Kagome1316 , Akumu Keayo ,thank you for reviewing . Turtlerad17, I 'm just glad to finally hear from you.
And now , the latest chapter . . .
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A FINE LINE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
Yayoi had been hospitalized , for she had lost a lot of blood after being struck down by Cain 's
bloodspear.
The two who were most concerned for her were greeted by a doctor .
" Mr . Tatsuhiko . . . Miss Yamazaki . . . we managed to stop the bleeding . Now , it 's all a matter of
waiting until . . . "
"Until what ? " Riho asked .
" You see , " the doctor resumed , " there 's a 50 percent chance that Miss Matsunaga might pull
through . . . or she might not . Only time will tell whether she lives . . . or dies . "
" I see , " Shido replied . " May . . . may we be with her ? "
" Excuse me ? "
" She 's like family to us , " Riho said .
A minute or so later , the doctor said , " Oh , all right . She 's in room 417 . "
A while later , as they went to Yayoi ' s room , Riho asked , " How is Megumi ? "
" She 's with the NOS . It took her some convincing to be with them , " Shido answered . Then Riho said ,
" I don 't blame her . "
There was a somber mood as the two vampires entered the room . The only sound heard was the slow ,
steady beeping of the monitor . A breathing mask was placed over Yayoi 's mouth and her shoulder
was bandaged .
" If only . . . " Riho said quietly , " if only I had arrived sooner . . . "
" I . . . I understand how you feel . I wish my own abilities had been stronger . . . but what good does it
do us to blame ourselves for what happened to Yayoi ? The only thing we can do now is to be by her
side . "
" I agree . "
Guni popped out of Riho 's ponytail to rest on her shoulder . For once , she did not say anything .
The monitor kept on beeping .
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" W - Where . . . where am . . . am I ? " Yayoi asked herself . She had found herself in a misty grey void .
" What am I doing here ? "
As she moved around , she felt cold . It was then that she noticed someone in the distance . " Who 's
there ? " She asked . There was no reply , so Yayoi moved closer . She stopped as she got a clear
look at the person ahead of her .
" Ka . . . Kasumi . . . "
Yayoi ' s sister simply smiled gently .
" Kasumi . . . " Yayoi said with tears in her eyes , " . . . I missed you so much . "
" You know that I 'm a part of you , " Kasumi replied kindly . The two sisters embraced each other .
Then , after drying her tears , Yayoi asked , " Am . . . am I . . . dead ? "
" Not exactly , " Kasumi replied . " Whether you live or not is entirely up to you . "
" What do you mean ? "
"This isn ' t easy for me to say , but . . . right now you 're between life and death . "
" What ? "
" You 're in a coma , Yayoi , but it's your choice whether or not you come out of it . "
" I see , " Yayoi replied . Then she began to mull over her situation .
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The two vampires and the imp maintained a silent watch . It was Guni who broke the silence by
asking , " If . . . if Yayoi were to . . . you know . . . die . . . what would happen to you guys ? "
Neither Riho nor Shido had an answer . At least , none that they could voice . Guni then said , " I
suppose she 'd arrange for the NOS to provide you two with the blood you need . . . but then again ,
that's not what concerns you , is it ?"
Again the vampires stared silently at their partner and friend . Guni could not help but feel bad for
her earlier lack of tact .
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" This isn 't an easy choice for me to make , " Yayoi said .
" What do you mean ? " A puzzled Kasumi asked .
" I . . . I don 't want to leave you . After all these years I wasted blaming you for my disfigurement ,
which was all my fault to begin with . . . all you did was try to save my life . . . how was I to know that
a nightbreed would possess your body ? In the end , you gave your life , your face and your soul so
that I could live . "
Kasumi remained silent .
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" Not long after that incident with her sister Kasumi , " Riho said , " I became her roomate . Since I
tended keep to myself when I wasn 't hunting nightbreeds , Yayoi became my link to a humanity I
feared I was losing . Once she knew about the NOS, I realized she would need my support when she
went to join . She worked hard to become a fine agent . "
The vampire girl sighed a bit , then she said , " The first human friend I made in over a century . . .
and now . . . "
She stared at Yayoi ' s still form . Shido realized that her eyes were beginning to well up . She then
said , " I always knew that eventually death would take her . Still , I can 't help but . . . but . . . "
" I know , " Shido replied as he embraced Riho , " I know . I 've grown used to the two of you and I
realize what you're going through ."
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" Whatever you decide , " Kasumi said , " I have always been a part of you and always will be , Yayoi . "
After a somewhat long pause , Yayoi then said , " I 've decided . "
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The monitor began to beep slightly faster . Then the two vampires saw Yaoyi 's eyes open slowly .
She then said , " Y . . . you . . . you . . . kept watch . . . over me . . . ? "
They both shed tears of joy as they realized Yayoi would live . Even though she would spend a
couple of days in a hospital bed , Yayoi was out of danger . Even Guni could help but shed a few
joyful tears of her own .