At six thirty sharp, the tall man exited his office in central London; his well-cut suit brushed against the lift door as he entered the lift and went down to the car park. Reaching the car park, he walked towards his car, a black saloon suitable for someone of his position.
An ironic smile crossed his face as he glanced at his watch while getting into the car. It was 6.40pm, he always took ten minutes to leave his office and walk towards this parking lot where he parked every single day.
"Old habits die hard."
That was the reply he once got when he asked someone he once knew why his life was ever so synchronized and organised, and it was the same reason why his own life was now such. As the engine started, he placed his hands on the steering wheel and drove out of the car park, heading as always to the same place he always went to after work, the hospital.
Walking through the glass doors, he nodded politely at the nurse standing at the reception while he headed towards the same room that he had been going to for the last six years. Everyday after work, the routine was always the same, he left work at half past six, and got to the hospital by seven, rain or shine, nothing ever changed.
Entering the room, he looked at the man lying on the bed, thin beyond recognition, and yet, still beautiful. His grey eyes filled with remorse as they always did whenever he saw the figure lying before him. The room smelled with the unpleasant odour of medication, this he had gotten used to over the years.
Atobe Keigo smiled bitterly as he picked up the photo lying facedown on the bedside table, he looked carefully at the two men standing in the photo, both were smiling, they both looked so happy. A shadow of his former smile crossed his face as he laughed suddenly, a cold bitter laugh, mocking and sad at the same time.
Who would have thought all those years ago, that him, Atobe Keigo, captain of the Hyotei tennis team and potential star tennis player, would be leading such a life one day, with work as his only companion, and the man lying before him as his only source of comfort. He sat down on his bed, staring at the tubes that connected the figure before him to countless huge machines.
Running his fingers through the soft brown hair, he longed to see the brilliance of those blue eyes once again, perhaps he had once felt uncomfortable in the presence of those clear, blue orbs, yet, he longed to see them once again, he longed to hear the soft voice and see that sweet smile once again.
"Fuji…Fuji Syuuske, please, please wake up."
He longed to say those words out loud, but he didn't dare to, for he knew he had no right at all to even utter that name. Atobe looked at the calendar standing on the bedside table, his eyes were desperate as he remembered how the last six years flew past without Fuji even showing a sign of awakening. Yet, he refused to lose hope, no matter what the doctor said, he was going to keep the life-support machine on until the day Fuji wakes up.
He sat there for the next three hours, just staring at the figure before him, allowing old memories to consume him, and praying that the man before him will soon wake up. At ten pm, he stood up and walked towards the door, leaving silently with one last glance at the silent figure.
The next day, Atobe arrived at his office at the usual time and started on his daily work, which was basically made up of a boring combination of paper work and mundane decision-making. With his talents and strong leadership skills, Atobe had quickly been promoted from a normal office worker to a high-flying executive.
It had been difficult initially of course, taking orders from someone else, but he knew that he had to if he didn't plan on depending on his family any longer. And besides, his pride no longer got in the way of anything, he had been numb to everything since what happened, he had not felt anything once he had absorbed the initial shock, he had stopped feeling entirely once everything had settled in his mind, nothing could hurt him now, for he could not feel any more pain.
As he was looking through a thick file of papers, the phone rang. He picked up the receiver and answered in his usual polite and reserved manner.
"Good afternoon, this is Atobe Keigo speaking."
"Good Afternoon, Mr Atobe. I am calling on the behalf of the Central Hospital and I would like to inform you that your friend Fuji Syuuske has shown signs of waking up from his coma, perhaps you would like to come over…"
Before the lady at the other end finished her words, Atobe had got up from his seat and left the office, leaving the receiver dangling off his table. For the first time in six years, he was starting to feel something. He was nervous, afraid yet happy at the same time, Fuji had finally woke up, after all these years of waiting, yet he didn't dare to face the former tennis player at the same time.
Arriving at the hospital, he walked through the familiar glass doors and headed rapidly towards the room. Gently pushing the door open, he let himself slowly into the room, partially because afraid to startle its occupant and mainly because he was unsure of how to react.
Turning around slowly, he found himself looking into a pair of clear, blue eyes that were both familiar and foreign at the same time. Confusion and uncertainty now occupy where intelligence and determination had once reside. Atobe found himself looking at a twenty five year old man who was looking back with the uncertain innocence of a child.
Even in his current state, Fuji was still beautiful; his sunken cheeks brought out the blue of his eyes and made his features attractively vulnerable. His slender figure looked weak and delicate, making Atobe feel like taking him into his arms and holding him there. He looked pale and weak, seating quietly on the hospital bed, staring at Atobe with questioning eyes.
Finally, he spoke.
"Who are you?"
The words were spoken softly, in fluent and polite Japanese. It was then that Atobe realise that Fuji did not remember him. He didn't reply to the question, he couldn't, he simply couldn't bring himself to speak.
Before he could force himself to utter a reply, there was a soft knock on the door and the doctor entered. Looking first at Fuji and then Atobe, he quietly requested that Atobe went out for a while.
Once outside, the doctor begin in a sombre tone, a grave expression on his face while he spoke.
"I am sorry to inform you that your friend has lost his memory due to the long period of time he has been in coma. This may be temporary or permanent, but I fear that the latter holds a higher possibility. He will still behave like a normal person, and will adapt to daily life quite easily but he might never remember what happened in the past."
Atobe listened quietly, unable to believe what he had just heard. He didn't know what to say and merely nodded speechlessly, as every word the doctor said sank deep into his head.
"Fuji will never be the same Fuji he was"
He turned to return to the room, but the doctor suddenly spoke.
"Wait a minute sir."
He turned around mutely.
"I…I think your friend's memory loss might also be psychological. I'm not sure about this, but the accident he was in should not have caused amnesia although you can never tell with such a long period of unconsciousness, I currently classify it as an after-effect of the coma, but it could also be because there is something in the past he wants to forget. Bringing him back to familiar surroundings may help, but …don't get your hopes up too high, as I said, it might be permanent, people who are in coma for a long period of time seldom fully recover. "
End Chapter one
Ha, I have a vague idea of how this might turn out…will try to continue asap.
But anyway, do read and review, comments and suggestion are very very much appreciated. Thanks.