Author's Notes

Nothing much actually. Just enjoy.


Sakura, Mono no Aware

He's always been in and out of hospitals. But that doesn't make it any easier, or more tolerable. Especially since he's going to be there for a while yet with hopes for recovery slimming – but at least there are friends and family to help him through...

Kouichi K & Kouji M

Rating: T

Genre/s: Drama/Hurt/Comfort


Chapter 8 – Worries

Suhasi Isao paused in marking the attendance, watching the students in his seventh grade homeroom study what looked like last minute cram material for the upcoming science test in fourth period.

'Where is Kimura-kun?' he asked, eyeing Oota Akihiro specifically, knowing for the term the two had spent in his class after moving into junior high school that they were near inseparable.

Akihiro, just noticing the missing boy himself, shrugged. 'At home?' he suggested. 'He has been rather tired lately.'

The teacher frowned. 'Kindly remind him to provide a medical certificate for missing a test. Or his parents to call up.' He raised an eyebrow at the brunette, the only one who was not in the midst of frantic memorisation. 'And on that point, if you fail another test...'

'Track meet,' Akihiro groaned. 'No worries; the human body is one thing I know.'

'You would,' the boy behind him grumbled from his notes. 'You're a sport fanatic.'

'Do you want to repeat that?'

Luckily, the bell rang.


'Moshi moshi, Kimura residence.'

'Kouichi? Honestly, could you sound any more zoned out?' Akihiro asked, once his raven friend finally picked up the phone. Seriously, that was the fourth time he rang.

'Gomen,' the boy apologised. 'I just woke up.'

'Seriously?' Now he was worried, frowning lightly. 'What time did you go to bed?'

'No idea,' the other sighed, almost in an indistinguishable mumble. 'On my Japanese assignment I think.'

'You, falling asleep on a Japanese assignment? The guy who loves languages?'

'Mmm hmm.' That was followed by a stifled yawn and a clatter, before another apology.

'What was that?'

'Dropped the phone. My hands are still asleep.'

The frown became more pronounced as the words slurred a little. 'You sound like you haven't slept at all. Did you have a nightmare or something?'

'No idea,' the other mumbled. 'Was too tired.'

'Well, just go back to sleep and get some decent rest. You missed the science test today by the way, so you'll need a medical certificate.'

The other made a non-committal noise of agreement, but he seriously doubted he was going to remember. The raven-haired boy sounded like he was going to fall asleep on his feet. Literally.

'On second thought, give the phone to your mother.'

He heard the sound of the phone being passed, then lethargic footholds trudging off somewhere. Hopefully to bed.


Tomoko had kept her son home the following day as well, calling the school's administration to inform them. They were more than supportive, though they did warn her than Kouichi's schoolwork would soon slide if the frequent absences continued.

There wasn't much that could be done though; it was as if he had never recovered his full potential after the brief shock. A few days at school, less than a week now, was enough to completely tire him out, and he was lucky to make it through without his body simply collapsing from wear. It had happened too, twice...though the second time had luckily been at home. More frequent though was the brief blackouts which would leave him against a wall or locker or door or table, and on occasion, the floor, without any inkling as to how he had wound up there.

So she had suggested splitting the week and recuperating, and he, after a brief discussion, had agreed, using the time to sleep and catch up with the work...until about last week where even that was failing now.

He had after all been writing the same paragraph on that essay for four consecutive days. And now, he had finally progressed to the next one.

Now, she prayed to a God whose faith therein was rapidly dwindling. Her mother had died the same way, though at a far greater age, in the end though wasting away in a hospital bed with none of the calm vibrance she had once exhibited.

Was her son too to share the same fate, at an age that was far too cruel to be cut short?

'Do not think about drinking that coffee young man,' she said suddenly, watching said son reach for the coffee tin.

The other made a face, rubbing his eyes with one hand to chase out the remaining sleep, and spooning some of the brown grinded mixture into the cup. 'It's for you 'kaa-san,' he said. 'I'm fine with the milk.'

She frowned worriedly when she noted he had taken nothing else with the tall glass. 'Breakfast,' she said in an almost reprimanding tone, though she knew he hadn't had much of an appetite lately. Neither had she, though she may have been reading too much into the recent events.

'Are you okay?' she checked, looking her son over.

Kouichi nodded, looking far better than he had yesterday. 'I'm fine 'kaa-san.'

'Headache?' she checked. 'You had one yesterday.'

'Gone.' He smiled at her, blue eyes sparkling. 'And I'm ready for school. And that makeup test.'

His eyes dimmed slightly at her relief, though the two things were largely disconnected. ''kaa-san?' he began hesitantly, before shaking his head. 'Never mind.'

He wasn't sure he really wanted to know the answer to that question.


'Hey, Kouichi. Door's open.'

Yoshiko hadn't been facing her friend when she said that, simply assuming he was following as she walked into the classroom for advanced Japanese and deposited her books. It was only when she had slipped into her desk and waited for the tell-tale signs of someone slipping into the chair beside her that never came, she pushed her own back, and walked straight back out of the classroom.

'Kouichi?' she asked again.

The hat was covering his eyes, so she couldn't really see whether they were open or closed. His books were however on the floor, as though they had slipped from a numb or lax grip, and then ignored.

'Kouichi!' she shouted loudly, ignoring the look she received from a passing teacher and causing the addressed to slump into the wall before she caught his arm. 'You fell asleep on the wall? Seriously, you're worse than Akihiro.' Under the playful jibe was an undertone of worry though; he was only ever so distracted and unmindful of his surrounding when he was sick. And goodness knew how many times one small body could tolerate being sick.

The other lifted his head slightly in a faint bewilderment. 'Huh? No, I-'

He broke off to blink at the books at his feet, before crouching down to pick them up, head spinning slightly. The textbook slipped from his fingers again (they felt oddly numb), landing on his knee before he picked it up with his free hand and tucked it neatly into the small pile.

'Are you coming down with something?' Yoshiko asked.

Kouichi grimaced. 'I hope not. I'm missing enough school as it is.'

'Why though?' A tad rhetorical, but she wanted to hear it from his mouth.

'I've just been too tired...' the boy sighed, as they rejoined the class and sat in their seats (or in Kouichi's case, slumped). 'It's weird though. Doesn't really feel like I'm getting sleep, but I'm in bed for hours. And...' he hesitated here, before deciding to tell her, the girl who was like an older sister to her, the truth. 'I'm scared.'

She nodded, even more concerned now. It took a lot for any of her three male friends to admit their fear. Especially out of the blue like that.

'You've been tired like this before,' she pointed out reasonably. 'Could be just the seasonal flu. Remember last year? You started missing classes till you skipped an entire fortnight, then you were back on your feet...only to find out Minoru forgot to tell you about the exams. Who knows, maybe we're all getting paranoid about nothing. Maybe that shock was from a heat stroke. You were sick before it. And you're immune system's down in the slumps now.'

She laughed, but there was no humour in it.

'Wouldn't it be ridiculous if it was nothing?'

It sure would...if luck favoured them. Was it too much to hope for though?

Because she was hoping against that hope that that nightmare didn't come true. She didn't want to lose a friend that was practically a little brother to her. And she knew no-one else wanted to lose him too.