Chapter 11: Last Few Days

"Hanako..."

"Hannieeee..."

"Hanaaaakooo.."

"Hanako."

I open my eyes to see Adrian sitting on the bed next to me, looking at me and chuckling.

"You're a heavy sleeper."

"O-Oh... I-I'm sorry." I giggle, sitting up and folding my hands.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I am too. Are you alright from yesterday?" He says in a concerned and worried tone. I stare down, rethinking what happened. The sound of the doctor's shoes hitting the floor ache in my head, accompanied by the feeling of my heart sinking.

I look back to him. "Y-Yes... I-I just.." I look back down. He wraps his arm around me.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, okay? I'm always here. I always will be. I promise." He smiles at me and I nod, looking back down and unable to contain a smile.

"Y-Yes... It's j-just... I-I got s-scared... T-That's all."

I say in a low pitched tone, obviously sounding vague. He nods, although I can see the disbelief in his eyes. He's more than likely worried and confused.

"H-Hey.." I say to him in a quiet tone.

"Mhm?" He replies.

"I-I w-was up.. r-really late.." I giggle.

"..how late?"

"L-Like.. u-until 5:30.." I look away in obvious embarrassment.

He chuckles. "I didn't know you still did that."

"C-Couldn't sleep," I reply, looking at the window.

"I see. Oh, hey, when are you leaving for the orphanage?"

"I-In t-two days, I think.."

"I see. How about tomorrow we take a walk? It'll be a quick goodbye before you have to go, you know?" He smiles towards me.

"O-Okay.." A walk.. sounds nice.

I'm excited to leave, to get away from the hospital. But.. at the same time... why do I have to be in a place with so many faces? So many noises? I.. I just want to be alone. Or with Adrian. I.. don't want to go back to school... I-I'm like this.. forever. There's no cure. This isn't a dream. I-I... Why?

"You alright?"

"O-Oh, yes. I'm just t-thinking."

He nods, turning to the window and letting out a sigh.

"Hey.. do you wanna go to the cafeteria? Maybe it won't be too crowded, right?"

..c-cafetira.. Like at school. W-When... When I have t-to go to one...

"Hanako?"

I turn to him.

"O-Oh, y-yes. T-That.. s-sound's like a good idea."

"Cool! Ready to go, then?"

I nod, smiling lightly. He gets up off the bed and I grab my phone and stuff it in my jacket's pocket, standing up. He holds my hand.

"Whoa.. you're standing. You think you can walk?"

My heart suddenly sinks at the thought of holding onto him, and I don't know why.

"A-Ah... I.. still m-may n-need some help."

He chuckles, wrapping his arm around me as we begin to walk, and I begin to keep up to pace, seeming to have less balancing issues. He opens the door and I hang onto him tighter as we walk out, seeing the hallway crowded like last time.

"Ah, dang. We'll just have to go through."

I pull onto him tighter and look down, almost as if I'm a part of him, and I begin to look down, closing my eyes. I hear a giggle from him as he begins to walk and I follow. Multiple voices are heard as I cling onto him tighter, shaking. I can only imagine multiple people looking at me... I.. can't look. I don't want too.

The talking begins to quiet down, as I hear Adrian's voice in a soft, calm tone.

"We're here."

I look up to see almost no one in the cafeteria, only a few chefs and one or two people sitting on benches.

"Hey, can you go find us a seat?"

I suddenly freeze up at the thought of walking alone again.. Will.. will it happen again? But Adrian's here... I have to be okay.

In a shakey, obviously reluctant tone, I comply.

"O-Okay.."

He nods. "What do you want?"

"I-I'll just h-have water a-and a sandwich."

He nods, letting go of me. "I'll be there in a second." He smiles towards me and I turn around to face the tables and benches, shaking and biting my lips, beginning to walk. I see a person eye me and I immediately freeze up for a brief second before walking faster, with what I can only imagine a tear flowing from my eye. I'm... scared. It's scary, being alone. I.. tried it once. I-I just want to go home... To wake up. To see my parents on the day of my birthday.

I see a table in a corner with a view onto the city, far away from anyone. I sit down at it, shaking and looking towards the window. I.. can't believe I did it. It's.. a small accomplishment. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but... It makes me slightly happy that I could do it. That I managed to go out alone... Even if I knew Adrian was near.

Suddenly Adrian walks up with two sandwiches and drinks, setting it down on a tray on the table, smiling towards me and sitting down.

"You okay? You look shaky as heck."

"O-Oh, yes... I-I'm okay." I nod at him with a smile. I take my sandwich, beginning to eat in small bites as he does the same while looking out the window.

After a while of silence, we both finish.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"H-Huh?" I turn to Adrian. He points towards the window of the city, sidewalks, and trees.

"O-Oh, yes... I-I love it." I smile lightly.

"Well, I think I can work out where I wanna take that walk. Ready to go back to your room, Hanako?" He turns to me.

I nod and he stands up, throwing the tray away and grabbing his drink as I grab mine and stand up. I walk over and hold onto him as he smiles as we both begin to walk. The room feels.. empty. As if we're the only two in the entire hospital. We begin to walk back down the hallways, and I stare at a spot, stopping.

"Hanako?"

T-That's... where I passed out, isn't it? It looks exactly like it. Suddenly, I begin to rethink what happened of the doctor walking around the corner, his muffled words, my shaking, my heart beating uncontrollably.

"Hanako!"

I suddenly turn to him, jolted out of it by his shouting, but, I begin to remember... Wasn't.. one of the things my dad said to me... My name shouted to wake me up?

I stare dead ahead before quickly looking at him.

"Are you okay? You looked like you were having Vietnam flashbacks."

I chuckle. "Y-Yeah... I'm o-okay.."

"Well, let's get going, then."

We begin to walk again as I stare at the spot before I'm unable to see it anymore and we turn the corner, walking to my door.

He opens it and we walk in, setting our drinks on the counter, sitting down on the bed together.

"T-Thank y-you for c-coming w-with me.." I turn to him.

"Hey, no problem. It's almost 5 PM so I have to go, but we'll take that walk tomorrow, okay? I'll be here at 9 AM again." He looks at me with a smile.

"O-Okay."

He stands up, walking out and grabbing his drink, waving me goodbye as he walks out. I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

..two days... Two days before I go.. Two days until I see everyone accompanied by loud noises and yelling. Will I be made fun of? Will I get to see Adrian again?

I close my eyes, letting my thoughts spiraled deeper and deeper until it all goes dark.