CHAPTER 1

„Fucking hell!" I yelled as the doctor gave me the final diagnosis.

„I am sorry miss Konoe..." the doctor said while looking at me with fake compassion.

„You'll have to stay at the hospital for about a week untill your leg recovers enough to let you go home...and once again,I am really sorry."

What the hell did he know? What the hell did any of them know?! It was me who'll never be able to play handball again,not them!

I was sad and angry. I was accusing the doctor for not being able to help me,I was angry at my mother who hasn't warned me not to go running because it had been raining and the ground was wet...but I knew it was nobody's but my fault,and perhaps that's why I was so damn angry...angry at myself.

I never liked hospitals. There was no particular reason for actually not liking them...there are plenty of people who don't,just because of the feeling you get when you walk inside-the feeling of death and desperation hiding behind every ,it was inevitable for me to stay at that place for a week.

I was put in the room with a woman named Shiori Minamino. The nurses told me she was such a nice lady and that everybody enjoyed talking to her. Apparently,she had just beaten an incurable disease...which everybody,including me,considered a miracle.

„Her will to live was incredible! And she got from almost dying to full recovering!"

What an amazing woman she must be- I thought to myself while being taken to the room by the nurse.

The crutches were a pain in the ass...but I didn't want to make my leg any worse.

„Her son is visiting her every day,but now he's on a two weeks school trip..."

„Good morning ! I brought you a roomate!" the nurse said as we entered the room.

„Good morning dear. Finally! It was about the time you found me a nice someone to share the room with...I got bored here all by myself."

She was sitting on the bed by the window with a book in her hands,smiling.

We shook hands and introduced to each other. What a nice lady she was. Her eyes were shining with happiness and her smile was so sweet. I knew we were going to get along.

And so it was. Mrs. Minamino and I became great friends,we'd talk about every kind of things: which nurses were good and which weren't,how did we like our meal,about my school and trainings,about books...and at last,about her son. He was an eighteen year old student of the Meioh Private Academy. He was a year older than me,and his mother described him as the most perfect human being there is. I thought every mother would say that for her son...but I believed her and got the picture of an amazing person.

His name was Shuichi Minamino,the boy every girl wanted. He was really hard working and the best student in his school. His grades had always been high,and he had always been interested in biology. However,he wasn't really interested in girls or dating.

A tipical nerd...- I kept repeating it in my head while listening to Mrs. Minamino.

Anyway,the idea of an ugly nerd was rather stupid since she had told me he was constantly being chased by girls,so I dropped it immediately. Too bad I wouldn't have the chance to meet this boy while I was in the hospital.

My parents came by evey day after work to be with me,but I was expecting my friends from the Sarayashiki highschool to come too. I didn't have to wait for long though-the third day of my stay in the hospital I had a lot of friends coming by. However,the visit of my cousin Yuusuke and his girlfriend,my best friend,Keiko was the one I expected the most.

„Tayu-chan...tell me,aren't you bored here all by yourself?" asked Yusuke.

He was sitting on the bed beside me,while Keiko was sitting on a chair beside the bed.

„I am not alone here. Mrs. Minamino is staying in this room with me,but she's currently gotten out to catch some fresh air..." I smiled.

Yusuke jumped off the bed,yelling in surprisement.

„Whaaaat? Shiori Minamino is staying in the same room as you?!"

„Yusuke! Calm down,this is a hospital." Keiko warned him by lightly slapping him on his shoulder.

„You know her?"

I asked,not understanding why my cousin would make such a fuss over the lovely lady.

„Ehh...she is the mother of my friend. It's just that I thought she had already got out of the hospital."

Her son...

„You know Shuichi?" I asked,trying to hide the excitement.

„Yeah,kind of. I supposed she had told you about him."

„Yeah,she told me. Too bad I won't have the chance to meet him while I am heare,she told me he is an amazing guy."

„He sure is! You'd have to meet him..." Keiko said with a smile and winked at me.

I felt my cheeks burning,and I knew I was blushing.

„Stop it Keiko! I could never fall for a nerd,I won't fall that low."

Keiko knew me better than anyone else and she could see what was crawling in the deepest part of my soul...she knew that I was slowly starting to like this guy Shuichi even though I never actually met him.

Yusuke and Keiko left at 18:00 ,half an hour before Mrs. Minamino was back from the garden.

I couldn't fall asleep that night. After asking me if I would mind the light of the night lamp,and after me saying I wouldn't ,Mrs. Minamino took a book she had left on her night table and started reading. I opened my eyes and looked at her,trying to see what was the title of the book. The white and glittering borders of the letters were forming the title „Gardening for beginners". My eyelids were heavy and I couldn't keep my eyes opened anymore,under the weak light of the night lamp...I closed my eyes,and fell asleep.