Mario

It was an unusually hot afternoon when Mario Kirby, the school nurse, saw Akari being escorted into the infirmary by her friends. She looked unwell, her face flushed and eyes unfocused. Her friends were worried, explaining that she seemed to be running a high fever. Mario quickly ushered Akari to the bed, concern etched on his face as he felt the heat radiating from her skin.

“She needs rest and some medicine,” Mario said, trying to remain calm. He retrieved a pill from the medicine cabinet and handed it to Akari, along with a glass of water. “Here, take this. It will help with the fever.”

But Akari, too delirious to cooperate, weakly pushed the pill away, refusing to take it. Mario tried again, gently coaxing her, but she only turned her head, murmuring in confusion.

Realizing that her fever was too severe to delay treatment, Mario made a decision. He asked her friends to leave, assuring them that he would take care of her. Once they were gone, he turned back to Akari, who was still lying weakly on the bed.

“Akari, I’m sorry, but you need to take this,” he whispered, a mix of worry and determination in his voice.

Mario placed the pill between his own lips and leaned over her. With one hand, he gently cradled her face, and with the other, he kept her still. He hesitated for only a moment before pressing his lips to hers, a soft kiss that was more about necessity than desire. Carefully, he passed the pill from his mouth to hers, using his tongue to guide it down her throat.

Akari instinctively resisted, her eyes fluttering open in surprise, but the pill slid down, and she eventually relaxed. Mario pulled back, his heart racing not just from the act but from the close proximity to the girl he secretly adored.

He watched as her breathing began to steady, the fever gradually easing. Mario stayed by her side, his hand gently brushing her hair back as he whispered, “Rest now. You’ll feel better soon.”