DISCLAIMER: The storyline is mine.
Author's Notes: Hi, OrOoo-san! I'm not killing Sakuragi, so don't worry! I don't have to bring him back from the dead. Bad Faith, my friend, don't you threaten me with Sanzo's gun *shrinks back in fear*. Jigen, fancy seeing you here *waves*. Hello sLL, thanks for your kind reviews for my other fics as well! Ah, gomen, but one of my bad habits is writing short chapters, but I'll try to lengthen the chapters. I'm not a cruel person the last time I checked, akane, so I don't think I'll make Sakuragi suffer that much. Thank you for your generous feedbacks! *bows*

~

            "Sakuragi-kun!" wailed Haruko. "Kami-sama, please save him!"
            "He's in the operation theatre now," remarked Kogure. "We can only pray for the best."
            Haruko nodded. After the accident, a passerby wasted no time in contacting the hospital, asking them to send an ambulance immediately. Haruko was too shocked that she could only run to Sakuragi's unconscious body. The scarlet pool of blood scared Haruko out of her wits. Upon arriving at the hospital, she rang Ayako up, who in turn informed everyone about the misfortune.
            "How long has he been in there?" asked Miyagi, pacing up and down restlessly.
            "One hour…" answered Ayako. She bit her fingernails in suspense.
            "Did you contact everyone, Ayako?" asked Mitsui. "Rukawa's not here."
            "I know the two of them hate each other, but surely Rukawa's not so heartless that he refused to see Sakuragi?" added Miyagi.
            Ayako shook her head. "It's nothing like that. I couldn't contact him. I believe he must've pulled his telephone lines, disconnecting the line."
            "It's the only way when you have fan-girls calling you up 24/7, bugging you hours without end," commented Mitsui.
            Kogure eyed him carefully. "Any experience?"
            Mitsui laughed nervously. "Once, and only once! Don't look at me like that, Kogure!"
            The doors opened, a doctor emerged from behind them. He was shaking his head. All eyes turned in his direction.
            "Doctor!" they approached him.
            "Is he dead?" demanded Mitsui.
            "Can't you do something?" insisted Miyagi.
            "But…he can't be dead!" cried Kogure.
            "Sakuragi-kun!!!" Haruko wailed louder.
            "Have you tried everything?" chipped in Ayako.
            The little man held his hands up, motioning them to be silent. "Who's dead?"
            "Sakuragi Hanamichi!" they said in unison.
            "You mean the redheaded guy?"
            "YES!!"
            "Oh, him! He's not dead, I assure you."
            "Then WHY the sad face?"
            "Please calm down. Your friend is not dead, but…"
            "But WHAT??"
            "We managed all the cuts, wounds and bruises. It's a miracle not even one bone is broken, though. But there's one major problem…"
            "KAMI-SAMA!!"
            "He go a serious concussion…"
            "He has amnesia?" cried Ayako. I thought they say it only happens in the movies!
            "Is his skull shattered?" asked Miyagi. So much blood…it's freaking me out..
            "SAKURAGI-KUN~!!!!" (A/N: no prize for guessing who said this…)
            "The bash has interrupted his nerves. So that means…"
            This time, they didn't scream. Only Kogure could let out a squeak. "Are you saying…that he's…?"
            The doctor nodded gravely.

            Please…let this only be a horrid nightmare, not more…Dear God, listen to my prayers…
            Rukawa ran to the reception desk. "Sakuragi Hanamichi's room?"
            The image he had seen of Sakuragi involved in an accident was far too real that he could not ignore it. He could feel something was wrong, and even his bones could feel the chill. He had rushed to every single hospital he knew in Kanagawa, with no luck. Until he reached the last one.
            The young nurse was too absorbed admiring Rukawa's looks to attend to his request. An older nurse pushed her aside.
            "Room 110," she replied briskly. "Now go before you divert the other nurses' attention from their work."
            So it's true…
            Rukawa, having missed the elevator, ran up the staircase. And you call yourself an athlete when you even miss the lift…

            Every inch of his body was aching. His eyebrows quivered as he slowly regained his consciousness.
            Ayako gripped Miyagi's hand. "Look…he's awake."
            It's all…white…and that smell…Sakuragi knew that smell. He was in a hospital ward.
            "Sakuragi-kun!" Haruko rushed to the side of the bed. "How are you feeling right now?"
            "I…why am I…in hospital?" asked he. He rubbed his forehead.
            "Can't you remember? You got hit by a car," explained Mitsui. "No serious injury, um…I think…"
            "Hisashi!" Kogure hissed sharply, nudging him.
            "Oh, yeah…I remember…" Sakuragi groaned in pain. Itai…I've never felt pain this much before…
            Unknown to them, Rukawa appeared at the door silently. His heart felt sympathy as he witnessed Sakuragi's condition. The latter's forehead was wrapped in bandages, and there were cuts on his face. But the final blow was yet to come.
            "Um, guys…why don't you guys turn the lights on? It's dark…" asked Sakuragi.
            At that moment Rukawa's face turned pale—making him look fairer than ever.
            Sakuragi Hanamichi was blind.
            "Sa…Sakuragi…I don't know how to break this to you, but…you…you've lost your vision." Kogure said slowly.
            "Megane-kun? You're kidding, right?" Impossible! I can't be blind!
            "He's dead serious. The doctor said the blow on your head had disrupted some of your nerves…that's to say, the eye nerves," resumed Mitsui.
            Rukawa had to lean against the wall for support. His legs were losing their strength. His breathing was getting more robust as he frantically tried to catch his breath.
            Sakuragi could not accept the fact. He gave a yell, a loud and scary yell, and tried to get out of his bed. Mitsui and Miyagi, with a minor assistance from Kogure, controlled him by pinning him down.
            "Let me go, let me go!" insisted Sakuragi, wringing his hand frantically in desperate attempt to escape. Mitsui's clutches merely tightened. "Don't fool me! Turn the lights on, I say! This can't be happening to me!" They're lying! They're just joking!
            "Hanamichi!" Miyagi nearly barked. "Calm down! I know you're upset but—"
            "Sakuragi!!" Mitsui said. "If you don't stop acting like a lunatic, I'll be forced to—" Mitsui never did finish his sentence, for Sakuragi had pushed him aside. Mitsui was thrown to the wall.
            "Damn…he's still as strong as ever…" mumbled Mitsui crossly.
            "Hisa—Mitsui!" cried Kogure.
            "Why that useless—" Mitsui was about to launch an attack but Kogure was in time to hold him back.
            "Calm down, I beg of you! You have to excuse him!" pointed out Kogure.
            Rukawa almost entered the scene, seeing things were getting out of control. But he was a second too late. Sakuragi's doctor had already come into the room, a syringe in his hand. But his own patient kicked the poor doctor before he could do anything. The needle flung to the other corner of the room.
            "Sakuragi-kun! Please stop!" yowled Haruko.
            Ayako brought her fan out from her bad and swiped it at Sakuragi. The latter fell on the bed, unconscious.
            For a moment everybody lost his or her voices. They were too shocked for words. Even Kogure's glasses were about to fall from its place.
            "Uh, wasn't that a little too much?" asked Kogure, nervous. "You might worsen his condition…"
            "Yeah, who knows?" interrupted Mitsui. "Maybe he's also deaf now…" If so, he'll be more enraged than ever…
            "It's effective," Ayako pointed out.
            The doctor was horrified, for he had never came across such a state of affairs in his whole years of being a doctor. "What have you done?" Is he still alive? If the management hears about this, I'll be fired!
            "I put him to sleep," answered Ayako simply.
            "But…but…" The doctor was pointing a shaking finger at the unmoving Sakuragi.
            "It would be impossible for you to administer the God-knows-what in that hypodermic when he's deranged."
            Miyagi nodded in agreement. "Aya-chan's right—as always."
            Outside the room, Rukawa frowned. If they had Sakuragi in the right hands—my very own—things won't get this complicated…
            "Oh, my…this is all very dreadful…" remarked Haruko. "Poor Sakuragi-kun…"
            "I think it's better if you leave now," murmured the doctor.
            "But, Matsuyama-sensei…"
            "You can do nothing now. His mood is not stable. You can come back to visit him again tomorrow."
            "But tomorrow's so far away!" protested Haruko. What if…Sakuragi-kun suddenly…
            "Please…" Dr. Matsuyama lowered his head. "The patient needs some rest. And some peace and quiet." Not to mention the other patients as well…
            "Let's go," urged Kogure. "He's right. Maybe Sakuragi will feel better tomorrow." I hope so…
            The doctor watched the five teenagers departed. He conducted several check-ups on Sakuragi, and he withdrew, thinking maybe he should adopt the manageress' paper fan technique in handling unhinged patients.
            On the other hand, if he wanted to maintain his job, he might as well forget the idea.

            Finally, they're leaving…Rukawa glared at them from his hiding place. After they had gone, Rukawa made his way to Sakuragi's room. Without giving it a second thought, he entered.

~

Author's Notes: Was it good, or was it bad? Reviews are greatly appreciated! Take note; reviews, NOT flames.