Chapter 13: Flashbacks

Hiroko wasn't the type of women that would get very emotional let alone looks like one, but when it involves or reminds her about all of the past mistakes that she made, she can't help but to cry a river. She knew about the abuse that Kousei got from her mother, and was actually surprised that he brought it up every time she talked about her. Yet it's only a matter of time till then.

For now, though, Kousei and Hiroko decided they at least want to try to visit Kaori in the hospital to see her and see if she is okay. Wiping the rest of the tears in both of their eyes, they descended the stairs and headed out to the hospital.

"So Kaori is your girlfriend, eh? Why am I not surprised. You got a nice catch," Hiroko smirked as they calmly walked down the sidewalk with a can coffee she got out of her purse.

"Yeah… I guess you can kind of say that, we only been on one date though, so it's not really going anywhere," Kousei replied back as he looked up at the sky thinking of Kaori.

"Well you got a girlfriend in the first place right so it's a good accomplishment to have. So when did you first go out? Who asked who and was it fun?" Hiroko questioned rapidly as her eyes glowed brighter than the sun. Kousei looked away embarrassedly as he blushed and he put his hand on this neck. "I'm just kidding don't worry." she laughed. "I don't expect you to say anything about your first date since you guys just got together, but i just want to poke fun at you."

"I know you are, but it's still uncomfortable for me to talk about her due to the recent news that i have got. We can talk about her, don't get me wrong, but i just want to talk to her personal first." Kousei nervously said back to her, thinking really hard about Kaori's physical state. Hiroko saw him and retracted the following conversation that she wanted to have and tried to change the topic until they arrive to the hospital.

"So Kousei, what piece are you going to do for the upcoming concert?" Hiroko asked referring to the Gala Concert that was coming up in a few days.

"Oh that, well I was practicing Ballade No.1 in G minor, OP. 23 for about 3 weeks or so and I'm just trying to memorize the piece right now. I'm hoping that I can get first place in the Gala Concert since I kind of mentally broke down last time." He answered as he looked at Hiroko.

"I wished the same thing to you. I'm sure that you will be better on the piano now then you were when you were as a child." She looked and pointed at the hospital as they were about to come up to it. They both smiled at each other and then laughed at each other with the awkward moment they

I'm sure that you will be better on the piano now then you were when you were as a child. That line stood out in Kousei head. He remembered the time his first practice a piece was with his mother or her lap playing on the piano. He remembered going on stage as a child being very nervous and almost broke down when he accidentally knocked over the stool to play the piano. The people cheering him after he was done with his piece and getting first place in the competition stood out of one of the most successful things he ad done. He seems to be zoning out in the present day because Hiroko tried to get him back to real then laughed when Kousei shook his head coming back to real life.

He blushed embarrassedly and he realized that he was about to enter the entrance of the hospital. A feeling came tingling down his back as the hospital door swooshed open. He was so close to Kaori, yet so far. The anxiety is coming to him and overwhelming him like a tsunami devouring a city. Hiroko asked the front desk where Kaori's room is and told her it was at 3-C. They both. Sincerely thank you and headed to the elevators.

"So before we met her may I ask you a question?" Hiroko asked as she leaned on the wall of the elevator. He agreed and she continued. "Now that I know that you guys are boyfriend and girlfriend, do you want me to stay outside of the room or inside?" It was reasonable to ask since they can talk more openly when she was out of the room, but he felt more secure if Hiroko was there to stand by him.

"Can I have you stand outside the room for now?" He replied and Hiroko; a bit dejected, nodded her head as the elevator open wide. When they door they see the nurses and doctors running from left to right holding IV on one hand bandages on others scrambling to help the people in the hospital come back to a healthy state.

Weaving and trying to pass by all of the doctors them finally, somehow, found the room 3-C. Kousei looked in the window of the room and saw that Kaori was in there with one of the doctors. Kaori turn to the door, but Kousei looked away and out of sight from her.

His voices started to melt under the tension of his mind. He didn't know what to do at that moment, having a minor breakdown outside the room. Hiroko couldn't help it and chuckle to her as she saw Kousei crouching on the floor worrying about what is going to happen when he stepped in.

She definitely knew something like this was going to happen since they did look suspicious that they would come to her 10 minutes after Kousei had that mental breakdown in his room. They don't know what happened to her, but they know that something is wrong.

"Come on now Kousei. You don't want her to see you in this kind of state. She doesn't want to see her boyfriend crying in front of her. Come, I'll go first if it makes your feels better." Hiroko suggested as she started to run Kousei back.

Kousei was pondering on the thought of her going first and came to the realization that he's not mentally prepared yet. So he nodded his head shakily while wiping some of the tears of his eyes. Hiroko patted him on the head and smiled and waited till the doctor inside got our.

After the nurse left the room, Hiroko walked calmly inside of the room. Kaori kind of shocked, looked her with wide eyes. Hiroko smiled at her and said hi to her and Kaori nervously replied back.

"Oh, why are you so surprised? I thought you would be here." Hiroko lied.

"I mean I don't mind that you are here since my parents seem to spread that I am in the hospital sometimes after tragic news, it's just that I kind of expected that Kousei would be here since I called him," Kaori answered to her face.

"Well I mean you are not wrong, I expected him to be here too. I'm sure he would be here any minute right now." Hiroko teased to her. Kousei overheard her saying that seeing that Hiroko was probably giving him a sign to get up from the floor and come in. Standing up, he wiped off the tears and nervously peeked outside of the door.

Kaori couldn't help and chuckled to herself knowing that Kousei was actually scared of coming into the room, or just that socially awkward. Hiroko also laughed along with her letting Kousei blushed in embarrassment as he slowly went inside of the room. It's been a long time Kousei seen Kaori's smile, even if it has been two days .Now that he is her girlfriend, he felt like she's the most precious person in the world, even more than his parents.

"Hi Kousei. How are you?" Kaori asked as she smiled, as she tried to start a conversation in this kind of awkward situation.

I don't know if she tried to make fun of me or just generally try to make a conversation. I'm pretty sure she knows what I'm feeling. Kousei thought as he trying to figure out what to say.

That was probably a stupid question to ask him since I just got off the phone with him. What was I thinking? She also thought as she sat nervously on the hospital bed anticipating what he is going to say.

Dead silence filled the air as they both tried to find a way to make a single conversation possible. Hiroko couldn't help it but laugh at the situation that she saw in hand.

"Ahh teen love, something everybody wants, but once they get it, you have no idea what to do with it." Hiroko jokingly said as she headed for the door. "I'll be outside the door of you need a conversation starter. Kousei, please try to say something. I know she's pretty but staring into her won't get you anywhere and Kaori, don't ask such a stupid question like that."

"Shut up!" They both said to her as Hiroko started giggling as she left and stood outside of the hospital room and shut the door behind. It was just the two of them sitting in the room with nothing to say or do after awkwardly trying to make a conversation. Seconds seems to be like hours when finally Kousei told her, "I...I'm glad you're okay. You did make me worried."

"I thought that you would say that. Sorry, I knew it was a dumb question to ask you .I was like one of those out of the blue moments that kind of went downhill."

"Don't worry. We can be like that sometimes, I actually kind of laughed at the question," he was lying of course, but trying to hide the feeling of guilt and anxiety with a smile.

Kaori took the smile and smiled back at him, but then had a serious face at him. "Look I know that you are worried about all of this, and with recent events, I can understand why, but I want you to try to still try to win that concert. I won't be there to see you, but I will always be here." Kaori extended her arm to Kousei's chest. Kousei blushed with discontent that she won't be there, but what can he do. He can't control what her health is and what her future may entail. So he has to wait and find out what will happen to her.

"I know...I know you will be there," Kousei manage to say, pulling a fake smile to giving the illusion of agreement. "I know you will be there, spiritually. I just wished that you would be there in person." Just then Kaori felt something next to her hip. It was her phone vibrating for a text. She grabbed the phone and saw that it said that her parents were coming in 5 minutes.

"Kousei I know that you mean good visiting me, but can you leave. My parents are coming in five minutes, and I don't them to be reminded that you are my boyfriend. They'll cry a river if they saw you." Kaori asked politely. Kousei briefly thought of the scenario of her parents coming in only to cry more about Kousei than Kaori. So he agreed and stood up.

He looked at Kaori and smiled at her. "Till we meet again," he said as he head for the door. He glance at Kaori one last time to see her face, but something else came to his mind. He had a vision, somewhat resembling a flashback, of a girl much older than her with medical tube up her tubes. The girl was looking right at him staring Kousei in the eye. Kousei stared at it and with a blink of an eye he was back at the hospital room with Kaori on the bed, the same place the figure was sitting in Kousei's flashback. Kousei shook it as a silly vision and opened the door to meet with Hiroko in the hallway.

"You all done, or did you run out of things to say." Hiroko joked as he turned to Kousei. He told her that he was done and they started to head back to the elevator. "Well that's great, now practice more on the piece so you can win first place." Hiroko smiled as the elevator opened for them.

"Oh by the way I do have one question, who's watching Koharu?" Kousei asked.

"No one actually. I let her do whatever she wants in that household. She's probably trying to reach the stash of cookies I put on the top shelf with boxes and chair."

"You are a great parent, you know that."

"Indeed I am."

~ No real update on me. I'm at a writer's block atm so I am thinking of what's going to happen next. Hope to update soon.