I would apologize in advance if there are any error present. I would appreciate it if you would point it out if you found one. Thank you.
Disclaimer: This is a Fan fiction. That being said, we all know what it means.
It would also be nice to hear your thoughts regarding this story. :)
Nine-year old Hiro Hamada bit his quivering lip, eyes wide and moist as he stared at his fuming older brother. It was just a single question out of worry that quickly escalated into a one-sided fight in which had Tadashi shouting.
"...Always 'Hiro this' or 'Hiro that'. I am sick of it! Why is everything about you?" Tadashi exclaimed, face red with unrestricted fury, his eyes brimming with hatred and anger. "Does anyone realize that I can do something too?!"
"Tadashi—"
"I've had enough of this!" Tadashi fumed, his hands formed formed in a fist by his side. "You know what, I wish I never had a brother like you, Hiro!"
And that was the last straw. Hiro burst into uncontrollable sobs, his hiccups becoming prominent. And yet, no guilt appeared on his brother's face like any other times when they would have a fight that ended up with Hiro crying; those times when Tadashi was instantly on his knees, reassuring the younger boy that he didn't mean what he said.
Instead, Tadashi promptly walked out of the room with heavy steps, leaving Hiro crying his eyes out.
Hiro dragged his body towards his bed. He laid down and buried his face on his pillows, his wails getting louder and louder until footsteps once again resounded from the entrance of the room. Hoping for his brother, he turned his head to the side where he made out the blurry outline of his aunt from his hazy gaze.
"Oh, honey," Cass Hamada gently ran her hand into her younger nephew's hair, "I saw your brother storming out of the shop. He told me that he'll go to Satoshi's house. Did you have a fight?"
Hiro sniffed, sitting up from his position. "He looked...grumpy when—" He hiccuped, "—we got home and...and...I asked...h-him what's wrong...Then, he st-started shouting at me."
"I'll talk to him later, okay?" Cass pulled Hiro closer, "I'm sure he's just letting off some steam."
But a week had passed. The usual routine of going to school and coming back from school together everyday was cut during the duration of the week. It was a week of avoidance and a week of torture. Hiro never felt so alone in his life.
The bullies had caught wind of the Hamada quarrel and were now targeting the younger Hamada frequently than normal. It was only thanks to Hiro's cardigan that he was able to hide his bruises and scratches from the rough man-handling.
Tadashi, on the other hand, showed no sign of even wanting to talk to his brother despite Hiro's attempts. The oldest of two would usually stay late at his friend's house, and no matter how much prodding Cass Hamada had done, the older boy didn't budge and continued the forming habit.
It was another day of going home without his brother. Hiro gripped the strapped of his backpack tightly while he and the other people that were planning to cross the street was waiting for the stoplight to flash red.
He had his head in the sky lately, wondering why his brother was angry. This cause him to space out during classes and meals, not that it was hindering his daily life—
—okay, maybe a bit.
The light turned green and the footsteps of regular shoes and stilettos alike resounded as it made impact on the road.
There was a loud screech.
And the smell of burnt plastic rising in the air.
The cafe smelled of coffee and freshly baked donuts. Some people filled and occupied the tables with their chatters and snacks, others with their coffee and their laptop. All in all, it was a normal day for the cafe.
Cass Hamada was busy going through orders, serving said orders, and cleaning up tables when the personal phone upstairs rang.
"Jennifer, take this to table four." Cass instructed, wiping her hands on her apron. She went upstairs to pick up the phone with Mochi trailing behind her. Said phone continued to ring until she finally picked it up.
"Hello, Hamada Residence. How may I help you?" She said through the phone with a smile. "Yes, this is Cassandra Hamada."
The smile turned into a frown.
"I'll be there immediately." Cass untied the ribbon of her apron, dashing to her room to get her own cellphone, keys and her wallet, before sprinting downstairs.
"Rylie, you're in-charged."
With those words spoken, she went to the garage to get in her car frantically, driving in the maximum driving speed.
Cass was frantic—she was practically shaking—as she maneuvered through the road of San Fransokyo, stopping only when the light is red. Time waits for no one, as they say, and Cass Hamada was not planning on wasting a single second while her nephew's life hangs on the thin thread of life and death.
She stepped on the break abruptly, stopping on the nearest parking space near the entrance of the San Fransokyo Medical Center. A few meters away from where she stood, another ambulance unloaded a body strapped in a stretcher, clothes and face bloodied, and rushed it inside the hospital.
Cass' heart skipped a beat.
The E.R was bustling with nurses, aiding different patients that were either trying to be revive or being treated. Among the sea of people and crying companions, together with the incoming of family members, Cassandra Hamada had a hard time finding her nephew.
She caught a familiar face treated amongst the others, a long gash smearing his arm.
"Carl, where is he? How is he?" Was her question to the boy who took his time calling her despite his traumatise state.
"It was bad, Ms. Hamada." The 12-year old boy started, wincing when disinfectant was applied to his wound. "They were supplying him oxygen when we arrive."
"How about you? Did you inform your parents?" Was her next question.
"I'll be fine. All I got was a few gash and a broken leg—"
"A broken leg!"
"Yes, a broken leg. The others were less fortu—ow!" Carl winced once again, "I called my parents already. With how many patients there are, I doubt that nurses have time to inform family members."
Cass bit her lip in worry.
Carl sighed in defeat. "You should look for Hiro, Ms. Hamada. Please." He pleaded desperately, "Tell me that he's alive."
Cass nodded, patting the boy's shoulder gracefully. She then went on to search for her nephew among the throng of both patients, companions, nurses, and doctors.
It was probably the longest five minutes of her life. Sweats dripped on the corner of her face, her insides filled with anxiousness. It was a feeling that made her want to throw-up and scream at the same time. She turned her head to all directions as she walk, wishing to find that mop of unruly black hair.
When she did find him inside one of the E.R with an oxygen mask on his face, one thought ran through her mind.
"Blood pressure's dropping again!"
"He's lost too much blood!"
Bad would be an understatement.
Tadashi Hamada was lounging inside his friend's room. It was starting to get dark so he had to go home soon. He and Satoshi were sprawled on the floor playing video games when Satoshi's mother, a petite red-haired woman, called them downstairs.
"What is it mom?" Satoshi inquired.
The woman signaled them to come closer.
Tadashi caught sight of the open television where a video of a bloodied road and a burning truck was displayed, along with it were blurred outlines of the remaining bodies which were yet to be loaded inside the ambulance during the time that the video was taken. "...ten people were dead on arrival upon reaching the hospital. Seven more remained in critical state, while fourteen were badly injured. Police investigation is on-going as of the moment but drunk-driving is primarily being suspected as the cause."
"That's horrible..." Satoshi muttered.
"Tadashi," Liliana started, "I was on the phone with your aunt before the news flashed. She, uhm, she wants you to stay over for the night."
"Why?" Tadashi's brows furrowed in confusion and dread filled his insides. Somehow, he knew that something isn't right.
"Your brother is in critical condition right now." Liliana broke the news gently. "He's admitted in the I.C.U of SFMC."
Tadashi felt like his world had collapsed.
It was the built up stress of expectations and comparison that had driven him to blow, and it was that anger that had prevented him for saying his sorry like how he used to.
Will he still be able to say sorry?
Tadashi realized that he had been frozen when Liliana placed a hand on his shoulders, squeezing it reassuringly. "I'm sure he'll survive. I'll bring you there first thing in the morning. For now, I want you to rest."
It was late at night, when he lay on the futon that he was provided in, that the dam finally broke and he was reduced into a wreck. He cried himself silently to sleep that night—his dreams filled with haunting nightmares of his bleeding brother.
Cass didn't get a wink that night nor did she plan to. She either waited or paced back and forth outside the I.C.U room where her nephew was in. She kept praying, mumbling under her breath whenever she would gaze at the glass on the door and seeing Hiro on life support.
He wasn't completely stable yet.
Every now and then, his heart rate would go abnormally fast then abnormally slow. This puzzled doctors and nurses alike.
"Honey, please get well soon."
Inside the room, the patient's eyelids fluttered for a second.