I can’t leave her out there. Helpless to the mercy of strangers. But DAMN! Even for a girl, she’s heavier than I expected! Must be all that muscle or something. Or the fact I don’t even lift.

“URGH!”

I get the feeling I’m going to wake her up with all this. At least then she could just come in…but she doesn’t wake up. That would have been too fortunate. But fuck, she is not gonna make it on that bed through my efforts alone…

No, I can’t do that. She needs to be comfortable. Maybe she doesn’t know she has narcolepsy. Thank goodness she’s here at Yamaku. Alright, what was it they say about lifting? Use the back muscles and only the back muscles?

“FUCKING GOD! AAAAAAAARGH!”

Why. Oh god all of my why. It must be with the knees. Too late for that. Ow. Ow ow ow oh god ow. At least she’s finally in the bed. Wait… there’s something on her uniform blouse…ketchup?

“Oh no.”

That’s not ketchup.

I need to get help now.

1-1-9

“Hello, Emergency Services.”

“There’s a girl in my room and she’s bleeding and unconscious!”

“Ok, where are you?”

“I’m at the Yamaku school, girls dorm, room 227.”

“Alright, an ambulance should be arriving now.”

“What?”

“We often get calls to that location so we keep an ambulance on retainer there. Is she breathing?”

“Yes, she’s breathing, and that’s extremely discomforting.”

“You were not aware of this fact?”

“It’s only my first session!”

“God bless you.”

“Excuse m-“

*Knock knock knock*

“We’re the paramedics! Let us in!”

A stretcher fits easily through my doorway. I’m sort of relieved to know that, but saddened it had to be like this.

“How long has she been unresponsive?”

“I’m not sure, ten minutes?”

“This isn’t the girl, Ken.”

“What?”

“This isn’t her.”

What?

“Um, she’s the only unconscious one here.”

“We…were expecting another student. One of our…frequent fliers.”

“Oh. May I come with you? She’s my friend.”

“I don’t think we have room in the ambulance.”

“Strap me to the roof?”

“We can’t do that. The ambulance barely fits at the hospital anyway.”

“What if I sit up front?”

They look as if they’re discussing the matter with their eyes.

“Fine, but we have to go NOW.”

“Of course.”

We can’t clear those steps fast enough to get to the parked ambulance. Already a small crowd has started to form, though not everyone takes notice. Is that…

“SHIZUNE!”

Wait…she’s deaf, idiot. But can’t she feel the vibrations or something? Or see the flashing lights?

Oh, well she’s paying attention now. Just as we’re loading Misha in the back. Oh god, she’s trying to come over here. How is she going to communicate with us? I can’t sign.

“…!”

“Um…”

Does she even read lips? Do I talk slowly when you’re doing that? Fuck, I have to do something.

“Mi-sha is hav-ing troub-les. She’s go-ing to the hos-pit-al.”

*Slap*

“OW! What?!”

“…!”

“I don’t know what you’re saying! We have to go now!”

That situation was doomed from the start but it’s too late. Every second counts. Soon, Yamaku shrinks into the distance as we hit the main roads to get to the hospital.

“How long will it take?”

“As long as it takes.”

He’s not much of a talker.

“How is she?”

“Her vitals are fluctuating, BP is 190 over 60…”

Yeah, I didn’t understand a word of that.

“What’s on her shirt?”

“Hm?”

“Her shirt, that IS blood, right?”

“You mean you didn’t check to see where she was bleeding from?”

“N-no?”

Yeah, yeah, roll your eyes. I’m not exactly around death and injury every day, baka.

“She’s bleeding from her nose. It looks like a vein has burst.”

“Vein?! Wouldn’t she be bloodier, then?”

“It doesn’t seem to be a major vein. But it’s indicative of a more serious problem. Toji, call ahead. Tell them to prep the MRI. She needs to go in stat.”

“Wh-what?”

“When we arrive, you’ll need to sit in the waiting room. A nurse will be there to show you the way.”

“O-ok.”

“Aww shit!”

The driver’s outburst surprises us greatly.

“What?”

“There’s an accident on the road. Might slow us down.”

“Do what you need to do.”

“I wasn’t asking your permission.”

S-sorry…jeez, can we just get to the hospital already?

“Here we go!”

Thank god. They unload her straight into the emergency room as a young nurse takes my hand. She’s a chubby little thing, but I bet she’s a real nice person. This isn’t exactly the task you give to a highly trained professional.

“We’ll keep you informed every step of the way. Wait here please.”

“Arigato.”

And now we play the waiting game. For what seems like hours. Every single one of which features my mind racing about like a bullet train. How could this have happened? How will Shizune handle this? Is she going to be ok? Is this my fault? Who’ll tell her parents? Does she have parents? Does she have anyone? Oh god too many questions. I…I…

“BLLLEEECHHH!”

All over their homely carpet. Sadly, it blends in rather well.

“Are you feeling sick? Should we take you in?”

“No, nurse, just nerves is all. Arigato.”

“The vending machine has ginger ale if you need it.”

“I didn’t bring money, I was in a hurry.”

“How unfortunate.”

“I’ll get by. I had lunch.”

“I see.”

I think she stopped caring after I said it wasn’t medical. I hope they get a janitor here soon.

Oh god the smell has gone stale.

Why god why.

“Mikado?”

“Yes!”

Thank god. Now we can get her back to campus.

“I’m sorry to tell you this.”

What

“She’s had an aneurysm. Her blood vessels in her brain burst due to overexcitement and stress.”

What

“We managed to slow the bleeding, but there’s ultimately nothing we can do.”

What

“However, she is awake now. If you’d like to see her…”

What

“Come with me.”

I can’t even think. I just do. Somehow I get to her room and there she is, sitting up. This girl…this innocent girl.

“Aiko?”

“Misha.”

“Where’s Shicchan~?”

“I…um didn’t know how to tell her…”

“Oh Aiko-chan, wahaha, she’ll find her way here in time. Never doubt a Hakamichi.”

Her deep coughs remind me the severity of the situation.

“But tell me, Aiko-chan,”

“Hm?”

“Are…are you ok?”

“O-of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You were yelling…yelling to Miura-san…”

I go as red as my hair.

“Aiko-chan, did you…?”

“Uh…”

“Oh m-my! W-waha-KEHH KEHH!”

“Shhhh, Misha, don’t overexert yourself.”

“Why shouldn’t I? They’ve told me. Why should I stop being me simply because I’m going to stop being?”

“Misha…”

“No. Forget me. This is about you. Why did Miki make you upset?”

“Well, I…I kind of, fell for her, a bit.”

“I see.”

She goes silent for a bit.

“Misha?!”

“You and I are not so different, Aiko-chan.”

“What?”

“We both know the pain women can cause us. You probably a bit less than me, but details, details.”

“You fell for her, too?”

“Wa-ha-ha, not exactly. Do you think you at least can win out?”

“Win out?”

“Obviously, she rejected you or else you wouldn’t have been upset, right?”

“I s-suppose.”

“Well?”

“Sh-she had a moment where she broke down. She felt…human.”

“Is that so? You just have to be persistent, Aiko-chan.”

“I know, I know.”

“Don’t know. Do. The brain does the knowing, the heart does the doing.”

“But Misha,”

“No butts, Aiko-chan. If you want something, go for it and don’t stop until you win. Don’t be where I am thinking only of regrets.”

“You? Regrets? At such an age?”

“Yes, baka. We’re not all perfect like you.”

“I’m not perfect, Misha! I’m still wondering if life is worth living!”

Both of us can hardly believe what I just said. The room comes to an eerie halt for what feels like an eternity.

“Aiko.”

“?”

“Of course life is worth living. If not for yourself, do it for those around you.”

“Why should I only live because of others? Use them for a reason to live?”

“Everybody needs somebody, Aiko. Maybe you know who it is that needs you, maybe you don’t, but someone out there needs you.”

“Really?”

“Duh, Aiko! Like me. Right now, I need you.”

“Wh-what do I do?”

“Just hold me…please. It’s getting so cold.”

I wrap my arms around her the best I can with all this medical equipment in the way. I think….

“Misha, are you…”

“Would you not expect me to at a moment like this?”

“But, then I…”

“Don’t hold back.”

“No. I’m not ready for this. I don’t want you to go.”

“You can’t always get what you want. I know I can’t.”

“What do you want, Misha? I’ll get it for you. Just please don’t go.”

“Shizune.”

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