Sakuragaoka Hospital:
"Ma'am, your daughter needs to be placed in our Psychological Children Institution immediately," the nurse told Mio's mother.
Upon hearing this, Mio started to breathe heavily and her fingernails automatically looked for her skin to scratch.
I can't do this. Mio thought as she began to scrape her left arm.
"Mio," her father placed his hand on his daughter's arm. "Stop it."
Mio looked at her father with a frightened expression.
"It'll be alright, we're just taking precaution," Mr. Akiyama said. "It'll be alright." Although he was never the caring type towards Mio, he was trying his best to be attentive.
Mio began to shake as the cold air seeped through her hospital gown. Her eyes widened at the sight of the electric bed with buckles and belts.
"Mio, dear," her mom had been crying by the way her eyes puffed up. "It's time to go."
Mio nodded, slowly getting up from the hospital bed and touching the cold floor with her bare feet. She cringed at the coldness but tried to keep herself maintained, although it was too late for that. The three nurses helped her get in the electric bed. As she lay down, they buckled her and tightened it so she wouldn't fall down.
"It'll be a short ride, miss," the nurse told Mio with pity in her eyes. Mio looked away and began to tear up.
This isn't supposed to happen. She said to herself.
The nurses slowly pushed the electric hospital bed out the door and into the ambulance. Mio shivered as the cold air imperishably gusted through her oversized gown. The door of the ambulance slammed and she cringed once again. Terrified. The ambulance started wailing, disrupting the stillness of the night, as they move her to Sakuragaoka Institution. It was a short ride, not enough for Mio to think about the mistake she made upon telling her parents about her newly fresh, ripe scars on her upper arms.
The bitter air visited her gown once they opened the door and moved her into the Institution. It was as cold inside as it was outside, as Mio tried not to shiver so much.
"Don't worry, you'll be able to change once you're admitted," the other nurse said cheerfully, trying to have some optimistic affect on her. But he failed miserably, as Mio gulped down her tears. The nurses unbuckled her and helped her get down the electric bed.
She saw three other girls sitting on chairs along the hallway, with their eyes down, avoiding any eye contact. Mio felt bad for them as she realized that soon, she was going to sit with them, waiting to be admitted.
Her parents came through the door after a short while.
"Well, this is the goodbye point," a new nurse coldly said.
"Ah, okay," Mrs. Akiyama nodded as she looked at her daughter. She began to tear up and immediately hugged Mio. Mr. Akiyama was standing awkwardly, not knowing whether he should join in on the hug or not.
"Get well, okay? Make sure you call the house. We'll visit you on Wednesday," her mother said quickly.
"It's time," her father said.
She kissed Mio on the cheeks and slowly left with her husband. The three nurses disappeared as they wished Mio the best. Mio was standing there, by herself, still forcing her tears not to show.
"Akiyama, Mio?" a new nurse said.
"My name is Miss Aya," she smiled. "Please come with me."
Mio nodded and slowly, barefoot and all, followed her.
"You can sit on the bed."
Mio did what she was told, as always.
"I'm just going to ask you a few questions and then examine you."
Mio nodded and answered all the questions truthfully and felt terribly awkward as Miss Aya checked her body.
"Alright, you can change into these, and you can wear your own clothes by tomorrow," the nurse handed Mio scrubs to change into. "I'll leave you for now to change."
Once the door closed, Mio hurriedly changed into the scrubs only to realize that it brought no warmth whatsoever. She neatly folded the gown that she wore and left it on a chair and was soon given her room to sleep in.
"I have a roommate?" she quickly blurted out once she saw another bed on the other side of the room.
"Yes, so try and get along with her, okay?" Miss Aya said leaving Mio to her demise. She hates meeting new people, not because she hates people but because she doesn't know how to act around them. She began to breathe heavily once again, tearing up.
I can't do this. She reminded herself once again. She got on the covers and laid silently, trying to take a peek on her new roommate but to no success she sighed as she faced a new chapter of her life.