“Hiyama-sensei! You know that you should have not come to work, right?” Shiraishi looked at the person who came in the locker room.

Hiyama looked like one of her worst days. Her hair was let down and it was so bushy that looked like it was not brushed. Her eyes were drooping and it took a lot of effort from her to come on time at work.

“I did not drag myself from the bed for nothing, Shiraishi.” She changed her clothes but every movement made her limbs ache.

“Ie. Hiyama-sensei, you are going home.” Shiraishi was preventing Hiyama to change into her work clothes, bent on making her go home.

“It’s just some muscle pain.” Hiyam struggled to get the words out as she was coughing. “And a little cough.” Then a sneeze came. “And the cold.” Shiraishi did not answer. “Fine. It's the flu.”

Hiyama knows that she should not go to work in her state but she just can't stay at home doing nothing. She hated to just sleep on her bed.

 “Hiyama-sensei, do you want to be admitted here?” Shiraishi showed her concern for colleague/friend.

“No need. There are far more patients that would need that bed. I’m just going to go home. Call me if there's an emergency.” She took out her bag from the locker again and went out of the room with Hiyama.

“No way. Just rest and-” Shiraishi was cut off by Hiyama, “I know, I know. I have medical practice too you know?” Hiyama was trying to lighten up the mood as Shiraishi was being too worried.

“Take care, Hiyama-sensei.” Shiraishi was definitely worried for Hiyama but sending her home would also mean that there is one less doctor to help them. Psyching herself up that they can do it, she heard another person coughing and sniffing from the men’s locker room and Fujikawa’s voice.

“Aish, Aizawa! Just go home!” Aizawa was pushed from the locker room outside by Fujikawa. Seeing Shiraishi at the corridor, Fujikawa made sure that she would be on her side. “Shiraishi! Tell Aizawa that he needs to go.”

Shiraishi thought that it may have been too much for a coincidence but shook it off. “Hai. Aizawa-kun, we would need you more in your healthy state.”

Feeling rejected from his workplace, he just said his goodbyes.

“It seems we're going to be one short of a doctor today. Neurosurgery is going to have a blast answering our calls.” Fujikawa was scratching his head. “Maybe we could get Shinkai! Make Hiyama blush.” He was giggling with his plan.

Hiyama does not really know what to feel in her situation. “It’s been a while since I got this sick. Curse that rooftop.” She wanted to sleep during the ride home in the cab but the trip is very short. She just took one to be able to get home faster. She does not see that as soon as her cab left the premises of the hospital, Aizawa was also dragging his feet from there also.

Hiyama just recently found out from one of her few talks with the landlord that there is actually a rooftop garden at the apartment complex.

“It’s the perfect for drinking with friends or even if you are alone.” The landlord told her. Hiyama eyed the grocery bags that she had and she was definitely seen to be carrying a large number of beer cans with her.

“Please don’t get me wrong, this is just to be stocked up on the fridge.” Hiyama was slightly embarrassed to be seen as an alcoholic. It’s not that she is, she just drinks it to get some stress off. The landlord just smiled knowingly.

“My wife and I loved to spend time there. Maybe you can bring the unit owner with you, I seldom see him.” Hiyama just thanked the landlord and went her way.

As soon as she brought down her bags on the table, she looked at the beer cans with her. She does not know what came to her but she took all those cans and some chips with her and then knocked at the bedroom. Aizawa’s bedroom. He appeared and looked at her and then to what she was holding.

“The landlord told me that the rooftop is great place for drinking. Come on, join me.” With Hiyama and Aizawa, it was never a request or asking the other, it was always a command, to which the other then does not refuse. Aizawa just nodded and took more beers and food from the kitchen.

Hiyama smirked at him, “Someone wants to get drunk.”

They then went to the rooftop and Hiyama immediately took one beer and opened it, not even bothering to be courteous by giving him one. Aizawa released that slight smile on his face and took a beer for himself.

“Aizawa. Answer me honestly.” She was not looking at Aizawa, but he was. It made him curious enough with what Hiyama would say, remembering the past drunken dialogue that they had. In a way, he was expecting it to be about it.

“Have you ever wished that you could just drink and drink, not bothering about work the next day?” Hiyama was downing her second can. “Because I do.” She was talking in between sips. “I love working. But I love to drown myself in this wonderful discovery just as much.” She opened some chips and shared it to Aizawa. “It’s not much fun drinking inside my room, it feels so closed up. Mary Jane talks too much and Shiraishi would probably be drunk first. This seems just right even if it’s with you.”

For the first time that night, Aizawa spoke, “You’re not even drunk yet but you talk too much already.”

“You should be like that Aizawa-kun! Loosen up a bit even if you don’t want to.” Hiyama was back to drinking again.

A few more cans later and their conversation turned to a more serious one but since they were slightly getting drunk, it does not make sense that much. Aizawa finally let go of himself and drank the night away.

“The staff area became noisier since they thought you were going out with Shinkai.” Aizawa did not know it himself why he asked that.

“Oh! Aizawa, don’t tell me you’re jealous? Aizawa-kun~ is jealous~” Hiyama sing-songed right at his ears.

“Ie. You just became louder and so did the others.”

“Don’t worry Aizawa-kun. I don’t like Shinkai-sensei. I think he likes Shiraishi though, I want to set them up so much but Shiraishi likes someone else. The world is truly bad.” Another swig from the can and she got some more courage to ask him, “How about Aizawa-kun, do you have any one you like?” She was looking at him now.

He does not answer and that just made Hiyama bug him more. 

“You do know that we’re not getting younger, right? Seven years. We already used up seven more years of our lives and it goes to the same old routine. Maybe I should have looked at the portfolio my father prepared. You know, those kind with the list of bachelors I could marry.”

A few moments passed before he spoke again.

“Is that what you want?”

“What?”

“To be married to someone from a portfolio.” Hiyama smiled at him. She’s not too sure if it’s the alcohol or what, but she definitely saw a smirk of some sort of smile on his lips.

“I can’t be too choosy now, can’t I? I’m past the three decades of my life already. It might be fun to go on dates now and then. Don’t you think so?”

“Hm. I don’t have time for that.”

“Huh. As if you would. Your life only revolves around the helicopter and your grandmother. How is she by the way?” She stopped drinking and munched on some chips.

Aizawa was taken aback with her question. After his grandmother had been released from the hospital for the second time, no one had really asked him about his grandmother.

“She’s doing well. She called me yesterday about exercising with her friends from their building.” Talking about his grandmother really hits his spot, if he is not careful, he might cry there.

“You miss her don’t you?” She did not even wait for his answer. “Like, who wouldn’t? I know I argue with my father a lot, but time is still time. Why don’t you visit her?”

“Like you don’t know the reason.” They have stopped drinking a while back already and the topic made them focus on just simply talking, an occasional snack there.

“You have a better chance to meet your grandmother than I do with my father. He’d probably be in another prefecture tomorrow. Take a day off. You never do.”

“Last time I did, someone asked to cover her shift for her.” He was mocking her and she knows it. 

“Well, gomen-nasai. That even brought me trouble. All that ‘Mihoko-bachan has a boyfriend’ talk.” She tsked and was about to grab the can again but Aizawa held her hand back. He is not too sure why he did it, but for him, it was the right thing to do.

“I thought we came here to get drunk? Why are you preventing me to achieve that goal?” She was reminded of the grueling weeks that she had to endure from Shiraishi, Fujikawa, Tachibana-sensei, and all the other staff in their department.

“You’ll hate the hangover. Sober up for now.” At that time, droplets of rain were falling. Aizawa stood up to return to their apartment seeing that it will rain, but this time, it was Hiyama who held him back.

“Do you think it’s a crazy plan to just sit here and try to get sick?” Hiyama was not looking at him but rather at the plants around them. For the first time, she actually looked at the garden, she was basically distracted by Aizawa and the beer cans.

“Yes.” Aizawa made no protest with her not letting his arm go. The rain started to pour.

“At least we can get our wishes to come true. If you’d get sick, you won’t go to work and you can go to your grandmother.”

“How about you?” Aizawa turned to Hiyama.

“What about me?” Hiyama felt that Aizawa was looking at her but she can’t seem to look back.

“I’d get to visit my grandmother, but would you get a boyfriend or get married if you get sick tomorrow?” A chuckle left Hiyama. A sad chuckle.

“I guess I did not think of this plan through, ne? I’m here and wet under the rain already so why not enjoy the time.”  She stood up and pulled Aizawa with her on the center of the rooftop. She released the hand that held on to him and opened up her arms wide to the sky.

Hiyama was in a better condition when she got home and got some more sleep. It was lunch time and she needed to cook for herself. Right now, that was the only regret she felt, at the hospital she would have free meals. As she got out of her room, she heard someone at the kitchen. Following the sound and the very little smell she managed to sniff thanks to her cold, she saw Aizawa cooking in the kitchen.

“Shiraishi sent you home, too?” Hiyama entered the kitchen and peeked at what he was cooking.

He nodded at her, “And Fujikawa.”

“Hm. Never thought I’d see the day you’d cook.” She settled herself on the dining table and saw that there were a few dishes there already, the side dishes and fish. He was still cooking the soup. “You’d not be one of those arrogant people who would not share his food right?” The smell of the food was slowly making her regain her strength more.

His back was turned to her so he did not held back the smile that was tugging on his lips. “I’d think about it.”

“Just say yes, already Aizawa I cooked for you countless times.” She already knew from the portions of what he cooked that it was definitely for two people.

“Then scoop the rice.” Aizawa turned off the stove and was transferring the soup.

“Hai, hai!” She was excited to be able to eat food that he had made.

They started eating and Hiyama was surprised with the taste of what he made. “And I thought I could tease you if the food you made was bad.” She was faking that it was a lost opportunity. She smiled at him, “Thank you for the food!”

He nodded, “Payment since your plan worked.” Hiyama understood that it was about getting to skip work because of being sick.

“I’m not entirely sure why but feel happier than feeling guilty about what we did. I just hope that Shiraishi won’t kill Fujikawa while we’re not there.”

As they finished eating, Hiyama offered to wash the dishes and Aizawa did not refuse, noting that he did still not feel well, he just wanted to cook their lunch as a thank you.

Another one of those they did not know what overcame them but they did it anyway episode happened. Aizawa looked back at Hiyama before going to his room, “I’m visiting my grandmother. See her for yourself.”

Hiyama looked at him, “Sure. It’s not like I have anything to do here.”