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“A–Achoo!” Minori sniffles, snuggled up under the covers, shivering as she sniffles up her mucus, accidentally swallowing it back, which only makes her feel so congested. “H-Haaah..!”
She feels quite guilty for ruining today’s planned stream by being sick, especially since she saw that their fans had been particularly looking forward to today’s truth or dare stream. Minori can only imagine how many More More Jump oshis are disappointed, all because of her!
Haruka texted her on behalf of the whole group this morning, and Minori hesitantly replied that she’s feeling sick today, and that they’ll have to do the stream without her, but Haruka refused.
Why couldn’t they just proceed without her? She wouldn’t exactly be a missed presence, her personality is more of a backing vocal to More More Jump’s chorus. She’s an idol, she knows that, but she can admit that she’s more of a mediocre one than the rest of her group.
..She never thinks like this. She knows she’s less talented, but Minori never lingers on it in favor of instead focusing on her brighter future and spreading hope to anyone who would care to listen.
Maybe it’s because she’s sick, and her brain is more muddled. That’s why she’s now focused on her flaws, because being ill in the first place is quite a weak state to be in.
It’s probably because she chose to practice on the rooftop a few days ago, despite Airi scolding her and saying that it was far too cold to do it outside. She felt determined to continue with her typical routine, but that determination was what got her sick in the first place.
Minori sniffles again, curling up in the bed feeling both sweaty and freezing. She isn’t sure whether to kick off the blanket and turn on the fan or pile on more.
Suddenly, she gets interrupted from her mini pity party by a notification from her phone. Is it her mother..?
MORE MORE FIGHT
CUTIE SMILE: Are you feeling okay, Minori?
TSUNDERE GIRL: you texted that you were sick but then proceeded to disappear?? were all very worred you know
CUTIE SMILE: *We’re. *worried
TSUNDERE GIRL: DO I LOOK LIKE I GAF
G.U.T.S: Minori ! we Mi ss You
She smiles fondly at the onslaught of notifications she gets, one concerned message coming after another. Of course her presence was missed, she should have never even considered otherwise.
After hyping herself up a bit to type, she musters up the energy to bring her phone screen closer, arm muscles creaking. She groans in pain, but ignores it in favor of replying.
FIGHTO FIGHTO!: IM OK GUYSSS IM JUST FEELING SICK OW
Just a few seconds after sending her message, she gets a reply. They must have really been feeling anxious to hear from her, then.
CUTIE SMILE: Would you like for us to come over?
Minori pauses at the message. Would she? For one, she wouldn’t want to burden them or get them sick, but she also misses the three quite a lot.
FIGHTO FIGHTO!: only If ur okay with that!! >_<
CUTIE SMILE: Of course we are. We will come ASAP.
TSUNDERE GIRL: why do you only ever get on me for grammer when texting and not mimori or shizuku????
CUTIE SMILE: *grammar. *Minori.
TSUNDERE GIRL: asshat
Minori giggles at the exchange, turning her phone off and relaxing into the covers, feeling much warmer, and not in a bad way. Her heart feels like it’s being gently cuddled, whenever she speaks to her group members.
Though, it’s a bit hard to keep thinking straight when her skull feels as though it’s being stuffed with cotton. Her eyes begin instinctively shutting and reopening, never closing just enough for her to fall asleep but not quite allowing her to stay lucid.
She wheezes out some phlegm from her throat, the sticky yellow spit attaching to her chin, though she feels too weak to wipe it off. “Ick..” She feels gross, and Minori doesn’t want to feel gross and sticky! She never wants to get sick again!
She spends a good few minutes phasing in and out of consciousness, before she gets interrupted by a knock on the door, before it’s opened, judging by the squeaky sound of the door hinges. “Eh?” Minori mumbles. “H-How’d they open th’ door..?”
Before Minori can question it any further, Airi practically kicks her bedroom door open. “What did I tell you about practicing out in the cold?! That’s right, I said you’d get sick!” She pouts angrily. “Did you listen?! Nooo, cause you’re immortal all of a sudden!”
Minori sniffles back her snot, trying not to let it leak down, so as to not disgust her friends. “Haah.. Sorry, Airi! I’ll listen to you more in the future!”
Airi grumbles, sitting at the edge of her bed and gently stroking her scalp. “You’d better! I’m still going to take care of you, though..”
The other two come in shortly afterwards, having taken the time to lock Minori’s door and reheat her hot miso soup that Shizuku brought. Minori lights up at the sight of all of them in her room, a light blush gracing her cheeks.
Shizuku places the bottle of miso soup down, sitting at Minori’s bed with a saddened expression. “Minori! Are you okay! Awh, you poor thing, I’m so very sorry you have to go through this.. Hmm, let me get the thermometer I brought to check your temperature.”
She opens up her purse, Ibuprofen, an ice pack, a thermometer and tea bags inside. “Thermometer, thermometer.. Here it is!”
Anxiously stammering at all the things in Shizuku’s purse, she shakes her head no. “No! It isn’t necessary, I mean, I can barely feel any fever at all, so you don’t need to worry about me!”
Haruka turns her head sadly. “Please, Minori? We just want to know how serious the fever is, so that we can help..”
“Put the thermometer in my mouth.” Minori says.
Shizuku chuckles at Minori’s instant acceptance at her idol’s insistence, and gently pushes the thermometer in her mouth. “Okay, and the result is..!” She pauses. “38.5 Celsius?! Ah, that’s awful!! Oh, Minori, I’m so sorry!”
She didn’t think it was that high, honestly, but the saddened faces of her group members is making her a bit self conscious. “Guys, don’t worry! In a day or two, I’ll be all better!” She grins sweetly. “Just have more hope, alright?”
And once she says that, all of them instantly relax into something much more fond. “Right. That’s such a you thing to say, Minori.” Haruka says, sitting onto the bed and pulling Minori's head onto her lap.
…
“HAAAAAAH-!!?” Minori yelps. “Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha.. Haruka.. I’m on Haruka’s lap. Haruka?? Haruka’s lap, I’m, I’m…”
Airi sighs. “Minori’s malfunctioning, but I don’t know how to reboot her..”
She can practically feel smoke coming off of her with how hard the blush on her face is. “Haruka’s lap.. So squishy and comfy and warm..” Minori mumbles. “I wanna be sick every day so I can lay my head on her thighs.”
Haruka raises an eyebrow. “You could always just ask, you don’t need to get sick for me to let you.” At this point, they’re all surrounding Minori and cuddling her on the bed in some way. Minori wonders if she’s hallucinating from her fever by now.
“Awh.. Airi, does this mean I can lay on your lap?” Shizuku pouts. “I mean, if Minori can do it to Haruka, then why can’t I do it to you?” Airi stutters, but Shizuku seems oblivious to any implications to what she just said.
This feels like a lesbian pipe dream. Minori’s floating in air, head nestled into the cloud that is Haruka’s lap. Maybe her soul can finally rest now, she’s clearly accomplished everything she could ever need. Haruka’s lap will be the end of her.
“Eh?! Minori fell asleep!” Airi shakes her, but it’s to no avail. “Agh, I guess since she’s sick, she might be more prone to being sleepy like this. She didn’t even drink the soup that you brought yet, Shizuku.”
The girl shakes her head in acceptance. “I can make her something even yummier for after she gets better, anyways. You don’t need to worry! For now, let her rest.”
Haruka’s legs are growing numb, but she doesn’t mind, either. It’s Minori after all.
The three of them find themselves nestling comfortably onto Minori’s bed, cradling her gently, and in the process making contact with Haruka as well, who’s the only one not laying down now.
With Minori’s warm body and love, this is the best any of them have slept.
₊˚⊹ ᰔ
“A-Achoo!” Airi sniffles uncomfortably in her bed, Shizuku groaning right beside her. “Aghh.. My throat feels so soree..”
Haruka and Minori are both scrambling around to make tea and get whatever the two sick girls need, doing their best to pamper them. “I didn’t think those two would get sick because of me!” Minori says. “I feel awful! But at least you aren’t sick, Haruka!”
She chuckles. “That’s true, I don’t know how you would have handled taking care of all three of us.” Haruka pauses. “But, at the same time, someone angelic like you is capable of many things. I’m sure you would be able to do anything that you put your mind to, Minori.”
“EEP!” Minori squeaks. “You really think so? Ah, Haruka called me an angel.. I could fly from happiness”
Airi screams at them from the other room over. “HEY! WHAT HAPPENED TO GETTING US TEA?”