SUMMARY: Usagi Tsukino has been sick for quite a while and now she only has a few months to live. What'll she tell everyone when the symptoms start to kick in? When she can't deny the fact that she is dying anymore?
CHAPTER ONE: DR. SUZUKI, MAMORU, AND MINAKO
"Hello, Miss Tsukino, how have you been these last couple of weeks?" asked Dr. Suzuki, Usagi's personal doctor.
"Alive," Usagi sighed, staring at some paint peeling off of Dr. Suzuki's wall.
Dr. Suzuki walked over to her desk and sat down, placing a stack of yellow folders down in front of her. She shuffled through one of them and pulled out an official looking document.
"Your test results are back in," Dr. Suzuki gave Usagi an encouraging smile.
"And I'm guessing they aren't so good," Usagi looked away from her doctor.
"Don't be so negative, Miss Tsukino," Dr. Suzuki playfully scolded her.
"Please call me Usagi, Dr. Suzuki," Usagi sighed. "Using such formalities makes me nervous."
Usagi started fidgeting in her seat and started playing with her nails. She did this every time she was in Dr. Suzuki's office. All Dr. Suzuki could do was watch and try to give an encouraging smile. After all, this girl was dying and nothing could prevent that.
"Just give it to me straight, because waiting makes me think of the worst," Usagi closed her eyes and braced herself for the gloomy news.
"Well," Dr. Suzuki suddenly felt uncomfortable, though she was unsure why. She had, after all, gone through this procedure many times. It's just that this situation was different somehow, "I have good news and bad news. Which would you prefer first?"
"I guess coating my pain with sugar isn't all that bad," Usagi smiled.
"Then bad news it is," Dr. Suzuki nodded, showing that she understood Usagi. "Hmm . . . Usagi, it seems that some of your internal organs are failing you and if something isn't done, then," Dr. Suzuki paused for a moment, making it more dramatic, "then you could die as soon as next month."
Usagi's eyes remained closed and there was no reply or movement from her.
"Usagi? Are you alright?" Dr. Suzuki asked with much concern.
"Yes," Usagi sighed, "I was actually expecting this to happen."
"Well, here's the sugary aftertaste," Dr. Suzuki said happily. "There is an operation to try to fix this and add a few more months to your life. I'm not saying that it will heal you completely but I'm just saying that it will add maybe two or four months to your life."
"Okay," Usagi said with no emotion.
"Would you like to go for the operation?" Dr. Suzuki asked.
Usagi nodded and Dr. Suzuki said, "Come back in five days for a check-up and if all goes well, your operation will be in about two weeks."
"Thank you, Dr. Suzuki," Usagi smiled sweetly at her doctor as she prepared to leave.
"You're welcome. Have you told your friends yet?"
For a moment, Usagi felt as if all her breath left her and she felt isolated from everything. She started feeling woozy and the doctor quickly placed her back on the chair and checked her pressure.
"I'm guessing that's a no," Dr. Suzuki lightly laughed.
"Dr. Suzuki, I can't tell them!" Usagi let out a single tear.
"Why not? I think they deserve to know," Dr. Suzuki returned to her desk after seeing everything was normal.
Suddenly, Usagi thought of her long-time boyfriend Mamoru Chiba and how they were meant to be together. They were going to be the future Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion to have a child, Small Lady Serenity. Her loyal friends, who were to be the guardians of the future Crystal Tokyo, and loving boyfriend most definitely did not need to know this right now.
"Yeah, sure, I'll tell them soon," Usagi sighed, hoping Dr. Suzuki would forget about it.
"I mean it, Usagi! You need to tell them before its too late!" Dr. Suzuki said firmly.
"I'll be leaving now, thank you for everything," Usagi quickly stood up and made for the door.
"Take it easy and I'll see you in five days," Dr. Suzuki said as she scribbled the appointment down in her planner.
"See you then," Usagi said gloomily.
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"Its so great to be out of that stuffy old mess," Usagi smiled as she stepped out of Juuban Hospital.
The sun was shining and Cherry Blossoms were in bloom, giving the area a rosy appearance. Usagi smoothed out her skirt, which was wrinkled from sitting on Dr. Suzuki's chair much too long. She stretched out and walked towards the sidewalk to wait for her mother to pick her up.
"Usagi?" said a familiar male voice.
Usagi jumped and let out a shriek. Her heart was racing, which was not a good thing, and her palms started sweating.
"Hey, Mamoru," Usagi twirled around and saw her boyfriend standing next to her.
She gave him a hug and a quick peck on his lips. Usagi noticed a bouquet of roses in his right hand and a Get Well card in his other.
"Who are they for?" Usagi smiled.
"My friend's little sister is in the hospital, she's really adorable, and so I thought I'd pop in!" Mamoru smiled.
"T-that's great," Usagi said, hoping he didn't notice that she had just stepped out of the hospital.
Well, it sort of was obvious because she was standing on the curb outside of the hospital. Maybe he wouldn't notice, like he usually doesn't. Oh, I really don't want to tell him that I'm dying right now, Usagi thought in her head, literally.
"Don't tell me your jealous of a 7-year-old," Mamoru laughed playfully.
"Huh?" Usagi snapped out of her thoughts and started twirling her long blonde hair.
"You are so red right now, Usa," Mamoru grinned.
"You are so cocky, Mamo!" Usagi playfully slapped his arm. "You'd like it if I was jealous, which I'm not!"
"I'm not saying that it's such a bad thing," Mamoru leaned in for a kiss, which was halted by Usagi's hand.
"No," Usagi said.
Mamoru was confused as she pulled back and he seemed a little hurt. Why did she refuse to kiss him? While he started thinking of all kinds of explanations as of why Usagi wouldn't kiss him, Usagi tiptoed to pull him into an unexpected kiss.
"You're quite mysterious, aren't you?" Mamoru said, grinning widely.
"Now get on with your visit, don't let me hold you up," Usagi started pushing Mamoru towards the door of the hospital when he suddenly stopped.
"Wait – why are you here?"
"Oh – just, just," Usagi bit her lip as she tried to think of an excuse, "d-doing some . . . of that . . . l-l-laun . . . dry?"
Stupid Usagi. You stupid, stupid, stupid girl! Who in their right mind would do laundry in a hospital?
"Uh-huh," Mamoru looked at her strangely. "Laundry in a hospital? Yeah, never heard that one before but I've got to get going so I'll interrogate you later."
"Ja!" Usagi smiled.
"Love you, Usa," Mamoru said sweetly before running into the hospital.
For some odd reason, Mamoru had taken to saying I Love You more to Usagi now that all of that drama with Galaxia, the Starlights, and everything was over. Especially since he had died before and made Usagi think he was neglecting her. Perhaps he was still jealous of Seiya. Seiya, Uagi sadly thought of her old friend that was now in a different galaxy.
Bbbbbbzzzzzzzz……….
A vibrating sensation was felt near Usagi's pant pocket and she jumped and shrieked (like she did when Mamoru snuck up on her).
"Only my phone . . ." Usagi sighed.
She flipped her phone open and said, "Hello, Usagi here!"
"Hey, Usa, its Mina!" a cheerful voice chimed on the other line.
"Minako, hey!" Usagi smiled.
"Listen, the girls and I are going to go to the horseback riding place to check out the guys! Coming?" Minako giggled.
Typical Minako . . . she was so very boy crazy and yet so lovable.
"Are we riding?" Usagi asked worriedly.
Dr. Suzuki was against anything like swimming, horseback riding, or anything else that could harm Usagi in case she unexpectedly fainted.
"Duh! How else are we going to talk to the hot guides for an hour and a half?" Minako laughed.
"Oh, I'm not sure . . ."
"Oh, don't be such a partypooper, Usagi!"
"But –"
"No, buts except yours coming over to the temple. JA!" and with that Minako hung up on Usagi.
"Crap." Usagi mumbled.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Well – I hope you enjoyed this first chapter because the next one will be coming out soon! Guess what, though? MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE? Reviews are much appreciated. I'm okay with flames, too. They help me become a better writer! So any kinds of reviews are fine – as long as they are appropriate, of course.
Thanks :)