The Days I Remembered
Chapter Twenty-five: Nogi Medical Institute, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; May 2, 2013
Hotaru's heels clacked every step she took. The almost-visible bump of her tummy added to the couple of questions that popped in people's heads: Why was she there? What is the wife of the NMI heir and neurosurgeon doing in the psychiatric ward? Is this for some sort of experiment? Wait, she's pregnant?
However, Hotaru, being Hotaru, paid them no heed as she continued to own the entire floor, eyes straight ahead. She was not here by mistake, no, she was here for Dr. Yome. She stopped in front of the nurse's ward.
"Good morning, may I help you, ma'am?" the nurse asked.
"I need to see Dr. Yome."
"Of course, ma'am. What time is your appointment?"
Hotaru bit her tongue for a moment. All these questions are getting her impatient. "I don't have an appointment."
"Oh," said the nurse, brows knitting together. "I'm sorry, but you can't meet with Dr. Yome if you don't have an appointment."
Narrowing her eyes, Hotaru felt her impatience getting the best of her. The pregnancy hormones aren't helping either. "Look here—"
"Nurse Ayumi, what's going on?"
"Ah, Dr. Yome—"
At the mention of the name, Hotaru turned quickly, facing Koko in the speed of light, and then grabbing him by the arm, pulling him in the direction of his office. And Koko, being the wise person that he is, let Hotaru pull him. He knows better than to question a pregnant woman's actions.
Once inside, she didn't wait for him to invite her to sit. She did that well by herself. She produced a brown envelope and handed it to him. It was then that Koko knew that she knew.
"Why?"
The single word made Koko ashamed of himself.
"Why did you do what you did, Yome?" Hotaru watched his expression. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He wanted to ask himself that too. Why did he do it? Why did he even bother?
Seeing how conflicted he is, Hotaru, then, came into a conclusion. "Do you love Mikan?"
Ah. There it was. Koko wanted to laugh. Does he? Does he love Mikan enough to go to such lengths for her? "Yes. Yes, I do." Hotaru opened her mouth but Koko beat her to it. "I love her but not in that sense you are thinking, Imai. I love her because she has been the very first person that really understood me. She is my confidante. She has been for years now and she will be for the next years to come. With Mikan… I don't see her the way men usually sees women; I see a sister, an ally, a best friend. And I would do everything just to keep that best friend from harm's way."
Silent, Hotaru pondered over his words. If there was anything she admired about Kokoro Yome since they first met, it was how smart yet stupid he is at the same time. They first met through Mikan, she believes. Introduced as a friend she met in Canada. She became intrigued and hrough her husband, Ruka, she found his credentials and saw that he was an honor student from elementary through high school. He was a magna cum laude in pre-med and a cum laude in med school. He authored different dissertations and co-authored a book with her husband. He had so many accomplishments, he was not that bad in the ladies' department… and yet, why does he follow Mikan everywhere she goes like a stupid little lamb?
Running her thumb on the side of her stomach, Hotaru looked directly at Kokoro Yome's eyes. "If you're not romantically affiliated with Mikan, then who are you really doing this for?"
Taken aback at the question, Yome blinked. "I am doing this for Mikan. It's just that she doesn't own my heart the way you think."
Hotaru arched a brow in an immediate response. "Then, who does?"
Koko turned away from Hotaru, busying himself, opening and closing file cabinets. When he found the file he was looking for, he faced his guest once more. "I'm afraid that woman is long married with a husband who is cheating on her." Hotaru stared at him, putting the square root of two twice to the power of ten, knowing very well who the said woman was. Koko smiled tightly before clapping his hands together. "Well, look at the time. I have to attend to a patient's concern in the next building over in ten minutes. Will you be fine alone here?"
"Yes."
"Is there anything you want?"
"I want a tub of vanilla ice cream."
"Done. My treat. I wouldn't want Ruka's wife and child hungry."
Fighting off a smirk, Hotaru rolled her eyes. Now she knows why Mikan chose to be friends with this guy. Koko is very sympathetic for someone who wasn't meant to be sympathetic for too long. However, she couldn't help but worry for Sumire. Will she take it well? Will she be all right? She wanted to stop Yome from pursuing his plan, but this a field she cannot enter. This was something only Koko or Mikan or Natsume can stop before Sumire takes all the damage. Sighing, she ran her hand across her stomach once more. Hotaru decided to wait for the promised ice cream of Koko. After all, nobody can say no to free ice cream.
-;-
As Kokoro Yome left his office, he was greeted by patients, doctors, and nurses. He smiled politely and greeted them back. As he turned the corner, he pulled out his other phone and tapped on the screen. He didn't want to do this; he didn't want to hurt Sumire but this is the only way. He was hurting her, he knows. Sometime later, he knows she might blame him, she might resent him, and she might not want to see him ever again. And yet Koko is willing to take all the blame, the hurt, the madness. He is willing to do anything because he loves Sumire, and he loves Mikan too. And right now, he sees Natsume as nothing but an asshole that was stupid and idiotic. He was stupid for not looking hard enough for Mikan, and he was an idiot for marrying someone he doesn't really know if he truly loves.
To Koko, Natsume Hyuuga is a selfish bastard who didn't want to lose both women. If he was given a choice, he would've killed Hyuuga long ago, but that would make Mikan and Sumire sad. He didn't want that. He didn't want them to hurt more than they should.
He stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the 'up' button just as he sent the message to Sumire. He humorleslly laughed as he watched a drop of tear fall on the phone's screen. Sumire will surely receive his message. And surely, she will take action; she wasn't stupid. Sooner rather than later, things will finally end. Things will finally fall into their places, though he was not sure whether they will fall into the right place or not.
The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside. He risked a glimpse at his phone once more. 'He is leaving for a business trip, he says. Are you sure it really is a business trip?' The information was from Mikan. She always tells him her and Natume's plans. She trusts him too much that his guilt is already eating him from the inside. However, it cannot be helped. Someone had to move. Someone had to stop this studpidity.
And as the elevator doors closed, he wiped his tears, pocketed his phone and brought out his other one. He dialed a number and brought the hand piece to his ear. "Hey, Kitsu, yeah this is Koko. Listen, can you buy a tub of vanilla ice cream? Bring it here… Yes, in my office. Yes, immediately… Aww, I love you too, cousin. And, I tell you, plain vanilla. If not? Ha! Then I say you will die. In my office, 'kay? Thanks, I owe you one!"
A/N: HEY BABES! SORRY SORRY SORRY! I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A LONG TIME, AND THE EXCUSE IS THE SAME OLD "I HAVE SCHOOL WORK" BS BECAUSE SERIOUSLY, I HAVE PLOTTING TO KILL MY CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR THIS ENTIRE TIME. :D I PROMISE TO POST ANOTHER ONE ON THE NEW YEAR TO MAKE UP FOR IT AND TRY TO UPDATE EVERY OTHER WEEKEND IN THE NEXT YEAR. ADVANCED MERRY CHRISTMAS TO Y'ALL!
P.S. I HAVEN'T ALSO REPLIED TO YOUR COMMENTS, BUT REST ASSURED I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. THE THEORIES ARE ALSO FUN TO READ BECAUSE SOME HAVE GUESSED THE GIST OF WHAT I PLAN TO DO, BUT WHO KNOWS ^_^
P.P.S. I MADE A deviantart ACCOUNT WHEREIN I MASTER MY POETRY SKILLS; AND, REALLY, MY ACCOUNT IS JUST FULL OF ANGSTY SHITES, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU GUYS CHECK IT OUT. THE LINK IS IN MY PROFILE. ^_^ :*