. A middle-aged man wearing glasses stared down at me.

My smile widened, "Did Papa actually come to check on me?"

He nodded, "I did."

My smile slowly started to fade, "Are you going to yell again?"

"Why would I yell at you?"

I lowered my eyes, "You never believed me when I was sick before… You would make me go to class…"

He paused and furrowed his brow, "...Let me go fetch the doctor."

I felt his hand leave my forehead and panicked. I grabbed onto it desperately, "Please don't leave me! Please!"

"Reika. I'm just leaving you for-"

I cried out, "Please don't leave me!!! Please!"

I felt my hands shake as I struggled to keep hold of him.

I begged, "Please don't ignore me… Please… I can't handle it anymore… Please don't leave!! I promise I will be a good girl!! So please don't!"

Finally, he sat down on the bed next to me. He pulled me into his embrace and rubbed my aching head with his chilly fingers. He whispered quietly to me, "I won't ever leave you, Reika… I promise."

"Really?"

"You are my daughter whom I love. Why would I ever leave?"

I nuzzled into his comforting body. Something warm and wet crawled down my cheeks as I giggled, "Hehe. I knew Papa loved me. I knew you were lying that day."

He whispered as he rubbed my forehead, "...Sleep."

Hearing the sound of his soft and soothing voice, I drifted off to sleep.

I muttered out weakly, "Next time… Please don't… Say you hate me…"