StarSong

Door 10: Medication

"Friendship is a wildly underrated medication."

-Anna Deavere Smith

Kengo hopped out of the locker and closed it, glad that there was no one in sight. Something was just very awkward over the whole conversation back at the Other world. The moment that the Others were silent once he mentioned the rabbits assaulting Gentaro and Yuki and then tried to brush it up with the rabbits being shy. If the rabbits were shy, why did they decide to reveal themselves to Yuki and let Gentaro pet one? Something didn't add up.

He looked at the box of special rabbit rolls that Other Yuki gave him and opened it. In front of him were twelve little rolls shaped like rabbits with a special filling inside. He was tempted to try one—he hadn't had anything to eat the entire day due to helping Other Miu in getting her dressed up and tossing the origami around—but knew that it was him being selfish. Besides, the rabbits at home were probably preparing a meal for him right now.

"Where did you get that box?" asked a voice.

Kengo turned and saw Tomoko Nozama standing in the hallway. He wanted to ask why she was still at school, but kept his mouth shut. Tomoko then repeated her question.

"I said, 'Where did you get that box?'"

"I had it on me since this morning," Kengo answered. "Why do you ask?"

"What's inside the box?"

"That's none of your business."

"Then why do you have it out in the open?"

"It's because it doesn't fit in my bag," Kengo, pointed to the duffel bag strapped over his left shoulder. "And the contents would get crushed by my textbooks."

Tomoko kept her stare at Kengo, while Kengo stayed perfectly still, hoping that this waiting game would convince her to give up. After a tense minute or two, she sighed.

"Fine," she said. "If that is your excuse, then so be it. Just be careful, Utahoshi-san. Trouble awaits you around the corner."

With that, she left. Kengo watched until she turned a corner before looking inside the box once more. He would give these for Gentaro and Yuki to share, and then go back home for rest and relaxation. The tense moment with the Others was gone, and things would be back to normal in the morning...or at least, he hoped that was the case.

He turned his gaze back at the locker, expecting one of the Other students to give him a message, but he was only met with silence. He then walked out of Amanogawa High, hoping to find a student who would at least know which hospital Yuki and Gentaro were currently staying at.

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After finding the information he needed, and taking a bus to the hospital, Kengo entered the room where Gentaro and Yuki were currently staying at. Next to Yuki's side were her parents, who were singing along to a song about a 'Hayabusa-kun', while an old man was sitting near Gentaro's side.

"It's fine, jii-chan," Gentaro replied. "I'll befriend all those little bunnies eventually."

"You could've been seriously injured, Gentaro!" The old man exclaimed. "I can't lose you. It was already bad enough when your parents died..."

Kengo kept silent as he heard that last sentence. Gentaro didn't have parents, yet he always kept smiling. How was that possible? Why was Gentaro the optimistic goofball despite his past?

Gentaro noticed Kengo standing in the middle of the room and said, "You came to see me! What did you bring?"

"Oh, this?" asked Kengo, turning to the box in his hand. "I bought them at a bakery close by the school after I heard what happened to you and Yuki. Are you all right, Kisaragi?"

"I will be," said Gentaro. He saw Kengo sit down and place the box on the sidetable. "What's in here?"

Kengo lifted the lid of the box, revealing the one dozen bunny rolls. Gentaro took one into his hands.

"They're so cute..." he said. "I wonder what's inside it."

"Hopefully not real rabbit meat," Kengo thought to himself, seeing Gentaro toss the bunny roll into his mouth. There was some silence as Gentaro chewed on the pastry before his eyes lit up and he sat up.

"PASTRY KITA!" he screamed, raising his arms over his head. "This is giving me so much energy! What's in them?"

"Er..." Kengo himself didn't know what was in them and didn't even have a chance to see the type of filling that went into the bunny roll. Thinking quick, he said, "My feelings of friendship for you to ensure that you get better?"

"Kengo!" Gentaro exclaimed, hugging Kengo and patting his back. "Our friendship is willing to give me a speedy recovery! Thank you!"

"No...thank the Others..." Kengo thought. "They're the more considerate ones..." An idea lit up in his head. "Wait a minute..."

"Kisaragi, I mean Gentaro," said Kengo, correcting himself. "Why don't I take you to the people who made the bunny rolls once you and Yuki make a full recovery? I'm sure that all of you will become good friends!"

"Friends talk to one another through their feelings," said Gentaro. "And I could feel their love through these pastries..." He took another into his mouth and sighed. "It's so good..."

"Really?" Kengo picked one and bit into it. He tasted the creamy chocolate melt in his tongue, making him feel so relaxed and happy. He licked his lips as he took the rest of the roll into his mouth. "You're right...they are delicious!"

"Kengo," said Goro, rising to his knees and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Thank you for being there for Gentaro. It's not easy for him being the new kid at school, and I'm glad that he's found a good friend in you."

"Thank you..." Kengo bowed his head. "I appreciate your kind words."

"Hey, Yuki!" said Gentaro, waving his hand toward his childhood friend. "Try these bunny rolls out, they're delicious!"

"Really?" said Yuki. "What do they look like?"

"Catch!" Gentaro tossed two bunny rolls into the air, and they landed on Yuki's lap. Yuki popped one into her mouth and smiled.

"Strawberry!" she exclaimed. "It's so sweet in my mouth!"

"Thank Kengo for them," said Gentaro. "He went out of his way to give us something sweet and fill our hearts with his act of friendship!"

"It was nothing," Kengo replied, taking another bunny roll into his mouth. This time he tasted mint choclate. "But I have to get going with homework and all of that. I'll see you in the morning."

"Bye bye!" said Yuki. Her parents also waved a good-bye as Kengo left the hospital, smiling at the taste of melting chocolate in his mouth.

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When Kengo opened the door to his apartment, he was greeted by the multitude of rabbits sniffing him and pawing at his pants. Kengo chuckled as he lightly shook his foot, signaling them to get back to work. The rabbits scurried back to the kitchen, while some began to set the table for their host.

"Today was really strange," he told them. He set his bag down on the sofa and approached the dining room. "I just hope there won't be any Zodiarts attacks in the future...or better yet..."

He went to his bag and opened it, pulling out the Fourze driver. He remembered using it against the Leo Minor Zodiarts, how he could seemlessly fight without feeling tired. More and more ideas came into his head, as he finally figured out what he must do.

"I'm the real Kamen Rider Fourze," he said. "Not Kisaragi...he's just filling in as me, but it's actually my job. After all, it's not his father who died on the moon. It's not like doesn't have a family to go to...but me..." he laughed. "I need to be Fourze...it's all I ever wanted to be."

The rabbits stopped their chores to see Kengo place the Fourze Driver around his waist, he then picked up four different Astroswitches, hearing the Driver speak their names. His smile grew larger as he found himself fighthing the Zodiarts, destroying them with each and every Limit Break he could imagine.

Just as he was about to flip the tabs of the Driver down, the rabbits began plating tonight's dinner. Kengo sat himself down, seeing a plate of omurice and carrot pickles waiting for him. A baby rabbit hopped onto his lap, sniffing his stomach.

"Thank you, little one," said Kengo. "We're going to have a busy day ahead of us, won't we? If Kisaragi is is incapacitated, no one would notice. He's just butting into everyone's business after all..."

With that said, he began to eat his meal in silence, all while plotting how he'd usurp Gentaro as Fourze in his mind.