Hello guys!

Again, I'm sorry I can't update my story faster :(

It's been really hectic and I'm having a German test soon

And it's a big one

So, I'm really really sorry I can't update fast :(((

But I'm really really grateful that you still read my story until now :D

And thanks a lot for the reviews, favorites, and subscribes!

They mean a lot to me 3

Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I will try my best to update more ^^

Where am I? Naminè opened her eyes as her life slowly returning into her. She examined her surroundings and it was not her room. It was definitely not her room. She tried to lift herself back up. But every time she gave a force to her body, gravity gave more to push her back.

She tried to open her eyes more and found that the room was very white. She looked to the right and found her hand already injected by an IV. So she was in the hospital. Did she pass out?

But the bigger question was if the visions she saw were really her memory and not a dream. She couldn't really tell the difference anymore. But she could clearly memorize the pain when the sound went through her ear drums.

She heard footsteps coming to her. Her father? A doctor? She couldn't be more careless since she couldn't even get up and move. She expected the door knob will be turned anytime soon. But the footstep stopped there.

After some short seconds, whoever it was opened the door slowly that it creaked. When she saw the person, she remembered, yes remembered, who exactly it was. The man, followed by her parents, walked to her while smiling.

"Hello, Naminè. How are you?" asked him. But she didn't reply anything. Not a sound came out of her lips, not even a movement or an expression on her face. "I see you remember me"

"Naminè... This is Professor Ansem," presented her father "He's going to check up on you"

"Mr. Liteheart, it would be wise if you would give me a moment alone with your daughter" suggested the man.

Mr. Liteheart wanted to say something, but his wife held his shoulder, signing that they should just do what they were told to. So they stepped outside and left the man that they called Ansem with their only daughter.

"You must have a lot of questions by now" he said while sitting down on chair beside her bed. Her eyes followed his movement as his eyes followed her.

"Who are you?" asked her.

"Your father told you. My name is Ansem" answered him calmly.

Naminè sighed and asked again "What are you?"

"I am a human, much like you, but of course if you were wondering what I do, then it's to study the human's mind" he explained.

"I am one of your subjects?" she asked "My father made me a lab rat?"

"Oh no dear, don't get me wrong" assured him "I simply hypnotized you. I did not make you a subject of study. I was already... an expert at the field back then"

"My dad paid you to?"

"Yes, quite so" he answered lightly "But no, I'm not here to erase your memory again. I'm here to help you recover from the pain"

With that sentence, he took out a little bell. By the looks, Naminè could tell it was different than the bell her dad brought. But just to be sure, she closed both of her ears because she didn't want to feel the pain again.

Ansem gestured her to lower her hands and to let the soft beats run through her ears. At first she resisted his suggestion, but then because she hasn't felt any pain, she let her guard of her ears down. The sound was surprisingly soothing.

"Still feeling weak?" asked him with a neutral face.

"No..." answered Naminè. She was surprised herself because just a moment ago, she could still feel the pain in her head, and now it's gone.

"Then my work here is done" he said while standing up.

"How do you feel?" asked her. He stopped walking, and Naminè continued "How do you feel when you take away someone's memory? When you play with someone's past"

"I don't just play with someone's past. I erase them to make them feel more fulfilled without the dark past" answered him as he turned himself around to her.

"And my past was dark?"

"The only thing that matters now is the present, no?" he said while opening the door and walked away.

After the door was closed, it was once again opened. Naminè wasn't too excited because she thought it was only her parents. So she just looked out of the window, pondering on what Professor Ansem had said.

"Naminè, are you okay?"

Spontaneously, Naminè turned her head. She recognized that voice. And she couldn't have asked to hear any other voice than that. A rush of serenity filled her heart when she saw the blond haired boy walked in with a bouquet of flower.

"Roxas!" she cried as she hugged him from her bed. Roxas was surprised to see her clinging to him like that. He smiled softly and put the bouquet on her bed. He wrapped his arms around Naminè and patted her head.

Naminè cried and she just kept hugging him and wouldn't let go. Roxas tried to ask her what's wrong and she just sighed, "Nothing, just please, stay like this for awhile".

After some minutes had gone by, Naminè finally released her arms from Roxas. Roxas' shirt was stained wet by her tears. She went back to lay her back on the bed as Roxas asked with a smile, "Feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you for coming" she said while wiping her own tears away. She took a glass of water beside her and drank it like she hasn't drank anything in a week. Crying must have worn her out. She took a deep breath to steady her voice and asked, "How did you know I'm here?"

"Your mother told me" answered him as he took a chair and put it next to Naminè's bed.

"My mom? Well that's odd" she said while chuckling. Did her mother become fond of him near her daughter and decided that he's a trusted friend?

"What happened, Nams?" he asked with a worry tone. Naminè could clearly see in his eyes that he cared for her and it somehow made her heart fleet.

She hopelessly let out a sincere smile for him. Inside her head, she over thought whether she should tell him about the occurrence that she had just now. Would it be too much to tell? But she wanted nothing else but to tell him. She gapped her lips and took another breath to stable her tone. "I remember things, bit by bit"

"Remember?" asked him, "Your past? How come you ended up here then?"

She explained everything to him. From when her dad suddenly showed up at her door and till how she got to this state of hers. Roxas listened carefully to every word that escaped from her lips. She seemed at sorrow but mostly tired and confused, and he could understand why.

"Axel was really there," she finished.

"And now he's here?" questioned Roxas as his hands formed into fists on his thighs.

"Yes," said Naminè "Would it make any difference?"

"That he was in your childhood?" asked him raising his eyebrows. Naminè nodded, confirming his question and he continued, "No"

Naminè seemed a bit confused by that answer, she felt like something was amiss. She raised a question, "Why is that?"

"Because, Naminè" he corrected his seat and leaned a hand on the bed "What matters is what you feel now. It doesn't matter if he was your childhood friend. Right now, you and him are starting over everything. But if you do feel close to him because it has something to do with the past, then it's okay. It's only natural, and it is what you feel now"

Naminè was stunned by his answer. Some seconds passed by as they fell deep into silence. And suddenly, "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Naminè laughed so hard that it confused Roxas. He kept wondering if what he said was erroneous. But of course it got nothing to do with that. What would be the cause of her laugh?

"Oh my God," she paused having the need to inhale some air "Roxas, don't be like that"

Naminè continued her laugh leaving Roxas puzzled. "What? What's so funny?"

"Roxas, don't be so serious please" she laughed again continuing the one that was stopped earlier "You look so weird"

Roxas winced at her reaction. But he took it lightly. He watched her laugh and it was so relieving for him because he hasn't seen her laugh so free in a while. He smiled and laughed with her, not caring of the concern that he once had of Axel. He knew now that her happiness can make him so happy. No matter what the cause of happiness was, all he wanted was to see her smile like this.

He patted her head as a big brother would, "Take care, okay? Tell me if you have problems and you won't have to face them alone"

"Yes, aniki" she mocked friendly as she lingered to his pat. She felt so secure like she never felt before. A surge of happiness flew freely into her heart. Whatever the reason was, she loved it. She giggled at Roxas' care; she knew she could count on him. "You are without any doubt the bestest friend anyone could ever have"

Something sharp pierced through Roxas' heart. For a millisecond he almost lost himself in his thought, but he regained balance. He expected those words to dance out of her lips, but the shock still slit his throat up. He searched for a word, but he couldn't let it out. His hand found its way to Naminè's head again, patting her as she giggled, and he smiled, reminding himself the one true thing that makes him happy.

He then realized he hasn't give the bouquet to Naminè. The bouquet was very beautifully adorned. The flowers looked so fresh and ribbon tied around the flowers very neatly. He stood up again and gave it to her with two hands while saying, "I hope you like these".

"It's beautiful" said Naminè while taking it from him. She smelled the flowers and she looked a bit amused. Roxas offered to put the flowers in an empty vase beside her, so she gave it to him back for him to do so.

As he corrected the position of the flowers, she asked, "Red tulips, very unique choice of flower. Is there any meaning to this flower?"

Roxas was startled to hear the question. He sat turned to her and paused for some seconds until he finally said, "Yes, there is"

Naminè chuckled because she thought that Roxas' behavior was so cute and so precious. She threw him another question, "Well, what is it then?"

"It means-..."

"Nami...nè?" another voice interrupted Roxas' answer.

Both Naminè and Roxas looked at the source of the voice. The reactions they made were different. Naminè looked puzzled and Roxas... he tried his best to cover the bulging veins on his neck. He was irritated; his stare was cold and piercing. It was none other than Axel.

"Oh, hello, Roxas" he said while walking near Naminè's bed. He eyed him carefully and Roxas stared back at him. Several seconds later, he turned his gaze at Naminè. His eyes turned soft and looked so caring. He then asked, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm... fine," she answered. There was no way she would tell him everything. At least not then, it would be too long to explain, and it seems like she didn't have the strength for it.

Roxas felt uncomfortable with the situation. If he stayed any longer, he couldn't guarantee that he could hold his ground. He decided it would be best to leave the two alone. He didn't like the sight at all, he despised Axel. He then looks at Naminè, trying his best to ignore Axel's presence, ignore that he's going to reluctantly give the girl to him. "I gotta go now, Naminè"

"Why so soon?" asked Naminè disappointed. Roxas' company has been a really great medicine for her. She enjoyed the laugh that she had and the time that he spent on her.

Axel saw Naminè's expression. He looked at her then at Roxas, eyeing him completely as if swearing with telepathy. He waited for him to respond to Naminè's question, but didn't budge to interfere.

"I need to go with Xion," he gestured to his phone swinging it in the air, "Dress for the Winter Formal and stuffs. It's such a pain, she hasn't decided already"

Naminè's face turned sour at the mention of Xion's name. But it was not her place to hold Roxas to accompany her. Axel is here, she thought. But then she found that manner of thought is disturbing. She clenched her blanket, "I see".

"Tell me when you're out of the hospital," he said while walking to the door "Get well soon, Nams! Play some more with me!"

As the door closed, Naminè realized that Axel has brought a bouquet of very sweet looking little blue flowers that she had never seen before. The color was so bright and refreshing. She asked, "Is that for me?"

Axel handed her the bouquet. She took it and smelled it. From her reaction, Axel could tell that she loved what she got and it pleased him. "Do you know what those flowers are called?" he asked.

"No, I've never seen these flowers before," she said with fascination gleaming in her eyes, "Both you and Roxas gave me such unique flowers"

He winced when the name came out of her lips, but he ignored it. "They are called the forget-me-nots," he paused, "I wish you will remember me forever"

Naminè was speechless to his answer. She clearly didn't know what to answer. She did remember him, who he really is to her. But she's still very confused. She didn't know what to feel. Whether he was in her past or not, Roxas was right, what matters is today.

Lucky for her, a short moment after, the door creaked open. It distracted the two of the topic. And it turned out that it was her parents who walked in. They were shocked to find Axel standing beside her bed, especially her father.

The red hair was so recognizable. He remembered exactly the time when he took her daughter away from Axel. He remembered the dreadful expression that Axel made when they drove away, the expression that Naminè didn't see because she was carried by him.

They froze on the door. Her father looked terrified and burdened with apologetic face. Axel looked at them, his face looked straight like nothing ever happened. Naminè realized the atmosphere in the room changed, but she stayed silent, wondering what her father would do this time.

Axel smiled, "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Liteheart. I'm just checking up on Naminè here"

"You're... Flamerose, right?" asked Naminè's father.

"Yes, I am," he answered with a light smile, "I was just about to leave"

"Already? You just got here" said Naminè disappointed once again.

He gazed at her and smiled, "I'll text you. I just want to give you this". He handed her a pink box with light silver ribbon tied neatly over it. She pulled the ribbon and opened the box. She was very delighted to see it. "It's for the Winter Formal", he added.

It was a white corsage, beautifully crafted with pearls, ribbons and imitated flowers. She loved it a lot and smiled at him, "Thank you, Axel. Be careful on your way"

He nodded and walked to the door after once again bidding goodbye to Naminè's parents.

"You're going to a dance with him?" asked her father, though not in a disagreeing voice.

"Yes, dad" she answered obediently. It seemed like she was still mad at her father for erasing her memory. Whatever it was she didn't look pleased at all by her father's presence.

Her father walked towards her and sat next to her, "Naminè, I'm very sorry I made you forget about him".

"It happened already anyway, dad" she said in a cold tone.

"Are those forget-me-nots?" he asked, pointing to the bouquet that was lying beside her. She nodded, and he continued "Very meaningful flower he gave you there"

"What's your point, dad?"

"I'm just really sorry, my dear" he said while hugging her.

"Please forgive your father," plead her mother, "He did it because you were so unhappy, we thought you would kill yourself... and you're... our only daughter"

Naminè knew that. A cyst in her mother's wombs won't allow them to have anymore child after Naminè. They cherished her so much because she was all that they've got. She knew it would be selfish of her if she stays mad at them. But she was too hurt to even care. "Can I go home now?" was all she requested as she pulled her blanket and covered her face.

-TBC-