"Quick! He's not breathing! Quick! Send him in!"

"Contact his kin!"

"Doctor, his heartbeat is decreasing rapidly!"

"I can't get a pulse anymore!"

Tsukasa tried to open his eyes but he couldn't. He could only hear voices around him. The ring! Where was it? It had rolled onto the road and he stooped down to pick it up. The next thing he knew was that he had only seen a flash of white light and all went silent.

"Makino." A faint whisper escaped from his lips.

*

"SOUJIRO!" Akira shouted as he rushed over to where Soujiro was sitting. "Where's Tsukasa?!"

Soujiro lifted his head despondently.

"He's still in there." A hoarse whisper came out. It was evident that Soujiro had been crying. Akira slumped against the wall.

"How could this ever happen?" He asked.

No one knew why, no one knew how. Fate was playing a cruel trick on them then.

*

Soujiro was sitting alone outside the operating theatre. He had been the first to be informed of Tsukasa's accident.

"Jiro." A familiar voice called out. He lifted his head to see…

"Brother?" A tall man in a doctor's coat looked at him. The man was handsome, no doubt, but the wrinkles on his face betrayed his age. Soujiro had almost forgotten that he had a brother. Almost forgotten that he had existed.

"That's your friend inside right?" His brother asked. "He banged his head up pretty seriously. Looks like he might not make it." He took puff on his cigarette.

"HELL! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!" Soujiro shouted and gave him a punch in the jaw. He breathed in and out heavily. "TSUKASA WOULD MAKE IT! HE WOULD! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Soujiro paused as his brother looked at him in surprise.

"Since you know his condition, what are you doing here? HELL! YOU SHOULD BE IN THERE! YOU ARE A NEUROLOGIST!" Soujiro yelled.

His brother got up and turned.

"Jiro, some things are beyond our control. Your friend in there has a strong spirit, he might make it. Jiro, pray for a miracle." His brother left.

Soujiro sat down on the cold hard chair. "Tsukasa, be strong." He said to himself.

*

Makino was afraid to turn around the corner. She was afraid to face the truth. She hesitated taking another step.

"Makino?" Rui asked when he noticed her standing still.

"I don't want to see it." She whispered. Rui walked over and hugged her again.

"Silly girl. You have to be strong, for Tsukasa's sake, remember?" She closed her eyes and nodded.

"I have to be strong." She whispered to herself.

*

She saw Akira and Soujiro slumped in their seats, a look of despair written on their faces.

"Akira. Soujiro." Rui called out to them. Makino did not want to see this happening.

"Rui." Akira said tiredly. No, this has to be a nightmare, Makino thought. What am I doing in here? I was supposed to see Doumyouji. He can't be here.

"Jiro's brother just came. He says Tsuaksa might not make it." He said in a flat tone. Rui looked at the floor.

"You are all lying!" Makino shouted suddenly. The three of them looked up at her in surprise.

"I know Doumyouji is hiding somewhere! He can't be in there! You are all lying! You are all just playing a prank on me! Just like the other time!" Makino shouted, as tears filled her eyes. "Just like the other time, when you all lied to me and said he was dead. Just like the other time…" Her voice trailed off. She collapsed onto the floor.

Much as she knew that what was happening was not a lie, Makino could not accept the cold, hard truth. She knew this was no lie, this was not a prank. It was for real. Tsukasa might never come back to her anymore.

Rui saw Makino's hunched body shaking as she sobbed uncontrollably. It had been a devastating blow for her, as well as the rest. He walked over and knelt down.

"Makino. You know we are not playing a prank on you this time." Makino turned her tear-streaked face towards him.

"Hanazawa Rui!" She said as she buried her face into his chest. "Why? Why must heaven play such a cruel joke on us? We've been waiting for each other for so long! Why now?"

Rui sighed as he hugged Makino tightly. Many things are beyond man's control and that is why, questions have to wait. For now, he would have to take care of Makino.

"Excuse me, may I know who Makino Tsukushi is?" A grave voice said. The four of them turned to see Kazuya, in a police inspector's uniform. He cleared his throat and held out a plastic package.

"This might be of interest to you."

*

"Doctor, the victim's losing a lot of blood!"

"Victim's blood pressure is decreasing rapidly."

"Get more blood!"

"We only have a few packets of blood left."

"Get the victim's kin to test for a match. Meanwhile, call the blood bank."

"You got it doctor."

"Keep his heart pumping!"

The surgeon looked at Tsuaksa with familiarity. Never in her wildest dreams would she think that Tsuaksa would ever come here.

Tsukasa, keep going. Please. You still have Makino waiting for you.

"Shigeru! His heartbeat is decreasing by the minute!"

*

"DOUMYOUJI…TSUKASA!"

"Doumyouji!"

"Doumyouji, I love you."

Tsukasa reached out for Makino's hand, the smiling Makino. But he never seemed to be able to reach her. Something seemed to be pulling him back and it was growing stronger by the minute. No, he had to reach Makino. Makino.

"And oh my love,

I'm holding on forever,

Reaching for a love that seems so far.."

Makino, wait for me.

*

"Shigeru, look! His heartbeat is resuming to normal!"

"He's fighting back." Shigeru whispered. A wave of relief washed over her.

"Wheel him to the Intensive Care Unit." She ordered.

"Shigeru-san, shall I go and inform his family waiting outside?" The nurse asked. Shigeru paused.

"No, I shall do it myself."

Disclaimer: I do NOT own HYD. Lyrics for both chapters are taken from Westlife-My Love, which I also DO NOT own the rights to. Please don't sue me!! I still need my money to buy Christmas presents! ^^