"Hang in there, Yuuno-sensei!" Raiko firmly gripped the bedridden Yuuno's hand. "Please don't die!"

"Don't worry, Raiko," Yuuno said with a cough. "Everything will be all right…"

"There's only one way to save you!" Raiko said. "We have to go on a fantastic voyage into your body, you know, just like in that movie 'Harold and Kumar go to White Castle'!"

"… It is merely a cold." Seikou said as she looked at a thermometer. "He will recover in a day or so."

"Hrmp, succumbing to a mere virus…" Yami scoffed. "Well… not like it's going to kill you."

"Thanks for the concern but there's no need to get worked up about it." Yuuno managed a smile. "I just need to rest, that's all. Why don't you three go out and play somewhere? You've reached the point where you don't require constant supervision, you know."

"I refuse to leave Yuuno-san in such a state," Seikou said simply. "I will stay by your side until you are well again."

"I'm staying too!" Raiko bounced up. "It's no fun without Yuuno-sensei around!"

"And without my leadership, who knows what sort of trouble will occur," Yami said. "Be thankful that I too shall remain!"

"Do not concern yourself with us," Seikou said. "Just focus on getting better."

"Okay, thank you." Yuuno closed his eyes. "I think I'll just go back to sleep."

"Then I'll sing you a lullaby!" Raiko beamed and started singing. "GOOD NIGHT, SWEET DREAMS TO YOU! RIDING ON A SHIP OF CLOUDS!"

"How do you expect anyone to sleep with you shouting like that?" Yami grabbed Raiko's collar and dragged her out of the room. "You're coming with me."

"Just you watch! I'll become the top selling voice actress someday!" Raiko said as she was pulled away.

"I am sorry for that," Seikou said.

"It's fine," Yuuno said. "With any luck some of her energy will be transferred to me and I'll be better in no time."

"Yes, that would be nice." Seikou smiled slightly.

X-X-X

"So Yami, what are we going to do tonight?" Raiko asked.

"The same thing we do every night…" Yami slapped her own forehead. "I refuse to lower myself to spouting random pop culture references…"

"In some places it's called soda!"

"…. Right. Anyways since that peon is ill I felt it appropriate to make something to assist with his recovery. After all, he's no good to me stuck in bed all day."

"Are we gonna do some cooking?" Raiko asked.

"No, I am going to do some cooking. You won't touch anything."

"But I wanna help too!"

"Then stay out of my way."

"Yami, do you even know how to cook?"

"Don't be foolish. I have the only skill required to cook well." Yami reached into the cupboard and pulled out a book. "I know how to read." She flipped through the pages and found a recipe. "Yes, a hearty soup will do nicely."

X-X-X

Yami took the soup to the bedroom and found Yuuno sitting up in bed.

"Yami, what's that you have there?" He asked.

"Something to speed up your recovery," she said, pushing the bowl into his hands. "Be thankful I went to such lengths for you."

"I am thankful. Now let's have a taste…" Yuuno popped a spoonful into his mouth and his face lit up. "This is amazing! I'm cured!" He jumped out of the bed and went down to his knees. "I swear I shall serve you from this day forward, your majesty!"

X-X-X

"Hehehe, yes, it's perfect!"

"Let me help!" Raiko said. "Let me help let me help let me help!"

"Fine!" Yami sighed. "Go get the pot while I get the stock."

"Kay!"

The soup making process progressed fairly smoothly.

"Now to add the noodles." Yami dropped them into the pot. Plop. "Next, the chicken…" She walked away to get the meat.

"Chocolate makes everything better!" Plop. Raiko dropped a bar of it into the pot and walked away.

"Chicken is in." Plop. "Now the carrots…" Yami walked away.

"Caramel is yummy!" Raiko came back and squirted syrup into the soup before leaving again. Plop.

"Carrots are in." Plop. "Next …"

"Can't get enough sugar!" Plop.

"Some potatoes…" Plop.

"I don't even know what this is!" Plop.

"Finally, some celery." Plop. Yami put in the final ingredient and studied her work. She frowned as the bubbling purple liquid looked nothing like the picture in the book. "That can't be right, I followed the instructions to the letter! Hm, it does say that results may vary so that must be it!"

When it was ready, Yami put some soup into a bowl and headed upstairs.

"I hope he likes it!" Raiko said as she followed.

They entered the room to see Yuuno sitting up with a book and Seikou sitting beside the bed with a book of her own.

"I thought you were going to sleep," Yami said.

"Well, that's easier said than done." Yuuno smiled sheepishly.

"It's just as well. I have prepared nourishment for you." Yami held out the bowl.

"Wow, really? Thank… you…" Yuuno looked at the purple fluid. "Uh… this is…"

"Soup, obviously." Yami pushed the bowl into his hands. "I went to the trouble of making this for you, so you better eat every last drop!"

"O-Okay…" Yuuno gulped. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as it looked. He hesitantly put a spoonful into his mouth, his face turned blue, and he fell backwards unconscious.

Seikou quickly grabbed the bowl before it made a mess. "What did you make him eat?" She asked calmly.

"It was just soup!" Yami said. "I followed the recipe in the book perfectly!"

"I believe the results speak for themselves."

"Haha! Yami is a lethal chef!" Raiko said.

"I do not have such a cliché character setting!" Yami crossed her arms. "I fail to see what could have gone wrong."

"Yami's a bad cook! Yami's a bad cook!" Raiko danced around.

"I am not!"

"And to think I even made it better with that extra stuff I threw in!"

"… SO IT WAS YOU!" Yami lunged but Raiko evaded.

"Wai~! Yami is angry!"

"GET BACK HERE YOU BLUE HAIRED BAFOON!" Yami chased Raiko out of the room.

Seikou let out a heavy sigh.

X-X-X

Yuuno resurfaced sometime later and saw that Seikou was still there beside him.

"Seikou… How long was I out?"

"A few hours," she said. "Well, at least that soup assured that you got some rest."

"Not sure the cost was worth it…" Yuuno shuddered. "How could something that bad exist?"

"It appears that Raiko tampered with it, so do not fault Yami for it."

"I see… Where are those two anyways?"

"I believe Yami is still making Raiko eat the remainder of that soup."

"Oh… So, were you here with me the entire time?"

"Yes."

"You didn't have to do that." Yuuno frowned. "Don't inconvenience yourself for my sake. I'm sure there were things you'd rather do."

"There was not," Seikou said. "Ensuring that you become well is what I want to do. When you feel better, so will I."

"Well… thanks…"

"And do not concern yourself with inconveniencing me. In fact, I wish you would rely on me more. You have done so much for me and I want to repay you."

"It's not like I'm helping you because I want something in return…"

"I am aware, but some one who does not return the good will of others is the worst sort of person."

"Well, maybe…" Yuuno scratched his cheek.

"So please, I would like for you to rely on me more. I want to be of use to you."

"Thanks for the offer, Seikou." Yuuno smiled. "I'll keep it in mind."

"For starters, remove your clothes."

"Okay, I'll… HUH?"

"Please remove your clothes."

"Wh-Why?" Yuuno pulled away.

"You sweated profusely while you slept. I shall wipe your body down."

"It's okay, I can do it myself!"

"I insist." Seikou grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled.

"Please give me a break!"

X-X-X

The next day…

"I suppose you brought this on yourself," Yami said as she looked down on the bedridden Seikou.

"I'm sorry, Seikou," Yuuno said. "I gave you my cold."

"Do not worry about it." Seikou coughed. "You should get going to the library, Yuuno-san. You said you wanted to get some work done there."

"I do, but I can't leave you like this," he said. "You stayed by my side yesterday, so…"

"No, I do not wish to cause you any more inconvenience. Please go."

"But…"

"Enough of this!" Yami stomped her foot. "If she says go, then get going, peon!"

"Yami…"

"You can make yourself useful by taking that idiot with you and getting her out of our hair. I will look after this one."

"Really?" Yuuno blinked. "You'd do that, Yami?"

"Don't question me! Now get lost!" Yami kicked Yuuno out of the room.

"Well, call if anything…" The door slammed in Yuuno's face.

"Does he do something other than worry?" Yami pursed her lips and flopped down into a chair. "He shouldn't doubt his king!"

"You needn't trouble yourself either, Yami," Seikou said. "I can…"

"Silence! I… I would be troubled if something happened to a valuable subject such as yourself! I'm only looking out for my own interests!"

"I see." Seikou smiled slightly.

"… What are you smiling at? No matter. I'll make you some soup later."

"… I think I shall pass."

"Hey! That wasn't my fault! It will taste fine this time!"

"I am not so certain…"

"Why you…" Yami blinked. "Wait, are you trying to be funny?"

"Yes."

"… You've got some nerve, teasing your king!"

"… If I may be direct, I do not see you as my king."

"HUH? I'm going to pretend that's the fever talking!"

"I am being serious. I consider you, as well as Raiko, to be my precious sisters."

"Sisters? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! I'm your king and you're my subject! Nothing more! Never forget that!"

"Oh… My apologies…" Seikou lowered her head. "For thinking something so foolish…"

Silence hung in the room as Yami watched Seikou's crestfallen expression out of the corner of her eye.

"… Just so we're clear," Yami said. "…I'm the oldest sister! You can be the middle one!"

Seikou's head perked up. "Yami…"

"W-What? Don't look at me like that! This doesn't make you a princess or anything, and it still means I get to boss you around, you got that?"

"I understand." Seikou smiled happily. "Thank you, Yami."

"W-Whatever… I'll go make that soup now!"

Yami left the room and Seikou sat back contently. She might have still been sick, but she felt fantastic.