NOTE: There is vomiting in this chapter, so if you can't handle it, then don't read. I don't want you to flame me because you have a weak stomach.
Two hours laterRyoko was rushed to the hospital immediately, where her condition was deemed critical. Other than that, no one knew anything else. Rio and Kousuke were at the hospital as soon as they heard the news. Neither of the two heard from Eyes.
"I have to see her, damn it!" Kousuke said, clenching his fists after the secretary told him for the umpteenth time no one could see her but family.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you can not go in there. For the last time, no one can see Ryoko Takamachi except for relatives. Are you a relative?" the receptionist smartly raised an eyebrow. Kousuke felt the knife handle inside his pocket. He'd like to slit this bitch's throat. He was about to pull it on her, when Rio grabbed his arm.
"Come along, Kousuke. We'll come see Ryoko when she's feeling better." Once they were out of earshot, she cuffed him on the ear.
"Kousuke, you idiot! What were you thinking, going to pull a knife on her? I had no idea you were so stupid! Just because you wanted to see Ryoko, who probably isn't even awake right now? Asazuki, you've gone insane." Gritting his teeth, Kousuke was preparing for a counter attack when Eyes stepped in through the doors.
"Eyes!" Rio instantly forgot her frustrations towards Kousuke the minute the teenage pianist sensation stepped into the room.
"Have you two been to see her yet?" he asked.
"No, the stupid bitch won't let us in," Kousuke said as he gestured to the secretary with his head.
"I'll take care of this." Eyes walked over to the woman, who was obviously star struck.
"M-m-Mr. Ru-Rutherford!" she stammered, addressing Eyes formally, though she was obviously twice his age. "I'm a big, no, huge fan of yours!"
"I'm here to see a Miss Ryoko Takamachi," he said without batting an eye. She looked out of the corner of her eye.
"Well, I'm not supposed to let anyone see her…" Eyes dropped a signed photo of himself onto her desk, which widened her eyes even further.
"Well, I don't think it would hurt anyone… She's in room 162." The receptionist never took her eyes off the picture.
"Thank you, Miss." Kousuke and Rio easily snuck past the woman, who was admiring her new autograph of Eyes Rutherford.
"Damn, Rutherford. Do you carry those fan pictures with you everywhere just to bribe people?" Kousuke asked with disgust in his voice.
"Sometimes. When I think it will come in handy."
"Ooh, can I have one? Pretty please, Eyes?" Rio begged. Eyes reached into his jacket and pulled out a signed picture and dropped it into Rio's waiting hands. "Thank you so much!" she squealed.
"And she calls me obsessed," Kousuke thought to himself. They reached Ryoko's room on the first floor, and went inside. The girl was hooked up to several machines, and was wearing a breathing mask.
"Poor Ryoko," Rio said sympathetically as she sat beside her friend. Naturally as always, Eyes looked on without showing any emotion at all. Kousuke himself almost lost it. He and Ryoko had been through so much together, and now he might lose her. It was more than he could bear. He took a few steps toward the door until he found the handle.
"I'll… I'll be back," he said to Eyes and Rio as he ran down the hall to the nearest restroom. As soon as he arrived, he locked himself in a stall and repeatedly vomited in the toilet. When he thought he had finished, he flushed, and rested his elbows on the seat and held his head between his hands.
"Seeing her just lying there, practically lifeless," Kousuke thought to himself, "I never want to see her like that again. I just don't think I can handle it." As he pictured his childhood friend lying in her hospital bed, a second wave started. When the vomiting stopped again, he flushed and left the stall. Looking into the mirror, he realized he had better wipe his face and part of his shirt. In the middle of Kousuke's cleaning up, Eyes walked in.
"Rutherford, what are you doing here?"
"It's a bathroom, I have every right to be here." Eyes glanced down at Kousuke's green vomited covered shirt. "Are you feeling ill?"
"No, not anymore." Eyes handed a second paper towel to his rival. "Thanks." Kousuke washed his hands and cooled the back of his neck.
"Did you guys find out any news on Ryoko?"
"No, we're not even supposed to be down here, remember? We'd better get out of here soon. Ryoko's chart says that her doctor will be arriving shortly and we don't want to get caught, do we?"
"No, I guess not. Let's go." The two boys left the bathroom and continued down the hall towards Ryoko's hospital room. Kousuke stopped outside the door.
"You go ahead and grab Rio, I'll wait here." Eyes looked at him as if he was searching his soul. After a few seconds, it was if he had found the answer inside of Kousuke.
"OK, then." Eyes disappeared into the room. After a few seconds had gone by, there was very loud screaming coming from inside the room. Kousuke jumped into the doorway to see what was the matter. Ryoko had awakened and was shaking violently. The screaming had stopped. Rio pressed the nurse call button, and she and Eyes went for the door.
"We've got to go, we can't be here when the nurse gets here," Rio said as she tugged Kousuke's sleeve.
"Right." The three walked down the hall, as to not create suspicion that running would make. When they reached the lobby, the secretary called her goodbyes to Eyes.
"Come back anytime Mr. Rutherford! Hopefully on my shift!" The musician walked out the door with Kousuke and Rio without even glancing in her direction. Once outside, they split up. Kousuke and Rio had to go back to school, and Eyes had to go practice for his next concert. It was as if nothing had changed.