Chapter Two: Getting Better

"What?" his parents asked, jumping from their chairs.

"Where is Izumi?" Kouji asked from his bed, his shoulder bandage coming loose.

"She left. She was tending to you earlier though," Mrs. Minamoto said while tying Kouji's bandages. "Are you close to this girl?"

"No."

"Then why did you say her name?"

"I don't know," Kouji said looking to the wall, reddening on the cheeks.

"Anyway, Kouji, we'll see your x-rays tomorrow to see what your condition is," Mrs. Minamoto replied.

"Does it hurt very much?"

"Well, it was excruciating when that stupid car hit me, but it doesn't hurt as much now but it still aches a lot and it hurts to move." Kouji said. Mr. Minamoto looked at his watch and said,

"Well, Kouji, it's almost eight. Visiting time will be over soon. We'll come by tomorrow as soon as we finish work."

"Bye mom, dad," Kouji said, pulling the covers and going to sleep. His parents left and turned the lights off. Kouji slowly sat up. It sort of hurt because of his shoulder. The moonlight lit his room and the dim lights and shadows crept though his window. He thought of all of today. If I'd ever occur to him that a car would hit him today, he wouldn't have roamed from his house. He wouldn't care if it was Kouichi someone else today, but why was it Orimoto? Of all people, it was she. Orimoto Izumi. Kouji had never admitted to anyone that he had feelings for Orimoto. He didn't think about her until this moment. He was mainly denying to himself also, trying to get the feelings away from him, but to no avail, it didn't work. Izumi was embedded in his memory. Why would she care about her? Izumi was an outgoing girl who transferred from Italy and speaks whatever comes to mind. On the other hand, Kouji was an introverted person who disliked the company of others. Although being in the Digital World changed that a bit, his attitude hadn't. He thought more about it. Orimoto was in the same situation as he usually was. Alone, standing out from everyone else, changing locations. The contemplating of the situation today made him sleepy and he fell asleep.

The next bright morning, Izumi woke up early. Her main concern was what Kouji's condition was. It was five in the morning and Izumi doubted visiting hours at the hospital had even started. Izumi didn't care and got ready anyway. She changed from her nightclothes to her school clothes. She went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and fixed her hair. Lastly, she put on her hat. She went to her room and grabbed her backpack. She ran down the stairs and grabbed her house keys. She got her fuchsia vest from the coat rack and closed the door quietly. Meanwhile, her mother whom just woke up and heard Izumi getting ready, thought, "Where is she going at this hour? School isn't even open yet."

Izumi walked fast to the subway and grabbed some bread on the way from street vendors so she wouldn't be hungry. She paid her fare and boarded the subway to Jiyuugaoka Hospital. She sat quietly in her seat and waited towards her destination. When she got there, she walked fast to the hospital and checked the clock. It was a quarter past five. She walked to the elevator, but the gift shop caught her eye. She walked there and saw some things that maybe would cheer Kouji. She quickly decided what to get since she was in such a hurry. She grabbed a small balloon which was inscripted, 'Get Well Soon!' and a card. She knew it was kind of dumb of her, but she wanted to make him feel better. She paid for it and went up the elevator. She walked to Kouji's room quietly and placed the balloon on his nightstand next to his bandanna and opened her bag to get a pen. She hastily wrote in the card saying,

'Hello Kouji. I hope you're well. I came by earlier this morning. I hope you get well soon.

Later, Orimoto Izumi.'

She put it in its envelope and set it next to the floating balloon. She sat there, sitting quietly. "I hope your well," Izumi whispered, and walked out the door, being careful not to make sounds. She walked out of the hospital and boarded the subway to school. She stared at the clock at the station. It was a quarter to six. School would open at that time and she could probably stay in the school library and read. While on the subway, she looked into her wallet where she realized she just spent her entire week's allowance. "Crud, how am I going to get to school and home later on?" she thought while on the way to school.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kouji flicked his eyelids as the sunrise lights entered his room. As he looked around his room from a sideways perspective he noticed a balloon floating around the ceiling. "Huh?" what's that?" he said. He turned his head to his nightstand. There was a card there. Except he couldn't reach it. "Damn it," he thought.

End Chapter 2: Getting Better.

Onto Chapter 3.