Chapter 20: Quarantine Protocols

I wake up with a scratchy throat and a slightly stuffy nose. It's just a minor cold, probably from stress and lack of sleep. I sneeze once as I walk into the kitchen.

That single sneeze seals my fate.

"ONII-CHAN IS DYING!" Ayumi screams, dropping a plate. It shatters on the floor, a fitting opening ceremony for the chaos to come.

"I'm not dying, it's just a sniffle-"

"CODE RED! WE HAVE A SICK PERSON!" Inoue yells, immediately pulling her shirt up over her nose. "Idols can't get sick! Our voices are our livelihood!"

Azuwa pushes her glasses up. "Isolate the patient immediately. We cannot risk cross-contamination before the Sapporo concert next week."

Ayumi sees her golden opportunity. "Exactly! You two are precious idols! You must stay away! I, his loving sister, will sacrifice myself to nurse him back to health! It's my duty!"

Before I know it, I am shoved back into my room. Ayumi slams the door and I hear the distinct sound of duct tape being applied to the frame from the outside.

"Ayumi! Let me out! I just need a tissue!"

"No, Onii-chan! It's for your own good! You're in quarantine!"

An hour passes. I am bored. I am slightly hungry. I hear arguing outside my door.

"Let us in, Ayumi-san. We bought him vitamin C drinks and specialized cold medicine," Azuwa demands.

"NO! THE ZONE IS HOT! HIGHLY INFECTIOUS!" Ayumi is yelling like she's in a zombie movie. "SAVE YOURSELVES!"

I hear thumping against the door. Are they... are they ramming it?

"We're coming to save you, Oppa!" Inoue yells.

Suddenly, my bedroom door flies open. The duct tape gives way.

Standing there is Ayumi. She is wearing a yellow plastic raincoat, rubber dishwashing gloves, swimming goggles, and a face mask. She looks absolutely insane.

Behind her, Azuwa and Inoue are holding trays of medicine and soup, looking perfectly normal.

"Ayumi," I say, staring at her outfit. "What are you wearing?"

"Standard Level Four Biohazard Gear!" she declares, her voice muffled by the mask. "I am prepared to enter the infection zone!"

"He has a runny nose, you idiot," Azuwa says flatly, stepping past the yellow, rustling monstrosity that is my sister. "Here, Takeshi-nii. Drink this. It will boost your immune system."

"And I made you rice porridge!" Inoue says, pushing past Ayumi as well.

Ayumi stands there, sweating in her plastic raincoat. Her goggles are fogged up. "But... I protected him..."

"You trapped him in his room for three hours without water," Azuwa points out.

I sneeze again.

"ACK! GERM GRENADE!" Ayumi shrieks, diving behind my bed for cover in her noisy raincoat.

Yeah. I'm definitely just going to go to school tomorrow. It's safer there.