CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE;
nice handwriting

It was one of those unusual days when something didn't feel right, as if something was missing.

You turned to look behind you, noticing how Rin's chair was still empty. It was unlike him to be late for school, there were four minutes left on the clock before your first period started.

As you were about to take your phone out to message him, the sliding door glided open. Rin entered the classroom, but he didn't look well, he was wearing a face mask. "Are you okay?" you ask, trying not to sound too concerned, as he plops down on his chair.

"I'm good," he answered curtly, settling his things down.

You stare at him for a bit, observing his sluggish movements. If he was going to shrug it off, then you might as well do the same. 

The teacher followed shortly after, with the thick English textbook the school provided you with, "Today, we will continue reading excerpts from different English pieces of literature." 

He opens the textbook to a page where he left a bookmark, "Open your books to page 224," the teacher cleared his throat, "Again, an excerpt is a small portion taken from a larger text. These excerpts are often chosen to highlight key moments of the work," he fixes his glasses, "We will be reading about one of Jane Austen's famous works, Pride and Prejudice."

The teacher clears his throat, eyeing one of his students, "Stand up, Kaneshiro, read the third excerpt,"

Kaneshiro stood up, bring his textbook slightly closer to his face, "In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

"In this scene, Mr. Darcy is professing his love for Elizabeth, but in a manner that is laced with his judgment for her family and low social status. This highlights Mr. Darcy's character, how pride and social status weigh heavily on him, even though his feelings are genuine." he explains, "You may sit now, Kaneshiro...Stand up, Itoshi."

Rin stood up, "Read the fourth excerpt," the teacher instructs him. He pulled his mask down, you had only noticed how pale he looked with a feverish blush blooming across his cheeks. Rin coughs out a suppressed, almost stifled cough, before continuing.

"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever." he spoke, despite the language not being his first language, the words flowed out of his mouth smoothly.

"Now, you may be wondering, what is happening in this scene?" the teacher pauses, making sure his students were paying attention, "Mr. Darcy is proposing to Elizabeth once more. However, unlike his first proposal, where his pride and sense of superiority were apparent, this time Mr. Darcy approaches Elizabeth with humility and respect. What key moment do you think is highlighted in this excerpt, Itoshi?"

Rin slowly blinked his eyes, before bringing his fist up to his mouth to cough lightly again, "It marks the key moment of emotional vulnerability and growth for Mr. Darcy," still, he answers.

"You may sit,"

As the teacher continued to call out to students to recite, you can't help but take occasional glances to your back. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't want to go to the clinic?" you whisper to him, hunching down to hide yourself behind your textbook.

"Yeah, it's nothing. I'm fine, quit asking," his voice was hoarser than usual. 

However, when recess break came, Rin had his head buried into his arms on the desk. He didn't look fine, at all.

You tap his shoulder, "Hey, let's go to the clinic." you shake him a bit.

He snaps his head up, his usual sharp gaze a little duller, "I told you, I'm fine," 

What a hardheaded man.

"Are you sure?" you press. Well, even if he tells you he is, you won't let him stay in this classroom any longer.

His vision spins for a bit as a headache pounded against his head, and as much as he wanted to deny you once more for his pride, he sits up straight, "Whatever, I'll go just to rest for a bit." 

Your eyes soften at him, even though you would have fun teasing him right now, it didn't feel right. Especially since he looked so weak and sick. "Alright, I'll take you to the clinic."

"I can go on my own," he stands up, taking his bag, "Don't follow me."

You stay seated, watching as he took clumsy steps towards the door. It'd be a lie to say you weren't worried about him.

itoshi rin

11:39 AM

hey

our physics class js
ended

how are you feeling?

there's a quiz next week

if you ask with a please i'll
consider sending you my
notes

12:13 PM

i got sent home

fever got worse

this is because

hey don't blame me

you shouldn't have gone
to school anyway if
you weren't feeling well

still

how'd you get a fever?

aren't you all about health
is wealth

i'm still human

what do you think?
i'm a robot?

probably

must be due to the weather?

think so

brruuuhhhhhh

well? will you ask with
a please now?

i'd rather just ask the teacher
for the powerpoint

K FINE😡😡😡

i was trying to be nice
Seen, 12:21 PM

3:55 PM

[physics notes.jpg]

[physics notes 2.jpg]

[physics notes 3.jpg]

[physics notes 4.jpg]

lol

I MIGHT JUST UNSEND

BE GRATEFUL

thanks

nice handwriting

Rin laid on his bed, wrapped in the warmth of his blankets with a damp towel on his head. He pulled his phone further from his face, clicking on the pictures you sent. Your notes looked better compared to how he remembered them before.

They didn't look like chicken scratches anymore, at least.

You even drew the illustrations well, he could see you made a lot of mistakes though, with all of the markings of erased pencil lines.

It even had annotations where it might help, it was obvious a lot of care was put into the explanations, and they were easy and clear to follow. Though Rin would never struggle to catch up since he had always self-studied, it was nice to see.

But then they were just notes. Nothing more.