Chapter 1: Prologue

The end of Junior year has finally come.

Me and a bunch of classmates decide to head somewhere to celebrate our graduation into senior year.

One of them is a girl named, Maiko, a cute girl I had as a close friend as she was my first friend since starting highschool. Just before we left, after seeing some of the seniors off.

Maiko: "Excited, huh, Sakou-kun?"

I hear her soft voice call to me as I waited for everyone else.

Sakou: "Yeah, of course, we got a lot planned tonight, right?"

She gives me a bright smile.

Maiko: "Nice to know."

We both end up smiling at each other as our classmates come to meet us. As we chatted for a bit, we decided to head for the nearest Karaoke parlor.

After a few blocks, we decided to race to the parlor. Being about as excited as them, I took them up on that race and ran with them.

I fell behind as I feel myself grow out of breath...

As we reached the doors, my friends including Maiko looked at me with worry. I was confused at first but I guess I then noticed that I'm gasping for air, doubled over with hands on knees. Despite this, I kindly wave them off.

Sakou: "Don't worry about me, it's just asthma, you know."

Maiko: "You sure? You should rest."

I take a few breaths as I slowly stood up straight.

Sakou: "It's nothing."

I make a point of it by taking some breaths, stretching out to get some circulation flowing and my breathing returned to normal.

Sakou: "See? Nothing to it. I've just been out of it since PE."

Everyone simply nods and we all head in still feeling a little worried.

We walked in, bought our booth and all piled into the large karaoke booth. I myself somehow feel weak at the knees. My friends began goofing around as we walked through he hall to our room.

Suddenly, I get slammed in the chest while they began play fighting and forgot how close I was. The hit felt harder than it should as I feel my heart thump.

Shou: "O-oh… sorry man, you alright?"

Shou, the culprit, rubbed the back of his neck and I tried to chuckle along but my throat began to tighten.

Shou: "Sakou?"

I drop to my knees and I find myself on all fours. Confusion shot through my nerves as I thought I cleared up my lungs but now something else was happening...!

Maiko: "Sakou...?"

I hear my heart pounding in my ears. The pain in my chest grew and grew and then suddenly-

Maiko: "SAKOU!"

I fell to my side as my friends frantically began to try and help me as they called for an ambulance as the world around me faded.

Am I gonna die...?

[Weeks later...]

I wake up in a nearly unfamiliar room.

At first I thought I was in heaven - Damn that was gloomy just thinking that - but that's when I noticed my surroundings.

The clean, impersonal walls, and the smell of cleaning alcohol are the first things I notice. Looking down at my chest, hospital garments and white sheets below that, I could see a surgical scar.

The hospital...

It took me some time to come to terms with my condition. It turns out my whole family has a history of heart problems. I ended up with the misfortune of a weak heart and irregular heartbeat.

AKA Arrythmia

A strange term...

But I grew to hate it when I first heard about it. The doctor had to do surgery leaving the scar I saw. I pretty much shut out their worthless attempts to comfort me by saying it was lucky I didn't die from such an attack.

The scar is still healing as I stare blankly at it hoping that I'll be out of this place as soon as I'm able.

I've never bothered to ask the doctors but I manage to talk to my friends who also leave me some things I left as well as get well gifts.

I was most thankful for my guitar, which was amongst the gifts so I could have something else to do other than sit around.

My father, being the only one of my parents to have the time to come visit, came by only to give news about what's going on.

So when no one else is around, I decide to play my guitar in my hospital room whenever I'm allowed. When I get bored of just playing my guitar, I just sit back and just think to myself. About what my friends are doing without me during vacation (They had stopped visiting since they left for a resort down south), what will happen next, and other times... I just think to keep my mind busy.

I had a whole month and a half more of this repeating over and over with occasional visits from my parents. My friends rarely visited, when they did, I could read their expressions clearly. They blame themselves, I didn't know what to say to that in response. During their last visit, I could see something else… pity?

The cardiologist, along with both my parents comes into my room in one day.

The doctor sat across from me on another bed and my parents sat in chairs on the other side.

Without any prompt, as I would expect from any doctor, he begins talking but in a surprisingly happy tone but I guess it's for my sake.

Doctor: "Good news to you, Sakou. It seems that your heart has gotten strong enough for you to be released."

Thank God...

Doctor: "But... Given your condition...I talked to your parents and we've come to a decision that you'll be taught at another school."

Wait...What!?

Dad: "Just calm down, son. I have taken a look there with your mother, it's not too bad most of the students are still functional."

Doctor: "There's no need to worry about it. You'll still continue your education there and most who graduate from there do great things. I heard from a nurse that's a friend of mine that the students get around just fine, a few with some support on one hand."

How was that supposed to comfort me? Well...whatever...I guess I'll have to take this as it is since I doubt I'll function normally. I'll miss my friends, though... I wonder how they will react if I tell them?

Ah... oh well, I'll think about it later when it's more convenient. I have a new school to prepare for. A new life...