Contrary to popular belief, the Ootori family get treated like regular patients in their hospitals. There isn't much extra ordinary service. Just the basic security protocols are done for certain situations. He kept Akito and Kyoya away from the lime light for the time being. It made things easier for his two youngest children to play around a bit freely.
"Ootori-sama, please stay here until your IV fluids are finished. I would recommend that you rest and re-hydrate first. Also, I'm going to prescribe an antacid to reduce the discomfort your feeling." The doctor checked Yoshio's vitals before he left the room.
"Otousan, how are you feeling?" a four-year-old Kyoya Ootori stared at his father. His large innocent onyx eyes were filled with worry.
"A bit better…" Yoshio tried to sit up, but the migraine went beyond his expectations. He got a bit carried away with the business deal, so he and his new partners drank until dawn.
"Do you have cough?" Kyoya climbed the hospital bed and sat beside him. He did exactly what he saw the other doctors do. He placed the back of his hand on Yoshio's forehead and pouted. "Did you take get your medicine?"
"Not yet, Kyoya." Yoshio closed his eyes. It was just a really bad hangover coupled with mild dehydration and a migraine. Damn Yuzuru Suoh for going all out for celebrating one of their business ventures last night.
Kyoya carefully went down the bed and saw the prescription on the table. "Is this your medicine list?"
"Yes." Yoshio observed his son.
"What's your sickness?"
"A hangover." Yoshio covered his eyes with his forearm. At a young age, Kyoya has shown that he was probably the cleverest among his children. He found himself falling asleep as Kyoya sat on the couch.
The young child looked at his father with curiosity. The gears in his mind turned until he had a perfect idea. He took the step board and dragged it until he could reach for his father's prescription and wallet.
He tiptoed and whispered. "Otousan, I'll get you medicine."
Yoshio nodded and waved his hand dismissively. His groggy half-asleep state wasn't able to comprehend what Kyoya said. The young boy smiled as he went out of the room quietly. He walked around the hospital and saw the elevator, but he realized one miscalculation. He had no idea where the pharmacy was.
A nurse stood beside him. Waiting for the elevator to arrive at their floor. She looked at her watch and sighed. It was almost time for her break.
"Excuse me, do you know where the pharmacy is?" another patient asked the nurse.
"You can find it at the 5th floor." The nurse answered.
Kyoya heard the answer he needed and when the elevator was there he went in and reached for the number 5. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only floor the elevator stopped at. The young Ootori found himself at the recreational center of the hospital. He walked around the unfamiliar halls until a nurse aid found him.
"Where are you going?" the woman asked.
"I'm going to the pharmacy. Is this the fifth floor?"
The woman shook her hand and pat Kyoya's head. "No, this is the 8th floor."
"Ah, whoops." Kyoya smiled and ran back to the elevator. Halfway through the hall he remembered how his mother said to always be polite. He stopped walking and ran back to the woman.
"Thank you for your help, oneesan." Kyoya bowed quickly and continued onto his adventure.
Kyoya ran back to the elevator and finally pressed the number 5. He looked at the adults he was with in the elevator. He noticed the two women looking at him, so he smiled back. The two girls squealed. How was this kid so adorable?
Finally, Kyoya arrived at the 5th floor, but this was the part of the hospital that catered not only to the patients, but to their relatives as well. The place was filled with shops and restaurants. Kyoya walked inside the first store he saw.
"Excuse me, is this the pharmacy?" Kyoya asked the woman at the front desk.
"No, dear. This is the salon." A highly made up woman answered. She bent down and looked at Kyoya. She batted her long fake lashes as she spoke. "Are you lost?"
"No, I'm getting otousan his medicine."
Somehow, all the staff in the salon were doting on the adorable child. Not knowing this was Yoshio Ootori's youngest son.
"Do you know where the pharmacy is?"
"It's right there." The woman pointed at the shop across theirs.
The other women noticed how there was suddenly a cute child walking into their salon. "Do you want a snack?" one of the girls asked.
Kyoya nodded. Temporarily forgetting why he was actually there. The woman handed him dried squid and a juice.
"What's your name?"
"Kyoya."
"Kyoya-kun, is your father staying in the hospital?"
Kyoya nodded.
"Why is your father here?"
"He has a hangover." Kyoya answered bluntly. Not knowing what his words actually meant. The women found themselves giggling at this answer.
"Ah, his medicine." Kyoya stood up upon that reminder, he finished his squid and juice quickly. "Thank you for the meal." He bowed.
Kyoya went to the pharmacy and looked at all the different medicines available. He saw a man wearing white and then he felt like he was in the right place.
"Ojisan, is this the pharmacy?"
"Yes, it is. Do you need something?"
"Otousan is sick."
The man behind the counter bent forward to reach for the prescription. "What's your father's illness?"
"He has a hangover." Kyoya answered again.
The pharmacists started giggling. There was nothing like a child's innocence. They look the prescription and read the name of the patient: Yoshio Ootori. It wasn't exactly a common name, so the man realized instantly. He dialed for security to usher the young bocchama back to where he came from lest he wanted his head on a spike.
As Kyoya went on his adventure, his father woke up from his slumber. He took his glasses and looked at the room. He looked at the bedside table and noticed his wallet and prescription wasn't there. He sat up and looked around. It took some time for things to register. But when it did, it was the sense of panic every single parent had when their child went missing. Where was Kyoya?
Suddenly, his hangover was gone and he searched the room, but his son was nowhere to be found. He took off the IV line and ran out the hall. Searching for his youngest son.
"Otousan, I got your medicine." Kyoya had this sense of achievement and independence as ran back to his father. He saw his mentor, Sadanobu Mizushima trailing shortly behind Kyoya. The man was subsequently Followed shortly by a trail of security guards, nurses, and doctors.
Yoshio started to calm down when he felt his son tugging his polo shirt. He bowed and dismissed the employees wordlessly as he carried his son.
"Where did you go, Kyoya?"
"I got your medicine. The doctor said you have to drink it three times a day." Kyoya instructed.
"I understand."
The sudden adventure made Kyoya sleepy. The poor boy was already asleep on the couch shortly after his exploration.
Yoshio sighed. This little one was going to be a handful.
"Kampai!"
Kyoya hated it when Tamaki just made perfect sense. Sometimes Tamaki knew him more than he knew himself. With the grueling summer heat wave in Tokyo he felt like he was going to die. He should have avoided doing a site visit for one of the newer business ventures he and Tamaki were doing.
When technicalities are talked about, he didn't do anything illegal to get quite a share of the Mizushima Corporation. Most businesses under the Fujiwasa name are official his now much to the relief of most of the employees. Lastly, his father has let him go. Kyoya Ootori's wings were officially unclipped. Nothing held him back.
Or so he thought.
It was the lie he told Julia they were a mistake. It was when he said she didn't have any merit to him. That everything he has said and done was all for show. All those was just to feed his curiosity. Those were all lies. Even It made things easier for the both of them, it still bothered him. Their relationship with each other was an odd one since the start of the year. Yet somehow, she understood some of his actions, but it didn't mean he was forgiven. He knew he broke her heart with his lies.
No matter how well he was doing, there was this unyielding feeling of regret. Even if he drowned himself in work the trade-off for his current success was a chance of having something or…someone special to him felt like it wasn't worth it. Kyoya mentally shook his head to rid of such thoughts.
He cannot be greedy. He made his choice. It was either her or his chance of achieving his goals. He can't let past decisions hold him back.
Tamaki observed his spaced-out companion as he drank his non-alcoholic beverage for everyone's sake. "So Kyoya, hopefully this is just as successful as our first ever partnership." Tamaki commented. Hoping that changing the subject would distract his distraught friend.
"Financially, the Host Club did terrible. We barely had revenue since the expenses of all your ideas were too expensive." Kyoya snapped out of his thoughts and drank his ice-cold beer. At least this helped with the heat.
Tamaki was unable to control himself. It was agonizing. Kyoya pretended he was fine. Effectively hiding how we really felt. Honey and Mori spoke with him the other day. The two were there to witness first hand the civil yet somewhat cold interaction between Julia and Kyoya. Honey begged Tamaki to help Kyoya. It would have been fine with them if the two had the emotional closure they needed and decided that their relationship wasn't going to work, but even the Kyoya Ootori slipped from time to time. It would have bothered them less if Kyoya didn't steal as much glances as he could or stare at her from a distance.
Tamaki wasn't even sure if it was a good or bad thing, but Kyoya hasn't gone out with any woman after Julia. The poor man was torturing himself over his stupid pride. Tamaki clenched his fists.
He was a member of the Host Club who ensured women's happiness and his okaasan needed an intervention.
Only someone more stubborn than an Ootori could do this job.
"You should apologize to her already. I'm sure she'll understand." Tamaki cupped his face and leaned on the table. "I don't understand why you couldn't do it. It's simple really."
Kyoya ignored Tamaki's comment. "I think we should discuss how we're going to maintain the quality of the franchise instead of delving into my personal life."
"You're so cruel, okaasan. I just want to help you rekindle the flames of love." Tamaki pouted. His eyes were glassy as he stared at Kyoya.
"There's nothing to go back to." Kyoya drank some more beer. Hopefully Tamaki's childlike curiosity would die down soon.
"Kyoya, you should listen to me. There are times when you should listen to me. I'm the king of love. I am the outpouring of amour, my friend." Tamaki cleared his throat. "It's not that difficult."
Kyoya stared skeptically at his companion. It seems like nothing good was coming out of his mouth.
"All you have to say is something like this" Tamaki placed a hand on his chest and the other held Kyoya's hand. "It's never changing, can't you hear me I'm saying 'I want you for the rest of my life'. Together forever and never to part. Together forever with you. Don't you know I would move heaven and earth of be together with you."
Good heavens. May the gods help this man. He just quoted Rick Astley.
"I am not singing that stupid song." Kyoya turned his back.
"No one said anything about singing. All you need to do is say something from the heart." Tamaki lectured. "Kyoya don't tell me…you've already said something? Have you apologized? Told her how you really felt?"
Kyoya stood up. "I'll be going ahead. We'll leave early morning, so I need to sleep." He ignored everything Tamaki said. One more word about apologies and unsaid feelings would kill him.
Tamaki watched Kyoya leave. Somehow his light mood mellowed down into something more serious. "You've already given up, haven't you?" he said out loud.
Kyoya didn't hear his words, but Tamaki knew the sting each syllable that left his mouth made its mark.
An effective apology has three parts:
First, acknowledge how your action affected the person.
Second, apologize.
Third, describe the actions you'll take to make things right or make sure it doesn't happen again.
Unfortunately, for Kyoya, he missed the first two important parts. Heck, he hasn't done any of the three steps properly.
Kyoya knew he broke Julia's trust by working behind her back. He knew what he had to do even if it looked bad. He knew that certain actions he took affected her position in the Mizushima Corporation, but he did what he had to do to ensure that things didn't fall into Soichuru's hands that easily. Even if it meant acting against his principles which was in itself the very thing he promised not to do. He managed to get a solid spot as a board member of the Mizushima Corporation. All it took was some convincing for the other members to make way for him and here he was. That morning He listened to Julia's plan of action for the first quarter and the goals she set are quite ambitious.
After the damages Koharu's stunt caused, the newest chairwoman had a new hurdle to face. As if proving her worth to 70% of the board wasn't enough, she was apologizing personally to the families that were affected by the bombing incident at the train station.
Kyoya watched the chairwoman with all her grace and professionalism. She was very subtle with her comebacks at the insults hurled against her. Several people questioned her competence to lead a company with this magnitude, but so far, she's doing well. As the meeting was adjourned, he left the room and followed her. It was time he made the first move.
At first, he thought he's reluctant to speak with Julia properly because his hands got soiled in the process and he realized he was no better than Soichuru at this point. Then after thinking about it deeply, he knew why he couldn't bring himself to talk to her. He knew he hurt her. After opening up to each other like that, he just left her hanging. He knew he did what he thought was best for the both of them, but he cannot deny that what he did hurt. He didn't notice how he entered the same elevator as her. As the doors closed, there were only the two of them there. The only thing that broke the silence was the elevator music. Other than that, there was nothing else.
He cannot believe he was following Tamaki's advice. Could he truly let everything down and tell her? Is he brave enough to do so? It was unlike him to have no right words to say. He planned everything out but as soon as they were alone, his mind went blank. There was an internal struggle for the right words.
"Are you going to the twin's vacation house?" Kyoya said without looking at her.
Julia pressed her lips together and nodded. "How about you?"
"I cleared my schedule for it."
The conversation ended at an awkward note. Kyoya Ootori was never awkward. He prided himself to be a great conversationalist so why was he like this? He didn't know how to move onto the next step. Julia also felt the tension and awkwardness and she hated herself because even after everything, she still had feelings towards Kyoya. She knew it was pointless since she saw how the man played his cards. He outwardly told her that she had no merit to him and if that wasn't a clear message, she wasn't sure what was anymore. Based on what she observed, all Kyoya did was position himself until he got what he wanted. He was dangerous. If there was something right about what Soichuru said, it was how Kyoya was like a snake that would suck your bones dry if needed. Feelings for him were the last thing she needed. She thought she got over it the past months, but the moment he's right there it all comes back. Little did she know she had the same effect on him as well.
The elevator doors opened and the two parted ways. Kyoya sighed. The conversation he planned out in his head did not at all translate into action.
Stupid Ootori pride. He is slowly realizing that he wasn't raised to be apologetic, but he was molded to be someone that stuck through their actions. No one ever prepared him for this hardship.
He was about to say it, but when the door's opened, another man was already waiting by the elevator.
He watched Julia leave with Sai Tomowase. He was the eldest son of one of the leading law firms in the country. His mother's family was into the agriculture and food business. They mainly dealt with export of products. His father's family was also one of the top developers in the country, and third in Asia. The man was the number one bet of the board as Julia's supposed husband. The man has been trying to woo her, but she ignored his advances which relieved Kyoya. It was comforting considering his current position. Rarely did he see himself at a disadvantage. Yes, he was an Ootori, but he was no heir. After all the trouble with their family, his father let him go. Basically, he was on his own to manage his own business. He had no more obligations to the Ootori Group anymore. The Ootori Group was simply had a few shares of his company and at his current state he was no match for this man. He ignored the whispers and rumors when he somehow managed to squeeze himself into the Mizushima Board, but that didn't matter to him. He knew that with his skill he could catch up, but he was short on time.
Kyoya was frustrated with himself. He knew what he had to do, but he couldn't. He watched Julia with the board's favorite bet for her future husband the entire night. It was difficult to keep his composure, so he found himself leaving earlier than expected from the Hitachiin vacation home. Then to top things off, something felt off with the latest turn of events. He felt like things have been too easy for all of them. His instincts were telling him to look for a problem to solve, but how does he remedy a problem he cannot identify? With the feelings of uncertainty swelling in him, he kept his focus on the road. Driving had a somewhat therapeutic effect on him.
"Why is this place do damn far from civilization?" Kyoya muttered to himself as he drove. It was the Hitachiin "Inspiration" mansion. When their creative juices run dry, they seek solace at this little haven.
Kyoya turned on his wipers as the rain started to pour. He was too lost in his thoughts to notice the car trailing behind him and hitting his rear. Kyoya hit the post with the sudden force and hit his head. Luckily, he was at the emergency lane, so they shouldn't cause much traffic if there were actually any cars that passed this area.
"What the hell was that?" He ignored the throbbing headache and how his vision was doubling. He leaned against the steering wheel to regain his bearing.
"Tch." Kyoya noticed a small laceration on his forehead and started pressing it down with his handkerchief. He stood up slowly and walked towards the car that hit his rear. He wasn't going to tolerate any intoxicated drivers that night. They were lucky enough it didn't cause any more damage than this.
"Excuse me, what was that?" Kyoya knocked at the window of the driver's seat.
Kyoya shook his head. It's most likely a drunk driver. Considering the ungodly hour, it was highly plausible. Kyoya walked back to his car to call for the police, but before he could even reach for his phone he felt someone grip his neck.
"You're a witty man you know that? But nothing was funnier than your first joke. Remember the time when you turned a blind eye to what happened to your family? When you chose ignorance just to survive? When you killed Lilian Mizushima with your own hands…"
Soichuru tightened his grip on Kyoya's neck.
"It's a good thing I still had a few comrades left in the government. They just pulled a few strings to get me out of the country, but what's the point?"
Soichuru banged Kyoya's head on the hood of the car.
"Why run when everything is gone? I have nothing to lose now."
Kyoya tried to breath as he tried to focus on who the hell was strangling him. Kyoya tried to loosen the man's grip on his neck as he gasped for air.
"To think you used yourself as a decoy to protect Mizushima-sama. I'm surprised."
Soichuru Fujiwasa.
Soichuru let go of Kyoya and he fell on the ground. He tried to catch his breath and Soichuru looked down on him kneeling on the pavement. There was no turning back now.
"I was able to get out of jail, but I know this is the end of the road for me. There's no way I could leave this country alive so I thought I might as well bring you along." Soichuru pointed the gun at Kyoya. He wanted the Ootori to die slowly. Enough that his family would see him barely alive but was practically dead.
Kyoya watched the gun aimed at his chest. He had a few tricks up his sleeves, but before he could do or say anything, he felt several bullets tearing into his chest. His vision slowly blurred as he felt himself rolling down until his body hit the ground.
Kyoya thought about how Soichuru escaped and how he could possibly warn the others, but at the same time he did think he deserved that from Soichuru. After the man was placed in jail, Kyoya took most of his remaining businesses.
He tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't even recognize his surroundings, nor could he move his arms and legs. Kyoya tried to scream for help but he was gasping for air. No sound came of his mouth as he opened it. He felt like he was drowning, and he vaguely heard another gunshot until things turned black.
The Ainu were considered an indigenous inhabitant of Japan have been guarding of their land for centuries. Keeping their traditions alive. Their leader donned in traditional ceremonial dress spoke in front of the crowds of businessmen and women as well as several high-ranking officials. It was rare for these people to go into the city to discuss certain matters with leaders of the country.
Several important and well-distinguished men and women approached and congratulated Julia for her success. After all, she just fought for the continuity of the preservation of their land and culture. She just opposed another company who was planning on commercializing and creating a large hotel and amusement park attraction on their land. Her goal was to create a tourism-based economy for these people. She wanted to create an avenue where people can feel part of the Ainus' culture and tradition without sacrificing too much of their ancestral land. As she went down the podium, her heart still pumped with adrenaline. This kind of attention was still foreign to her, but she cannot lie to herself. She knew she did it.
It was her first trial as chairwoman and she did well. All the anxiety melted away and finally she had chance to release all her troubles and worries. The past few days have been brewing with a lot of excitement.
She walked away from the spotlight. Enjoying the freedom that was starting to show itself. She just went through one obstacle after another. The hussle continued without any rests knowing that the prize at the end was worth it. The night of Megumi and Hikaru's celebration of their firstborn child, Julia finally broke the news to her hopeful suitor. Sai Tomowase was the board of directors bet for her, but she did not have any sort of attraction to him. She broke the news gently with both parties more at ease. Sai Tomowase was slightly relieved because of her refusal. It seems like he had another person in mind already. It was also the same for her. It didn't take long for her to figure out Kyoya's plan. He did try to hide it, but she saw what he did for her and her family. Unfortunately, she was a bit mad at him for not letting her in on his plans. Out of her frustration with being treated as someone who wasn't on the same level, she ignored the poor man. That was the best payback she could give. Now that the air has been cleared and Sai Tomowase has expressed their agreement to disagree with the board, she could finally face Kyoya head on. With barely any sleep from Hikaru and Megumi's celebration, she went straight home to make her final preparations for her first project as chairwoman. She will not let herself apologize to Kyoya until he realizes they're on the same playing field now. She had to make this project work, so she could face him with pride.
'Otousan, Okaasan, Lilian…I did it.' Julia smiled to herself briefly. Phase 1 of her plan was complete, but there were still plenty of hurdles to face. She looked around to see if Kyoya was there. She was sure the entire Ootori family was invited.
As she went around the room and was forced to engaged in small talk with more people than she could take note off, she noticed that her mentor was nowhere to be seen. She noticed Haruhi and Tamaki by the door and decided to make her way to the two.
"Haru-" Julia was about to call their attention when Tamaki whispered something to Haruhi and the two left in quite a hurry.
Julia stood there in the middle of the hallway and she didn't think much of their leave. It was probably something important or since it was Tamaki she was talking about, it could be something just as mundane as well.
Julia looked around and observed her surroundings instead. Now that she was alone she knew she had to take advantage of getting herself freshened up. She still had a few more public officials to convince. She walked down the hall and like most venues she frequents now, the restrooms are unusually luxurious. She entered the unusually large cubicle with an unnecessary number of amenities, she was just about to sit down and release all her anxiety.
"So the news was true?" a hushed voice said. Their heels made enough noise to compensate for their hushed voices.
"Yes, they found his body this morning. Don't tell anyone, okay? I found out from the step-brother of my sister-in-law's cousin who's a high-ranking official in the police force." The second woman's voice was a poor excuse for a whisper.
"Who knew Soichuru Fujiwasa escaped from jail?" The woman took a lipstick from her purse. She shook her head as she fixed her makeup.
"They say he had some help from inside."
The other woman gasped. "No…" There was silence at this point. "Where did they find him?"
"At the countryside, near Kosaten Pass." The other woman replied.
"So is what they're saying about the youngest Ootori true?"
"It might be so. They found his car right in front of Soichuru's and they had a search party." The woman paused. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but it seems like Soichuru pushed him off the highway and Ootori-san fell down from a good 20-meter distance."
"Oh!" The woman exclaimed.
"Shhhh! No one else is supposed to know. I heard they had to resuscitate him the moment they found him. No pulse or breathing. Nothing at all. They weren't sure how long it's been."
"So, that's why no Ootori was around today. So, the Suoh's saying that Yoshio Ootori and his sons couldn't make it since they all had terrible food poisoning the night before was a lie?"
"Apparently."
Julia's world just stopped. This couldn't happen. Things like this didn't just happen. She wasn't sure if she was hearing things right. Kyoya was…gone? She ran as fast as she could. The two middle aged women were shocked to see someone else in the restroom. Julia couldn't care less as she ran out to the garden. She ignored the biting cold rain that hit her skin. All she knew was she had to run. It couldn't be. She just saw Kyoya and now he was gone? How could she have been so naive? Of course, Soichuru wouldn't target her anymore. She underestimated her opponent. She continued to run until her lungs hurt. She made her way through the gardens until she found some shade to stay in. She closed her eyes and sat on the ground.
She tried to contain her emotions. She tried to stay calm, but it was easier said than done. It didn't take long until Misuzu found her sitting under the rain trying to comprehend the news. News about Soichuru Fujiwasa's suicide and attempted murder of Kyoya Ootori came the morning after Hikaru and Megumi's celebration. The police found Soichuru dead on the highway and searched for the other owner of the car.
"Ju-chan, he's in the hospital now." Misuzu held her hand. "I'm not sure how he's doing, but Tamaki and Haruhi are on their way now."
Julia nodded and took a deep breath. She still had some duties to do as head of the Mizushima family. Her role as chairwoman wasn't done yet.
"Ju-chan, I know you have another presentation coming, but you can go there…when Megumi found out she told me she was willing to do the presentation for you."
"I can't let her do that…it's my job…" Julia sobbed. She was torn. This is what Yoshio and Shizue told her. Being head of the company entails certain sacrifices.
"Go. We'll take it from here." Misuzu's tone was almost commanding. "You need to do more important things. The presentation can wait."
Julia ran to the hospital even when the other board members strongly advised against it. She carried the name of the Mizushima family now. People in her position cannot just go running on a whim. Her chest felt heavy and she felt the tears fall. She had to make it there to see Kyoya. Just when she has come to terms with emotions, she cannot let this opportunity go.
Kyoya sat down and closed his eyes. It was already 3:00am and the emergency room was filled with patients. He just discharged two patients who came due to some bar fight. His senior was interviewing one of the women who was beaten by her husband.
He was down to his third month with this advancement program and he still couldn't understand what his purpose here was. Why did his father want him to go back? Why was he forced into this program? Surely, there was something he had to learn here that he couldn't learn anywhere else.
Was it the undying patience despite being screamed at by a commoner who wanted prime attention? Was it looking like everything was just fine even if someone just accidentally peed on him?
Whatever the reason was, Kyoya has had enough. He was not raised to be a quitter, but he knew when enough was enough. He walked through the doors and felt this sense of liberation. There was nothing that could make him go back in there. Absolutely nothing. Just as Kyoya was about to call Tachibana to pick him up, an ambulance pulled over.
The paramedics started to wheel in the patient and Kyoya just so happened to be standing there with impeccable timing.
"Good evening, Sensei. We have a 17-year-old male who was shot roughly four hours ago. There are three gunshot wounds total. Two on the chest and one on his abdomen." The paramedic read his document.
Kyoya nodded. "Thank you, sir. We'll handle it from here."
Kyoya ran back inside and called for his senior. This was far too advanced for his level. Kyoya took several pieces of gauze and placed pressure on the wounds as the nurse checked the patient's vitals. Things were stable so far and there was a high chance of survival at this point.
"Will he be alright?" A woman in her early 50s stood beside him. She sobbed and held the boy's hand. "Will my son be okay?"
"We'll do everything we can to treat him. His operation is being scheduled as we speak." Kyoya assured and tried his best to comfort the patient's mother. As Kyoya cleaned the patient's wounds, he decided to check for the vitals and he realized that he couldn't feel the teenage boy's pulse anymore.
"Code!" Kyoya screamed as he placed his hands on the boy's chest. Ready to do CPR. Suddenly, he had so much energy as he pressed down.
It didn't take long until the defibrillator and ventilator were in place. Everyone in this room was trained to perform CPR. As Kyoya finished three cycles, he switched places with another doctor. He moved away from the commotion and watched from the side of the room as he tried to catch his breath. Movies and literature have glamorized CPR and failed to mention how tiring it was to perform it in real life. Also, media always portrays the doctors and nurses performing CPR and some almost fail to convey the heavy feeling of realization for the patient's companions.
That was something Kyoya found difficult to swallow. It wasn't death, but the realization of the patient's loved ones with what was happening. It was realizing that their son, daughter, mother, father, friend, or lover was dying right before their eyes. It always left a heavy feeling on his chest when he looked at the blank stare of those who were left behind. As Kyoya walked back to the commotion, he felt somebody pass through him.
He blinked a few times and he looked at his surroundings. Suddenly, he wasn't in the hospital where he used to intern. He looked at his clothes and this wasn't his uniform as an intern. There was this sense of confusion as he rubbed his temples.
"Excuse me." Kyoya tried to catch one of the nurse's attention, but he was completely ignored. He was about to talk to one of the doctors until he looked at the mother crying at the side of the room. It wasn't the woman he saw just a few moments ago who asked him if her son was going to be fine, it was his mother.
"They can't take Kyoya away! Please, don't take my son away from me." Noriko knelt on the floor.
He watched his mother sob as Yuuichi held her close. His brother's expression was unreadable. "They're doing everything they can okaasama."
Kyoya stood beside his mother. "I'm right here, okaasan. What are you talking about?"
As he tried to reach out to his mother, he realized that it wasn't people passing through him, but he was the one passing through them instead. He ran towards the patient that they were trying to revive, and he literally went through everyone. He stared at himself as one doctor placed his hands on his chest.
"Epinephrine given, sir."
"Continuing next cycle of CPR."
Kyoya walked around the emergency room in a daze. If this was a dream, it was something he wanted to wake up from immediately. He walked outside the room to clear his mind. He looked around to make sure he was alone before he slapped himself as hard as he could.
When Kyoya opened his eyes, he was still in the same spot.
"Reiko-chan, do you think Kyo-chan will be fine?" Honey stared blankly. Trying to piece things together.
Reiko briefly looked at Kyoya's direction and nodded. "Yes, he's a stubborn man. He'll make it. He just has to come to terms with himself before he can go back."
Kyoya stood beside Reiko and looked at her in the eye. "What do you mean?"
"We studied these kinds of events in the black magic club before. People may have an out of body experience because there's something that needs healing. Something beyond the physical world." Reiko closed her eyes. "Unfortunately, no one can help them at this point and there's limited time for them to solve this."
"What kind of challenge is this?" Kyoya asked Reiko. Hoping for an answer.
"No one can say what kind of problem they will face." Reiko sighed. Initially addressing her statement to no one in particular. She then looked at his direction. "It's just something these people need to see to accept something in them. He needs to find his ikigai"
Kyoya raised a brow. Why on earth would he need to find his ikigai? He was certain about his purpose in life. He didn't have time for an Eat, Pray, Love epiphany. He didn't need any special time to reflect on what his future would be like. Everything's planned as it is.
Honey held Reiko's hand and stared at the floor. "Kyo-chan felt like he's been a little lost. It's a good thing he's is adept with solving his problems."
Happy new year!
I'm back. I won't even try to justify my lack of updates. Even I was so disappointed in myself. It's so hard to get inspiration and the will to write something. I've loved writing this story and it's just a stone throw away until it's done. Thank you for your support!