Note: And here's another part…AGAIN. Obviously, I've got nothing useful to do around here. Hence, the quick uploading of new parts. This part's a bit sad. And oh…I have a CLIFFHANGER! Heehee…don't mind me. I just ate a whole pint'a ice cream, I think the sugar's reacting already. Anyway, I have a new character. This is so cool, I wasn't really sure how I'd introduce this (character), but when I typed this chapter, the plot kinda just gave me an opening and me, being the smart person I am, took it! So folks, here you have it:
Shitsuren Anrui—Mistukake (broken heart and silent tears. Cheesy, I know. But I can't think of any)
PART THREE
"Mom, I'm home!"
Megumi peered from the kitchen smiling, "Hi, dinner's almost ready. Is your sister with you?"
Hisou removed his shoes and dropped his bag on the couch, "No, she said she'd be going home with a friend. Didn't she call you?"
"No. Well, she might be home in a little."
He entered the kitchen and saw his mom preparing what seemed like an apple pie, "Mmm! That smells good!"
She laughed, "Of course! And it is. Now why don't you give me a hand and hold that door open for me? Oh, and can you chop some tomatoes there?"
Hisou gave way to his mother holding the aforementioned apple pie and a bowl of salad. "Is dad here, yet?"
"Nope. He called in earlier to say he'd be late a little, he's trying to close this deal with a new client. How's your day?" She asked, her voice muffled from the other room.
Hisou went over to the counter and washed the tomatoes, "Oh, same old, same old. Oh, there's a new student who arrived today. He's from Japan. Tokyo, I think. Mr. Johnson asked me to show him around."
"Today? Isn't it a bit late to be coming in with school almost closing?" Megumi asked, entering the kitchen.
Hisou shrugged, "I know. Anyway, he's really nice…name's Youshi Seikou. Hmm…what part of Japan did you come from again?"
"Uhm…Hokkaido, the suburb areas. Anyway, that's my parents. I was born and raised here. We brought you and Houki there when you were young, don't you remember?" she asked while adding the tomatoes to whatever she was cooking.
Hisou looked at her, thinking, "no…not really. How old was I then?"
She smiled, "5, and Houki was 3. Yeah, you probably might not remember that."
Just then, the phone rang. Hisou got up and answered it, "Moshi moshi, Migoto shitei," he looked up at his mom and grinned. She grinned back.
"Ah…yes. Yes, I'm her brother. Why?" pause, Hisou started shaking, looking alarmed, "What's the matter? Wh-where is she?!" another pause, Megumi looked at her son, fear in her eyes, mixed with tears. "Okay, okay. We'll be right over."
Hisou replaced the handset on the wall and looked at his mother, "H-Houki was in an accident."
---
The place was pristine, save for the people sitting along the halls, others being hauled in stretchers, others in wheelchairs, blood sprouting from different parts of their body. Hisou looked around, clutching his mom beside him. He sat her on one of the chairs and approached the front desk. "Hi, my sister was sent here earlier, Houki Migoto." He was grasping the wood hard, to keep himself from falling. He had been shaking since he received the call form one of Houki's friends telling him that his sister had been in an accident and was sent to a hospital. He looked at his mother while waiting for the receptionist to tell him where Houki was and how she was. Megumi was in no better shape than he was. She had cried all the way, almost totally immobile. He had to carry her form the house to the car, and form there to the hospital.
Since he was a kid, he never liked hospitals. The moment one enters, he can already smell the metallic taste of blood, mixed with death. And the fact that he was there because his sister was there made him queasy.
"Sir?" a voice from the recesses of his subconscious called to him. That's when he realized that the girl at the desk was talking to him. He blinked, "Yes?"
She smiled. He was good-looking, and he looked very concerned with his sister. The look in his eyes could only come from a deep love that can't be disguised, "Your sister's at the ER at the moment. The doctors are still checking her condition. If you would just sign these papers and wait over there," she said, handing him a bunch of papers and gestured to a row of seats by the wall.
Too nervous to even be polite, he snatched the papers and sat beside his mother who was still obviously shaking, her body wracked with tears.
Don't worry, she'll be fine. They're just checking her to see that she's okay. Nothing wrong with her. Just fill up these damn papers and get your mind off of anything bad. He told himself. Fumbling with a pen, he started filling up the papers. His fingers were shaking so hard, he couldn't even hold the pen long enough. What it WRONG with you? Get a grip on yourself. You can't break down just yet, your mother…
He looked at his mother, some hospital staff already gave her a glass of water and some depressants. Never really good with emotions, he just wrapped his arms around his mother's shoulders, trying to comfort her. I'm not good with comforting others. Houki's…
Shut up Hisou. Shut up and stop thinking. Just fill up the papers.
Again, he tried holding the pen and focusing on the piece of paper in front of him. It was just the basics. Name, address, age, sex, insurance number…just the normal stuff. Like what they're doing to Houki right now, just normal stuff…
Finally giving up on the pen he still can't hold due to the fact that he's shaking so hard. He decided to make some calls. He looked at his mom again, and after seeing her a bit calmed down, he stood.
First, his dad. From the shock of the news, he forgot to call his dad and tell him of what happened. He must be home now.
RRRIIIIINNNGGGG
The shrieking sound was irritating to his ears. It was too loud. But, he had to do it. "Hello?"
He swallowed, "Dad? I-I'm at the hospital."
From his end of the phone, he could hear the instant panic that wrapped itself around his dad's voice. "I'm okay. Mom's here with me."
He can just picture his dad right now, shaking, gripping at the table for balance. "No, mom's okay. I-I-it's Houki."
More tremors, he's crying. "She was in an accident. Th-the doctors are ch-checking up on her right now."
Hearing his dad's frantic voice, he just wanted to go and sulk at the corner, hide from everybody and wish this was nothing but a dream. A bad dream he never would have again. Ever. "Okay, we'll wait for you."
Click.
Next was Hisaki. He knows his best friend adored Houki. He's actually more protective of her than Hisou was. He had a right to know what happened. Besides, he really need somebody right now.
After two rings, there was someone at the other end. "Hu-hello? Mrs. Jinsoku, it's Hisou. Is Hisaki there?"
He could hear his friend's footsteps thudding as he was approaching the phone. "Hello, 'Saki? Hisou. Houki's been in an accident."
Screaming. Hisaki's voice had the same tremor he heard from his dad and he himself. "Yes, we're at the hospital right now. The doctors are checking up on her."
He could note that Hisaki was on the verge of crying, if not already. "Okay, I'll wait for you."
He pressed the 'End' button and shoved the phone in his jacket pocket. He was still wearing his school uniform and by now, the edge of the blazer was heavily wrinkled from him. He walked back to his mom to find a doctor talking to her.
"…see her?" the doctor, a tall man with a deep but gentle voice, was regarding Megumi with concern. She had been given depressants, and she was now looking on the edge of wakefulness. Another man approached him, tall, long brown hair tied in a loose ponytail, wearing the uniform of a private school nearby, "Doctor? How's my sister?"
The doctor extended his hand, "I'm Dr. Shitsuren. Are you Houki's brother?"
"Yes, how's she?" Hisou asked, accepting the hand. Just then, a man, in his late forties turned around the corner, looking frantically for something. When his eyes landed on Hisou, he exhaled heavily and again, ran to the boy and the doctor, "Where is she? Is she alright?"
Dr. Shitsuren looked at the man, he looked like the victim's brother, so he assumed he was the father, "Mr. Migoto? I'm Dr. Shitsuren, I was the one assigned to check on your daughter."
He looked at the doctor in front of him, standing beside his son. He looked no more than 25, which, would possibly make him a bit adamant about not letting him touch his daughter, but there was something in his eyes that was like pleading for trust. Right there and then, he knew. He could trust him, "How is she? Is she alright?"
"She's okay, just a few cuts and bruises. Her right femur seemed to have a fraction from the force of the collision, but she seemed okay. The bullet shot, though…" he looked down, not sure how to say it to the expectant eyes staring at him. He could hear the loud sob that escaped the mother's mouth, feel the sudden stiffness of the father, and understand all the emotions gone through by the brother that seemed to emanate from the formed fist at his side.
Just as he was about to continue, there was a loud crash that came from the left side of the hall, and the next thing he knew, he was shoved to a wall, hard brown eyes slightly obscured by flaming red hair daring him to make a wrong twitch, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKIN ABOUT A FUCKIN GUNSHOT? WHAT GUNSHOT DAMNIT?!!"
AN: The mother-son conversation covers why Hisou has a Jap name while he lives in…let's just say somewhere in the US. Somebody asked me why I named Hisou's sister Houki. Well, it's actually just a whim. I wanted to give him a sister. But, I might use it for some reason in the future. Just wait. Also, don't get me wrong…Hisou and 'Saki are NOT and I mean NOT together. They're just really close friends. They don't hide emotions from each other. Okay? Okay. Also…about Hisaki's eyes. I'm not sure if it's brown, orange, or red (geez, imagine if he has sore eyes). Anyway, one of the pictures looked like he's got brown eyes. So there.
Shitei—private residence