All at once everyone scrambled to their feet, wide-eyed and excited. They huddled at the end of the bed, whispering to each other. Hikaru was somehow ushered into the group; he was forced to stand right at the foot of the bed. He spoke not a word, what was the brother to say? His hazel eyes looked left and right, observing the faces around him, some radiating hope and joy –like his mother, her eyes identical to his glimmering– and some seemingly frightened, scared that he would come back, then disappear out of their lives. That expression matched the one on Haruhi's face, the wide, anxious, and teary eyes and the shaking hands.

Hikaru, on the other hand, was completely expressionless. Of course he was worried, but he felt the hope glimmer in his chest that maybe, just maybe, this won't be as horrible as he thought. More relief rushed over him as his brother blinked twice then looked around at everyone. Neither of the twins spoke.

"Kaoru?" A woman's voice emerged from his mother, obviously concerned for her youngest child. "How are you feeling? Does your head hurt at all?" Her hazel orbs watched his every move, every twitch and every breath, like she couldn't look at him enough.

No response came from the boy on the bed, and that was enough to strike fear into Hikaru's heart. What if he couldn't speak? "We're really glad you're awake, Kaoru," Tamaki spoke next, nearly crying tears of joy. "You had a nasty gash and a broken arm."

The two eldest hosts were next to chime in. "Here, Kao-chan, Usa-chan can help you feel better." Very carefully, as not to hurt the broken arm, Honey placed his fading pink stuffed rabbit in the crook of the younger twin's operating arm. His small action made a smile form on the injured boy's pale face, and his eyes lit up a bit.

Mori's deep voice echoed slightly in the room. "Good to have you back." No expression lingered on the tall teen's face, but his eyes shone with happiness.

The rather white knuckles of Kyoya clenched onto his metallic silver laptop, seeming oddly tense and more on-edge than the others. Of course, having a family in the medical industry most likely trained him to immediately observe and take note of certain symptoms; maybe he knew something they all didn't…? Whatever the reason for his tenseness, his eyes darted from monitor to monitor. Finally, he spoke. "I…we were all quite worried. But, it seems you'll make a full recovery." His voice was quieter than normal and strained, as if it was burdened by a dark secret.

No one seemed to notice besides the elder twin, though. All eyes were set on the pale, sickly looking teen, who observed them back with his wide hazel eyes. Hikaru felt his heart pounding against his rib cage, so hard he was almost certain it would break out of his chest. Cold sweat ran down his temple. His eyes drifted to the others, and he was somewhat surprised to find Kyoya's gaze matching his; did those dark eyes always have that spark of sympathy glowing in them? Or was it just him?

The redheaded teen swallowed thickly, trying to control his abnormally fast breathing. In, out. In, out. Song lyrics furrowed their way into his head, playing themselves over and over in his mind, which was already seeming to crumble at the seams under pain and guilt. In, out. In, out. A loud pounding noise echoed in the room, yet no one else seemed to notice. In, out, in, out. Their anxiously waiting faces, happy and cheerful and waiting for his brother to utter a few words, and then he suddenly realized that the pounding was his own racing heart in his ears–

In out in out in out in out.

A hand rested on his shoulder, making him jump terribly. The eyes so much like his own bore into his, and it actually took the elder twin a moment to convince himself that the person staring at him was not his brother, but his mother. She jerked her head slightly to his unspeaking brother, obviously trying to communicate without making noise. Still, Hikaru had no idea what the hell she was trying to say. Seeming a bit frustrated, she leaned close to his ear and whispered in a hoarse voice. "Go say something, Hikaru." The look on his face quickly told her that there was no way he would, and a very small sigh of exasperation left her painted lips, almost unnoticeable. Realizing that she couldn't force him, the somewhat older woman shook her head and removed her hand from his shoulder.

With the weight free from his shoulder, Hikaru gazed –along with everyone else– at Kaoru, who blinked as he looked back and forth at all of them. When the younger twin's eyes didn't pause on his brother, a small jolt of fear ran through his body. Does he hate me? Does he not want to talk to me anymore? It is my fault after all… Thoughts jumbled in his head like a swarm of bees; after he quickly tried to sort them out and clear his mind, he found that his brother's hazel eyes were closed for a moment.

Kaoru opened his mouth slightly, revealing his pale and chapped lips. No one made a sound, eager to hear the boy's words. He coughed softly, to Hikaru, it almost sounded like the tinkling of a wind chime, fragile and weak. It broke his heart. The injured redheaded twin swallowed hard before speaking in a raspy and hoarse voice.

"Where's Hikaru…?"

Frightened murmurs, along with gasps of fear, erupted. "K-Kaoru…" The usually flamboyant blonde host stuttered in disbelief. "K-Kaoru…he's right in front of you…" that was true, Hikaru still stood, shell shocked, directly in front of the hospital bed. Panic ached in his chest. It grasped on to his lungs, restricting his breathing to shallow gasps. In, out. In, out.

Something like confusion fleetingly crossed the younger twin's face, then disappeared. His voice still had a raspy, unused pitch, but skepticism was also clear. "But…how do you know…? It's so dark…" Clenched fists rubbed furiously at his eyes, as if clearing them. "God, can someone turn on the lights? Can't see a damn thing."

A strangled sound emitted from the last person they expected to break down. Pushing his thin-framed glasses shakily up his nose, Kyoya's thin fingers grasped his sleek laptop with such force it may very well snap. "Don't you see…" His words came out in a hiss, laced with pain, pain and sorrow that no one had heard before. "Don't you see…he's b-blind…"

In out in out in out in out.

"Blind…" Kaoru repeated the single word with almost an awed voice, eyes wide; eyes, that Hikaru noticed for the first time since he awoke, were clouded and foggy. "Blind…I'm blind…" Any traces of fascination diminished, replaced with a look of terror and horror. Tears formed slowly in his sightless eyes, and all his brother could do was cry with him.

"I'm blind…"

And then, Hikaru found himself on the ground, staring up at the ceiling.

His world went dark.

A/N: I know I really shouldn't be smiling right now, but I am.