(Monday, 9:00AM; Hospital; Akihito's PoV)

I slowly wake up from my sleep. I see that Sayori is awake, and browsing something on her phone. Monika is still in deep sleep next to me. Sayori looks up from her phone and notices that I'm awake.

Sayori: "Hey Aki!"

I put a finger up to my lips to indicate Sayori to be quiet. She tilts her head a little in confusion. I then point to my side where Monika is. Sayori replies with a thumbs up. Sayori then pulls up a chair to my side, opposite of where Monika is. She then lowers her voice to a whisper to not wake up Monika.

Sayori: "Did you sleep well?"

Aki: "Yeah, how about you?"

Sayori: "It was okay. The benches were kinda uncomfortable, ehe."

Aki: "Well, they weren't designed to be beds."

Sayori: "I guess you're right."

Suddenly the door opens, and Mom frantically enters the room.

Akira: "Aki! Are you okay?! What happened?!"

Aki: "Shhhh…"

I point towards Monika, but it seems like she woke up.

Monika: "Mmm… good morning Aki…"

Aki: "Morning, Monika. Sorry for waking you up."

Monika: "It's okay."

Aki: "Hey Mom, how come you're here."

Akira: "What kind of question is that?! I'm here because you're in the hospital! You better explain what happened to me, mister!"

Aki: "Uh, I can't really explain much, but you can ask Monika about it."

Akira: "And why is that?"

Aki: "Uh… because I was unconscious ninety percent of the time?"

Akira: "You were unconscious?!"

Aki: "Mom, please calm down."

Akira: "I can't just 'calm down' without hearing everything!"

Aki: "Okay, Monika please explain what happened to Mom before she explodes."

Monika: "Ahaha, okay. Uh… we were all having a small Christmas get-together between the club members. Around eight in the evening, Aki suddenly fainted, so we called an ambulance. The doctor told us that Aki is safe, but he can't tell us any details."

Akira: "And why's that?"

Monika: "He said that he can only tell those details to the parent or legal guardian."

Akira: "Well, I can see why they would say that. Anything else?"

Monika: "Nope, that's all."

The doctor then comes into the room.

Doctor: "Hello Akihito, I'm here to check up on you. Oh, it seems we have another visitor! May I ask who you are, ma'am?"

Akira: "Hello, doctor. I am Akira Yamada, the mother of Akihito. May I know what happened?"

Doctor: "Absolutely. May I talk with you privately?"

Akira: "Sure, would you like to talk outside?"

Doctor: "Actually, Akihito also needs to be present."

The doctor then turns towards Monika and Sayori.

Doctor: "Um, may I ask you two ladies to exit the room for a moment? You two can wait outside on the bench, and I will call you two shortly."

Monika: "Okay. Let's go, Sayori."

Monika and Sayori then get up and leave the room.

Doctor: "So, Akihito."

Aki: "Yes?"

Doctor: "Have you been experiencing some chest pain recently?"

Aki: "I have. In fact, just before I fainted I was experiencing it at an extreme level."

Doctor: "I see, well I have some good news and bad news."

Oh no, these never go well. Especially in a hospital. I can see Mom on the verge of tears.

Aki: "Tell me the good news first, doctor."

Doctor: "The good news is that we have found the reason as to why you have been experiencing these chest pains."

Aki: "And the bad news?"

Doctor: "Coronary artery disease."

Aki: "W-what does that mean?"

Doctor: "The cause for all this is coronary artery disease. Basically, there is a buildup of plaque in your blood vessels, resulting in limited blood flow to your heart."

Aki: "...a-am I going to live doctor?"

Mom then breaks down crying upon hearing my question.

Akira: "A-Akihito! Don't think like that!"

Doctor: "Ma'am, it's completely normal to think about that. To answer your question Akihito, we're not sure."

Aki: "W-what do you mean by that?"

Doctor: "You may live long, you may not. We can't predict that yet."

Aki: "A-anything else doctor?"

Doctor: "All I can say is to eat less fatty foods and exercise more. We're going to keep you for a few more hours here, just to make sure you're okay before we let you go. Any questions?"

Aki: "No sir, thank you."

Doctor: "Very well, I'll let the other two girls in."

I notice that Mom is crying, this won't be a good sight for the girls.

Aki: "Um, doctor?"

Doctor: "Yes?"

Aki: "Can you tell them to come in a little later? I would like to spend some time with my mother alone."

Doctor: "Very well."

Aki: "Thank you doctor."

Akira: "I'm going to make a call real quick, stay here."

Aki: "Okay."

Mom and the doctor then leave the room, and go opposite directions.

(Monday, 9:30AM; Hospital; Monika's PoV)

Sayori and I leave the room as instructed by the doctor. We then sit on a bench nearby.

Sayori: "I wonder what the doctor is telling Aki right now…"

Monika: "I hope it's nothing too serious."

Sayori: "Should I call Yuri and Natsuki here?"

Monika: "No, I don't want to trouble them anymore."

Sayori: "Okay…"

After around ten minutes, the doctor and Akira come out of the room. I can see that Akira was crying. The doctor comes towards us, while Akira walks the other way holding up her phone. She must be on a call with someone.

Doctor: "Hello ladies. Akihito requested that you two stay out here for some more time. He stated that he wanted to spend time with his mother for a bit before you two come in."

Monika: "O-okay…"

The doctor then leaves us, most likely to help with other patients. I see that Akira is returning to Aki's room.

Monika: "Akira? Is everything okay?"

Akira: "Um… yeah. Everything is fine."

She then enters Aki's room.

Monika: "I wonder what that was all about."

Sayori: "Probably just an office call."

After a few minutes, Sayori and I eventually get bored, so we retreat to our phones for entertainment. Around fifteen minutes later, a man who seems to be in his 40s comes up to us.

Man: "Excuse me, do you know where room 1116 is?"

I look up from my phone to see who it is. They don't look familiar at all.

Monika: "U-um right over there…"

I then point towards the room. Wait… isn't that the room where-

Man: "Thank you so much."

He then rushes towards the room, he seems to be in a hurry. I look towards Sayori, only to be met with a horrified reaction.

Monika: "Sayori?! What's wrong?!"

Sayori: "H-he…"

Monika: "Who?!"

Sayori: "T-that was…"

Monika: "Sayori tell me what's wrong!"

Sayori: "That was Aki's father…"

Monika: "WHAT?!"

(Monday, 10:00AM; Hospital; Akihito's PoV)

Mom just returned after making her phone call. She seems super worried though.

Aki: "Mom? What was the phone call about?"

Akira: "H-huh? Oh, j-just an office call…"

Aki: "Okay…"

Fifteen minutes go by, Mom and I haven't spoken to each other. Mom constantly had a worried face, which worried me more. She kept repeating things to herself like 'He's going to be so mad' or 'What is he going to do'. I keep wondering to myself what she means by that when the door suddenly opens. As soon as I see the man who enters, all my questions are answered.

Aki: "What is he doing here?"

Akira: "I'm so sorry Akihito-"

Aki: "Is this what the phone call was for?!"

Akira: "Akihito I know you'd be mad, but he still has the right to be here-"

Aki: "No he doesn't! He did so many bad things and just left us!"

Akira: "Azuma I'm so sorry you have to deal with this-"

Aki: "Don't apologize to him!"

Azuma: "Akihito, you have every right to be mad at me-"

Aki: "Damn right I do!"

Azuma: "But please hear me out. I'm sorry for what I did in the past, really."

Aki: "Bullshit."

Akira: "Akihito! Don't say that!"

Azuma: "Akira, it's okay. It's his right to be mad."

Aki: "Tell me why you're here right now."

Azuma: "Your mom called me and told me everything. I said that I was going to come here, but she told me not to."

Aki: "Well Mom was right about that one."

Azuma: "I told her that I would still come, and she didn't say anything after that."

Aki: "So you just gave up?!"

Akira: "Despite all the things he's done, he's still your legal father. As your legal father, he has the right to visit you."

Aki: "Fine. But don't expect me to call you 'Dad' or forgive you."

Akira: "Akihito-"

Azuma: "That's completely fine."

He then takes a seat next to Mom beside my bed.

Azuma: "So… would you like to catch up?"

Aki: "Sure."

Azuma: "Those two girls outside… do you know them?"

Aki: "Yeah. One of them was Sayori, dunno if you recognized her."

Azuma: "Wait, the one with the white bow and ponytail?"

Aki: "No, that's Monika. Sayori has the red bow, remember?"

Azuma: "Oh right… I remember seeing her as well. Who's Monika?"

Aki: "My girlfriend."

Azuma: "Y-you have a girlfriend?!"

Aki: "Yeah, I just said that."

Azuma: "You're right… my bad… do you mind if I meet her?"

Aki: "Sure."

Akira: "I'll go get them."

Mom leaves the room and comes back with Monika and Sayori. They both look a little scared, Sayori a little more scared than Monika.

Azuma: "Sayori, it's been so long since I've seen you! You still remember me, right?"

Sayori: "Y-yeah…"

Azuma: "And you must be Monika right?"

Monika: "H-how do you know that?"

Aki: "I told him, don't worry. And you guys don't have to be scared, he's not gonna do anything. He just wants to talk with you guys for a little."

Monika: "A-are you sure?"

Aki: "You both trust me, right?"

They both nod their heads.

Aki: "There, nothing to worry about. You guys can take a seat next to me."

Monika and Sayori take a seat on the other side of my bed.

Azuma: "So… how've you been Sayori? Last time I saw you, you were in middle school."

Sayori: "I-I'm doing good…"

Azuma: "That's good to hear… and Monika, how did you and Akihito meet?"

Monika: "W-we shared a class last year, and we're in the same club this year."

Azuma: "Akihito's in a club?"

Monika: "The Literature Club. I'm the president, and Sayori's the vice president."

Azuma: "That's nice…"

Monika: "Even though we shared a class last year, we barely spoke to each other. It was only when Aki joined the club that we became friends, and eventually started dating."

Azuma: "Aki? Is that your name now?"

Aki: "Nickname, and only for friends. I'm still Akihito to you."

Azuma: "When did your nickname start?"

Aki: "Freshman year of high school."

Azuma: "How did it start?"

Aki: "Not sure really, one of my friends said that Akihito was too long, so they just started calling me Aki. I didn't care too much to speak against it, so I've been living with that ever since."

Azuma: "That's… nice to hear…"

All five of us chat for a little longer, and the doctor comes into the room.

Doctor: "Am I interrupting anything?"

Aki: "No sir."

Doctor: "Okay, I'm just here to let you know that you are free to leave."

Aki: "Will I need to be in crutches or a wheelchair, doctor?"

Doctor: "Nope, you can walk as you normally would. All I ask is that you stay away from fatty foods and exercise more as I said earlier."

Aki: "Thank you doctor, will do."

Doctor: "Let me help you up."

The doctor then slowly sits me up, and helps me get out of the bed. He then leads me and everyone else out the hospital.

Aki: "Thank you so much, doctor."

Doctor: "No problem, that's what we're here for."

The doctor then heads back into the hospital, leaving us all outside here.

Akira: "So, Azuma."

Azuma: "Yes?"

Akira: "Where are you going to go?"

Azuma: "Well, I wish I could stay but… you know."

He looks briefly at me before continuing.

Azuma: "I think I'm gonna head back to my home."

Akira: "Okay."

He then heads to his car, and leaves the hospital. Mom then turns towards Monika.

Akira: "Would you like me to drop you home, Monika? I'd assume the hospital is a long distance from your house."

Monika: "Actually, could I stop by at your house? We left the house in the middle of the get-together, so all my stuff is still there."

Akira: "Sure! We'll all head there in my car, sounds good?"

Sayori: "I call the front seat!"

Aki: "Heh, alright."

We all head to Mom's car, and get in. Obviously Mom was in the driver's seat, Sayori sat in the passenger seat, so Monika and I sat in the backseat.

Akira: "You guys better not be doing anything back there!"

Aki: "Mom what the hell!"

Akira: "Ahahaha, it's so funny to tease you, Akihito."

Aki: "Whatever."

The drive home was calming, after all that happened. We were all talking about the Christmas party, mainly explaining to Mom about what we did. Once we arrived back home, Monika and Sayori got their stuff.

Monika: "Oh no…"

Aki: "What's wrong?"

Monika: "Natsuki and Yuri left their stuff here."

Aki: "You think we can give it back to them tomorrow? I'll keep it in a safe space meanwhile."

Monika: "Okay."

Sayori then takes her belongings, and heads to her home.

Akira: "Would you like me to drop you, Monika?"

Monika: "That's okay, I'm only a ten minute walk away."

Akira: "Alright then. See you later!"

Monika then heads home after getting her stuff. Now it's just me and Mom at home.

Aki: "So… how long are you staying this time?"

Akira: "Until your break is over, so around a week."

Aki: "Alright."

Mom and I spent the rest of the day together, just like we did before she left. Once it hits nighttime, I head to bed and sleep.

(Tuesday, 1:00AM; House; Monika's PoV)

I'm jolted awake by the sound of my doorbell. Who could be here at this time? I head downstairs and check the hole in the door. What the… I open the door.

Monika: "Natsuki? What are you doing here this late?"