Aki no Drama

Chapter 2 –

That weekend, Miyako decided to visit the hospital and leave with a decision. Either she would go, or she wouldn't. She just hoped the choice would be as simple as it sounded.

After eating with Momoko and Kaoru at the Kintoki shop, she walked through the afternoon sunshine to the hospital. The lady at the front desk smiled at her, Miyako had long since become a frequent visitor and all the nurses knew her. She tried to smile confidently back at the older woman, and began to make her way to the children's ward. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she made her way down the halls, staring at the seafoam-colored tiles beneath her. She was anything but confident- she knew talking to Takaaki about these things wouldn't be easy.

Looking up at the door to Takaaki's room, she absently wondered how she had managed to end up at the right place, as she was so involved in her anxiety that she honestly couldn't remember walking the hospital corridors. She sighed, gathering up her courage, and pushed the door open timidly.

"Hello…?" she called out.

A slightly irritated "Who's there" answered her. She slipped inside, letting the door close quietly behind her. She smiled at Takaaki as he sat up to greet her, looking more cheerful than he had sounded before.

"Ah, Miyako! It's been a while since I last saw you. How's school? You busy?"

"Yes, school's been busy. I'm sorry I haven't been in to see you more." There's been other things keeping me busy, too, she thought, pictures of her friends' Powerpuff Z alter-egos flashing in her mind. Takaaki's voice cut through her thoughts.

"It's alright, I understand. How are you're friends?"

"Kaoru's fine, you know her," she giggled out of nervous tension. Takaaki nodded.

"And Momoko, too?"

"Oh, y-yes," she stammered. How could she have forgotten Momoko? She was so spacey today. Better get it over with… She took a deep breath.

"…Hey, Takaaki?"

"Yeah?"

How do I put this? "Do the doctors say… Are you…getting better? I mean…"

"The nurses tell me my progress is steady but slow."

"So, you wouldn't be able to, you know, go out, um… next week, huh?" Takaaki's face fell, it must have seemed a stupid question.

"Of course not. I've been in the hospital this whole time, why would I magically get better now?" Miyako visible retreated, fiddling with the hem of her skirt and looking at the floor.

"Oh, well I guess not. I'm sorry, I- never mind…" Takaaki's gaze softened, and he sighed.

"It's okay. Why do you ask though?"

"Well, my school is having a dance next weekend…"

"And you thought I could go?" He looked at her incredulously.

"I-I kinda felt obligated to—"

"Oh, you felt obligated. I see. Thought you'd try to make me feel better." His voice was harsh and accusing, and it ripped through Miyako. Her eyes snapped up to look at him.

"No, I—"

"Well you didn't. Or did you come to tell me you asked someone else? Did you come to shove it in my face?"

Tears pricked Miyako's eyes. It's just the black light in him, it's just the black light… His voice turned to a mocking tone.

"Oh, I'm going to the dance, and afterwards I'm gonna fucking fly around the city with the Powerpuff Girl—"

"LEAVE THEM OUT OF THIS!!"

Takaaki stopped dead. Despite the tears glistening in her eyes, Miyako looked fierce. "This has nothing to do with them." Her voice was firm, and so soft it thundered in the silence. Takaaki gripped the bed sheets, staring intently at the wall. This wasn't the Miyako he had known. Then again, we've both changed, he thought.

"…You're really protective of them," he pointed out blandly, searching for a counterargument. Miyako blinked hard.

"They're my friends."

"Are they?" he said without thinking.

"I know they are." Her blue-eyed gaze bored into his skull. "You can't shake my loyalty to them, or my feelings towards them." Her scrutiny willed Takaaki to look at her as she softly finished: "But I guess I was wrong about you."

"…Is that it? Are they more important to you than me?" Miyako was silent, looking through him to the wall.

"I have my answer. I'm sorry to have bothered you." She turned to leave, but was stopped by Takaaki sputtering.

"Wh-What does Kaoru mean to you?" She turned her head.

"Why do you ask?" she questioned warily.

"I- well… She seems… really into you, I guess… I mean…" he flushed under Miyako's steady eye. "Never mind…" He stared at the foot of the bed, brow furrowed. Miyako looked at Takaaki a moment more, hoping for an explanation of his words. She turned to face him as she reached back for the doorknob, opening the door slightly. She backed out of the room feeling numb.

"… Goodbye."

Takaaki didn't dignify her with an answer as she left him to the sterile solitude of the hospital ward.

Miyako stared at the door for several minutes after it clicked shut. The fluorescent lights running along the ceiling made the whiteness of her surroundings seem surreal. It clashed starkly with the dark windows- was it really that late? She stared at the window pane a moment more before turning from the familiar ward and heading back out, feeling defeated.

She didn't look at the lady at the desk on her way out. As the automatic doors of the hospital lobby slid open, biting cold wind rushed in, blowing golden locks of her pigtails astray. She pulled the ends of her sweater over her fingers and crossed her arms for warmth, walking out into the cloudy twilight.

Wandering in a daze again, Miyako found herself at the park. The wind had abated some, but it was still cloudy and the streetlamps were flickering on in the early dark. It looked like it was going to rain, but Miyako didn't care; she felt like her world had shattered. She and Takaaki had been such good friends, and now they had yelled at each other. Maybe she had been insensitive in asking him… but wouldn't her asking also show her devotion to him? She didn't much feel like staying devoted now, after he had accused her of trying to bring him down. Couldn't he see that it was hard for her, too? She was so confused about her feelings. What was she going to do about the dance now? After that fight, she didn't feel like going at all.

Slowly, rain began to drop from the sky. It picked up as she trudged through the fallen leaves to the lonely bench atop the hill. Sitting down, the numbness in her chest melted into pain as her memory was flooded with images of when she had met Takaaki, when he had smiled at her and protected her; when she had called him "Taka-chan". Her heart heaved as she cried, her salty tears mixing with the freezing raindrops falling around her.

/ end ch 2