Madoka continued through his next couple of classes feeling like he was missing a chunk of time. He remembered the walk to school, and having arrived without anything too big happening. Just like any ordinary day. And then there was the block of time from homeroom to when Yuichi woke him up that was just. Gone.
His mind felt foggy, and scrambled. Like someone had put his brain in a dryer on its super spin cycle.
"I really must be sick…" Madoka muttered to himself. Rubbing his eyes that seemed to steadily grew heavier the longer the day went on.
It took everything he had to pay attention to the lecture on Atlas Shrugged. And with the book being so painfully dull, it was something that the teacher seemed to be struggling with.
"And with that. It's time for lunch. Remember to read pages 22 through 42 of Atlas Shrugged, and write a full page analysis on it." The male teacher said as everyone was packing for their break. Leaving Madoka in a state of stupor. It was already time for lunch?
"Hey man, how ya feeling?" Yuichi asked, nudging Madoka's shoulder. Placing his bento on Madoka's desk as he sat across from him. Leaning over the head of the chair.
"Fine enough to finish out the day." Madoka lied. Trying his best to just make it through, and make it home. Where his sweet, sweet bed would be waiting for him. Where he could rest and hopefully get rid of whatever it was that currently ailed him.
But in order to do that, he first needed to get some food in his stomach. So he did just that. Opening his bento he started to eat the lunch that Naomi had prepped for him. Which contained some of this morning's breakfast. The bacon, the sausage. Along with plenty of fruits which were rich in what he needed to help his recovery.
"Oh cool man! You got those sausage rounds!" Yuichi said going in for the steal. Only for the center of his head to be met with an eraser.
"Get your own." Madoka said, pulling his bento close to him. Before finally digging in once he was sure Yuichi wasn't going to try to nab more of his food.
"Owwww. For someone who's sick, you sure throw at full power." He whined rubbing his head where it was already starting to turn red from where the eraser hit.
"When it comes to protecting my food. There is no state I will be in that will keep me from using the mighty eraser." Madoka said. Cringing at what he just said as Yuichi burst out laughing.
"Man that was corny!" Yuichi laughed. Nearly bursting a lung in the process.
"You don't have to point that out." Madoka said, resting his head on the desk. Regretting for a moment that he had the ability to speak.
Before he dug himself a deeper hole. He hurriedly finished his lunch before Yuichi could make more fun of him.
After lunch, the rest of his classes continued with that same foggy feeling. One that seemed to continue to grow the longer the day went.
And before he knew it. The day was already over with other students starting to pack up for the day. While Madoka struggled to make sense of what he was reading from his text book in front of him.
"Hey Madoka! You got cleaning duty!" Yuichi said carrying a broom and dustpan over to him. Not seeming to notice the bewildered look on Madoka's face.
"I think I may be starting to lose my mind." Madoka said, in an attempt to run the day's events through his head. All of it seemingly melding together.
"What makes you say that?" Yuichi said with a frown. That soon turned into a worried look. "I mean you've seem to have a rough day of it."
"Just feel like today's been a complete blur… Ever since you woke me up at the end of homeroom." Madoka said using the broom to help himself balance. Feeling the faint warm sickly sensation on his forehead more prominently than he had before.
Still. Yuichi's worry seemed to deepen. Rather he looked like he was getting ready to call some kind of special infection unit. Maybe the CDC.
"Yeah…I`ll be heading home right as soon as I finish up cleaning." Madoka said in a low tone. "Are you helping?"
"Nope. I got Football(Soccer) club, can't miss it." Yuichi said, nudging his friend softly. "According to the board, you'll be working with the quiet girl."
"The quiet girl…right…" Madoka said as Yuichi's words seemed to lodge something free in his mind. Clearing his vision as the blur he had been seeing around the room. Soon fading into the form of the young woman. Who had her back to the two young men as she cleaned the chalkboard silently.
"You okay man? You have smoke billowing from your ears." Yuichi said, his voice full of worry.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Madoka said, waving Yuichi away. "If I want to get home quick. You'll need to get going."
"Fine, fine. I'll message you later, okay?" Yuichi hesitated a moment before finally relenting and making his way out of the classroom.
As soon as everyone else had left the classroom. The air in the room grew awkward as Madoka started cleaning the top of the desks with some disinfectant and wiping them off. Slowly making his way towards the back of the classroom. Trying his best to ignore the nagging feeling that wanted to look towards Nema. Though, he couldn't help but steal a glance every now and then.
Nema continued cleaning the front half of the room. Trying her best to keep to herself, and making minor alterations where necessary. To keep any interactions between them as little as possible. Especially when she was so close to breaking a rule.
She knew that Madoka wasn't currently paying her any mind at least with his eyes. Deep down. She knew there was the chance he would try to talk to her. Because that was how she designed this moment to be. Even if it were by minor manipulation by writing her name on the chalkboard before the lag had ended.
The less he interacted with her. The less rules Nema would have to worry about breaking. But she was tired of just being on the sidelines watching. She needed to get involved.
She just had to keep him in her sight at all times. So she could help him when it mattered. Especially when things were beginning to change faster than she ever expected them to. Almost like it was now an exponential change.
So Nema would start with helping him clean the classroom. Slowly she crossed the distance between them. Getting closer to Madoka with each step, feeling the air between them growing much more electric the closer she got. A feeling she had felt when she had to get close to Madoka the first time. When the greyish creature had done something she had never seen it do anytime before. Be out during the daylight hours.
Looking up, Nema noticed that Madoka was struggling cleaning a portion of the classroom. Seemingly fighting with the rear chalkboard in an attempt to get it just right. There was something odd about the sight that kept her from keeping quiet, and before she knew it. She was speaking to him.
"What should. I do. To help?" Nema asked from behind Madoka, earning a terrified scream from him as he jumped away from her, having realized that she had been there behind him. But for how long?
"Woah! H-hey there! S-sorry for yelling. I didn't know you were behind me." Madoka stammered in a weird pose that ended with the cloth he had been using now resting on top of his head. And the bottle on the ground somewhere on the ground behind him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't. Mean to. Scare you." She continued in that emotionless tone. Giving him a small bow out of apology. "What should. I do. To help?"
Aside from her suddenly approaching him from behind. Her even making the offer was something that caught him off-guard. Mainly because whenever he would be chosen for the back portion of the classroom. He never seemed to really get any help.
And he appreciated the offer.
"You can help with putting the chairs on the table. The teachers don't like for there to be streaks on the chalkboard. So I have to keep at it until it gets just right." Madoka said, trying his hardest not to let his exhaustion show.
"Okay. I will. Do that. Then." Nema said. Going and beginning to lift the chairs placing them on top of the desks where they belong.
Eventually, the two managed to find a rhythm as they worked. And before the two knew it. They had finished cleaning the classroom rather quickly, even with the setback of the chalkboards.
"Usually this takes much longer. I'm surprised that the sun hasn't even begun to set yet." Madoka said after they had put the last two chairs neatly atop their respective desks.
"Really?" Nema asked, having personally expected it to take much longer herself. It was almost like someone had pressed the fast forward button on just the two of them alone. Making their progress all the more greater. Just like how it felt when their time had been slowed.
Had he even noticed?
"Yeah, I expected it to take us at least another thirty minutes to finish." Madoka said with a small amount of excitement. "Thank you for all the help Nema. I really appreciate it."
Those words made Nema stiffen the instant she heard them. Not out of disgust or anything of the like. But because his words were genuine. Even the tired smile he gave her attested to that.
"Hey. Would you mind if I walked you to the train station? O-or wherever would be the most convenient spot." Madoka asked, taking his bento box from his desk. Drawing Nema from her thoughts.
That question had also caught her off guard. She had spent so much time alone, that she almost forgot what personal interaction felt like, and now. He wanted to spend time around her. Something she didn't expect to ever truly do again. Still, it was enough to make her feel warm inside. For the first time in a long time. The feeling of happiness fluttered in her chest.
"Would you. Know a. Place that. Serves warm. Food?" Nema said. Surprising herself with the uncharacteristic question. This is starting to get dangerous.
"Yeah! I know one close by!" Madoka said in a tone full of excitement and energy. A change of pace from how he had seemed earlier. "It's ramen though. Is that okay?"
Nema nodded slowly. Following behind him as he led the way through busy sidewalks down a side street to a ramen shop that bustled with way too many people for Nema's comfort. But she would do it. All to just eat the warm food, and to spend some time with someone. Something she hadn't done in a long time.
"Choose anything you want. I'm paying." Madoka smiled as he sat down at the line sliding over a thin piece of paper that held the seven different ramens they had on one side, and the small amount of appetizers and drinks on the other.
"This all seems. Really simple." Nema said as she observed the paper. "What would. You suggest?"
"Personally, I would go for the Curry chicken flavor. It has that spicy kick and the savory taste at the same time." Madoka said. "But if you're not into spice. Then you would probably want to go with Tonkotsu ramen."
"Tonkotsu…" Nema muttered to herself, before slowly nodding. "I think. I will. Have Tonkotsu."
"Tonkotsu it is." Madoka said with a sheepish smile as he ordered two bowls of ramen. The two continued to make very small, small talk. Only speaking when the awkwardness built high enough to drown out the shop around them.
Once the ramen had arrived, Madoka had dug in. Almost like he had been starved. It was only when he had gotten about halfway through his bowl, that he noticed that Nema hadn't even started eating. She hadn't even pulled her chopsticks apart yet.
Slowly he set his chopsticks down, reaching over to the empty space to his right. Grabbing the fresh pair of chopsticks, and showed Nema how to use them. After a while of fumbling about, Nema had finally managed to figure out the chopsticks, eventually slurping down the warm and soft noodles.
Though the only downside was that she didn't really taste them at all. It tasted bland and flavorless, but the warm sensation of the noodles and the broth was enough for her to continue eating it. She hadn't even noticed that Madoka was watching her scarf down, with a small smile plastered on his face.
He didn't know why, but he felt happy knowing that she enjoyed it. Knowing that even though there wasn't a smile on her face. She was finding some kind of enjoyment out of this.
After they had finished their meal, Madoka led Nema along the road to a nearby park. It wasn't anything fancy, some old swings and a simple slide in the middle of a sand box that was always kept free of debris whenever it wasn't being used.
Madoka often liked coming here just to sit on the swing, feeling the air flow across his skin, and through his hair. Usually he sat here just to think about life, and to just get away from everyone. He was usually alone. It was the way he preferred things to be.
But the more time that the two spent together, the more it seemed as if Nema was starting to open up. Even if it were only silently.
"Why did. You reach. Out to. Me?" Nema asked, watching as her feet made lines in the sand as she gently swung on the swing.
"O-oh. W-well, I really wanted to get to know you. I know how it can be to be quiet, and not want to interact with anyone. To feel almost completely invisible. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I didn't want you to feel alone." Madoka said sheepishly. Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, hoping he hadn't spoken too much.
"You didn't. Want me. To feel. Alone?" Nema questioned, feeling her external shell chip away more and more. It was something she had never expected. Especially when she wasn't supposed to let his words affect her in any way.
Even when they had shared only a small amount of words. She found him melting down the walls she had up. To protect him, as much as it was to protect herself. She didn't know how to handle it. But she knew better than to freak out. Or did she?
"No, I didn't." Madoka admitted. Looking at the sky, seeing the beautiful colors of the setting sun. It was such a beautiful sight.
It was then when he noticed that Nema was staring at the sky as well. With a look of absolute terror being the first sign of emotion he had ever seen her show.
And that look scared him as well.
"I'm sorry. I have. To go!" Nema said, suddenly rising to her feet, quickly running to leave the park. "You should get home before the sun sets!"
"What do you mean?! Was it something I said?!" Madoka called out standing. Getting ready to chase after her. As he moved, he saw something that made his eyes widen.
Standing on its hands in the sand just about ten feet away was a creature unlike anything he had ever seen. A figure with a head wrapped with a black cloth, and arms covered in the same cloth up from its fingertips to its elbows. The only sign that it had legs were the thighs that ended in stubs of gray skin. That covered most of its body. With muscles visibly straining as it primed itself to move, and it was leaning right in his direction.