AUTHOR'S NOTE: Enjoy this. ^^

Summary : Mei Zhou has come down with a "disease," a "disease" that could possibly take away his life. Although he has been taking medication for a while, his friends, A-Shi, Xi-Men, and Lei including his entire family, doesn't know about his condition. And as far as he is concerned, he isn't planning on telling anyone soon.

But when his condition turned for the worse, Lei is the first to realize the danger that his friend is in. Helping Mei Zhou to survive this menace, Lei realizes how important friendship really is and the turmoil that Mei Zhou is going through. Lei want to tell the others, but keeping the promise that he made to Mei Zhou that he wouldn't, he doesn't.

A story of pure love and friendship and how family doesn't mean blood and how the possibility of losing someone makes one realize the importance of friends in life.

Rating : PG-13

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Chapter 1

More Than Friends: Appointment

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"Thank you," smiled Mei Zhou at the doctor who handed him his prescription. Taking it from the doctor, he glanced down briefly at the scrawny handwriting.

"Be sure to get it and eat it after every meal," reminded the doctor friendly. Mei Zhou glanced up and smiled nodding; he thanked the doctor again before exiting the door.

"Oh, and one more thing," said the doctor before Mei Zhou left the door. He turned around and looked at the doctor expectantly. In a very serious tone, the doctor continued, "Don't ever forget to take your medication, ok? It can help you prevent..."

Mei Zhou held up a hand to stop the doctor. "Don't say it," he commended. Then he smiled, "If I am not reminded of that, I won't think about it and continue on living normally."

"But you do know, you aren't going to be living normally anymore," reminded the doctor.

Mei Zhou only smiled, "I know but I'll try." He turned to leave once more before the doctor called out once more.

"Mei Zhou," he called. The boy turned around once more, and the doctor hesitated. "Are you...are you going to tell your friends?"

Mei Zhou only blinked as his smile slowly became sad. He shook his head slightly.

"No," he replied."I have no intentions to...at least...not right now when my future is unclear."

His doctor nodded and added,"But they will soon find out, you know."

"I know," replied Mei Zhou. He smiled and bowed slightly,"Thank you again. I'm leaving now."

Turning around, he left the office, leaving the doctor behind, watching him leave. His doctor sighed heavily as he turned around to return back to his desk. Grunting slightly as he sat down, he piled the papers before him neatly before he placed them in a vanilla folder and then placing it with the rest of the files in his file cabinet.

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Walking down the street of Taipei, Mei Zhou glanced down at the sheet of paper in his hand and sighed. Glancing up, he found himself at his designated location. Slipping the piece of paper into his jean pocket, he opened the door to enter the store.

"Alrightie now," he muttered quietly to himself. "Where is it...Ah, ha! Found it!!"

Strolling up to the counter, Mei Zhou gently tapped on the bell that was placed before him upon the counter. After a few seconds of waiting, a middle age man in a white lab coat appeared and smiled as he saw Mei Zhou.

"Good morning!" he greeted cheerfully. "How may I help you?"

Mei Zhou smiled back. "Good morning," he greeted back. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the sheet of paper that the doctor gave to him and handed it to the man before him. "I'm here for this."

"Ah ha..." muttered the man. "I see..." He looked back up and smiled. "Hold on for a moment while I get this for you."

Mei Zhou nodded as the man made his way to the back of the white room. Mei Zhou glanced around the store as he waited for the other man to retrieve his medication. His eyes briefly scanned the store, observing each individual shopping. Suddenly, someone caught his eyes and they widened.

'Oh, shoot...'

Looking around, he spotted a tall rack and quickly ran behind the rack. Slowly, he peaked from behind the rack to search for him...gone. Turning around, he leaned slightly on the rack, sighing in relief.

'That was close...'

Sighing one last time, he reappeared from behind the rack just in time to pick up his medication. He smiled slightly as the man approached him from behind the counter with a bag.

"Here's your medication," said the man as he handed Mei Zhou the bag. "The instructions are inside: take the pills three times a day after each meal. Don't take this pill without having something to eat before because it might cause a stomach ache."

Mei Zhou nodded.

"Alright now," continued the man. He slid a piece of paper towards Mei Zhou. "Please sign here and here."

Taking a pen, Mei Zhou did as he was told. Handing back the pen and the paper, he took the bag from the counter and thanked the man.

"Thank you," he replied.

The man only grinned. "It's a pleasure. Hope you get better."

Mei Zhou nodded in thanks. "I do, too."

Rotating around, he paced out the store and head on home. From around a street corner behind Mei Zhou, Lei walked out as he examined his friend walked away with the white bag in his hand.

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TBC

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