No More Chance
GethinPathIsolator

Love is never love
Unless there is sacrifice and pain.

Lies

"Things never went my way. It was always exactly the opposite. I wanted to live a happy normal life but it wasn't meant to be like that. I can never have the things that I want. I wanted to be normal like them. Why can't I be? Why? " a thirteen year old girl was gazing outside the window from her hospital bed. She's been staying there for about 2 weeks now. Minami Reiko , thirteen year old second year of Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku Chuu. Eversince Reiko was born she was sickly. She always had a weak heart. Soon, her parents have been told by the doctors that Reiko has Pulmonary Hypertension. A disease in which the arteries of the heart is unable to carry enough blood resulting to shortness of breath, chest pain, and racing heartbeat. When Reiko was still in grade school these symptoms rarely appear. Maybe because she has always been a timid girl. Unlike the other children, Reiko would always prefer learning than playing.

" Reiko-san!!" a red-haired and breached hair boys barged in the room.
"Oi! fatty you're too loud." Niou scolded his companion.
"Marui-kun, Niou-kun glad to see you," she greeted them with a smile.

The two were Reiko classmates and perhaps closest friends. Marui and Niou sat beside her.

"How's it coming with the tennis club?" she asked.
"It's same as always except that you aren't there to help us in our training menus. When can you be released Reiko-chan? " the self-proclaimed tensai pouted. "We miss you a lot." he added.
"I think I can go back next week, I heard the doctors tell my parents," Lie.
"I'm so sorry to tell you this, but her condition is worse than we thought. We can only extend her life. I'm afraid there is no known cure for this disease." Her mother and mother weep with the doctor's statement. That's when she learned eavesdropping was never good.
"When I return please help me cope up with our lesson." Reiko smiled. But she knows it's impossible to go back the way it used to be.
"Don't worry , we have been taking extra notes for you." Niou said
After hours of talking about what happened to school, or how annoying that first year brat could be, Marui and Niou bided goodbye.

Trust

" Reiko you know sooner or later you have to tell them. Or at least one of them," her mother was sitting beside her with a worried look on her face. Her condition was worst. There was nothing anyone could do. They can only sustain her for three months after that, they'll wait. Wait, the only thing they could do. "You'll be released tomorrow and we'll come ba-"
"I don't want to!!" she demanded. Tears were flooding her eyes. "I want to stay home, I hate it here!"

Her mother understands but if they don't that three months will be lessened. Nobody wanted this to happen. Maybe it was destined.

When she got home Niou was already there helping in the house errands.
"Niou-kun," she hugged him tight, "I'm home."
"Glad to see you better, when can you go back to school," his eyes were filled with excitement and joy.
"I'm not quite sure," there was a fake smile in her lips. Niou was her best friend. They have been classmates since fourth grade every time Reiko was bullied Niou would be there. She considers Niou as the person she could trust the most. Trust. Maybe, just maybe he'll understand.

Truth

"Niou-kun, Marui-kun!" Reiko greeted her friends. "I can go to school today."
"Great! Now we can do things together again." Marui exclaimed. It broke her heart to hear this.
"Fatty don't get to excited. Reiko still recovering." Now she was torn apart.
Classes started as usual most of their classmates were glad to see her, of course some girls were still envious of her good thing they never harmed her. She was able to catch up with the lessons thanks to Niou and Marui's notes.
That day when Reiko helped in the club activities, she was exempted from doing heavy works. But still shortly before it ended she fainted.
" Reiko! Reiko!," they were all worried, realizing she wasn't breathing normally, Jackal, being the strongest one carried her to the infirmary. Niou and Marui followed. The nurse gave her first aid. Jackal left early.
"Have she told you her condition?" she asked the boys. Both made a confused look. Obviously they don't know. Before Reiko woke up Marui already left. Niou stayed. He was willing to wait until she wakes. Niou wasn't sure of Reiko's condition but he know she's not fine. But he can stay quite until she's ready to tell.
"Ungh. What happened?" Reiko Niou explained to her everything starting from the moment she fainted. He could see hints of fear in her eyes.
"Can we go to the park this weekend, I don't think I can may it to school tomorrow." she said. There was no point of saying no. The next day she really didn't go to school. That week had been really boring for Niou. He was still worried about Reiko. Her conditioned isn't getting better, he knows that.
That Saturday he decided to pick Reiko in her house. But when he got there was an ambulance and paramedics. He felt his stomach turn. 'No it can't be' he told himself. He rushed over the vehicle horrified to see his best friend clutching her chest and gasping for air. He tried to be by her side but they kept on pushing him away. He continued to struggle and was only stopped when Reiko's father told him that he could follow but they have to take another car.

In the hospital room there was an oxygen mask attached to Reiko. Niou and her parents were by her side. When her condition got stable,they left to get her things and they let Niou stay with her. Niou had always been close to them, he helped their daughter in a lot of things. They never doubted him.
"Niou-kun," she said merely whispering and with her eyes still closed.
He held her hand tighter, "I'm here."
"Am I alive?" tears started flowing down her cheeks.
"Hush, hush. If you open your eyes I'll be here."
Slowly her eyelids move and revealed a pair of clear blue eyes. She wished for the oxygen mask to be removed.
"I'm sorry," tears continued to flow. "It's nothing." he said.
"I can not stay longer," Niou's eyes widened, "my sickness can not be cured, I can not stay for much longer. I'll die before we even reach high school," she maid a soft chuckle. "Sorry Niou-kun, please do not tell anyone nhe?" it was getting harder to hear her.
Niou was walking down the street, Reiko's words were still echoing in his head. He reached for a small box in his pocket. He opened it revealing a silver heart necklace. That day he was planning to give it to her. But things never go the way people planned them to be.

Acceptance

"I really like you Reiko-chan," Niou was looking straight at the girl sitting on the bed.
"Niou-kun I also like you now, who are you planning to tell that truly," Reiko was softly giggling. Niou quickly understood what it meant.
"I'm only practicing just in case some girl turn my life around," he said in a sarcastic tone. His heart winced it pain.
Everyday Niou would go visit her sometimes accompanied by Marui. Marui is still oblivious about her real condition. Reiko don't want anyone to pity her. She knows Niou doesn't. And she's afraid Marui might act carelessly and childish about this. Days turned to weeks and then to months, she can hardly breathe by herself anymore. Still everyday Niou would come by and start a one-sided chat. She could only laugh at his statements and nothing more. Marui still came occasionally and he would always ask her when can she go back, she would only smile.

Loss

" Minami Reiko had been a great daughter to us.." He couldn't feel anything. He can't think about anything either. He was clutching a silver necklace, the one he never got a chance to give to her. Yesterday somebody called their household, it was a crying woman, " Reiko's gone. " He couldn't believe it at first. That day he visited her, she looked so calmed and happy. When she bid him farewell he only smirked. He didn't know. Marui was beside him crying hard, he was the one who didn't know. Marui was the only one who expected her back. The funeral ended , most of the people including Marui had gone home. He stayed. He was still waiting. But he knows there's nothing to wait for. She isn't coming back. No, not anymore.
"She wanted you to have this," Reiko's mother handed him a letter. He stood and left with the letter in his hand. When he finally decided to read it he was shocked to see that it was dated during the day he tried to confess his feelings.

Masaharu,
I'm sorry. I know what you truly mean but we just can't. We weren't set out to be. Sooner or later I'll be gone. Everyone will forget that I existed. Maybe you too. Things just don't come the way we want it to be. Sometimes it's for the best. Someday you too will be wondering 'who's this girl with me' when looking at photographs. I'm afraid to die. I'm afraid to leave this world without telling you how much I love you, but I can't let you fall with me. Everynight I cry myself to sleep. I'm afraid to sleep as a matter of fact.I'm afraid I won't be able to wake up the next morning. I hate it so much when they tell me everything's gonna be fine. I know it won't be. I want to tell Marui I'm not coming back, but it'll only break his. In the end, he'll know. By the time you're reading this , I'm most likely to be dead. This disease has made me realized how important life is. I wasn't able to live mine fully. Please live yours without regret. In that, you can live for me too. I'm sorry. I love you. Goodbye.

Minami Reiko

He felt streaks of warm liquid fall down his face. Right now, he wants her back. He wants her back so badly. But there's no more chance.

You can never feel true love
Until you find someone who truly loves you.