Diagnosis
A Ouran Host Club one-shot
Ootori Kyouya and Hoshakuji Renge
Notes: Wrote this recently as to take a break from the Naruto fic that's kicking my butt. When writing "Perhaps Love", I had so much fun typing in Kyouya's medical concepts... it made the story more real, I think. Anyway, here's a random one-shot for you all. Not at all connected to "Perhaps Love". I am no way in hell a med student. I pulled all my resources from my former nursing classes and personal experience to the doctor's office.

"I still think you should call her."

Kyouya was not sure if he agreed with his friend. He listened quietly as he walked down the sterile halls of the white building, bowing his head to his superiors, responding to his subordinates. "I'm not sure if I should," he said into his cell phone.

"Why not?" his best friend gushed. "It sounds as if your date went smoothly! You took her to dinner, and then for a few drinks overlooking the skyline. It sounds romantic. Any girl would have had a marvelous time."

Kyouya paused for a moment, initialing a sheet on a clipboard at the nurse's counter. A nurse handed him a stack of folders. "Your 12:30 is waiting in room 301."

"Thank you," Kyouya gripped the folders, tucked them under his arm and walked over to his office a few doors down.

"It's been a little over a week," said his phone. "You haven't called her for a week."

"I've been busy," Kyouya excused as he unlocked the door. He entered his office, a small space with two sets of everything a chief resident needed, passed his associate's desk and deposited the files on his own desk. "I've been sleeping here quite frequently... more than I care to, in fact." Not that he could sleep well while in the hospital; someone in the on-call room was always snoring while his desk was too hard to bear. Perhaps he should consult his fellow chief resident to add a couch for their office; at least a love-seat.

"She's going to think you're not interested. But I know you most certainly are."

"It's not that, Tamaki," Kyouya sat back into his desk chair. "I may have... scared her off. That's why I'm hesitant to call her."

"Scare her?" the blond man asked. "How?"

"I think I was too bold," Kyouya admitted, somewhat ashamed of himself. "Or too forceful for her taste."

A scandalized gasp erupted from his cell phone. "On a first date?! Kyouya, you stallion! I didn't know you had that in you!"

Kyouya blanched but within a few seconds, his blood rushed to his cheeks. "Not that, you moron! I kissed her."

"Oh," came Tamaki's sound of understanding. "How did she react?"

"Shock," Kyouya answered after recalling for a moment. "And then I left her at her doorstep."

"Well," Tamaki began. "She didn't scream or slap you. So, that's a good sign. I still think you should call her. You won't know until you try, right?"

Kyouya frowned. "I don't have ti--."

"Time? Nonsense!" Tamaki exclaimed. "There is always time for love! Tell her you had the most wonderful time. That her beauty surpasses Aphrodite herself! Or tell her how sweet her kiss was and how you can't stop thinking about it! Tell her you want to sweep her off her feet! Say something! Anything! Just call her on your break and then call me!"

He could not imagine himself saying any of that; it was too disgusting. "Wait a minute. Why do I need to call you?"

"So I can confirm to everyone whether you have a second date or not!" Tamaki told him. "The twins started a bet but I believe in you, Kyouya! Within you resides the god of romance, waiting to be unleashed!"

Geez, the way he said it made it sound as if Kyouya was a dog in heat. Kyouya shook his head. "I'll talk to her the next chance I get," he appeased his friend. "Bye." He closed his phone and placed it on the desktop. He peered over to his computer and checked the time. 12:15. His appointment was early. Nevertheless, he reached for the top folder to review the paperwork of his next patient.

He paused.

He double-taked.

Is that...? It is! Why was she here?

Kyouya had to take a deep breath, letting his reason get the better of him. He was going to have to face it sooner or later... Kyouya picked up his cell phone and opened it. He held the screen in front of him while smoothing out his bangs to the right. He closed his cell phone, placed it back on the desk and stood while smoothing out his scrubs. He draped his blue stethoscope around his neck, tucked the folder underneath his arm and closed the door behind him.

He made his way to a door down to the end of the hall, and slowly opened the door to room 301. He looked up and saw a large pair of amber eyes batting at him. "Hello, Renge-kun."

A smile formed on her pink lips. "Hello, Kyo--er, Sensei." She sat quietly on the examining table and watched as Kyouya placed the folder down on the counter. He stood in front of the sink, washed his hands thoroughly and then grabbed paper towels to dry them.

He took his time drying his hands, wondering if there was a way, any way at all, to keep this situation from becoming any more awkward. "So..." he turned back to her folder. "What brings you to this visit, Renge-kun?"

"Well," Renge crossed her ankles and placed her hands on her lap, "I'm feeling quite out of sorts, Sensei," she said the title with such an air, as if she was singing it.

Kyouya reached for a pen. "What are you symptoms?"

"I feel quite feverous, you see," she began to list, "and I'm having difficulty breathing. My heart feels strange too, like it's going too fast and it's not steady. I also feel very dizzy and nauseous sometimes."

That sounded like a flu, upon Kyouya's initial opinion. He glanced down to the charts to see what the nurse wrote down for her blood pressure and temperature. 125/75. 37 degrees Celsius. He wrote down her symptoms in order: fever, dyspnea, tachycardia, arrhythmia, vertigo?, nausea.

Kyouya pulled the stethoscope off his neck and gently eased it in place. "How long have you had these symptoms?"

"Hm... about a week."

Kyouya approached her until he was at arms' length and then stopped, noting the lace and ruffle design on her blouse. "Can you undo the top button please?"

She obliged and sat tall as Kyouya tucked the face of his stethoscope onto her bare skin, listening to her heart. It was a little fast, but nothing too out of the ordinary. He moved the stethoscope to another spot on her chest. "Deep breath, please." He listened to her inhale and exhale. Typical. He then placed the face onto one side of her back. "Another deep breath, please." She did as she was told and they repeated the same gesture on the other side of her back.

Nothing out of the ordinary with her breathing... Kyouya re-draped his stethoscope around his neck.

"Well?" Renge inquired.

Kyouya took a step towards the counter and pulled out a small object from the drawer. In his hand, he held a small otoscope; he clipped on a sterile, cone-shaped piece to one end, while holding the instrument firmly with the other hand. "I'm going to check your ears, since you said you were experiencing dizziness."

With a smile still on her face, she tucked her hair behind her ears, allowing him easier access. Kyouya stood right beside her, and inserted his otoscope into her left ear. "You said you've been feeling this way for a week?" he tried to confirm.

"Uh-huh. Ever since you kissed me."

Kyouya pulled the instrument out of her ear and stepped back to get a better view of her face. She tilted her head, turned left and batted her eyelashes at him. She stared back up to him with wide eyes, sparkling at him for some reason... "I've been this way ever since we kissed," she said very slowly, hoping he understood her.

And he did. Her implication was clear as day... Suddenly, in the back of his mind, he could hear Tamaki's voice, telling him to jump at this given chance. Was this really happening? "You're not ill," he stated.

"To be honest, Sensei, not the kind of ill you thought. But I figured that you were probably so busy, this was the only way to see you," she explained to him. "To talk to you."

"I see..." Kyouya turned his back to her and cleaned off the otoscope. He placed it back in the drawer as his eyes turned to her charts. She seriously pulled a stunt like this? Even if it was silly, somewhat childish, Kyouya could not find it that annoying... He could feel himself coming down with similar symptoms. Damn, she must have been contagious.

Again, his conscience who sounded strangely like Tamaki was screaming at him for a second date. But right here? Right now? It was embarrassing to say the least. He did not even remember how he managed to secure the first date!

"So?" Renge rebuttoned her shirt. "What now, Sensei? Anyway to cure this?" she kicked her feet back and forth as Renge remained sitting on the examining table, feet off the ground.

Cure? Suddenly, Kyouya was struck with a brilliant idea. He pulled open another drawer and found a prescription pad. He quickly scribbled down a few words on the top sheet and pulled it off from the set. "Next time this occurs, you don't have to waste your time coming here." He watched her brow furrow as he stood before her with a straight face. "Have a nice day, Renge-kun," he quickly handed her the slip of paper and said, "I'll see you later," before closing the door behind him.

Once outside in the hall, Kyouya released a nervous breath. Unlike Tamaki's assumption, Kyouya could not tap into this "inner romance god"; he did not know the first thing about doing so. Kyouya was a man of logic and reason; he could not picture himself following his emotions without losing any sort of dignity. Kyouya had to do things his way...

...But would it yield results?

Kyouya began to walk down the hall when he heard a squeal of delight and joy, originating from the room he just left.

Kyouya smiled to himself.

So he was not a romantic man of flowery prose. He could not compare her to the goddess of beauty or describe how kissing her made him feel.

However, his own method to romance seemed to work just fine...

Sunday. La Fleur Restaurant. I'll pick you up at 8.