Fever

Satoko was staring at Minami’s name on the phone’s screen.

I want to reply, but I don’t want to at the same time.

She squinted her eyes, desperate.

I always end up being awkward because I don’t know what to say…

She imagined herself picking up Minami’s call and floundering, stammering words without any logical sense.

He would surely think I’m crazy. Besides, I don’t want him to hear the sound of my voice clearly, it’s ugly!

She placed her gaze on the phone, which was still ringing, and sighed.

But I can’t ignore him, it would be rude.

She kept on reading Minami’s name to a point it didn’t make sense anymore, then swallowed, sweating bullets.

I have to stay strong!

With trembling hands, she slowly swiped the green icon to pick up the call and brought the phone near her ear.

“H-Hello?” she mumbled.

“Oh, Itou-san! It’s me, Minami. I’m glad you replied, did I wake you up?”

Satoko shook her head, but then remembered she was forced to talk during a call.

“Y-Yeah.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Please, forgive me!”

“N-No, I was awake! I just didn’t see the call!”

I knew it, I already messed up!

Minami chuckled. “That’s good then. I was worried it might be a little late, but there’s something you have to see.”

Satoko frowned. At this hour?

“W-What is it?”

“Look outside the window.”

At those words, Satoko’s heart skipped a beat.

It can’t be…

She hurried towards the window, blocked her phone between her shoulder and chin and raised both her arms to open it.

“I-I’m opening it.”

“Okay!”

When she was done, she raised her head towards the sky, forgetting about her phone, which started falling inexorably.

Oh no, I’m an idiot!

She bent her knees and stretched her arms to pick it up, but couldn’t catch it perfectly, so the phone started jumping from one hand to another while she was trying to grab it.

When she finally succeeded, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Itou-san, is everything alright?” Minami asked on the other end.

I can almost imagine his confused expression right now.

She quickly put the phone near her ear again.

“Y-Yes.”

“Do you see it now?”

Satoko turned to the window. At that moment, a gust of fresh wind made the retracted tent sway and brushed Satoko’s face, moving her hair back and freeing her eyes.

Outside, set on the dark night sky, there was a beautiful full moon, sparkling like a pearl set on a necklace. Its dim light was easily contrasted by the city lights, but it still maintained its mystic and elegant aura.

“Yes, I see it. It’s a full moon.”

Satoko stared admiringly at it.

“It rarely happens that it’s full at this time of the year, so we won’t be able to see it again in a lot of years” Minami said.

“Really?”

“Yes. Since it’s this special, I wanted to share it with you.” Minami’s tone was particularly soft and gentle.

At those words, Satoko’s heart started pounding and her cheeks reddened violently.

W-What is this supposed to mean?!

She tried to calm herself down to say something in reply, but, suddenly, she started coughing very strongly.

“Itou-san, are you sick?” Minami asked, worried.

“No, I don’t think—”

The sentence was interrupted by a long series of coughs. When it was finally over, she wanted to bury herself in a pit.

I ruined such a romantic moment! Stupid coughs!

“Maybe I am…” she said, demoralized.

“Then it’s better if I let you rest. I’m happy we were able to talk today, Itou-san. Get well soon!”

Satoko smiled a little.

“Okay. I’m happy that we could talk too.”

“Bye!”

Minami hung up first, leaving Satoko with a feeling of emptiness that was new to her.

I wanted to hear his voice a little bit more…

Another flurry of wind entered through the opened window, making Satoko tremble for the cold.

She immediately closed the window and slipped again under the covers. She curled up on herself, thinking about Minami’s words, and blushed.

Minami-kun, you should be more careful with what you say.

She kept on repeating the call non-stop in her mind, until she fell asleep with a smile depicted on her face.

In the end, we really watched the moon together in a phone call.

***

The next morning, Satoko woke up with a terrible headache and kept on coughing.

Wow, I had to be sick right during vacation. She thought, bitter.

The first thing she did was inform the boss, then texted Mei and Watanabe too, who both promised to come to see her to keep her company.

Satoko smiled weakly. I have the best friends in the world.

As promised, that afternoon Mei and Watanabe went to her house.

“Satoko-chan, how are you feeling?” Watanabe asked as soon as she entered her room.

“Like a living dead.”

Mei chuckled. “Overdramatic, as always. It means that you’re already feeling better.”

Watanabe sat on the ground next to the bed and took out a whole store of snacks.

“I bought a lot of delicious things to put you in a good mood!”

“You robbed the convenience store, you mean” Mei commented ironically. She placed her bag on the ground too and sat down. “It’s been a while since I came here.”

“Yeah, I think the last time was last year to help me study” Satoko replied.

Mei nodded. “By the way, how did you manage to catch a cold?”

Satoko reflected on it. “Maybe because I didn’t take out my scarf inside the karaoke room.”

“What karaoke room?” Watanabe asked, curious.

Oh, right, I didn’t tell them anything about yesterday.

“I went to karaoke with my colleagues.”

“Oh, and did Hiroto sing?”

“You really like that guy, uh?” Mei teased Watanabe.

“I mean, who wouldn’t?” Watanabe replied.

Satoko chuckled. “No, he didn’t. But, on the other hand, Akito was surprisingly good.”

While they were chatting together time flew by and, without notice, Satoko’s mother opened the room’s door.

“Satoko, there are three guys who look like idols that claim to be your colleagues. Should I let them in?”

Satoko blinked twice, surprised. “Yes, of course, they’re really my colleagues.”

I didn’t expect them to visit.

“Wow, what kind of job do you do to find three handsome guys altogether?”

“I told you, it’s just a cafe.”

Satoko’s mom narrowed her eyes, distrustful, then went back to the entrance to welcome the three guys.

More importantly, how did they know where my house is?

Shortly after, Hiroto, Kenji and Akito were in her room. Hiroto was holding a paper bag with one hand.

“Hello, Satoshi. I bought some medicines, in case you need them.” He placed the bag on the table in the center of the room.

“We were worried about you, so we came here before work” Kenji explained.

“Can I take some candies?” Akito asked, looking at Watanabe’s snacks on the ground.

“Of course, you can all have some!”

Why does it look like I’m throwing a party? Satoko thought in disbelief.

“Thank you guys for coming, but how did you know where I live?” she asked.

“The boss told us” Kenji replied.

Satoko sighed, defeated. I knew it.

“Don’t tell my mother I work in a butler cafe, please.”

The three guys couldn’t stay much time because they had to go to work, while Mei and Watanabe stayed for another few hours.

When everyone was gone, Satoko fell asleep out of boredom.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard a few knocks and then the sound of the door opening again.

“Satoko, are you awake? There are more visits for you.” Her mother’s voice resounded in her head like plates crashing together.

“Mmh…” Satoko replied with an unidentified mumble.

She heard the sound of the door again, then some footsteps, but it was all hazy because her head was spinning.

“There’s a classmate of yours.”

Satoko slowly turned towards the door, her head aching so much that even thoughts were too loud.

The room was in dim light, illuminated only by the light that came from outside the door and the street lamp’s light filtered by the tent.

Satoko squinted her eyes and the first thing she noticed in her line of sight was a pair of sky blue jeans and a hoodie. She raised her gaze to see the identity of the visitor and immediately recognized those facial features she was never tired of admiring.

“Minami-kun?” she muttered.

The boy smiled warmly, radiating a luminous aura, as if he was an angel.

“Hello, Itou-san, how are you feeling?”

Satoko stared at him in adoration.

I feel like I’ve been blessed.

She kept on looking at him, processing things slowly because of the fever. In fact, only a few moments later she realised the situation.

W-Wait, Minami-kun is in my room?!

She rubbed her eyes, incredulous.

Am I… Hallucinating?!