My Gakuen Babysitter
"The kid over there?"I followed Kamitani's finger - and oh.There was a kid there.His presence had been so quiet, so still, I honestly hadn't noticed him until now. He sat in the corner, legs neatly tucked under him, flipping through a picture book like the world didn't exist.That must've been Kashima's little brother.I hadn't seen him this morning. Maybe I should go say hi-"Kotaro-chan, let's go and greet my nee-chan!"I snapped out of my thoughts just in time to see Ren already standing in front of Kotaro, gently tugging at his sleeve. And then it hit me - he was trying to introduce me. A small wave of nerves washed over me.Just then, Kashima came back after seeing Kamitani and the others off. He smiled when he spotted the two boys."Kotaro! Nii-chan is ba-"But before he could finish, Kotaro swayed.His body slumped forward without warning. The picture book slipped from his hands and hit the floor with a soft thud."Kotaro!"Kashima lunged forward, barely catching him before his head hit the ground.For a moment, no one moved. Even Ren stood frozen, eyes wide."Kotaro... are you okay?"Kashima's voice trembled as he gently tapped his brother's cheeks.
I stood up fast, heart tight. "Do you think he fainted?""He's burning up," Kashima muttered, placing a hand to his brother's forehead."He must've had a fever this whole time..."My chest tightened.I hadn't noticed. None of us had.I quickly pulled out my phone and opened the contact I'd saved just this morning.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kashima freeze for half a second - panic flickering behind his eyes.
Then, he snapped into motion, holding Kotaro tight as he stood."I'll take him to the doctor!""Wait - you don't have to go that far.""Huh?"He paused as I held up my phone."I already called the school's infirmary. They're still open."His eyes flicked to the screen. Then back to me. After a brief silence, he nodded."Got it. Thank you."He turned, slid the nursery door open, and rushed down the hall.
Even after the door closed, I could still hear the echo of his footsteps fading down the corridor."Ren, grab your things. We should-"But I didn't even finish the sentence.Ren was already at my side, backpack on, lunchbox in hand, his expression steady."Nee-chan, let's go."I laughed under my breath and reached out to ruffle his hair."Okay," I said. "Let's go."***I walked quietly down the corridor, footsteps muffled against the tile.Kashima was sitting just outside the infirmary, on one of the plastic chairs lined up along the wall.His hands were clasped tightly together, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed low like the weight of his thoughts wouldn't let him lift it."Ryuu nii-chan is very sad," Ren suddenly whispered beside me.I glanced down."...Ryuu nii-chan?" If I wasn't wrong, that's probably Kashima's name.He nodded, gripping the edge of my uniform. His eyes shimmered faintly - not from tears, exactly, but something close.A kind of quiet plea.It wasn't like him to show this side too easily. Which meant... yeah, he liked him."Alright," I said softly, giving his hand a small squeeze.I looked ahead again - Kashima hadn't moved. The hallway was quiet except for the hum of the ceiling light.I smiled gently, tilting my head toward Ren."Let's teach you how to help someone feel better."He blinked up at me."Step one," I whispered, crouching a little so we were eye to eye. "Walk up to him like you've got a secret."Ren nodded seriously."Step two... give him your best smile.""And step three?""Tell him you're here now. And that it's okay."Ren took a breath like a tiny soldier preparing for duty - then, without hesitation, let go of my hand and marched over to the chair.***"Ren-kun? You're still here? That means..."Kashima's voice trailed off as Ren stepped forward - eager to try the method I'd just taught him. Instead of saying anything, he gave Kashima the biggest smile he could manage.I almost fainted on the spot.God. He takes everything I say way too seriously."Ryuu nii-chan, Kotaro-chan is going to be okay... Nee-chan and Ren are here with you!"That tiny voice of his was adorable - maybe too adorable.Honestly, it was kind of embarrassing. We'd just met today, and now we were already in this... weirdly emotional scene?Still, I held my ground. Kept a straight face. Nodded calmly at Kashima, like this was normal. (I mean... the blush probably gave me away, but I tried.)"Thank you, Hashimoto-"His voice cracked.That was the first thing I noticed. And then... the tears followed.Not just a few. It was sudden - like something inside him had finally snapped.Kashima quickly turned away, hiding his face in his sleeve, clearly caught off guard by his own emotions.Ren and I stood there for a beat, unsure what to do or say."Sorry, Hashimoto-san," he murmured. "This is just...""It's okay." I picked Ren up and sat down on the chair next to him."If something hurts, it's fine to let it out."The silence that followed was soft—not awkward, just quiet. The kind that settles gently after a long day.Kashima didn't say anything more, but I could feel it - the tension in him slowly easing..
I stood up fast, heart tight. "Do you think he fainted?""He's burning up," Kashima muttered, placing a hand to his brother's forehead."He must've had a fever this whole time..."My chest tightened.I hadn't noticed. None of us had.I quickly pulled out my phone and opened the contact I'd saved just this morning.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kashima freeze for half a second - panic flickering behind his eyes.
Then, he snapped into motion, holding Kotaro tight as he stood."I'll take him to the doctor!""Wait - you don't have to go that far.""Huh?"He paused as I held up my phone."I already called the school's infirmary. They're still open."His eyes flicked to the screen. Then back to me. After a brief silence, he nodded."Got it. Thank you."He turned, slid the nursery door open, and rushed down the hall.
Even after the door closed, I could still hear the echo of his footsteps fading down the corridor."Ren, grab your things. We should-"But I didn't even finish the sentence.Ren was already at my side, backpack on, lunchbox in hand, his expression steady."Nee-chan, let's go."I laughed under my breath and reached out to ruffle his hair."Okay," I said. "Let's go."***I walked quietly down the corridor, footsteps muffled against the tile.Kashima was sitting just outside the infirmary, on one of the plastic chairs lined up along the wall.His hands were clasped tightly together, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed low like the weight of his thoughts wouldn't let him lift it."Ryuu nii-chan is very sad," Ren suddenly whispered beside me.I glanced down."...Ryuu nii-chan?" If I wasn't wrong, that's probably Kashima's name.He nodded, gripping the edge of my uniform. His eyes shimmered faintly - not from tears, exactly, but something close.A kind of quiet plea.It wasn't like him to show this side too easily. Which meant... yeah, he liked him."Alright," I said softly, giving his hand a small squeeze.I looked ahead again - Kashima hadn't moved. The hallway was quiet except for the hum of the ceiling light.I smiled gently, tilting my head toward Ren."Let's teach you how to help someone feel better."He blinked up at me."Step one," I whispered, crouching a little so we were eye to eye. "Walk up to him like you've got a secret."Ren nodded seriously."Step two... give him your best smile.""And step three?""Tell him you're here now. And that it's okay."Ren took a breath like a tiny soldier preparing for duty - then, without hesitation, let go of my hand and marched over to the chair.***"Ren-kun? You're still here? That means..."Kashima's voice trailed off as Ren stepped forward - eager to try the method I'd just taught him. Instead of saying anything, he gave Kashima the biggest smile he could manage.I almost fainted on the spot.God. He takes everything I say way too seriously."Ryuu nii-chan, Kotaro-chan is going to be okay... Nee-chan and Ren are here with you!"That tiny voice of his was adorable - maybe too adorable.Honestly, it was kind of embarrassing. We'd just met today, and now we were already in this... weirdly emotional scene?Still, I held my ground. Kept a straight face. Nodded calmly at Kashima, like this was normal. (I mean... the blush probably gave me away, but I tried.)"Thank you, Hashimoto-"His voice cracked.That was the first thing I noticed. And then... the tears followed.Not just a few. It was sudden - like something inside him had finally snapped.Kashima quickly turned away, hiding his face in his sleeve, clearly caught off guard by his own emotions.Ren and I stood there for a beat, unsure what to do or say."Sorry, Hashimoto-san," he murmured. "This is just...""It's okay." I picked Ren up and sat down on the chair next to him."If something hurts, it's fine to let it out."The silence that followed was soft—not awkward, just quiet. The kind that settles gently after a long day.Kashima didn't say anything more, but I could feel it - the tension in him slowly easing..
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