November 3, 2021
4:01 PM
"See you next Saturday, Hiro," His therapist said to him.
She was a tall woman who wore casual clothes such as cardigans with a plain, solid-colored shirt. The woman always had her black hair pinned up into a neat bun, but she didn't quite have a face. Or rather, he never remembered it by the time he left her office.
He didn't like a single thing about therapy. He disliked the stiff couch, the uncomfortable coldness of the room, as well as the feeling of attention. Every time he walked inside, Hiro remembered what he was there for and it made him want to vomit and sob.
Four years have passed since he lost his parents in the incident, but the memory still haunted him. He relived the terrors whenever he closed his eyes and coming to the clinic every weekend didn't help Hiro with his insomnia.
He left the dreaded room in complete silence with his back turned to his therapist. A caregiver by the name of Erina accompanied him to his appointment today and worked at the orphanage he was brought into at seven-years-old. She offered her hand out to Hiro for him to take, but Hiro didn't accept it and embraced himself instead. Slowly, they left the room and returned to the lobby of the children's hospital.
As always, there was someone to occupy almost every seat situated against the wall. The sight made Hiro feel nervous and suffocated like the air in the room was thin, but he always did his best to ignore them. There were other children sticking to themselves too. Erina often pushed him to interact with others his age—especially with children from his orphanage—but conversations with him always lasted shortly.
He never liked talking about what's on his mind anymore. He felt alone and as if nobody could understand his pain, therefore, Hiro saw no use in speaking about his emotions. He didn't want to confront his issues, but neither did they leave him alone. Unsure of what to do with his pent-up frustration, Hiro just kept it all to himself.
"Wait here while I do some grown-up stuff real quick. Can you do that for me, please?" Erina asked him gently with a kind smile on her face.
Hiro nodded his head wordlessly and went to take a seat in one of the mesh chairs. When he turned his head, he saw Erina speaking to the woman behind the check-out desk while signing some documents with a pen. With a low sigh, Hiro suddenly stepped down from his chair and walked towards the little brown bookcase pressed against the opposite wall.
It had an assortment of books ranging from children's books to adult ones.
Although Hiro was young, he's always preferred the 'mature' ones since he was six-years-old. Hiro found them much more fascinating because of their informativeness and ability to educate him about things his teachers didn't. He was always curious about the world and, according to his deceased mother, he seemed to never stop thinking. Hiro moved onto his knees and looked for his favorite book which he was able to easily pick out from the rest.
It was the thickest amongst the others and had the word 'encyclopedia' inscribed into it. Soon enough, Hiro found it nestled in between 'The Little Mermaid' and a book full of old nursery rhymes. The book came out of the tight space smoothly. It was a little heavy in his hands, but nothing Hiro couldn't handle since he always read it on his lap, anyway.
Hiro stood up and opened the encyclopedia to the last place he stopped. This was easy to find since he always folded the edge of the paper he last read. As he stood back up onto his feet, he began to multi-task by walking back to his seat and reading at the same time.
Unfortunately, that was a clumsy mistake since Hiro lost sense of his surroundings and didn't realize this until he felt himself collide with another person. The book accidentally slipped from his hands and landed between him and the other person's feet loudly.
"S-Sorry!" Hiro sputtered quickly, instantly forgetting about his book and looking at the person he'd just bumped into.
As his eyes focused on the person, he noticed it was a girl who appeared to be around his age, or maybe even a year younger since she was two inches shorter than him. He was only ten-years-old, and she didn't look much older than him. Maybe she was nine or eight herself?
Hiro thought she was rather pretty too despite her pale complexion and meek look. Her hair was a pretty pink like the cherry blossoms in his book, but he couldn't say anything about her face yet. That was because she hung her head low and turned it the other way, making it difficult for their eyes to meet.
Was she shy?
The commotion they unintentionally made brought some curious eyes onto them, but once the adults realized they were only children acting in the way they expected them to, they soon looked away and returned to their own business.
"Are you okay?" He asked, but much to his own awkwardness, he only received silence from the other. This led Hiro to assume she felt annoyed with him.
Quietly, he leaned down and picked up his fallen back, then protectively held it at his side with his hand and arm. Hiro continued to look at the girl curiously. She had on the traditional hospital gown for patients at this hospital, so it was clear to Hiro she was under inpatient care.
Whereas, he was the opposite by being under outpatient care instead. He only came here on the weekend for his therapy sessions which would last up to two restless hours.
She was silent and didn't seem to take any interest in him or his apology. Instead, she walked past him and searched the floor with her eyes. Expecting to see something she did, Hiro looked down at the floor as well, but found nothing in particular. The floor was completely clear. The large, blue mat was by the bookcase and the purified water dispenser was in the corner of the room as usual.
"Oh, I get it. Are you looking for something?" Hiro asked, perking up over possibly solving something so easy.
However, the girl didn't soothe his pride. Instead, she silently continued to search for whatever she was looking for. The girl walked over to one of the seated adults who was reading a fashion magazine and got onto her knees, bending over to peek beneath the row of chairs.
Hiro thought it was a bit rude and disruptive of her to do this, but he kept that opinion to himself. He wanted to shrug off her strange behavior, sit back in his seat and indulge in his favorite book like normal. He was the best at ignoring everyone from the time he woke up to the time he dreaded going to bed.
However, something pushed him to step out of his routine this one time. Why? It was because she struck him as someone different.
A lot of the children back in his orphanage ignored him and thought he was weird. Hiro was fine with that, or at least that's what he told himself. What this girl was doing now wasn't much different from how those treated him back home, but… This didn't feel like it was for the same circumstance.
Something about her pulled Hiro in right away.
"If you tell me what you're looking for, I can help!" Hiro offered, trying to keep the volume of his voice under control lest he become a disturbance to the guests surrounding them.
Even if Hiro tried to ignore her, he wouldn't be able to help but notice her with the attention she was bringing to herself by snooping around everywhere. The boy followed after her before she could get too far from him. Fortunately, she stayed within the lobby.
"Uhm… Hello? Did you hear me?" Hiro asked, feeling even more awkward now with her lack of response.
He'll feel like an idiot if she did, and he only ended up repeating himself, but in the event that she hadn't, he didn't want her to miss out on a helping hand. It was possible she didn't need it. After all, she didn't look helpless; just silent and alone. She sorta reminded Hiro of himself.
Finally, the girl turned to him and showed her face to Hiro who felt taken aback by the sight. Not only because the boy felt shocked that she finally acknowledged him, but because of something much more embarrassing to admit aloud. His face heated up as a light pink hue ran across his cheeks.
This girl was beautiful.
He's met many children her age and even grown adults who have already bloomed, but nobody has ever immediately smitten him like this. Hiro knew for a certainty he's never been face-to-face with someone of her beauty. Her eyes were a beautiful emerald and her face had a cute shape.
Hiro couldn't remember a time he's ever felt flustered over something or someone, so he was totally clueless about how he should react to the foreign emotion.
Why was someone so beautiful at a horrible place like this? Hiro couldn't possibly fathom why. Once he looked past her beauty, the boy noticed how blank her face was. However, she wasn't expressionless. There was an emotion present, but he couldn't tell what exactly it was yet.
Needless to say, Hiro believed she was about to tell him to go away and to stop bothering her. He would understand that since she didn't ask for his help, he just placed himself into her business.
Right, he was an idiot for assuming she needed him to start with, wasn't he?
Hiro waited for the other to speak, but he noticed she wasn't looking him in the eyes anymore. Her eyes were fixated on the bright crimson, red scarf wrapped firmly around his neck for a very long time. His scarf? Self-consciously, his fingers curled around the inside and gave it a small tug to loosen up the fit. Then, the realization suddenly hit him.
His scarf!
"Wait, is this what you're looking for? You dropped your scarf somewhere around here, didn't you?"
She didn't answer him verbally, but she responded by shyly looking away again. Hiro knew he had to be right by how telling her reaction was. Finally, he was a step closer to solving this little mystery!
"But…" His excitement dropped all of a sudden, "I don't recall seeing a scarf anywhere around here. It must be in a different part of the hospital."
Hiro looked back at Erina to see her still caught up in some paperwork. Usually, she didn't take this long to finish things up, but apparently, things would take a while to wrap up. That meant he had some time to help the other with her dilemma.
"Hmm, okay. Where was the last place you saw your scarf?" Hiro asked, hoping she would use her voice at this point to make things easier on him.
However, her lips didn't move a single inch. The girl looked at him for a while, but then she averted her gaze before silently shrugging her shoulders.
"You don't know, huh?" Hiro said with his hand raised to his chin in thought. Already, he was learning to decipher the other's unique muteness.
While her lack of verbal help would've discouraged anyone else, Hiro wasn't put off by it. He had an endless amount of patience and hard situations motivated him to solve them even more. The boy genuinely liked any situation he had to use his brain since that was his best skill.
"Hmm…" Hiro closed his eyes as he thought of all the possibilities.
The hospital was a big place and since he didn't know where all she's been, it would be nearly impossible to find it in such a short time. It was even likely that someone has picked it up already and brought it who knows where.
Hiro's lids reopened and saw the saddened glint in her eyes. She looked defeated which made his heart pang in a discomforting way. He didn't know the girl very well, but he couldn't stand to see that look on her face. He wanted to help in some kind of way. That's a drive he hasn't felt in quite some time.
Even though his personality has largely changed over the years, Hiro was still the same mindful and selfless person down to the core.
The girl hugged herself which appeared to be for comfort, arms folded and pressed against her chest firmly. As Hiro silently looked her up and down, a few concerns rose to his mind. They were currently in the middle of winter, so wasn't she cold in that? The gown didn't hug her legs nor her arms. Why wasn't she in a pair of pants instead?
As his turquoise eyes continued to analyze her, he noticed a blemish near her ankle he hadn't seen before. His hand slowly fell from his chin and his eyes widened with attention, his foot taking a step closer to look at the strange discoloration. It was a harsh contrast from her pale white skin since it took on a dark purple color.
Was it a nasty bruise? And how did she get it?
But when Hiro took a step forward, the girl took two steps back in recoil.
Huh?
At first, her conflicting behavior took the boy aback, but then he observed her body language. The girl had her elbows drawn to her sides and her dainty fingers clenched into small fists, hands raised to her chest in a protective position. But she didn't look afraid. She bared her teeth at him and there was a raging fire in her eyes which told Hiro she would bite back if necessary.
But he wasn't a threat to her? ...Crap, she must have the wrong idea about him!
"Oh, no! I'm not gonna hurt you," Hiro quickly piped up, shaking his hand in defense. He took a considerate step back to where he once stood to allow the other her personal space. "I just wanted to…"
His eyes slowly dropped back to her ankle, trying to get another look at the blemish he saw. However, as if self-consciously, she turned her body at an angle which concealed the bruise from his viewpoint. It was apparent she was uncomfortable with him seeing it.
"...Nevermind," Hiro sighed and shook his head lightly, before dropping his arm back to his side.
He let the matter go since his curiosity in her marks wasn't that big of a deal. Finding her missing scarf was his main priority right now.
"Anyway, let's hurry and find your scar-"
"Hiro, I'm done. Let's head home," Erina's voice suddenly rang through, causing his current good spirits to die with his disappointment. He didn't want to leave so soon which was significantly a first for him.
The boy felt a little distressed at the thought of leaving the girl without putting this situation to rest. If she ended up never recovering her scarf, she'll be even colder in her room, wouldn't she? Plus, if she was like this around all strangers, it was least likely she would ask people to help her out.
"Uhh…" The boy uttered, eyes dodging between his caretaker's confused expression and the shorter girl's skeptical one.
Think, Hiro. Think…
"I know!" Hiro exclaimed once his solution came to him. He unraveled his own scarf from around his neck and held it in his hands with care.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you," He said in a soft tone as he took a cautious step towards her. He needed to fill the space between them to accomplish the idea he had in mind.
But as expected, the girl's shoulders tensed up stiffly, her brows furrowed at him, and she snarled at him like a baby animal merely trying to protect her own life. Hopefully, she would stand still enough for him to do this. Since he was a little taller than her, Hiro figured he must look even more intimidating in her eyes.
"Shh," Hiro shushed her placidly and raised his arms a couple inches above her head. If she wanted to attack him, then now would be the time to, but much to his own relief, she didn't move a muscle.
Was she more scared than defensive?
He dropped the thick scarf onto her shoulders and when they met, Hiro witnessed her ferocious expression soften in surprise. This made the boy crack a smile. Since it appeared she would stay still, he didn't worry about getting the scarf on her properly now. Hiro began to wrap it around her neck, doing a few loops until it looked tidy. His scarf was warm and thick, so it should be kind to her during this time of the year.
This happened to be the only scarf he used annually, but Hiro had no worries about getting a replacement. Genuinely, he wasn't even thinking of himself.
"Yup. Just as I thought; it looks perfect on you," Hiro stated with a proud smile sitting on his face. It's been a while since he's made an expression like that.
"Hiro?"
By the second time Erina called for him, Hiro knew he was cutting short on time. How should he part with her?
"I'm sorry, but I have to leave now. I hope my scarf keeps you warm! Goodbye!" He said as he ran away from her as he waved. He returned the unread encyclopedia back onto the bookshelf, then jogged over to Erina whom patiently waited for him the entire time.
"Did you make a friend?" His caretaker asked Hiro as she looked down at him with her olive green irises. Her lips which were pampered with red lipstick tugged into a proud smile.
"No. Just someone… I ran into by chance," He replied as he neared the automatic doors alongside his caretaker.
Before he exited the hospital for good, Hiro looked behind his shoulder. The girl had his scarf raised to her nose to smell it.
November 17, 2021
3:05 PM
Another visit; another headache.
He was tired of these sessions. They were pointless and didn't help make his day-to-day hardships easier. He came into his appointment past noon as usual, but a different caretaker brought him in this time. The more he went to these sessions, the more suffocated and mentally violated he felt. The adults said this was good for his health, but he never felt better whenever he left.
Only worst.
So this time, while his caretaker was busy signing him onto the waiting list, Hiro stepped down from his usual seat against the wall and made a run for it. He didn't know where he was headed, but he trusted his feet to take him somewhere far away from adults. Anywhere would suffice as long as he was alone.
He took a turn and realized there were still too many people coming up and down the hall. It was mostly nurses and doctors, but he was smart enough to know they would alert someone if they found him running around the hospital freely like this. Even now he could hear the approaching loud clicks of someone's high heels from around the corner.
Frantically, Hiro looked for an escape and that's when he noticed the steel door to his right.
Assuming it would lead to a separate part of the building, Hiro pushed against the metal push bar handle and slowly forced it open with a noisy creak. The boy slipped through the slit he made and was happy to see that the space appeared to be empty.
He leaned up against the wall, feeling his heartbeat drum in his chest from the ambitiousness of his action. He felt anxious over the thought of being caught by someone, but then Hiro decided he should just enjoy his peace for however long he had it.
No one should've seen him come inside, so it was safe. Right?
Hiro let out a relieved sigh and took a moment to determine where he even was. Judging by the bulky flight of stairs that traveled both upward and downward, he knew he'd entered the building's stairwell. Fortunately, most visitors and employees took the elevator instead. Therefore, the chance of him running into someone here was least likely.
The boy sat down on the third step of the rubber vinyl stairs and placed the book he had with him onto his lap, then slowly opened it. The natural smell of the paper's chemical loitered into his nostrils pleasantly. He found the tiny folded crease at the end of the last page he'd been on during his previous visit and speedily continued off where he stopped.
"There is normally only one adult, mated queen in a hive, in which case the bees will usually follow and fiercely protect her. Although bee workers glorify the queen bee, she is at risk of being-"
Hiro jumped in his skin when he heard another creak come from a level above him and then a loud slam. It sounded like another push bar door being opened and then closing on its own. His blood ran cold as ice at the thought of being found out already.
Hiro was on toes now as he rose from the step. He craned his neck upwards and hesitantly moved closer to the staircase's spandrel to have a better look. Hiro expected to see the face of an adult, but he couldn't see anything at all. Although, he could hear faint but hurried footsteps pattering across the floor above him.
The footsteps were too gentle to belong to an adult and on top of that, the person sounded barefoot.
Who was up there?
Hiro shook his head, trying not to think too much about it. The footsteps weren't coming his way, so whatever the person was up to shouldn't matter to him. He was safe and sound as long as he remained here. The boy was about to sit back down and continue reading about the function of birds, but then he saw something that made his heart leap in his chest:
The tail of a bright, crimson red scarf drifting in the air behind a young girl with beautiful, cherry-blossom colored hair. She was ascending up the stairway at a hurried pace; so fast she was gone before Hiro knew it.
Because the view was so brief, Hiro could've convinced himself that he only imagined the sight, but his heart told him that wasn't the case. Before the boy knew it, his feet moved to their own accord and ran behind her footsteps.
He was tailing after a girl who possibly was or wasn't someone he briefly met two weeks ago. Right now, Hiro surely felt as weird as everyone portrayed him to be, but he wanted to see her. He didn't know why, but his heart was pushing him to do this. After they first met, Hiro was secretly anticipating running into her again by chance.
There were still so many things he wanted to ask her: Did she like the scarf? Did it keep her warm throughout the day, or did it smell too weird for her to use?
Once he made it up the first long stairway, Hiro realized those questions were the least important ones. The other was ascending even higher up, but where to? What was at the end of this maze? He wanted to find out.
As Hiro continued up, he heard another door creak open and then close. The sound was closer to him this time which meant she was just a hair's breadth away. He climbed the next stairway with ease, but once he made his turn, the boy quickly realized he'd come to a dead end.
And she wasn't here.
Hiro assessed his surroundings now and realized there was only one door on this level. She had to be behind there then! Hiro pushed the door open, expecting to enter the highest floor of the building and the one he estimated she was staying on.
Yet instead of the narrow and white hallway he was accustomed to, Hiro was greeted by a cold gust of wind blowing straight into his face and forcing his lids closed momentarily. It couldn't have came from an opened window since the air suddenly felt much chiller than the building's room temperature. Before Hiro even opened his eyes, he knew he'd been led outside.
But… This was the highest level of the hospital, so for them to be outside, they had to be-
Hiro's eyes shot open.
The breeze tickled his skin and made a part of his short, black hair sway with the crisp air lithely. He didn't have a hat on himself since he hadn't planned on staying outside for long, so his skin was vulnerable to the cold. The tips of his ears and fingers were quick to turn red and feel like icicles. His neck was also bare, but the collar of his thick, black coat kept Hiro protected from the frigid atmosphere.
With one quick look around, Hiro could see that he… was on the rooftop.
She couldn't be here though. Crap, he must've run straight past her and missed her on the previous level. Hiro knew even if he turned back now, the girl would be too far away for him to catch up with. She was long gone.
A defeated sigh fell from his cold lips, causing a thin fog to form due to his hot breath contrasting with the outside temperature. Hiro took a step back and was ready to turn back around until he saw it. A little girl sitting against the parapet of the roof, knees raised to her chest as she balanced a thick, black book on her thighs. She had the crimson red scarf wrapped around her neck comfortably and its trail ended at the middle section of her back.
Her long hair made her look like a princess in Hiro's eyes. In fact, it was so long that her ends just barely kissed the ground around her bottom. This time she wore plain, pale blue pajamas which covered her arms and legs, but unfortunately, there was nothing on her feet. The scarf most likely kept her warm, but it was the only thing protecting her from catching a cold out here.
Why didn't the adults clothe her properly if they knew she was coming up here?
No.
Hiro shook his head to himself. They couldn't know she was here at all since rooftops were strictly prohibited at most hospitals. They definitely wouldn't allow a young girl to be alone up here without any supervision either. Although, she didn't appear to be doing anything troublesome at the moment.
The girl was sticking to herself and even seemed to be in her own little bubble as scribbled into her unclasped book. Hiro's eyes lowered curiously and noticed the color pencils aligned on the ground beside her ankle. She must be in the middle of drawing something? When Hiro's eyes raised again, they unintentionally met with her hypnotic emeralds which stared back at him in petrification.
Oh, no! He's gone and scared her again!
Just as startled by this sudden escalation, Hiro jumped to his defense and slipped his hands off the door handle, holding them up to show he meant no harm.
"I-It's just me! I mean- I won't hurt you or anything. Do you, uh… remember me?"
Absentmindedly, he'd forgotten about the door which would slowly shut on its own and had to step out of the object's way to miss the near impact. The heavy door locked behind him with a loud click. Meanwhile, Hiro broke out into an awkward smile as he started to walk over to her slowly.
He moved one step at a time as if he was walking across a minefield and one misstep would startle her too much. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. Frankly, he wanted no one in to be afraid of him in general. The boy could handle being looked at as weird, but frightening as well? That was too much for him to bear.
The other still looked on-guard, however. What was he supposed to do in this kind of situation?
"Don't you remember? I'm the only who gave you the scarf you're wearing now," Hiro explained to her, hoping to jog the girl's memory.
At the mention of the scarf, she tugged it closer to her cold and red cheeks, then buried her nose into it. She had only done little, but the boy couldn't help but think she was really…
"Cute," Hiro muttered, not realizing that he had spoken his thoughts aloud. "I-I mean, uhm… So, you remember after all? That's good."
What a relief. He wouldn't blame her for not remembering his face since their moment together was brief. She surely had other matters to think about since she was coped up in the hospital all day long. Hiro didn't understand how she could handle it, but that's why he admired her mental strength. Even though she was clearly afraid, she still bared her teeth at him. Hiro didn't think he could protect himself like that.
He initially wanted to ask why she went so far to escape from everyone else, but Hiro already knew the answer now. It's because nobody would bother her up here.
"Can I sit beside you?" Hiro asked while still making his way over to her slowly.
She responded by turning her head away from him and resuming her work in silence, but Hiro took that as an initiative to approach her.
"Thanks…" The boy said gratefully before he took a seat beside her and drew his knees to his chest like her. He placed his book onto his lap too which wasn't meant to draw in like hers.
It was pretty cold out here, so the boy didn't think twice about the lack of space between them. You often bundled up during this time of the year and Hiro was certain the other felt cold underneath her thin layers. He looked down at her arms and legs to catch for any trembling, but peculiarly, they weren't.
Was she resistant to the cold?
His gaze focused on her book curiously now and felt speechless once he looked at the page the girl was currently working on. Her drawing was absolutely remarkable.
"Woah. Did you draw that yourself? You're really good at that," Hiro commented in full astonishment, his eyes filled with awe.
It was a picture of a landscape with a warm green meadow as the sun descended in the backdrop with a scarlet sky. However, the focus was a large, fully bloomed maple tree. Some of its bright red leaves were rooted to the branches while the others were spread out on the ground. The pencil drawing would've been complete if she wasn't still coloring in more leaves.
He was surprised this artwork came from her dainty hands since he's never met anyone with artistic talent. His own attempts at drawing sucked compared to hers. What pleasantly surprised him more was the girl actually nodding her head in reply to his question.
It was a small and single nod, but Hiro was happy he hadn't missed it. It must be true she's just shy around total strangers then? He couldn't say if she's this way with even people she's comfortable with since he didn't know her well yet.
"You don't talk much, do you?" Hiro stated matter-of-factly, but with a softness in his tone.
He also considered the possibility she was just mute. Although, Hiro wouldn't look down on her because of her inability to speak since he knew how it felt to differ from others. All of a sudden, a light breeze came by and caused her red color pencil to roll across the ground.
"I'll get it!" Hiro announced and began to move out of his comfortable position to fetch the pencil before it would roll too far away from them.
But just as he unfolded his arms, a harsh gust of wind rushed through them. It not only made the girl's hair fly up into the air madly but also her scarf. Both their instincts told them to cover their faces with their arms to block out the violent blast of air. Yet they still found themselves in an unusual position.
Hiro's arms impulsively wrapped around the girl's head to protect her from the wind. He cradled the back of her head with his hand and gently pulled her into his chest in his best effort to keep her warm. After all, she was the only vulnerable one here. He would be fine since he was clothed properly for the winter, but she wasn't.
Fortunately, the assault only lasted for a few more seconds before the wind around them returned to its normal calmness. Hiro slowly reopened his lids, arms still wrapped around the other protectively. He looked around them as if someone would pop out from the corner at any minute, but his attention was immediately drawn back to her when he heard a small whimper from below.
Was she okay?
"Don't worry. I think the worst is over for now," Hiro reassured her in a soft voice and started to stroke her head slowly, beginning from the top and then smoothing towards the back. "Are you cold? How about we head back inside for now?"
The change of the weather was alarming enough for Hiro to believe they shouldn't stay out much longer in the event things became dangerous. She shouldn't be outside regardless lest she catches a cold. Hiro half-expected her to refuse his suggestion, but the other shocked him when she turned her head and buried into it his chest more.
Right away, he knew what her answer was. She really was cute.
Hiro smiled down at her warmly before he stood up slowly with his limbs still wrapped around her. Although, he made certain to let go and help her collect her belongings. Once they both had their things, Hiro rushed towards the only exit and slipped inside behind the girl. The last thing he felt was winter's icy lips against his skin before the door thankfully slammed shut behind them.
"We don't have to go back to where you came from if you don't want to. We can sit right here for now," Hiro suggested to her and sat down on the stairway's first step, resting his book on his lap.
With no argument, she did the same and sat closely to Hiro on her own. It was a small gesture, but it was also something Hiro greatly appreciated. She had her book on her lap as well, but didn't open it to continue her work. The both of them idly sitting on the steps in silence should've felt awkward, but it didn't for Hiro. Mutual silence has never felt so comfortable to him before.
But as expected, it would be him to break it too.
"Actually… I don't really want to go back down myself, but I'll rid you of the details. It's unimportant," Hiro decided at the last moment with a slow shake of the head. Then, he turned to her with a friendly smile.
"What about you? Why are you up here? No, wait. You don't have to answer that. Uhm…"
He's a total idiot. What was the right thing to say to her?
Hiro pondered over it more until he realized what the obvious answer was. He got so excited about seeing her again that he forgot the most important factor.
"Oh, right! What's your name? I'm Hiro and you?" He asked and patiently waited for her answer with an eager smile on his face. That was until he quickly remembered he was attempting to hold a verbal conversation with someone entirely mute.
How did he talk to her in the situation then?
Once more, his hand rested on his chin thoughtfully and his eyes looked around the vacant room in search for an answer. Then, Hiro's eyes finally landed on the other's clasped book.
"Wait, I've got it. Is it okay if I write on one of your pages?" He asked her.
Her face looked hesitant at first as she looked down at her lap, but eventually, she undid the silver clasp and slowly opened her book. Then, she flipped past all her various artwork until she reached a blank page. The girl was clueless about what he had in mind, but she would see soon. He picked up the blue color pencil from the floor and nudged the book closer until it was between them.
Then, he wrote his first message in:
[My name is Hiro Akiyama. What's yours?]
Hiro's solution was obvious now, but would it work for her? The boy looked over at the other and waited anxiously. He hoped she would go along with his idea, but discouragingly, all she did was stare down at the paper.
"...Sorry if it's a little messy. Should I write it over?"
Without answering him, the girl finally picked up the red color pencil from the ground and started to write underneath his message. Hiro couldn't tell what she was putting down because her long hair dangled over the book like a beautiful curtain and obstructed his view. Her writing speed was slow, but after a minute, she finally pulled back enough for him to read the page.
[Sakura Frank.]
Her handwriting was bold and wide, but illegible. It was a short and simple message, but it meant so much to Hiro. He finally had a name he could call her.
"Sakura…" He tried the name out on his tongue aloud and it felt meant to be.
When Hiro looked at her, he could tell that she was definitely a 'Sakura'. She was just as pretty and captivating as the definition implied.
"What a pretty name. Just like the cherry blossoms that bloom during spring."
Hiro brought the tip of his pencil back to the page and eagerly wrote down his next message:
[Is it okay if I address you by your first name?"]
This time, it didn't take the other as long to write a response and maybe that was because it only consisted of three letters:
[Yes.]
Reading her answer instantly made Hiro's face brighten into a happy smile. It's been a long time since he's felt this close to someone.
"You know, they say cherry blossoms represent the fragility and beauty of life itself, but they can also personify rebirth. I find that bittersweet. Don't you?"
Hiro couldn't help but drag a bit of his book knowledge into this since he enjoyed sharing information just as much as he enjoyed learning it. He turned to Sakura to see if she would answer to his ramble, but her hand was still. However, it wasn't because she didn't want to. When Hiro looked her over, he learned the reason for her unresponsiveness was because she was gazing hard at his book.
"Oh. Do you want me to read this to you? It's interesting, but I don't think it's suitable as a story."
Hiro picked the book up and held it high for her to see before laying it flat on his legs to show her the inside. He slowly flipped through the several pages he's already read, so Sakura could get the gist.
"See? You'll probably fall asleep if I read this to you," he explained before he looked at her, but instead of her turning away in disinterest as Hiro expected, Sakura picked up her pencil and started to write something else.
Silently, Hiro looked on in interest.
[Read it.]
"Really?" Hiro raised his brows in surprise.
He thought everyone else would look at these things as junk, but Sakura proved to be one exception. Was she curious by nature like him? If that was so, then Hiro felt good about them possibly having something in common.
"Well, okay. It's a big book though. Should I read a specific section?" Hiro asked, running through the pages again to find a section that might interest the girl.
Just as he was about to move on to another page, Sakura placed her hand over a certain page as if to stop him. Initially, Hiro was confused by this, but then he looked underneath her hand. They were on a page about the history of cakes.
"You want to read about cakes?" He looked over at her for confirmation in which she quickly nodded her head to.
Her responses were small and short yet they expressed so much. Judging by the haste of her nod, Hiro could tell she really wanted him to read this section aloud. He had a hunch she just liked the pictures, but something was better than nothing. The ten-year-old cleared his throat and prepared to read from the very first page.
"Fruitcake—often known as fruit bread—is a cake made from dried or candied condiments, such as fruit, nuts, and spices. Optionally, one can soak it in liquor."
To the far right of the page was a photo caption of a traditional fruitcake which matched the very description given in the book. It was dark brown and had a closer resemblance to bread than it did with cake, Hiro thought.
"Typically, fruitcakes are served at weddings, or on Christmas and because of the dessert's richness, it's possible for it to be-"
Hiro paused abruptly when he felt a light amount of weight against his shoulder. When the boy looked over at Sakura questionably, he saw that she was resting her head against him. The sight captivated him so much that Hiro couldn't help but stare down at her in awe. His abrupt silence caught the girl's notice, so she poked her head up to look at him questionably too.
Their eyes met unintentionally, but Hiro wasn't outright flustered as he'd been the first time they locked eyes. He still thought her prettiness was intimidating and believed he didn't have the right to be so close to someone so princess-like, but the fact that she was initiating this physical contact with him warmed his heart. He couldn't remember the last time anyone wasn't afraid to get close to him.
She was really wonderful.
"Sorry, I got distracted. I'll keep reading," Hiro apologized as he smiled down at her.
Sakura didn't return it. Instead, she looked back down at the book and turned her face into the warm sleeve of his jacket, nuzzling her nose against it. It wasn't a smile back, but the response was worth just as much. Hiro wondered if she liked his scent since she did this so often? It almost seemed like a comfort device for her.
But then, Sakura wrapped both her arms around one of his which was enough to make Hiro actually a little nervous. This was definitely a fast escalation.
"W-Wait, Sakura. What are you-"
That's when he noticed the small trembles of her shoulders and arms. It was subtle before, but now he realized how she was shivering all over. The cold must've finally caught up with her.
"You're shivering. Hold on, I'll warm you up."
Afraid that she'll catch a cold, Hiro immediately removed his thick coat and draped it around her. Sakura seemed unsure of whether or not she should accept the coat, but eventually, she slowly slid her arms through its holes.
Hiro zipped the coat up for her and then adjusted it a bit more until he was satisfied with how snug it looked on her. With the scarf and something warm on her arms, Hiro hoped she would be alright now.
"There. That should be enough I think…" Hiro looked down at her feet. Unfortunately, there were no socks or even slippers, but he couldn't do anything about that. His shoes didn't look like they would fit on her feet. "Sorry. I don't have anything for your feet," he added with a frown.
As if to make up for that, Sakura brought her feet together and placed one atop the other to bundle up. As she curled her toes, Hiro couldn't help but reflect on how cute she was with just her body language. Just when he was ready to return his eyes to the book and continue off, Sakura did something he didn't expect.
She undid her scarf and started to retie it around both their necks until they were sharing the scarf together. Her gesture baffled Hiro, but he knew there was only one way to respond to her kindness.
"Thanks, Sakura," Hiro said sincerely. He would've been fine without his coat since he still felt pretty warm, but he couldn't say no to her thoughtfulness.
"Alright. Let's continue now," he said with his eyes back on the book, leaning his head against Sakura's to reciprocate the physical contact. "If you want to me to stop, just write so in your book."
Once the girl nodded her head twice, Hiro began again.
Days passed until there wasn't a week where Hiro didn't see her. The two met at the same spot on the stairs countless more times until it became a part of Hiro's weekend routine. It was the only thing he looked forward to every Saturday. He reluctantly still had to see his therapist, but as soon as the appointment was finished, he would flee to find Sakura.
And every time she was there.
Sakura would sit at the top of the stairs while looking diligent and pretty as she worked on an incomplete or new work. His rapid steps up the stairs were noisy enough to gather her attention, so her soft grin blessed Hiro when he turned the final corner.
In their time together, he's learned little things about her. Such as the fact that Sakura was actually a year older to him and how she was the only child in her family like himself. She loved many sweets even though Hiro had already suspected as much. Hiro would even bring small candies with him whenever he got his hands on some because it was worth seeing Sakura's face light up with joy.
He also found actual storybooks to read to her, and most of the time, they enraptured her from beginning to end. Hiro secretly liked the way she would lean against his shoulder when she got really invested in a book's plot. He's come to use that to determine whether a book was a hit or miss with Sakura.
Sakura still didn't use her voice for the most part. She only said little things here and there, but Hiro thought that was a big improvement. He loved it when she spoke. Her voice was sweet like honey and warm like the pavement on a sunny day. Sometimes it was simple answers to simple questions, other times Sakura actually teased him and made him blush.
The rest of the month carried out like this and eventually, his caretakers stopped worrying about his whereabouts after his appointments were done. This made Hiro excited to spend even more time with Sakura, but unfortunately, they faced unforeseen disruptions.
Nurses would often find them and although they didn't want to see him leave, they needed her. Hiro honestly hated it when their time together was cut short, but it was also his fault for forgetting Sakura was still a patient here. He never asked what's wrong with her though. It came to his mind in the middle of the day for sure, but once he was with her, Hiro never found the guts to bring it up.
Everything was perfect between them and he didn't want to ruin that. Unfortunately, that choice wouldn't be his to make.
It happened one day unexpectedly.
As usual, Hiro was reading a storybook to her. This one was called 'The Lonely Princess' which was about a lonesome princess who didn't have a family or friends. Until a lowborn boy spoke to her from outside her tower one day. Hiro noticed Sakura really liked books where the protagonist was lonely but formed bonds later on.
When he found this on the bookshelf, Hiro knew right away it would be a hit with her. That was plain to see with how closely she was snuggling up with him, trying to absorb every detail from the pictures. With a smile on his face, Hiro slowly turned to the next page.
"Every day after that, Royce came to see Princess Abigail. They shared little secrets with each other and played fun games from day to night. There wasn't a single day that passed without the two meeting each other inside the tall tower. On the day of Princess Abigail's birthday, everyone-"
Sakura's sudden cough interrupted his next sentence. It didn't sound like a normal dry cough though. It sounded wet and loose as if mucus was being pushed up her throat, but couldn't quite come out. She continued to hack into her hand which honestly startled Hiro.
"Hey, are you okay? What should I do?" Hiro asked, his increasing worriment sending him to an apprehensive state.
Judging by its looseness, it sounded like she was close to vomiting on these very steps. Despite all the time they spent together, he's never witnessed actual signs of Sakura's illness until now.
"I-I'm-"
She coughed again.
"-fine…" she muffled into her hand, but Sakura didn't convince Hiro in the slightest bit.
"You're not. I'll find a nurse or a doctor for you, okay?" Hiro did his best to reassure her without sounding too panicky. If he didn't stay calm, then he couldn't expect her to.
Hiro moved from his spot to help her up, "Here. Let's get up before you-"
But once his arms nearly reached the other, Sakura turned her body away from him.
She's ignoring him?
Hiro immediately found that uncharacteristic of her since she hasn't acted this way towards him since they first met.
"Sakura? What's the matter?"
He placed his hand on her shoulder, but doing so caused her to immediately tense up. Hiro knew right then that something wasn't right. Sakura coughed more into her hand, but this time more violently.
Hiro stood up now and tried to help Sakura up by pulling on her wrist, but he only pried her hand away from her mouth instead. That was when he saw something that made Hiro's face turn pale.
Red.
On her hand was blood. It was raw, thick and slimy. It wasn't there before, so Hiro immediately knew that it came up during her coughing fit. Hiro didn't know how to react, so his mind went completely blank. As the adrenaline surged through his blood, his heart felt very heavy in his chest.
His saliva was so thick in his throat that he felt as if he couldn't swallow. He was completely terrified.
Shakily, he tried to speak. "S… Sa-"
Abruptly, she stood up with her hand cupped to her mouth. "I have to go!"
She turned away from him and hurriedly climbed up the steps. Meanwhile, Hiro didn't have a chance to stop her. By the time his arm tried to reach out for her, Sakura had already slipped past his fingers. The door she disappeared behind closed with a loud and eerie slam, waking him back up to reality.
Even though Hiro was shaken up, he ran right behind her hoping to catch up with the girl. However, no matter which halls he ran up and down, Sakura was already out of sight.
He'd lost her.
After that day it became harder to see her.
Much to his disappointment, there were three days where Sakura didn't show up to their spot, but the days she did, Sakura never spoke about what happened that day she ran out on him. Their moments together were becoming progressively shorter and things continued that way for a while.
Hiro noticed one major thing change and that was her tone. Before, Sakura was always cheerful regardless of her tendency to be bashful. Nowadays, she seemed sadder and quieter. She didn't write messages down for him as much either. The girl would often have a small and white gauze taped to the inside of her arm, but when he asked her about it, Sakura claimed it was nothing.
Hiro always knew it was something.
As of late, it was least likely Sakura would be at the steps waiting for his arrival, but Hiro still held onto the hope that his wish would come to fruition. Then, one day he went to their spot and found something other than her missing presence.
Sakura's book was lying there on the floor in the spot she usually sat at, but the owner of the book itself was nowhere in sight. Although that was odd, it instantly filled Hiro with hope that she was somewhere close. The dark clouds in his head were parting to make way for the sun's luminous rays.
Did she drop this by mistake?
Hiro sat down on the steps and took her book into his clutches, then placed it down onto his lap gently before opening it up. When he did, the boy found an incomplete drawing on the newest page; one he hasn't seen before. Sakura was very dedicated to her artwork, so it was unlike her to misplace her belonging carelessly.
This meant she came here today at some point, but that left one last question weighing heavily in Hiro's mind:
Where is Sakura now?
The answer to his question made his eyes widen. Once Hiro turned to the next page in her book, there was a note waiting for him. There was no signature, but Hiro could immediately tell who it was from and who was meant to see it.
['It's hard for me to see you. I'm sorry...']
It was from Sakura.
Hiro hurriedly dug his hand into the pocket of his coat and pulled out an ink pen. Immediately, he started to write his response underneath Sakura's message.
['Oh... That does suck, but... You left this behind for me, right? I'll take care of it when you aren't around!']
There. It was done.
Hiro felt happy to have made any kind on interaction with her, but now he felt restless. He wanted her reply urgently, but Hiro knew he wouldn't get one until another week passed. For now, he closed the book and placed it back in Sakura's spot.
He'll wait as long as he needed to for her message back.
.
.
.
The two ended up trading messages back and forth to one another which lasted for four weeks. Since they were limited to shorter conversations, Hiro tried to only ask her important questions. Her answers were still short and simple like always, but Hiro was thankful for them.
He still missed getting to see and feel Sakura physically, but her image never faded from Hiro's memory. Until things went back to normal for them, Hiro felt grateful they had something which worked for them both.
...Things will return to normal eventually, won't they?
March 9, 2022
4:04 PM
"I'm here for Sakura Frank."
The mention of her name made Hiro pause in his track. He was on his way to his and Sakura's spot until he heard a deep and raspy voice speak her name. Hiro turned around to see the voice belonged to a tall man. At the moment, he was speaking to a woman behind the check-in desk.
The man appeared to be in either his late fifties or early sixties. His skin was gnarled from what Hiro could see, and the mid-length hair on his head and his thin mustache was a pallid grey. He also wore an unusual choice of clothes that made him appear to be a by-the-book doctor or scientist.
"Ah, yes. And you are?"
"Her guardian."
Hiro's eyes widened when he heard this. So, this person was related to Sakura after all! While it was possible that there was another patient named Sakura Frank in this hospital, it was unlikely given how uncommon the surname 'Frank' was in this area.
It wouldn't hurt to check, regardless.
"Of course. Ms. Frank has been moved to Room 002," she told him.
The man responded with a low grunt but then nodded slowly before he started to walk down the hall opposite to where Hiro stood. Hiro quickly tailed after the man, but he was careful enough to keep some space between them. If not, then it would be too obvious that he was following the elder.
Room 002… Sakura, I promise I'll find you.
Werner walked down the hall and made two turns, then continued on. Once they were halfway deep into the building, the elder suddenly halted in his steps. Without thinking about the suspiciousness of his own actions, Hiro automatically stopped when Werner did and awkwardly stood there, waiting for the man to resume his footsteps.
He never did.
"You've been following me for quite some time. I thought maybe I was imagining it, so I purposely went the wrong direction. I figure you're one on my granddaughter's friends, hm?" Werner asked the boy without turning around him.
This startled Hiro since he hadn't thought about what he would do if he was caught. The old man had purposely led him on?
"Unless you're here for a snack or to relieve yourself, then don't pay this old geezer any mind," Werner added on.
Hiro took a moment to look at his surroundings and realized Werner had brought them into a dead end. There was nothing ahead of them aside from the public restroom and a running vending machine.
He'd foolishly fallen right into the man's plan. Hiro found no point in pretending he turned here for either of these things with his goal was much larger. This wasn't over until he at least gave it his all. He still needs to see Sakura!
"I... I'd like to see Sakura, please!" Hiro suddenly spoke up, his hands curling into fists.
Silence engulfed the air for a few seconds before Werner suddenly released a hearty chuckle from deep inside his chest, "What a demanding child you are, but I suppose that's where you two are alike."
From the corner of his eye, Werner looked at the young man from over his shoulder. "I'll allow you to talk to her for an hour. After that, your time is up. Understand?"
Hiro's eyes enlarged in disbelief. A whole hour? That was much more time than Hiro expected to bargain for, but he felt grateful nonetheless. Without waiting for Hiro to catch up, Werner turned around and trudged past him. The tremendously lucky boy was fast to catch up with him. Albeit it wasn't difficult to since Werner didn't walk the same way he used to.
"Really? Thank you, mister!" Hiro expressed happily.
"Just Werner is fine. I don't like the name 'mister'. It makes me feel old," he grumbled.
"Understood… Werner," Hiro responded, politely trying the name out on his tongue.
He wasn't fond of referring to his elders by their first names, but the boy didn't mind stepping out of his comfort zone to respect Sakura's guardian. Werner led them on in silence aside from the flat clicks of his formal black, laced boots. After one turn, Hiro knew they were on the right side of the building once he noticed the single-digit numbers on the room plates.
"By the way… Has Sakura told you why she's here?" Werner asked him out of the blue.
His question made Hiro feel curious but also uneasy about the answer. Hiro desperately wanted to know, but once he did, would he be able to stomach it? It felt cowardice, but he was actually afraid to know the truth.
"...No, she hasn't."
"I see. Forget I asked then," Werner said before he closed his eyes as if to rest them, then halted in his steps altogether, "Your time starts now."
This initially took Hiro aback, but when he looked to his left and read from the white plate beside the sun-kissed wooden door, he felt his heart get lodged in his throat. He was finally here.
Room 002.
He didn't know why, but he felt incredibly nervous. It's been a while since he's last seen Sakura in person, so it was practical of him to be afraid of what laid behind here; especially after what Werner asked him. The boy did his best to swallow his fears by placing his fingers on the silver knob, slowly twisting it open until the lock unlatched.
Hiro opened the door as slowly as he could so he wouldn't disturb her. He learned that was a good choice to make once he looked into the room and saw her. There was Sakura sound asleep on her bed underneath the magnolia white sheets with a serene look on her face. The sheet was raised to her waist as she slept on her side in a fetal position. Sakura was even lightly snoring as she snoozed which he found to be cute.
Hiro thought she was beautiful before but now knew Sakura was even more of a princess when she's asleep.
There was another gauze on the inside of her arm which led the boy to assume she recently finished another medical procedure. His footsteps were faint as Hiro stepped in, closed the door behind himself, and then made his way over to Sakura. For a moment, he stood there like a fool; unsure of what to do besides stare down at her warmly.
Hiro didn't want to stir her awake just so she would talk to him, but he didn't want to walk out the door either. If it was weird for him to want to stick around and just be by her side for fifteen minutes, then so be it. Hiro didn't care if that made him a weirdo since he felt the best he ever has in the past couple weeks.
Sakura stirred lightly in her sleep and whimpered something he couldn't make out before curling up more into a ball. Hiro didn't think about his next actions, he just acted. His gut told him to grab onto the end of her blanket and that's what he did before pulling it over the rest of her body. He knew Sakura got cold easily despite her efforts to withstand the temperature.
Spring was seeping in, however, so why was she still shivering?
Once she was well tucked in, Hiro noticed she stopped squirming. Whether it was subconscious, or just coincidental, he was happy to have possibly contributed to whatever Sakura was facing in secret.
The girl had the crimson red scarf wrapped around her neck as always too. It really warmed his heart that she wore it practically every visit. Hiro was certain she didn't do it just for him either. He reached out for her hand that lying against her pillow and held it with his own.
It felt so warm.
"Hey, Sakura. I kept my promise. We're meeting again just like I said we would," Hiro spoke in a hushed tone and squeezed her hand gently. "Hopefully, the next time we're face-to-face, you'll be awake. Then, I can read a book to you like old times."
Hiro closed his eyes and leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers. This… was also warm.
"There's this new book they added to the bookshelf called 'The Beast and The Prince'," he whispered to her. He didn't care whether his words reached her or not since Hiro would make sure she experienced the story at least once.
"It's about a princess and a prince who are madly in love with one another, but their love is forbidden. So, their friends and family do everything they can to let the pair live happily ever after. Sounds beautiful, right? I think you'll love it."
He tuned out everything but Sakura's small sounds and the faint ticks from the traditional wall clock. Easily, he became lost in his her everything. The room had a strong antiseptic scent to it and as did the rest of the hospital, but her natural scent was much louder than the former. It was her. It was Sakura.
He was afraid to let go of her hand and feel the absence of her warmth. He was afraid to turn around once this hour away over in fear that he'll forget what she looks like. He was afra-
No. ...No, what is he thinking?
He shook his head. Forgetting Sakura wasn't possible to start with since it'll never happen even if he tried. No matter how far apart they were, or how long they were separated, he'll always hold his memories of her close to his heart.
March 16, 2022
3:48 PM
"Have you told him yet?"
Sakura ignored Werner.
The girl felt weary and weak similar to how the flu attacked a person's body. Her muscles were sore and tender from the shooting pains that stabbed at them and she also felt lightheaded. Sitting up in her bed made the girl want to lay back down immediately so her stomach wouldn't churn and her limbs wouldn't cry out in agony.
Laying down on her side was the best solution for now.
"I'll take that as a no," Werner concluded aloud. Given the other's silence, he was practically speaking to himself, but that wasn't anything he was unaccustomed to.
His stood near the wall and glanced around the room, so his persistent staring wouldn't unnerve Sakura. Werner knew how fickle she was. However, he would often peek out the corner of his eyes to watch Sakura write diligently into her book.
He'd given it to her as a sketchpad, but it seemed it's become a journal instead. Well, that was fine. Werner believed she was free to use it however she deemed fit. Werner's eyes took a glance at the clock on the wall, noting that the short hand was on the number '3' and the long hand was on the number '48'.
It was about that time.
Werner glanced back over to Sakura quietly. The girl always wrote little but because of the time she spent into getting her words down, Werner knew she put a lot of thought into her responses. Luckily, his career choices made him a patient man.
"He stopped by to see you last weekend," The elder brought up randomly and watched for her response.
For a moment, this caused Sakura to stop writing suddenly before she continued three seconds later. Werner didn't fail to notice this slip-up.
"He seems like a better person than me and I can tell you both cherish each other greatly. It's important to be honest with those you hold dear and pay attention to their feelings," He continued as his gaze dropped to the floor thoughtfully.
Then, his voice lowered into a tired mutter hinted with deep, but unspoken regret. "I learned that the hard way..."
Sakura dropped her pen and then closed her book. When Werner turned to her, he saw Sakura holding her book out to him. With a smirk, he took two steps closer to her and accepted the book with both his hands.
"Geez. Making me do all the work for you, aren't you?" He said, his teasing nature coming out to play.
Werner took a quiet glance at the clock once more, then turned around to walk towards the door. He understood why Sakura didn't want that boy to see her personally, but he could estimate the outcome this situation would have if things continued like this. Yet, he couldn't blame Sakura for her choices since he would do the same in her position years back.
With a heavy sigh, he pressed the elevator button with the up arrow and waited patiently. In the meantime, Werner closed his stinging eyes which had dark circles underneath them. In the back of his mind, he recalled a woman from his memory. A beautiful and ingenious woman with bobbed, blonde hair whom he held close to his heart ever despite her departure from his world.
"Are you proud of me now, darling?" Werner asked underneath his breath, but not to anyone in the hospital with him.
The distinct chime of the elevator doors sliding open made the old man reopen his eyes. Then, Werner stepped inside the lift and waited for it to take him up to the highest floor.
.
.
.
"–He has severe head trauma."
"It's possible it might've started as a minor head injury at the time of the accident, therefore, it was undetectable until now. According to the MRI and CT scan, he has a mild brain infection which needs immediate attention. It can turn into a long-term complication if not tended to accordingly. He has a tear in his tissue which has allowed bacteria to form inside his brain. I suggest you look into having surgery done for Hiro. I can recommend a neurologist to you, miss–
March 30, 2022
4:08 PM
[This is the last time we'll talk to each other. I'm sorry.]
The words punctured his heart like they were shards of glass opening a fresh wound. A sense of nausea swirled in his stomach and made him feel sick. His hands trembled as he held the book in his hands, in sheer disbelief of what he read. Hiro read it again and then once more to make certain he hadn't misread her words, but the sentence never changed.
So, here he was, standing in front of the door to Sakura's room. His fears rang loudly in his head and submerged him with paranoia: What if he was too late and she was already gone?
Hiro tried to shake those thoughts from his mind. There was only one way to confirm his fears. His heart drummed in his chest wildly as his fingers latched around the door's handle, then swung it open. He wanted to see Sakura laying in her bed as usual whether or not she was asleep. He wanted to feel that wave of relief when his eyes focused on her familiar face and saw she had gone nowhere.
Hiro wanted that peace of mind, but he didn't get it. Her bed was completely unoccupied, and the sheets were folded in perfectly ready for its next patient. The boy's worst nightmare seeped into reality. He was too late; he missed Sakura.
Hiro's hand slowly fell from the door and his face became crestfallen as his shoulders sagged in anguish. His heart was screaming right now although his cries went unheard. His emotions wouldn't reach anyone nor would they reach Sakura because… Once again, he was too late. He failed her and broke his promises to her.
Yet there was one thing he didn't understand: Why did she leave him first?
He had several questions that would remain unanswered. Majority of those he couldn't fault her for since he'd been too afraid to ask Sakura himself. However, to leave unexpectedly without an explanation hurt. He wanted to go into the corner of an empty room, curl up into a ball, and cry.
Her fingers gripped the middle of his shirt and squeezed the fabric, tugging at the place all his pain was building to. What did he do now?
"What are you doing here, young man? This isn't your room," A woman said to him sharply as she came around the vanilla brown cubicle curtain.
This snapped Hiro out of his heavy thoughts like a bucket of cold water gushing down onto him. By the uniform she wore, the woman was a nurse and most likely was the one to fold the bedsheets in what used to be Sakura's room. Without a word, Hiro took a step back and spun around, closing the door behind himself with haste.
"Wait-" He heard the nurse call out to him, but he didn't want to stick around any longer than he had to.
It was evident to him now that Sakura wasn't there nor would she be coming back. Hiro walked down the narrow hall at a sluggish pace while looking dispirited. His gaze lowered to his feet which continued to lead him to another part of the hospital, but his mind was unsure of where they would stop.
His heart told him to return to his and Sakura's secret spot. Hiro knew very well that Sakura wouldn't be there, but he wanted to be. He wanted to linger at the spot that was still both of theirs and would remain theirs until the day he died.
It was more reasonable to find the caretaker who accompanied him here and just return to the orphanage with them. That was the logical thing to do in this situation, but his feet wouldn't budge with his brain's resolve. No- ...It wasn't his feet, but his heart preventing him from acting on that request.
In the end, he didn't want to leave this place. His memories of Sakura were all here after all. Hiro would come back here next Saturday and all the ones coming up, but the difference was that she wouldn't.
Upon that realization, the young boy's heart panged harder than it did these past few weeks. Hiro took an abrupt halt in his footsteps and squeezed his lids closed, then-
"Are you ready to leave, Sakura?" A deep and jaded voice said within earshot of Hiro.
The familiarity of it made Hiro poke his sulking head up immediately. However, what sprung him back to life was the recognition of her name. The boy's heart nearly leaped out of his chest from the scene in front of him. Just several feet ahead of him was the reason he's been going insane lately. She looked weak and tired from how she carried herself, but it was her.
It was Sakura in the flesh and out of the hospital uniforms Hiro's eyes were accustomed to. This time she was in her casual clothes: A dark grey and light button-up jacket with a short, royal blue skirt that nearly stopped to her knees. She wore black stockings underneath to hide her bruises, black ankle boots, and around her neck was the red scarf he gifted her.
Without a moment to waste, he was running towards the pair. He had to hurry if he didn't want to miss them! This was the only chance he'll receive!
"Sakura!" Hiro called out to her, hoping to catch her attention.
The boy didn't care that he was indoors and how uncivilized it was of him to raise his voice inside a hospital. He needed her to notice him. He needed to see her. Hiro felt a tremendous sense of relief when she slowly turned towards him.
Hiro stopped a few inches in front of her and although he was gasping for air, he didn't wait another moment to rush out what he had to say. It took all his restraint to not swarm her in all his questions at once.
"You're leaving?" He asked in a hoarse voice, but it wasn't from the dash he made to close the large gap between them.
Sakura stared at him in silence, but her eyes said everything her lips refused to. He didn't miss how they winced in pain before she looked up at Werner. It seemed like Sakura was asking for his permission to respond, or maybe even his suggestion on what to do. Werner's only response was to close his eyes and nod quietly.
"I'll be in the car," The old scientist stated before he traveled down the rest of the hall, made a turn and walked through the automatic doors of the front entrance.
Hiro and Sakura were completely alone now without no one to bother them. There were people still nearby since it was an active hospital, but this part of the hall gave them privacy for the time-being. Even if someone came strolling down the hall now, those individuals wouldn't matter to either of them.
Although, it wasn't too obvious Sakura felt that way on Hiro's end.
She refused to look him in the eyes and stared down at her feet instead. This was how she behaved when they first met, but it wasn't because of her shyness this time. It was because Sakura was trying to run away from the situation. Even if she met his gaze, Hiro would only see the new walls she's put back up inside her heart.
"Why?" Hiro asked in a tremulous voice.
He'd hope to keep control of his emotions, but now that he was speaking to her, they were spilling over like a broken dam. He could hardly contain the first layer of tears which pressed to shed. Hiro could feel the muscles on his chin trembling involuntarily, but he did his best to keep everything inside.
Hiro waited for the other to respond, but the only thing that passed was a poisonous silence. His hands curled into tight fists. Sakura bit down on her bottom lip unnecessarily hard. He couldn't keep this contained anymore!
"Can't you tell me that much?! I care about you, Sakura! I want to know what you're feeling and know what's on your mind! We're friends, aren't we?!"
Sakura winced from Hiro's abrupt rise in his tone which the boy didn't fail to notice. He slowly unfurled his fists and took a deep breath to calm himself down. He didn't intend to scare the other or make her think he was angry with her.
He needed a better way to convey his feelings.
"Sakura…" Hiro started calmly and took a small step forward. He was secretly happy she didn't recoil since his next move was to take her soft hands into his own. "Are you not telling me the truth to protect me?"
Hiro knew his suspicion was correct when Sakura popped her head up immediately, then stared back at him with her stunned, tear-rimmed eyes. Her face contorted in pain as her bottom lip quivered until her walls finally crumbled down. They were hardly made of steel, to begin with.
Her briny and raw tears came forth and rolled down her cheeks in slow, wet tracks against her face. Hiro didn't think twice and pulled Sakura into his arms, her wet chin resting against his shoulder. She was prone to soak up his jacket with her tears, but he didn't care about that.
He only cared about her and always has since the day they met.
"I.. I didn't want you to hate me, or regret ever meeting me..." Sakura explained shakily, her dry sobs tearing at her throat. Her body shook in Hiro's embrace, but that made him hold her tighter.
"I could never hate you," Hiro replied, unable to hide how he's joined her cryfest by the waver in his own voice. The tears welled in his eyes finally made thin trails down his own cheeks.
"Liar," Sakura accused in a feeble voice before she hid her face into his shoulder.
The fabric of his jacket soaked up her tears right away. She wanted no one to see her with how ugly she felt. God, she didn't even want him to see her in this shape, but she couldn't deny how warm and inviting Hiro's arms were. So, this was what someone hugging her felt like...
And yet she felt so disgusting.
Hiro let out a low sigh, "When have I ever lied to you?"
She didn't immediately respond and Hiro felt this meant she understood his point. He ran his hand up and down her back rhythmically in hopes it'd somehow soothe her. At this proximity, her scent inebriated him.
"I'm a monster. I only hurt those who stay around me," Sakura finally continued as the next insecurity surfaced to the front of her mind. Hiro had no problem tearing them down one after the other though.
"That's not true. Do you know how I know that? It's because you've never hurt me even once," he said into her ear softly. This conversation was meant for them and only them.
"I made you cry-"
"And I made you cry too. So, now we're even, aren't we?"
Sakura took another short pause with an uneven exhale. Hiro waited patiently to see what else she would throw at him.
"...You won't hate me even though I'm leaving you?" she asked insecurely, her voice becoming significantly smaller with every question.
Hiro pulled back from their embrace, but only to force Sakura to look him in the eyes. Her own were as bloodshot as her face now and her lashes were damp from her constant tears. It was safe for Hiro to assume he was looking into a mirror of himself too.
"No matter how far apart we are, I'll always come right back to you. No matter how much time it takes, I'll always find you again. That's a promise," he responded in a bound and determined tone alongside a strong-willed glint in his eyes. Sakura knew when she looked into them, he wasn't lying to her.
Hiro has never lied to her even once. However, that wouldn't stop her from doubting things when they seemed too good to be true. She looked down and blinked the salty perspiration in her eyes back, then looked back at him. Her nostrils felt droopy, so she sniffled.
"...Do you really promise that?" Sakura asked, her fingers curling around Hiro's forearms as she held onto his sleeves firmly.
For her, the air in the room felt thin, but for Hiro, this was nothing. He cracked her a weak smile, but his feelings for her… His love was here was present. It's always been that way whenever he looked at her.
"With my everything I have left to give. I swear to that. So, until then, will you wait for me?"
Sakura reciprocated his smile slowly and nodded her head twice. Their fingers intertwined with one another's at the same time; a silent promise to never let each other go. Their bond was strong and unbreakable.
With their feelings for one another so infrangible, they would find a way in this massive universe. No matter how long it took, they'll surely cross paths again.
.
.
.
The following Saturday came around and there was no note waiting for him at the top of the stairs, but it didn't hurt him.
He felt okay.
The heart monitor made short and consistent beeps in the background. To Hiro, it almost sounded like a rhythm and it was the only thing he could focus on. His concentration was scattered because the entire world felt hazy to him. The only thing he could recall is the cold sensation against his back that made him feel like he was lying on metal.
"Rest now, Hiro," came a deep and calming voice belonging to an unknown man.
The man looked down at him, but Hiro couldn't discern his identity because of his blurred vision. He could only tell he was dressed in blue from head to toe.
Nng…
He was too tired to figure out who this person was. His lids were so heavy he couldn't resist the need to close them. He wanted to sleep. Yes… He'll sleep now. Hiro's head lolled to the side as the peaceful beeps in the backdrop lulled him towards dreamland, breath fogging up the inside of his respirator mask.
His entire world was dark now.
.
.
.
"The surgery has been completed. Unfortunately, the infection spread to the medial temporal lobe of the brain and there's been some minor irreversible damage to the hippocampus. This might cause difficulties with him accessing some of his long-term memories. The effects might not be immediately recognizable, but it can become a long-term issue. Therefore, I recommend psychotherapy to help him with his psychogenic amnesia-"
September 1, 2022
4:01 PM
He missed her.
There wasn't a day that passed where he didn't think of her. His trips to the hospital were never the same again and soon lost their joy, but Hiro tried to toughen it out for her sake. He liked to believe the faster he progressed, the better he'll be once he reunited with Sakura.
It was difficult and better said than done yet he wanted to be someone she could be proud of. The medication prescribed to him this year made him feel wearier and didn't stop the nightmares, but he felt more relaxed during the day compared to before. However, Hiro gradually became more forgetful ever since the surgery.
As the months passed, his memories became so vague that it almost felt as if everything he experienced with Sakura was just a fever dream. Especially with how quickly things went back to the way they used to be before he encountered her.
He flipped back to his old routine of coping himself up in the orphanage's library alone as he flipped through his books. There was usually a new one every other week with how quickly he ran through them. Today, Hiro was reading a book that dipped its toes into a new area he was interested in recently: astronomy.
Just as he turned to the next page of the book he was buried halfway deep into, he heard approaching footsteps which seemed to come from two people. Slowly, Hiro rose his head up from the thick book in both his hands only to lay his eyes on a man he's never seen before.
"Are you Hiro?" asked the unidentifiable man. It slightly unnerved him that this person he didn't know knew his name, but Hiro didn't voice that thought aloud.
The adult was clearly older than him because of the nice, well-kept suit and tie he donned, as well as his tall height.
"...Yes," Hiro said unsurely, but as politely as he could.
With a large grin on his face, the man who was soon-to-be his 'Papa' bent down and held his hand out towards him.
"It's nice to meet you finally."
.
.
.
...Hiro finally stopped thinking about her.