Author's note: Hey guys! I, yet again, apologize for the delay of updates, but these may become frequent from now on because of the damned fact of school. Seriously, I barely have time for my precious PC anymore, and I don't write my chapters by hand because I hate making rough drafts, lol, which is probably why I kind of revised this whole fanfic yet again (like, a few weeks ago before updating this.) Heh, its like a curse of why I'm always doing that. ^_^ Well, I won't keep you up here any longer, so, read on now! 

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Final Fantasy VIII belongs to Squaresoft.

The Promise in a Kiss

~Chapter 8~

Unexpected Perplexity

-*****-

Pressure…lots of pressure.

He could feel the chemicals being injected into his very self, now dashing within him. Not being able to register the overbearing pain much longer, Squall began to vomit large amounts of blood. Crimson dripped down his face and onto the sheets…that were now turning into dark shades of red. The specially trained people around him tired to make Squall stop, but that, unfortunately, didn't cease his urge to involuntary discharge. He was gradually breaking down inside…and the drugs that were being given were of no useful help. His eyes were now blood-shot, the lids fluttering up and down, with the emergency room's intense aurora stinging his tender orbs. He tried to focus and dismiss the burning agony, but it was unmanageable. What had he done to feel this much pain? Squall's mind traveled back to those weeks…then days…then hours, when it all came back to him, just like last time. This reminiscing caused him so much stress, that Squall felt as if he would blackout there and now. However, there was one thing that bothered him the most.

That morning, why had he come out of Garden?

Sure, a possible answer would be to cease his constant thoughts of love and confusion…but something was missing to this puzzle. A big part that put all of those other pieces together…

Rinoa.

Indeed, she was the biggest part. Squall tried to think about her…the 'dream' he had…the kiss they shared…everything evolving around them. But, why would he want to blame the tragic events that recently happened to him on her? Yes, she started his distinct insanity, but what did she do? Nothing. So, what's the point? To put the blame on someone, maybe, but is that all? Besides, it was Squall's own fault that he decided to place the dare on her. One could think that Zell invented this idea, but did he force Squall to do it? Did he persuade him? Did he even make his roommate drink the beer? No, period. Squall did this on his own free will, and now he was dreadfully regretting everything.

Dr. Kadowaki watched Squall on the opposite side of the emergency room, though the glass windows. Her heart ached with sympathy at the sight before her. She had never seen him like this, at all. Squall had such a long life ahead of him, and now the way he would live it was drastically affected. There was some chance that his hearing and usage of legs could be brought back by surgery, but it was risky. Extremely risky. This means that with just the wrong touch, especially in his ears, that area, or worse, his blood, can get seriously infected. And that was never a good theory from Dr. Kadowaki's point of view. She had seen many injured people, and practically all of them that were similar to being in his critical position had died momentarily. They were young kids, too, and she did not want Squall to become a memory, just like them. Kadowaki decided to leave the scene before her for the time being. It was too painful to merely watch the anguished male…and she couldn't take it.

-*****-

Yawning, Rinoa squinted her gleaming eyes open and was met with the imagery via the only window in her dorm. She took a few moments to admire the beautiful weather before remembering her plans for the day.

Squall, she thought as a deep grin formed on her face. Rinoa would finally get the chance to speak with the guy, and know what in the hell he was thinking when he left her so suddenly. Though, the events that happened to Squall yesterday sent excruciating chills down her back.

I hope he'll be okay, Rinoa anticipated with deep concern. While worryingly grabbing the silver rings on her neck, she made her steps toward the bathroom, her first usual visit during the morning.

Once being done with her tasks, the raven-haired female was about to head to the lunchroom when an unexpected phone call delayed her plan. She walked rather hastily toward the object and picked the receiver up while glancing at the clock. The numbers very well said 9:02 A.M.

"Hello?"

"Hey, uh, Rin? This is Selphie…listen; remember when we said that we would call Squally today? Well, you'll have to do that yourself since I will be going somewhere…er…urgent today and tomorrow. So…is that okay with ya?"

"Of course…but where will you be going?"

"Well uh," she hesitated for a moment, "just…business. Yeah, typical business." A couple of giggles and squeaks in the background could have very well answered Rinoa's question.

Business? Humph, probably with Irvine...  "Okay then, no problem. Have fun, okay?"

The chirpy voice on the other side abided cheerfully and they both hung up after saying their good-byes.

"Well, someone surely has a busy schedule this morning," Rinoa murmured as she made her bed.  

After doing so, she prearranged a visit with her computer once being done with breakfast in the cafeteria. Classes would start at twelve-thirty in the afternoon today, so time wouldn't be a problem for this young lady.

Rinoa blew a kiss towards a certain letter lying on her desk before leaving the dormitory.   

I need to know, Squall. I need to know…

-*****-

"How long has he been out, K dawg?"

The doctor stared at Zell with visible confusion. "K, dawg?" she blinked, "what in heaven's name…oh, forget it," she merely waved the nickname off, moving to more important matters. "Squall," she sighed with a voice full of fear and worry, "he…I don't know what's in store for him, Mr. Dincht. Progress or no progress from yesterday, well, its hard to tell, if that's what you're thinking. I just don't understand how the hit could have paralyzed his lower body like that. We think that the impact must have sent ample impulses to his nerve supply and brain, causing such a catastrophe. We don't even know if this will be temporary, including the hearing loss. As much as I don't want to say it," she closed her eyes, "that and the paralysis might as well be permanent."

Zell winced at her words, cursing within himself of why he couldn't do something to stop Squall's intention of going outside that dreadful morning. Hearing loss? Those two words nagged at his soul. If it was that bad, this meant that his impaired friend wouldn't be able to talk anymore, even with aides. He clenched his fists with anger welling inside of him, as well as the abundant anguish.

Dr. Kadowaki put her hand on Zell's shoulder when she saw his head hang low, full of regret and sympathy. "I understand that this is a tragedy for all of us, but you must know that there is still hope. There always is," she stated.

The short male before her immediately threw his scalp up in frustration, ready to retort. "To all of us? What the hell do you mean?! The only people that actually know him in the best way we could are both you and I. Honestly, I don't think that anyone else really cares," Zell said with ample sadness.

The adult was dwelling with bewilderment. "Of course there are more people that care about him. What, you think that this Garden hires cold-hearted instructors that just do their jobs and not give a damn about whom they are teaching? I don't think so, Einstein. Try to think before you speak, because all you're really doing right now is perplexing me out of my mind. You should know better."

Zell sighed wearily as he stroked his temples. "I'm sorry, Doc. But these days, society can get so frickin' careless sometimes that us students have to live and learn in this big, cold building with people that don't even care, nor want to care, from what I see," he started. "No one will sympathize with Squall, they'll just gossip. It's like their everyday hobby—talking about people, not caring about them. That's right, only pitying half-heartedly and gossiping. That's all the bastards will ever do," he assured with pure hatred and sadness in his tone.

Kadowaki had to abide with his words. She would have screamed out of sheer rage because of all the truthfulness in Zell's former vocalization. He said it with such deep emotion, too, that it could have increased her rage if she had a much lesser temper. But, nonetheless, she was an adult, anyway. The maturity that comes along with it had a lot of its advantages in life, and it was quite the obvious during this era in her office.

"Well then, Zell. I guess time will tell whether or not Squall will get better. We'll just have to wait and see."

Dincht nodded, sadness still consuming his body. After a few moments, he left the room with total silence, not being able to sense Squall's weakened state in the infirmary any longer. Dr. Kadowaki could tell that he was trying his best to cope with the situation, and it was hard when no word of how the brunette was doing could be stated at the time.

This meant that it was going to be yet another long, painful diurnal course for her amidst this ascendancy of life. 

And she knew that with not a single doubt.

-*****-

While gracefully swiping the keycard through her room's lock with a trifle bit of eagerness, Rinoa pushed the door open after hearing the sound of an 'access granted' chime. She walked in with a stomach only half-full from her choice of breakfast in the cafeteria, and flopped down onto the desk chair. She almost immediately flipped her computer's switch on, and nonchalantly listened to the lovely tune emerging from a flock of birds outside her window as she waited patiently for her PC to finish starting up. Once it was, she went onto the Balamb Garden website online and searched its large database of students for a designated cadet. After typing in, 'Squall Leonhart' and hitting enter, a wide beam painted on her lips evidently explained the outcome. She clapped her hands together in relative excitement when Rinoa saw what she had wanted to see. Identification, a photo, and sole dormitory number of the person printed on the webpage were her expected prize. She couldn't help the happiness that was plastered all over her face, and did a blissful victory dance in return before printing out the page.

Rinoa snatched the paper after it emanated from her printer, and grinned passionately when she had another image of him, only this one not where he was critically injured, but beautiful. Plainly beautiful, just the way he was when they encountered each other.

She unhesitatingly grabbed her phone and jumped onto her bed, supine with the cozy covers. Whilst she was briskly dialing the Garden's main number, Rinoa stopped halfway. She realized that she hadn't thought anything out, like what she would say and such.

"Oh screw it," Heartilly blurted out after a few moments, deciding to follow her heart and gut when in the process of speaking with Squall, if she got to speak with him, or so, she hoped.

After her fingers rapidly pressed onto the appointed numbers, she waited ardently for someone to answer her call, her breathing fast and anxious.

Come on, pick up, pick up already…

Four rings within the telephone were heard when someone had finally answered it in Balamb Garden. Rinoa sighed out of pure relief when she heard them pick up.

"Hello?"

"Yes, um, hi. Can I please be redirected to Squall Leonhart?" she asked, her heart beating hastily.

The voice on the other end paused for a few seconds before replying. "Can you spell the last name of the person you would like to get redirected to?"

"O—okay," Rinoa stammered. "L-e-o-n-h-a-r-t."

"Hmm-hmm, I'll connect you to his dorm's phone right away."

"Thank you," Rinoa remarked, giving her full appreciation.

As the rings on the other line began all over again, she prayed that he would answer.

Squall, please be there...

After about five chimes, she began to give up hope that he was really there at the moment. And once the automatic answering machine came on, she decided to leave a message after it was done talking in its monotone voice.

"You have reached dormitory number 72. The person or persons you are trying to reach are not available at the—"

"Aiyo?" a masculine voice answered, cutting off the message machine, and catching Rinoa off guard. She instantly became aroused.

"Oh my God! Is this Squall? No wait—it can't be, no it is, right? Is this Squall? Holy Hyne…is it? Tell me!"

The mere mention of Squall made Zell sad again, after all he tried to do to stop thinking about the disaster his friend was in, and the regret and depression that came along with it. But after a couple of moments, the caller began to sink into his train of thoughts. Who would be calling Squall when he wasn't even there, and why were they sounding so familiar? And plus, a girl too? All of this was swarming within his head.

"Wha—what? Who is this?" he asked out of genuine perturbation, while scratching the back of his blonde-haired scalp.

Now it was Rinoa's turn to become bewildered. Had the secretary given her the wrong dorm room number, or was this really him? Besides, why would he be in his dormitory, sounding fine after being in a car accident so recently? 

Geez, I should have known better, but then again, who is THIS person on the other line? She was so confused now, much like Zell.

"Well, my name is Rinoa, but who are you? I don't recognize your voice."

With the bald acknowledgement of the caller's self, Zell's breathing halted promptly. 

He couldn't believe what he was hearing…

And that was dismaying him…drastically.

-*****-