It had been 4 days and her condition hadn't changed. Yuki not even Hatori
could persuade Ayame to leave her side. For the first time he wanted to
help someone not just himself. Even when he wanted to help Yuki, Tohru was
there first so he couldn't do anything, but now she has no one and he can
help her.
Tohru was worried about Yuki as well as Ayame. Even though Yuki had resented and had said many things about Ayame he didn't hate him. At this point, Yuki was starting to feel like he wanted to help him somehow but didn't know how. They were like strangers and Tohru had done her best up to now to try and close the gap that had spread apart like a wild fire. But even though, Tohru had some influence on getting them closer. Everyday she urged Yuki to go visit Ayame and he would but would have nothing to say so he would leave. He would say hi and Ayame would look and smile and that would be it. Yuki would stand there and watch him, he did care about Kageshi but he didn't know her well enough to 'care' that much.
A week passed already since Yuki went to visit them in the hospital. He felt no need to be there since he had nothing to say or do. Yuki, Tohru and Kyo were just getting out of school. After class Tohru went up to Yuki and as they walked home she picked up a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Yuki, "Let's go visit them" she said with a happy smile "I'm sure Ayame- san would be happy to see you" Yuki smiled back and nodded in agreement.
Kyo who was behind them just followed, he wasn't sure but he still didn't figure out where he seen that uniform and slowly he was beginning to recognize her but couldn't pinpoint it out.
They arrived at the hospital only to find no one in the room, it was cleaned and up and ready for the next patient. As they walked out the door Yuki stopped one of the nurses and asked them what happened to the patient in that room and told them they had gone home. So they're next stop, the main house. Yuki really didn't want to go because of Akito but it couldn't be helped all he could hope for was Akito not to be there.
At the main house Hatori and Momoji were with Ayame at his house with Kageshi lying in bed. Shigure went to go visit Akito and update him.
"I just thought you would want to know that they've brought her back here to Ayame's place. Tohru and Hatsuharu are watching over Yuki." Akito laid there and turn to him, "and?" Shigure sat and smiled. "I knew she would be good for Yuki and Kyo as 'ugly' as she is." Shigure got up and left and went back to Ayame's place.
On his way there he met Yuki, Kyo and Tohru. "Oh Tohru-kun! Yuki-kun! Kyo- kun! How nice of you to come and get me" He said with a happy smile. Yuki, "We didn't come here for you."
"Yuki-kun how mean, I'm heartbroken."
"Don't be" Tohru, "Shigure-san we went by the hospital but" "Yes they brought her back here, Ha-san figured she would be better off here as well as Aya, he can treat her just the same here and Aya can be forced to go back to his room once in a while." Yuki stood there wanting to say something but Shigure caught him before he could, "He's inside."
They went inside and found she was awake sitting up straight and smiling. "Yuki-san"
"Please you don't have to be formal after all this time." She smiled more, "Yuki-kun, Tohru-san, Kyo-kun how nice to see you. Ayame- san is getting something to drink I can go get some for you if you like" As she was about to get Ayame walked in and practically forced her to stay down, "Don't get up you just came back from the hospital and you need to recover." Tohru, "I'll go get some." She went into the kitchen and just like herself Kageshi kept everything almost how she kept everything back at Shigure's house. Ayame followed her to help her along with Kyo and left Yuki alone with Kageshi.
He stood there not knowing what to say to her but he tried. "So how are you feeling? You gave some of us a scare, especially my." "I'm sorry to have troubled you all I really am a burden after all" her spirits weren't down and she didn't have a sorrowful face instead just smiled a bit. "No it's not that it's just, the only time. I . My.. I couldn't." "You were a great deal of help to Ayame-san, Yuki-kun." "Huh?" "Regardless of how you think and how you feel right now, you just being there for Ayame-san, coming almost everyday even if you didn't say anything he appreciated it and he knows now that you really care in your own way."
"How..?" "He told me. That he stayed with me the whole time I was in the hospital and that when you went to visit him and check on him it made him feel more comfortable and made him feel like he was getting a little closer to you everytime." "I was there to also visit you too."
"It's ok Yuki-kun, I understand you don't know me as well, if it were Tohru- san I'm sure you would act the same way would you not?" He didn't answer, "Don't worry please. Thank you for worrying about both of us."
He smiled, "I suppose you know they checked you in as his wife, right?"
"His wife?" She smiled and her body and face were flustered. "Why?"
"It would be easier and so no one would ask questions as to why we were taking care of a someone that was a complete stranger." The phrase 'complete stranger' echoed in her head and even though she wanted to cry she didn't and smiled and replied, "That's ok." 'I'm a complete stranger even still, well I can't be down they have done so much for me I can't be greedy.' She thought to herself.
The trio came back in along with Momoji and Hatori with tea for everyone. But the other's were ready to leave as they had school things to work on.
Hatori checked her pulse, as it was getting stronger, "I want you to stay in bed at least for 3 more days, make a recovery at least and I'll be back to check on you tomorrow." He packed up things; "Ayame" Ayame followed him.
"Tori-san?" "Ayame you need to rest too, you haven't been sleeping or eating right and if I said this in front of her she might feel guilty and want to run around taking care of you. You need to take care of yourself, Yuki is worried about and so are Shigure, Kyo and myself." Ayame smiled, "Tori-san doesn't need to worry about me, neither Gure-san."
Yuki, Kyo and Tohru walked out and left with Shigure and Ayame came back in only to find Kageshi gone. "Kage-chan! Where are you?" He yelled but no answer.
Already half way down the back road from the main house Kageshi took what she came with which was just her uniform and kept walking. As she was walking it began to rain and she stood only a block and a half away from the main house.
Ayame looked everywhere and saw as it started to rain harder. He was running around frantically and ran to Akito's place but saw no one except Akito and he left without saying anything. He ran all over the main house and Hatori finally saw him and stopped him.
"Ayame! What is wrong with you?" He asked him. Ayame looked beaten down, tired and worried. "She's gone! She left while we were talking, I can't find her anywhere." "She couldn't have gone far she still hasn't recovered" Hatori yelled for Momoji and told him to get Hatsuharu and look for her. Hatsuharu called Yuki and told him what happened.
"Yuki" "Haru?" "Kageshi is gone, your brother is losing it." He looked over at Ayame who looked like he wanted to jump out of his skin.
"Calm down Ayame we'll find her." "I should go out and look for her." Momoji came back with no luck, "Aya-san maybe she went for a walk she'll be back." "I'm going back." Ayame got up and left them and walked back by himself back to his place.
He walked in and every thing was as it was when she was there the only missing piece was, Kageshi.
Kageshi still standing in the rain was crying she didn't know why; well she did. She was in love with Ayame and one of her goals was never to let that happen. She stood there crying and Yuki's words echoed in her head, "Completed Stranger" she knows he didn't mean it that way, but that's what she felt like to all of them regardless of how well they've gotten to know each other and how close her and Ayame have gotten. She didn't feel like a stranger to him, but she couldn't bring herself to admit she was in love with him or admit her feeling to herself or him.
Shigure, Yuki, Tohru and Kyo arrived at the main house once again only to find Ayame lying in his room. They shut the door and sat around the table with Hatori there also. "Ha-san." Hatori looked at Shigure, he was really worried about Ayame because they've never seen him act like this before. Yuki, "What do we do?" Tohru, "Let's look some more."
Kyo, "Momoji and Haru have already looked and I looked around before we got here I didn't spot her anywhere."
Yuki, "Where could she be? Why would she leave? I thought she liked it here." He got up, "I'm going to ask him to go look for her." As he opened the door he was gone. "Ani-" Was shorted by a pause as he turned around. "He's gone too" They looked at the window as it was open.
Ayame had gone out through the back and started looking for her. That was one place none of them looked. He walked more and more and saw someone standing in the rain he squinted; as the rain wasn't helping his vision. He recognized her. She looked and saw him, turned around and started walking away. He ran after her and grabbed her arm and turned her around. She looked at him with teary eyes. "Why did you leave!? I was worried about you." "I have to leave" "Why?" She didn't answer. "You don't have to leave, I want you to stay" She turned around, "It just isn't working out here for me or you." And she started to walk away again but he grabbed her, turned her around and hugged her, "But I'm in love with Kage-chan! I want to be with her always with me." She couldn't believe her ears but she wasn't going to admit it to herself. "Why are you leaving? You knew I am in love with you don't you feel the same way?" She did but she just couldn't give in. She turned around, "I can't give you want you Ayame-san." Her back toward him she started crying and it was pouring down even harder. "Then Kage-chan never loved me? Then tell me that then." She was crying so hard now, it wasn't just the rain but her tears ran endlessly down her face. She turned around and looked at him crying, "I don't love you. It was all fake, everything was fake up to now. It's time for me to go."
"Then why are you crying?"
"These aren't tears it's the rain."
"Your lying!" and he grabbed her arms and shook her and she started to cry even more. Around, down the street Hatori, Yuki and Shigure found them and he was yelling at her. Yuki got the wrong impression and was going to stop him but Shigure stopped him. They walked closer though to see what was happening.
"Your lying Kage-chan!" "Stop calling me that! I'm not in love you! Every thing we shared and had was fake." As she kept saying this she wasn't looking at him in the eyes, which is why he didn't believe it. "Then look me in the eyes and tell me that" he said in a serious tone. She looked at him in the eyes and was quiet, but she didn't have to say anything the look in his eyes were for real, he is in love with her and she could see it; and her eyes she is in love with him but she wasn't going to admit to it so she looked him dead in the eyes and told him, "Kageshi is just a fake, I'm not in love with you.. I'm sorry but we are "Complete Strangers"." She turned around crying and started walking away. Ayame stood there with the rain pouring on him.
Yuki stood there and recalled that phrase, "Complete Stranger" he said aloud. "Huh?" Shigure said but Yuki said nothing but looked at a her back and his brother's back.
Tohru was worried about Yuki as well as Ayame. Even though Yuki had resented and had said many things about Ayame he didn't hate him. At this point, Yuki was starting to feel like he wanted to help him somehow but didn't know how. They were like strangers and Tohru had done her best up to now to try and close the gap that had spread apart like a wild fire. But even though, Tohru had some influence on getting them closer. Everyday she urged Yuki to go visit Ayame and he would but would have nothing to say so he would leave. He would say hi and Ayame would look and smile and that would be it. Yuki would stand there and watch him, he did care about Kageshi but he didn't know her well enough to 'care' that much.
A week passed already since Yuki went to visit them in the hospital. He felt no need to be there since he had nothing to say or do. Yuki, Tohru and Kyo were just getting out of school. After class Tohru went up to Yuki and as they walked home she picked up a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Yuki, "Let's go visit them" she said with a happy smile "I'm sure Ayame- san would be happy to see you" Yuki smiled back and nodded in agreement.
Kyo who was behind them just followed, he wasn't sure but he still didn't figure out where he seen that uniform and slowly he was beginning to recognize her but couldn't pinpoint it out.
They arrived at the hospital only to find no one in the room, it was cleaned and up and ready for the next patient. As they walked out the door Yuki stopped one of the nurses and asked them what happened to the patient in that room and told them they had gone home. So they're next stop, the main house. Yuki really didn't want to go because of Akito but it couldn't be helped all he could hope for was Akito not to be there.
At the main house Hatori and Momoji were with Ayame at his house with Kageshi lying in bed. Shigure went to go visit Akito and update him.
"I just thought you would want to know that they've brought her back here to Ayame's place. Tohru and Hatsuharu are watching over Yuki." Akito laid there and turn to him, "and?" Shigure sat and smiled. "I knew she would be good for Yuki and Kyo as 'ugly' as she is." Shigure got up and left and went back to Ayame's place.
On his way there he met Yuki, Kyo and Tohru. "Oh Tohru-kun! Yuki-kun! Kyo- kun! How nice of you to come and get me" He said with a happy smile. Yuki, "We didn't come here for you."
"Yuki-kun how mean, I'm heartbroken."
"Don't be" Tohru, "Shigure-san we went by the hospital but" "Yes they brought her back here, Ha-san figured she would be better off here as well as Aya, he can treat her just the same here and Aya can be forced to go back to his room once in a while." Yuki stood there wanting to say something but Shigure caught him before he could, "He's inside."
They went inside and found she was awake sitting up straight and smiling. "Yuki-san"
"Please you don't have to be formal after all this time." She smiled more, "Yuki-kun, Tohru-san, Kyo-kun how nice to see you. Ayame- san is getting something to drink I can go get some for you if you like" As she was about to get Ayame walked in and practically forced her to stay down, "Don't get up you just came back from the hospital and you need to recover." Tohru, "I'll go get some." She went into the kitchen and just like herself Kageshi kept everything almost how she kept everything back at Shigure's house. Ayame followed her to help her along with Kyo and left Yuki alone with Kageshi.
He stood there not knowing what to say to her but he tried. "So how are you feeling? You gave some of us a scare, especially my." "I'm sorry to have troubled you all I really am a burden after all" her spirits weren't down and she didn't have a sorrowful face instead just smiled a bit. "No it's not that it's just, the only time. I . My.. I couldn't." "You were a great deal of help to Ayame-san, Yuki-kun." "Huh?" "Regardless of how you think and how you feel right now, you just being there for Ayame-san, coming almost everyday even if you didn't say anything he appreciated it and he knows now that you really care in your own way."
"How..?" "He told me. That he stayed with me the whole time I was in the hospital and that when you went to visit him and check on him it made him feel more comfortable and made him feel like he was getting a little closer to you everytime." "I was there to also visit you too."
"It's ok Yuki-kun, I understand you don't know me as well, if it were Tohru- san I'm sure you would act the same way would you not?" He didn't answer, "Don't worry please. Thank you for worrying about both of us."
He smiled, "I suppose you know they checked you in as his wife, right?"
"His wife?" She smiled and her body and face were flustered. "Why?"
"It would be easier and so no one would ask questions as to why we were taking care of a someone that was a complete stranger." The phrase 'complete stranger' echoed in her head and even though she wanted to cry she didn't and smiled and replied, "That's ok." 'I'm a complete stranger even still, well I can't be down they have done so much for me I can't be greedy.' She thought to herself.
The trio came back in along with Momoji and Hatori with tea for everyone. But the other's were ready to leave as they had school things to work on.
Hatori checked her pulse, as it was getting stronger, "I want you to stay in bed at least for 3 more days, make a recovery at least and I'll be back to check on you tomorrow." He packed up things; "Ayame" Ayame followed him.
"Tori-san?" "Ayame you need to rest too, you haven't been sleeping or eating right and if I said this in front of her she might feel guilty and want to run around taking care of you. You need to take care of yourself, Yuki is worried about and so are Shigure, Kyo and myself." Ayame smiled, "Tori-san doesn't need to worry about me, neither Gure-san."
Yuki, Kyo and Tohru walked out and left with Shigure and Ayame came back in only to find Kageshi gone. "Kage-chan! Where are you?" He yelled but no answer.
Already half way down the back road from the main house Kageshi took what she came with which was just her uniform and kept walking. As she was walking it began to rain and she stood only a block and a half away from the main house.
Ayame looked everywhere and saw as it started to rain harder. He was running around frantically and ran to Akito's place but saw no one except Akito and he left without saying anything. He ran all over the main house and Hatori finally saw him and stopped him.
"Ayame! What is wrong with you?" He asked him. Ayame looked beaten down, tired and worried. "She's gone! She left while we were talking, I can't find her anywhere." "She couldn't have gone far she still hasn't recovered" Hatori yelled for Momoji and told him to get Hatsuharu and look for her. Hatsuharu called Yuki and told him what happened.
"Yuki" "Haru?" "Kageshi is gone, your brother is losing it." He looked over at Ayame who looked like he wanted to jump out of his skin.
"Calm down Ayame we'll find her." "I should go out and look for her." Momoji came back with no luck, "Aya-san maybe she went for a walk she'll be back." "I'm going back." Ayame got up and left them and walked back by himself back to his place.
He walked in and every thing was as it was when she was there the only missing piece was, Kageshi.
Kageshi still standing in the rain was crying she didn't know why; well she did. She was in love with Ayame and one of her goals was never to let that happen. She stood there crying and Yuki's words echoed in her head, "Completed Stranger" she knows he didn't mean it that way, but that's what she felt like to all of them regardless of how well they've gotten to know each other and how close her and Ayame have gotten. She didn't feel like a stranger to him, but she couldn't bring herself to admit she was in love with him or admit her feeling to herself or him.
Shigure, Yuki, Tohru and Kyo arrived at the main house once again only to find Ayame lying in his room. They shut the door and sat around the table with Hatori there also. "Ha-san." Hatori looked at Shigure, he was really worried about Ayame because they've never seen him act like this before. Yuki, "What do we do?" Tohru, "Let's look some more."
Kyo, "Momoji and Haru have already looked and I looked around before we got here I didn't spot her anywhere."
Yuki, "Where could she be? Why would she leave? I thought she liked it here." He got up, "I'm going to ask him to go look for her." As he opened the door he was gone. "Ani-" Was shorted by a pause as he turned around. "He's gone too" They looked at the window as it was open.
Ayame had gone out through the back and started looking for her. That was one place none of them looked. He walked more and more and saw someone standing in the rain he squinted; as the rain wasn't helping his vision. He recognized her. She looked and saw him, turned around and started walking away. He ran after her and grabbed her arm and turned her around. She looked at him with teary eyes. "Why did you leave!? I was worried about you." "I have to leave" "Why?" She didn't answer. "You don't have to leave, I want you to stay" She turned around, "It just isn't working out here for me or you." And she started to walk away again but he grabbed her, turned her around and hugged her, "But I'm in love with Kage-chan! I want to be with her always with me." She couldn't believe her ears but she wasn't going to admit it to herself. "Why are you leaving? You knew I am in love with you don't you feel the same way?" She did but she just couldn't give in. She turned around, "I can't give you want you Ayame-san." Her back toward him she started crying and it was pouring down even harder. "Then Kage-chan never loved me? Then tell me that then." She was crying so hard now, it wasn't just the rain but her tears ran endlessly down her face. She turned around and looked at him crying, "I don't love you. It was all fake, everything was fake up to now. It's time for me to go."
"Then why are you crying?"
"These aren't tears it's the rain."
"Your lying!" and he grabbed her arms and shook her and she started to cry even more. Around, down the street Hatori, Yuki and Shigure found them and he was yelling at her. Yuki got the wrong impression and was going to stop him but Shigure stopped him. They walked closer though to see what was happening.
"Your lying Kage-chan!" "Stop calling me that! I'm not in love you! Every thing we shared and had was fake." As she kept saying this she wasn't looking at him in the eyes, which is why he didn't believe it. "Then look me in the eyes and tell me that" he said in a serious tone. She looked at him in the eyes and was quiet, but she didn't have to say anything the look in his eyes were for real, he is in love with her and she could see it; and her eyes she is in love with him but she wasn't going to admit to it so she looked him dead in the eyes and told him, "Kageshi is just a fake, I'm not in love with you.. I'm sorry but we are "Complete Strangers"." She turned around crying and started walking away. Ayame stood there with the rain pouring on him.
Yuki stood there and recalled that phrase, "Complete Stranger" he said aloud. "Huh?" Shigure said but Yuki said nothing but looked at a her back and his brother's back.