Chapter 9 – Festival of one

It was slightly past eight o'clock, when the hosts arrived at the festival. "Hey, lets have a race to see who can find Nami first!" Hikaru declared. Everyone was in, and Kyoya decided to play the "I got cute pictures card" like he had on Haruhi a year ago at the beach.

At the same time, Nami was waking up in a room of white. White bed sheets, white pillows, white walls, and white curtains.

"Nami, your awake." Mia said, relieved, as she came in the hospital bed. The girl sat up, but she wasn't smiling. "Nami…022," Mia said, sounding uncertain. Was this the Nami who had fun and was a host, or was this 022, the girl who was happy but had given up?

"I'm not sure," Nami said. Mia gasped, realizing she'd said the thought out loud. "It's okay, I was thinking the same thing. But I really don't have an answer." The girl put a hand to her head. "Remind me to fall on a rug next time," she said.

Mia laughed. Wither she was 022 of Nami, she'd always had the same since of humor.

"And Mia?" Nami asked, as the nurse was leaving. "Yes?" "Don't tell them, okay? Their at the festival, having fun. I don't want to ruin it for them." Mia nodded. "Of course.

"it's nine o'clock, and we still havn't found her." The twins collapsed, having run around for the last hour or so.

"She's probably having fun and lost track of time. Let's keep looking for her," Tamaki said happily. "Good idea, Tama-chan! Lets split up. Tama-chan and Kyo-chan; Hika-chan and Kao-chan; Haru-chan and Takashi; and me and Usa-chan!"

"Okay, let's go!" Tamaki yelled, racing off with a firm grip on Kyoya. Silently understanding Honey, Mori simply nodded. Like a silent I trust you.

"I bet the fireworks are going to be much prettier outside than from in here." Nami said out loud to herself.

"I wouldn't know, I've only ever seen them from out there." A voice came from the door. Nami turned, surprised, to see Honey in the door. For a second, she wondered how he could look so different. From the time she'd seen him when he was in middle school, to his 1st-year school picture, he hadn't changed a bit.

But now, he was about 5'5" with a face a super-model could only dream of. And at the moment, he'd ditched the bunny and was in a grown-up looking Ukata.

"What are you doing here, Honey?!" she asked, stunned. "I didn't think you should watch the fireworks alone. But I knew you didn't want everyone to miss the festival, so I came by myself." He said, coming and sitting on the bed.

"How'd you know to look here?" she asked him. "When I saw you in Music Room #3, I knew it wasn't the first time. The first time I saw you, you were sitting at that window seat, refusing to look at me. You were completely alone." He said, looking at her kindly.

"It wasn't the first time any of you had seen me," Nami relented, telling the truth to the older boy. "Kyoya was his brother's assistant on my medical case, Tamaki was brought by Kyoya to visit me, you hit your head falling off the roof, Mori was with you with a eye patch from kindo, the twins were here because Kaoru nearly got hit by a car, and Haruhi was here for her mother.

"Each one of you were right there, in that bed. And only one of you remembered me. But that was because he was my doctor. We're all friends now, though. I know that I wasn't the only one with lonely festivals. And even know I got sick again, everyone's together."

Honey smiled. "That's right, Na-chan. None of us are alone. Not even you."

Nami smiled. "It's not a festival for one anymore," she said, just as the fireworks began. The hosts stood on the hill of the shrine, and watched the lights together, while Honey and Nami lay in her hospital bed, watching them from inside.

"You know what, Na-chan. I like them better from in here," Honey said, just before falling asleep.

Mia walked in a few minutes later, to check on Nami's IV. "I figured it out, Mia." Nami said. "Figured what out?" The nurse asked and she put on a new IV bag. "I'm not entirely 022 anymore, but I'm not entirely the old Nami either. I havn't given up, but I'll be happy for both myself and others.

"I just don't know how to yet," she said, before slipping off to sleep.

This chapter is one of the more touching ones. After this comes a humorous and hectic time with love-triangles, ex-boyfriends, hospital visits, and moms. Keep reading!