Takashi Morinozuka looked around Music Room 3 with a blank stare. After the jungle experience, he'd been thinking more and more of Haruhi. He shook his head, watching the last of the ladies leave the room. He sighed almost with relief, finally able to relax a bit.

"Mmm! Cake!" Honey exclaimed, stuffing a large bite into his mouth. He looked up at his taller cousin. "Takashi, do you want some?"

Takashi grunted. "No, Mitsukuni." He put his hand to his head, closing his eyes against the nagging headache he'd had since this morning.

Haruhi looked over and walked over to them. "You did good today, Honey-senpai."

Honey smiled. "Thanks Haru-chan!"

Takashi grunted softly and stood. Haruhi looked up at him. "Mori-senpai?" Takashi pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and sneezed into it. Haruhi took a half step toward him. "Mori-senpai?"

Takashi put the handkerchief back in his pocket. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Takashi looked down at Haruhi, finding himself slightly shocked at the look in her eyes. Was that concern? "Yeah." He looked at Honey. "Mitsukuni."

Honey looked up. "Yeah Takashi?"

Takashi opened his mouth to say something but stopped, smiling instead. He put a hand on Honey's head.

Haruhi narrowed her eyes, half shrugging and going to the prep room to change out of today's cosplay outfit.

When everyone had changed back into their school uniforms, they all left to their cars. Honey ran to catch up with Haruhi as she started walking home. "Haru-chan! Haru-chan!"

Haruhi turned around. "What is it, Honey-senpai?"

Honey looked up at her. "Can you go to Takashi's house with him? Please?"

"Mori-senpai's house? But why?"

"Well...he isn't acting the same as he usually does. And, well," he looked down.

Haruhi smiled softly in realization. "I get it. You want me to make sure he's okay, right?"

"Exactly!" Honey looked up at her smiling. "Takashi seems to like you. Remember how he protected you at that tropical water park? So if something's bothering him, he'd probably tell you before any of us."

Haruhi thought a moment. "Well, my dad might get a little worried..."

"Leave it to me!" Honey pulled out his phone.

Haruhi giggled. "Okay, but I'm not sure Mori-senpai will go for it." She went to Takashi's car as he was getting in. "Uh, Mori-senpai?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh god this is embarrassing...Honey-senpai asked me to go to your house with you."

Takashi looked up at her, slightly shocked. "Mitsukuni...?" He smiled at her and finished getting in, scooting over in the seat for her. Haruhi climbed in with him and reached to close the door, but the chauffeur closed it for her. After they'd been riding for awhile in silence, Takashi started coughing, pulling out his handkerchief and coughing into it.

"M-Mori-senpai?" Haruhi didn't know what to do but found her hand moving toward him on its own accord, rubbing his back. When the fit passed, Takashi sat up straight in the seat again, putting the handkerchief away. Haruhi looked up at him. "Mori-senpai, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Haruhi couldn't help but notice his voice was hoarse, making it deeper than usual. She blushed slightly and looked down.

When the car slowed to a stop, the chauffeur opened the door for them and Haruhi stepped out, looking around in awe. Takashi stepped out after her, touching her arm for a moment. "This way."

He walked off, Haruhi following him easily into the house and to his room. Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh wow...this one room is almost as big as my apartment!"

Takashi grunted and went to his wardrobe, opening it and going through the clothes inside. He pulled out a pair of sweat pants and a white short sleeve shirt, closing the wardrobe and going to a corner, back turned to Haruhi. He stripped to his underwear, then put on the new clothes. Haruhi blushed and looked away as he changed. "Haruhi," she looked over to see him dressed and looking at her, "wait here." He left the room, leaving Haruhi to stand there slightly dumbfounded and blushing. When he returned, he was carrying some clothes. He handed them to her.

"Th-thanks, Mori-senpai." Haruhi looked around.

Takashi grunted and left the room, closing the door to give her some privacy to change. She did so quickly and he returned. His eyes widened slightly as he saw her. The clothes were his younger brother's, yet they fit her perfectly. He smiled. Blue suited her even more with regular clothes than in the school uniform. He noticed her blushing and grunted. "Thought you might want to change." He went and sat on his bed, putting a hand to his head and propping his elbow on his knee.

Haruhi went over to him slowly. "Mori-senpai?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

Takashi looked up at her and smiled. "Yeah." He turned his head and sneezed into his shoulder.

"Hey, are you sure you're alright? You're not getting sick, are you?"

Takashi looked at her as though he'd never heard her before.

"Because well, if you are, you probably shouldn't go to school until you're better."

Takashi grunted and smiled, making Haruhi blush. "You can tell Mitsukuni that I'm fine when you see him."

Haruhi nodded, though she didn't believe it herself. "He's worried about you, is all."

Takashi grunted. "Yet you're the one who came."

Haruhi's blush deepened and she looked down, suddenly finding the floor very interesting. "Well, I...er..."

"It's nice to have company." Haruhi looked up at Takashi, who was staring into space. "Though I didn't expect a girl to want to come over."

Haruhi shook her head in confusion. "Mori-senpai, you're one of the most popular hosts! Why wouldn't a girl want to come over?"

Takashi grunted. "I'm popular because of Mitsukuni. Which is fine: I only joined so he could enjoy himself."

"You really do care alot about him. I mean," Haruhi looked down, "even though he's your cousin, you care so much about him."

"Yeah." Takashi stood and went to a dresser, opening one of the top drawers and pulling out a fresh handkerchief. He sneezed into it, putting his free hand on the wall to steady himself.

"Mori-senpai!" Haruhi was up and at his side before she realized it.

Takashi looked at her in shock, then gently pushed her away. "Just a bit light headed." He went back to his bed and sat down.

Haruhi shook her head and went to him, laying a hand across his forehead. "Geez you're warm!" Takashi grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away, looking into her eyes. "Mori-senpai...?" She looked in his eyes and felt something in her chest. Those deep grey eyes staring at her, glassed over by an obvious fever.

Takashi released her hand and closed his eyes. "How long are you staying?"

Haruhi blushed, thinking. "Uh...well, I didn't think about that. I really don't know where we are, but I'm sure I can find my way home if you want me to go."

"No." Haruhi gasped slightly and looked at him. "You can stay as long as you like." Haruhi felt her cheeks burning as she heard this. Takashi put the handkerchief to his mouth and started coughing again. He didn't make much sound, probably because the handkerchief muffled it, but still it sounded painful.

Haruhi gently sat down next to him, rubbing his back. "Mori-senpai...?" She sighed. When the fit stopped, she pushed him back onto the bed, issuing a shocked sound and look from the older boy. "You're sick, Mori-senpai. You need to sleep. It's probably just a cold, so it'll be gone in a couple days." She blushed, realizing that the feeling in her chest was there again, looking at him. She looked away, then felt a hand on her arm. She looked back over to him.

"I should be the host here."

"You are the host, but host or not, you're still sick. You'll only get sicker if you don't get some rest."

Takashi grunted and closed his eyes, smiling. He laid back. "Yeah."

Haruhi smiled softly at him and gently pulled the covers out from under him, pulling them over his body. She stood and was about to leave when she felt his hand on her arm again. She gasped slightly then nodded. "Alright, I'll stay." She sat back down on the bed, pulling a book out of her bag and working on homework. Soon, she heard his breathing even out and realize he was asleep. She looked over at him, noticing how pale he was. She couldn't help but smile at how peaceful he looked though. She shook her head and returned to her studies. For such a serious, quiet guy, he really wasn't that bad. In fact, she was starting to think she might like him.