Conceptions of Love (part 3 of 11)

a Angelic Layer fanfiction by Munkii

Back to Part 2
Hot and Cold Bunny

The day was nearly over. Misaki's Aunt was on her way to pick Misaki up 
from Kotarou's and Hatoko's house/dojo, as the rain was still pouring.

Hatoko was with Misaki in her guest room once again, this time they were 
less energetic then before as they had learned that Misaki would soon 
leave. They sat on the edge of the bed, holding there own hands between 
their knees, faces looking down at the cold wooden floor. Their lips 
held a sad expression. Hatoko spoke up.

"It'll be ok Misaki-chan... I'll see you as soon as I can." whispered 
Hatoko to Misaki, trying to comfort her. Misaki didn't say anything. A 
pain expression suddenly filled her face and she collapsed onto the bed 
nearly crying. Hatoko didn't know what to think, but she scooted closer 
to Misaki and took her hand into her own.

"Misaki-chan, don't cry... It's the way things are..." said Hatoko. 
Misaki looked at Hatoko.

"I know..." she mumbled. She got up from the bed and went to pickup her 
suitcase. Hatoko caught the back of her shirt however. Misaki turned 
around.

"Stop worrying," said Hatoko. Misaki's eyes grew wide. Hatoko smiled, 
she knew Misaki was worried. Hatoko went to embrace Misaki one last time 
as Misaki recovered from the slight shock of Hatoko knowing her 
thoughts.

"Until next time Misaki-chan," Hatoko said and she left the room. Misaki 
gazed after her, but soon heard her Aunt's voice. She wiped the tears 
from her face and grabbed her suitcase. She went to meet her Aunt, 
walking slowly along.

"There you are Misaki-chan. Did you have a good time?" asked Shoko, 
Misaki's Aunt. Misaki nodded with a false smile on her face.

"Well, we should be going, thanks for having her Kotarou-san," said 
Shoko.

"Anytime," replied Kotarou. With that Misaki left with her Aunt. She 
glanced back to find Hatoko watching her leave with a sad expression on 
her face, but she smiled when she noticed Misaki looking and she waved 
goodbye. Misaki tried to smile back, but Hatoko was already hidden 
behind a wall.

Misaki and Shoko got into the car and they drove home. Upon arriving 
Shoko cooked dinner for Misaki for a change, as she could tell that 
Misaki wasn't prepared to do anything. They ate a quiet dinner and 
Misaki went to her room. Shoko didn't stop her or ask her what was wrong 
either. She knew that it was Misaki's problem, not her's.

The sun set, and the clouds above became darker before blended into the 
darkness of night. The rain came down outside as Misaki lay on her bed 
staring at the ceiling. An expression of self-torture appeared on her 
face as thoughts of Hatoko swam through her mind. She cried, first 
lightly, then as the night progressed she cried harder.

"Why am I crying..." whispered Misaki to herself. Images of Hatoko 
passed through her mind. Deep within her thoughts she knew why, but 
couldn't comprehend how to solve the problem.

"Hatoko-chan... I'm such a pain, aren't I..." she mumbled. She blamed 
herself for things that were no ones wrong doing. She was at fault, only 
her.

"Kotarou-kun and Oujirou-san..." she continued to herself. She was angry 
at them still, deep within her heart, she was angry. They had hurt her, 
and they shunned her soul with their hearts. Hatoko had done nothing to 
her, and Misaki had only given her something to worry about. It wasn't 
fair to Hatoko.

"I don't deserve Hatoko-chan..." she said. She became weak, her arms 
dropped lifeless to her sides, her muscles relaxed and her body became 
limp. Her eyes closed and she feel into a tortured sleep.

Morning came. The rain poured outside. Misaki was still facing upwards 
to the ceiling. Her arms and legs were numb with intense cold. Her head 
felt like exploding. She tried to open her mouth. She couldn't. All she 
could do was lay there, and it became late. Shoko came in, worried about 
Misaki as she had not gotten out of bed that morning, something that 
Misaki rarely did.

Shoko saw Misaki's uncovered body and rushed to her. She felt Misaki's 
hand. It was ice cold. She felt Misaki's forehead. It was burning up. 
Shoko's eyes grew wide.

"Misaki-chan, I don't want you to go to school today. You have a fever 
and the rest of your body is ice cold because you didn't cover up last 
night. How you slept I don't know, because you would have been woken up 
by the cold. It doesn't really matter how though, I guess." said Shoko. 
She pulled the covers from underneath Misaki and placed them on her.

"You stay in bed today. I have to go though, there is an important 
meeting today that I can't miss. Ja ne." said Shoko as she left the room 
quickly. She would already be late to work now.

Misaki heard her Aunt drive away. The rain poured down outside. She was 
alone yet again, but her body and mind were weak, and she couldn't even 
think. She just lay there.

---

"Tamayo-chan, have you seen Misaki-chan?" asked Kotarou during lunch. 
Tamayo said she hadn't.

"She's not here today then," assumed Kotarou, "after school we'll pick 
up Hatoko and see if she's sick at home."

---

Kotarou and Tamayo walked under one umbrella and Hatoko walked under 
another as they made their way to Misaki's house. Hatoko was seriously 
worried about Misaki yet again, and it showed on her face. Kotarou and 
Tamayo were also worried, but not as much as Hatoko, and they grew 
curious as to why Hatoko seemed as though the world was endanger of 
being destroyed by a space rock. But, they kept their mouth's closed and 
arrived at Misaki's.

They knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Kotarou tried the 
door, at it was open. He poked his head in.

"Suzuhara-san?" shouted Kotarou. No answer.

"She must be sick," said Tamayo. Hatoko walked in through the crack and 
ran to Misaki's room.

"Hatoko-chan!" yelled Tamayo after her, but it was no use. They 
cautiously went inside and closed the door. They walked over to Misaki's 
room. Hatoko was already inside when she heard them. She saw them coming 
and rushed to the door. Hatoko closed and locked it.

"Please stay out Kotarou-kun and Tamayo-chan, I want to talk to 
Misaki-chan alone," she said. Kotarou and Tamayo had wild expressions on 
their faces now, but they listened, and they went into the kitchen and 
sat down to wait for Hatoko.

---

Hatoko approached Misaki, who looked at Hatoko's pained expression.

"Misaki-chan... are you ok?" questioned Hatoko.

"I'm ok Hatoko-chan," she mumbled quietly. She had recovered her ability 
to speak over the course of the day, and her legs and arms felt better, 
but they were still weak. Hatoko noticed that Misaki was weak.

"No you aren't..." she replied. She felt Misaki's forehead to find that 
it was still warm. Misaki turned her head away from Hatoko. Hatoko 
didn't know what was wrong yet. She sat down on Misaki's bed.

"How did you get like this Misaki-chan?" asked Hatoko. Misaki looked at 
Hatoko.

"Because I don't deserve you Hatoko-chan..." she replied. Tears started 
to form in Misaki's eyes.

"Don't say that... Just because I always take care of you and I worry 
about you doesn't mean I'm only doing this for you. I do it because I 
want to, and I want to because I love you." Hatoko explained quietly. 
Misaki managed a small smile on her face as tears continued to flow.

"You always seem to know what I feel Hatoko-chan... But still, I haven't 
given anything in return... you should hate me." replied Misaki.

"You've given me your love and your support. You make me happy. Even 
when I take care of you, I'm happy. I'm happy to be with you." said 
Hatoko. Misaki leaned forward to hug Hatoko, and she wrapped her arms 
around Hatoko, but she was fatigued and dizzy.

"Hatoko-chan..." whispered Misaki. She began to fall back towards the 
bed, but Hatoko caught her and supported her. Misaki's head came to rest 
on Hatoko's shoulder. She desparetly tried to wrap her arms around 
Hatoko, but they fell to the bed. They were to weak. Misaki as a whole 
was too weak. Hatoko gently laid Misaki back down on her bed.

"Always remember, I will always love you. Don't doubt yourself, and 
don't doubt our love." instructed Hatoko. Misaki smiled.

"Thanks, Hatoko-chan..." she replied. Hatoko kissed Misaki softly on the 
cheek.

"I'll let Nii-chan and Tamayo-chan in... They're also worried about 
you." informed Hatoko. Misaki nodded in agreement. Hatoko unlocked the 
door and went to get Kotarou and Tamayo.

"I'm glad to report that Misaki-chan will be ok. Dr. Hatoko has fixed 
her." said Hatoko. Kotarou and Tamayo looked up and gave Hatoko a wierd 
look, but they followed her back to Misaki's room.

"Misakachi, are you going to be ok now that Dr. Hatoko-chan has fixed 
you?" asked Tamayo. Misaki smiled back.

"Yes." replied Misaki simply. Kotarou noticed the dried tears on 
Misaki's face.

"Why were you crying Suzuhara-san?" asked Kotarou innocently. Misaki 
looked away as she developed a deep red blush. Hatoko on the other side 
of the room also was red in the face.

"Umm... I don't think I can tell you Kotarou-kun, sorry..." said Misaki. 
Kotarou and Tamayo didn't understand of course, but they just kept 
quiet, until Tamayo broke the silence with an assumption.

"Oh, I know... Misakachi likes someone..." jeered Tamayo. Misaki didn't 
say anything, but the redness in her face intensified.

"So I was right! Will you tell me Misakachi? Please?" asked Tamayo, half 
interogating. Misaki turned her head back to her friends and looked 
passed Tamayo and Kotarou to Hatoko who was on the far side of the room. 
Hatoko was smiling semi-evily. Misaki grinned.

"No, you can't know. Only Hatoko-chan can know. So there." replied 
Misaki. Kotarou and Tamayo looked at Hatoko.

"Will you te..." Tamayo and Kotarou started, but Misaki and Hatoko 
answered back quickly.

"Never!" they said. They both laughed.

"The Bunnies don't share secrets, ever, until it is decided that are not 
to be secrets no more," added Misaki. Hatoko understood, but Tamayo and 
Kotarou were still trying to figure out how they came up with calling 
themselves bunnies. To him they were just ordinary human beings. He was 
mostly wrong though... in no way were they ordinary, and that's the way 
Misaki and Hatoko liked it.

-----

* A note to my readers: Thanks for reading this Chapter! Please write 
those reviews! Me like them! Chapter 4 coming soon with another odd 
title. And anyone that doesn't like my fiction can go and write their 
own. ^_^

* Notes: Chapter 3 Revised and Edited for Errors and Inconsistancies

Onwards to Part 4


Back to Conceptions of Love Index - Back to Angelic Layer Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction