28 days
by: purplerose28
Disclaimers apply: I don't own Slam Dunk characters… but I would like to own Rukawa and Sendoh (hehehe just kidding!!) I hope you'll like my story… Please send me all you're comments, suggestions and violent reactions!! My e-mail add is kitsune_rukawa11@yahoo.com... Thank you to those who reviewed my story!! ENJOY!!
~ Chapter 9 ~
"GET YOUR ASS IN RUKAWA'S ROOM!! A WEEK AND A DAY HAS ALREADY PAST SINCE I LAST TALK TO HIM AND YOU TWO HAVEN'T MAKE-UP YET!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?!" Hotaru asked yelling as she throws Kaemi out of their room and slammed the door.
"But Hotaru – "
"DON'T BUT BUT ME!! I WON'T LET YOU GET BACK IN HERE UNTIL YOU TALK TO RUKAWA!!" Hotaru yelled from inside.
"What will I tell him?! There isn't anything to talk about!!" Kaemi replied.
"What will you tell him?! You don't know what to tell him!! Come on Kaemi stop playing dumb… YOU KNOW VERY WELL WHAT TO TELL HIM!!" Hotaru said calmly at first but again she went back to yelling because of Kaemi.
"I really don't know what to tell him!!" Kaemi said innocently.
"Ok how about something like this… KAEDE RUKAWA I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!" Hotaru shouted.
"Hotaru SHUT UP!!" Kaemi exclaimed blushing. Hotaru's yelling was so loud that the other patient occupying the other rooms went out to look outside. "I'm so sorry for the noise but everything is alright you can all go back to your rooms." Kaemi apologized and she is blushing from head to foot.
"Now Kaemi if you don't get your ass to Rukawa's room I will yell again!!" Hotaru said.
"Ok… I'm going!!" Kaemi said and started to walk away. "Dam it Hotaru is such a pain in the ass!! I can't talk to Rukawa and tell him I LOVE HIM!! I'm not so stupid to tell him that. For sure he'll laugh at me." Kaemi thought. When the elevator opened she went inside still thinking. "But I can't go back to our room Hotaru won't let me inside… what will I do?!" Kaemi thought then suddenly she yelled. "AAAHHH!!"
People inside the elevator all look at her with a shocked expression written all over their faces. Kaemi didn't notice that she is surrounded by people because she was deep in her thoughts when she noticed it was already too late. She went out of the elevator with a flush face and was apologizing non-stop to the people inside. She walks to the hallway and stop outside Rukawa's room.
"Ok… Kaemi calm down and take a deep breath you can do this. You really don't have to tell him you love him just go inside and talk to him casually as if nothing happened." Kaemi told herself. "Ah!! I remember I have to talk to him about Haruko… yes that's a good topic to talk about!!" Kaemi thought. "Ok here it goes." Kaemi said and quietly open the door but she stop before she even get inside when she heard someone talking.
"Good news Mr. Rukawa you don't have to stay here in the hospital any longer. According to the test results and the findings that we have you are recovering fast and the exact day you'll be discharge is on the 28th of the month that's this coming Sunday …"
"He is leaving on Sunday." Kaemi said shocked. "Today is Thursday it means after three days he is leaving…" Kaemi thought. "No… I'm sure he doesn't want to leave yet… Hotaru told me he wanted to talk to me… I'm sure he isn't happy to hear that news." Kaemi thought.
"Who are you trying to convince?! You know very well that Rukawa wanted to go home from the very first day he came here. I'm sure he can't wait to leave YOU!!" Her conscience said.
"NO!! That's not true!! I'm sure he wanted to stay longer… just a little longer..." Kaemi said to herself.
"I know you've been wanting to go back home and I am sure you are so happy now that you are leaving after three days." The doctor said from inside Rukawa's room.
"See he isn't answering that means he is not happy to hear the news." Kaemi thought.
"Yeah I can't wait to get the hell out of here!!" Rukawa said.
"WHAT?! NO!! HE DIDN'T SAY THAT!! YOU DON'T MEAN THAT, RIGHT?!" Kaemi's mind exclaimed shocked at Rukawa's answer.
"In your dreams girl!!" Her conscience said.
"At last I can leave this hell." Rukawa said as if he is answering Kaemi's questions.
"See?! NOW do you believe me?! He thinks this place is hell and he wanted to leave and that means he doesn't want to see you ever again!!" Her conscience said.
"No!! He is lying… I know he is trying to act cool and impassive but the truth he cares for me… he said it to me and he called me sweetheart." Kaemi said convincing her other self.
"I suggest you Mr. Rukawa to take your time and visit your friends here… I'm sure they'll miss you." The doctor suggested to Rukawa.
"No need for that!! I don't have friends here and I don't care, want and need anyone." Rukawa said with his blank voice.
"HAHAHA!! Did you say anything sweetheart?! Did I hear it right he doesn't care, want and need anyone?! Does that include you?!" Her conscience asked cruelly.
"I hate you… I HATE YOU RUKAWA!!" Kaemi exclaimed and then she runs away.
~~**~~
"Who is that?! Did you hear anything?!" The doctor asked.
"Kaemi!!" Rukawa thought as he looks at his door and saw it open. "Did she hear what I said?!" Rukawa asked his self.
The doctor went to the door and look for whoever might be there but when he looked outside no one was there so he went back inside. "Nobody was there. Oh well, remember what I said Mr. Rukawa you can't play basketball yet after you leave the hospital you need one more month to rest and after a month you have to go back foe check up. Understood?!" The doctor asked.
"I understand." Rukawa replied.
"I'll be going now… see you next Sunday." The doctor said and then he left.
"She heard it!! I know she did!! Great Rukawa you are so damn great you just blown your chance of seeing Kaemi again. She came here maybe to finally talk to you and look what you did!! You are so very STUPID!!" He said to his self.
"What are you complaining about?! The very first day you step your foot in here all you wanted was to leave and now that you are leaving you are still complaining!! What's the matter with you?!" His conscience asked.
"But if I leave I won't see Kaemi and Hotaru again. I enjoyed being with them and I have never been so happy in my whole life!!" He replied.
"So your saying that you wanted to stay here and forever be bored in this damn hospital… is that what are you trying to say?!" His other self asked angrily.
"Yes!! I wanted to be with them… to be with Kaemi." He replied.
"Oh great!! The all so mighty, so arrogant and so heartless Kaede Rukawa wanted to be with Kaemi. Since when did you start to care for her?!" His conscience asked.
"I don't know!! I just want to be with her a little longer… I have learned to care for her that I wanted to stay beside her as long as I can." Rukawa replied.
"OH MY GOD!! The all so mighty, so arrogant and so heartless Kaede Rukawa suddenly became so over-sentimental and so mushy mushy because of a girl!! That is so nice Rukawa but I don't think that's what she heard a moment ago!!" His conscience said. "Do you remember something like this?! Yeah I can't wait to get the hell out of here!! How about this one?! At last I can leave this hell!! Oh here is another one. No need for that!! I don't have friends here and I don't care, want and need anyone!! Hmmm… do you remember those words?! I don't know if I'm wrong or anything but from what I can remember it was you who said that!!" His other self said.
Rukawa wasn't able to say anything. He knew he said that but he just said it and he didn't mean it. He is just trying to convince his self that he doesn't care about anyone and he can leave without Kaemi that all he wanted to do was to go back to his old meaningless and boring life. But even how much he repeats that to his self over and over he knew all of it was a lie.
"I truly care for her… I really do." Rukawa said.
"Yeah right!! You CARE for her… I can see that very clearly!! You sure have a unique way of showing it and I bet she felt it!!" His conscience said sarcastically.
"Will you shut up and leave me alone!! Mind your own business!!" Rukawa exclaimed.
"Mind my own business?! Oh that's a very nice suggestion!! I wish I can do that!! But I can't!! You know why?!" His conscience asked. Let's see… ummm first… Do you know who I am?! I am your conscience and you know what conscience's business is?! YOU are MY business!! The all so mighty, so arrogant and so heartless Kaede Rukawa is my damn business!! So whether you like it or not you have to deal with me!! Understood?!" He asked.
"Would you stop the all so mighty thing, it's annoying!! And one more thing go to hell!!" Rukawa said as he lies down and closed his eyes.
"Oh wow groovy!! Isn't that cute you wanted me to go to hell!! Oh will you be so compassionate to bring me there!! I don't know the way can you please show me!!" His conscience said.
"Whatever." Rukawa simply said.
"RUKAWA LISTEN TO ME!!" His conscience shouted. "Do you remember what Hotaru said?! In a month Kaemi will be leaving and do you want to know when the exact day she will be going?! It's on Monday… four days from now!!" His conscience said.
Rukawa sat up straight and look at the calendar hanging on the wall. "Today is Thursday the 27th of the month, only four days left before Kaemi…" Rukawa's thought was interrupted by his conscience.
"Now do you understand what I am trying to tell you?! If no I'll explain so shut up!!" His conscience said. "You came here on the 2nd of the month and 25 days has already passed since that day. On the 28th of the month that is 3 days from now you are leaving and after that day you leave the next day is the last day of the month which means Kaemi is going to…." He was interrupted by Rukawa.
"STOP IT!! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!! SHUT UP!!" Rukawa exclaimed.
"Rukawa I am who you are and I feel how you feel and what I am trying to do is to lessen the pain that you are going to feel… the pain we are going to feel when Kaemi leave… I can't also accept the fact that she is going to leave you…us. I don't think I can be by her side until her last breath… for the past days we spent here we have experienced things we haven't experienced before and I don't regret any of it... I enjoyed all of it. And I know you are confused of all these emotions that you are feeling and I don't think we have the courage and strength to see her leave… to see her die… so before that happened I think we should go as well…" His conscience said sadly.
"Kaemi…I think I can't." Rukawa said as he drifted to sleep not knowing the tears falling from his eyes.
~~**~~
Hotaru was lying on her bed when she heard somebody knock and she quickly gets up knowing it was Kaemi. She can't wait to hear what happened between Kaemi and Rukawa and she want every detail of it as in everything!!
"But isn't it too fast… what could have happened between the two?! I hope it went well!!" Hotaru thought as she opens the door and when she opened it Kaemi was there her head bowed down and she was silent as she walks inside their room. "Hey there!! What happened?! Did he tell you he loves you too?! Did you two kiss?!" Hotaru asked but Kaemi remained quiet and went inside the bathroom. "Hellloooo there!! Kaemi are you in there?!" Hotaru asked as she follows Kaemi.
Kaemi pushed Hotaru out of the bathroom and she remained quiet the whole time she was inside. Hotaru was so surprised to see Kaemi's teary eyes that she wasn't able to say anything when she is shoved outside the bathroom.
"Kaemi… Kaemi please talk to me. Tell me what happened… what did Rukawa said?!" Hotaru asked gently knowing that Kaemi and Rukawa's talk didn't went well. She knew it from the looks on Kaemi's face. But still Hotaru didn't get any answer from Kaemi when she went out of the bathroom.
"KAEMI WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!! TALK TO ME!!" Hotaru yelled she wasn't able to stop herself from yelling because she gotten so pissed off on the way Kaemi was acting.
"What happened?!" Kaemi said calmly as she stops walking and face Hotaru. "YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?! WELL WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT I DIDN'T TALK TO HIM!! WHY?! BECAUSE I DON'T WHAT TO!!" Kaemi exclaimed getting angry. "WHY?! BECAUSEI DON'T WANT TO SEE HIS DAMN STUPID FACE!!" Kaemi yelled as she went ballistic. "DID YOUR DENSE MIND GET IT??! DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER NONSENSE QUESTION?! IF YOU DON'T HAVE, GET YOUR FACE AWAY FROM ME!!" Kaemi shouted.
Hotaru was taken a back by Kaemi's sudden outburst of emotion. She didn't know what happened between her and Rukawa to make her that mad. Hotaru quickly run out of the room with tears in her eyes.
Kaemi remained standing in her position for a long time as she catches her breath. She hadn't shouted that way before not in her entire life and somehow it help ease her feelings but that made matters worst. "I shouldn't have shouted that way to Hotaru… I hurt her… she is just trying to help me…your so stupid Kaemi!! VERY STUPID!!" Kaemi shouted at herself. She went to her bed and lie down looking at the ceiling. For a long time she stayed that way not noticing the tears that was falling from her eyes. "I'll be left alone again… alone… Hotaru… I'm so sorry… Rukawa… goodbye…" Kaemi whispered as she drifted to sleep with tears in her eyes.
~~**~~
Hotaru continued to run while still crying she was so badly hurt with the way Kaemi yelled at her. She never thought Kaemi would ever yell at her like that.
"I shouldn't have asked her too much question." Hotaru thought. "I should have asked her properly. STUPID HOTARU!! NOW LOOK WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING SO NOSY!! STUPID!! STUPID!!" She yelled at herself.
Then suddenly she feels as if she can't breathe and everything around her started to spin. Hotaru stop for a while to catch her breath as she leans to the wall when she felt she is loosing her balance. She closed her eyes and gently massages her forehead to ease the pain she suddenly felt. But still the pain won't go away she still can't breathe and her chest felt so tight. "Kaemi I'm… I'm so sorry… Hotaru whispered then everything went black.
~~**~~
"Everything around me was so bright and white when I opened my eyes… I quickly closed my eyes because it can't handle the brightness surrounding me…then slowly I opened them trying to adjust to my surroundings… after a while I was able to open them fully… I started to walk and walk with nowhere to go… as I look around still everything was so white and empty…"
"Where am I?! What is this place?! Hello!! Anybody here?! I shouted… Nobody answered. I shouted over and over but still I got no reply… I continue to walk letting my feet take me wherever it will lead me…then when I felt as if I can't take another step I saw a woman standing before me… her back turned around against me… I walk towards her and when I was a foot away from her, she turned around and who I saw shocked me…"
"Mom?! I heard myself said and I felt my heart flutter with so much happiness… I haven't seen my mom for a year and I missed her so much… she was looking at me with a sweet and heart-warming smile and I can't help but to throw myself to hug her… but I wasn't able to touch her and I found myself on the floor… she disappeared… I look around and started to run…"
" MOM!! MOM!! WHERE ARE YOU?! MOM!! I ran and ran but I can't find her… MOM!! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!! MOM!! I screamed at the top of my lungs but she didn't show up… I fall on my knees and started to cry… Mom, where are you?! I need you so much!! Please come back Mom don't leave me… I whispered and I continued to cry and cry until I felt my eyes slowly close…"
"When I opened my eyes I thought I was just dreaming but as I look around everything was still the same… I felt my body was so heavy and weak but still I forced myself to stand… I started to walk again but the scene around me is endless… then suddenly I heard somebody crying… I stopped and look around but no one was there… I started to run following the sound but still everything around me is the same and the crying still sounds so far… I started to feel tired again and I stop and closed my eyes trying to catch my breath… when I opened my eyes she was there… a little girl was in front of me… she was looking at me with tears in her eyes and pain reflecting in her face… I know I've seen her face before but I can't put my finger into it and all I can do was to look at her… I wanted to touch her and comfort her but I am afraid that if I touch her she will disappear just like my mom… I shook my head and convinced myself that I am just hallucinating again just like the image of my mom… and when I opened my eyes she was gone… I felt relief and I close my eyes again and took a deep breath… when I opened my eyes once again I saw a taint of red on the floor… I look forward and there is more red stain on the floor… I can feel hair all over my body rise… I can feel the fast and loud beating of my heart… as the red stain on the floor expand my body started to shiver and I felt very nervous… I stop from walking and closed my eyes… what is happening to me?! Where am I?!"
"Calm down Kaemi… calm down… I said to myself still my eyes closed… then suddenly the little girl's image flashed in my mind but she was afar and I can't see her face… her hand was extended as if she was reaching for me…she was crying and yelling…
"Help me!! Help me!!"
"She yelled… her voice was full of anguished and pain… I can fell her sorrow piercing through my heart that I opened my eyes to make it go away… when my eyes were open everything around me is so red… it's so red just like… blood… I felt scared my whole body was trembling with so much fear…I closed my eyes again…"
"What is this?! Why am I here?! Let me out of here!! I shouted over and over still my eyes was closed… I am afraid that when I open my eyes I will saw all the blood surrounding me… Anybody please help me… I whispered as I started to cry and cry… that is all I can do… I felt so scared and helpless… then suddenly I felt cold and wet hands touching my face… I wanted to open my eyes to find out who was holding me but I'm afraid… suddenly I heard somebody spoke…"
"Help me…please I need you… I need you… "
"I heard her say… it was the same voice as the girl who was crying for help…… I forced myself to open my eyes… I want to help her and reach for her but the fear was there… I can feel her hands slowly drifting down my jaw then my neck… my arms, stomach… legs and my feet… then the hands were gone… I quickly opened my eyes a mirror was in front of me and I saw myself covered with so much blood… I don't believe what I see in the mirror telling myself it was just one of the mirages that I saw earlier… I touched my cheeks… It felt cold and wet… I looked at my hands and it was covered with blood… I wanted to scream but I can't find my voice… my body started to shudder again…"
"What is this?! Is this my blood?! I asked myself… I remained standing looking at the mirror… I started to wipe the blood on my cheeks but my hands were covered with blood too… my tears were falling non-stop…I told myself to remain calm that all of this is mere illusion… I repeated it over and over… I can't believe all that was happening… I don't want to believe it… NO!! I turned around my eyes closed not wanting to look at my reflection on the mirror or my surroundings that was covered with blood…"
"Help me Kaemi…"
"The voice called-out again… without my consent my eyes opened and what I saw made my heart stopped from beating, my breath left my lungs, my body trembled and I lost the very little control I have… standing before me her hands extended and her body covered with blood was…"
~~**~~
"Kaemi!! Kaemi!! Wake up!!" Nurse Joy yelled as she shook Kaemi.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Kaemi screamed as she bolted from her bed. Her face was a picture of pure shocked and terror. Her body was covered with so much sweat, her body was shaking madly.
"Kaemi!! Kaemi!! What is happening?!" Nurse Joy asked and she was starting to get scared on the way Kaemi was acting. "Kaemi calm down and take a deep breath!! Kaemi listen to me!! Kaemi can you hear me?! Nurse Joy asked when Kaemi was having hard time breathing. "Kaemi breathe!!" Nurse Joy said over and over but it was as if Kaemi can't hear her then all of a sudden Kaemi pass out. "KAEMI!!"
~~**~~
"KAEMI!!" Rukawa yelled, his body was shivering and he was perspiring. He was napping when all of a sudden he saw Kaemi's body falling cold and motionless on the floor. He quickly stands up to check on Kaemi but he losses his balance because of his injured leg and he accidentally bumped the table where the vase is place containing the flower that Kaemi gave him the vase fell and shattered into pieces. He looked at the flower, it was brown and dry. It has lost its beauty and now it lies on the floor lifeless…
"She will soon be like that." His mind said and he quickly removes the thought away. He rested his back on the bed again and tried to calm his self. "Kaemi I missed you so much…" He whispered. "Why do I have to dream about it?!" Rukawa asked his self. "I don't want it…" He continued then a thought struck him. "What if that dream means…" Rukawa didn't finish his thought and he quickly but carefully get on his wheelchair.
"No that can't be…" Rukawa said to his self worried that his dreams means something happened to Kaemi so he hurried to Kaemi's room.
When the elevator door opened Rukawa went out and when he was about to continue he saw nurses and doctors hurrying pushing a bed. Rukawa's worse fear came as he saw Kaemi lying on the bed with a doctor giving her a CPR and a nurse were giving her oxygen through a device. (Sorry I dunno what it is called but it's the one that they put in your mouth then squeeze it… you know something like that… watch 911… hehehehe!!) Before Rukawa can even open his mouth to talk the elevator door has already closed.
"Rukawa!!" Somebody called and he looked at who it was. "Nurse Joy!!" Rukawa said recognizing the nosy nurse. "What happened to Kaemi?!" Rukawa immediately asked.
"I came to her room to tell her about Hotaru and then I saw her asleep. She was shuddering and she is grasping for breath and her body is covered with sweat…I think she was having a nightmare I tried to wake her up and when she woke up she is barely breathing and her body is still shaking and I tried talking to her but as if she doesn't hear me." Nurse Joy said alarmed. "Then suddenly she collapsed. I thought she just lost her consciousness but when I check her heartbeat it has stopped… I was so scared that she might be dead so I quickly called for help… when the doctors arrived they tried to recover her heartbeat but wasn't able to so they decided to bring her to the emergency room." Nurse Joy said breathlessly.
"So that's what the dream is all about…" Rukawa thought. "No Kaemi please be alright…" Rukawa whispered.
"Oh God, I hope she will be fine." Nurse Joy said worriedly.
"Don't die Kaemi…please." Was all Rukawa able to say.
~ End of Chapter 9 ~
AN: So what'cha think?! Just want to ask… the conscience-talking-arguing thingy that I did…is it stupid or corny?! Hehehehe… I hope not!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!! See yah!!