Falling Into Place
Chapter Two- Reunion
Takeo was having a fitful night. Every hour or so, he would wake up from a nightmare bathed in cold sweat. That night, something just felt wrong. Takeo kept dreaming about a vague image of a girl and then getting hit by a car.
Once again, Takeo woke up breathing heavily.
"Oh damn..." Takeo rubbed his eyes, "I must have eaten something rotten."
As if on cue, the phone started to ring. Takeo yawned and picked up the phone.
"Hello? Takeo Takakura here." Said Takeo sleepily.
"This is Takeo, right?" said a strained female voice. The woman seemed to be vying for control.
"Mrs. Aburatsabo?" asked Takeo who was getting worried.
"Takeo, something bad has happened. Something very bad..." said Ayanojou's mother who was on the verge of tears.
"Wait a minute, something bad has happened to whom?" Takeo's eyes widened in realization, "Ayanojou?"
"Yes." croaked Mrs. Aburatsabo. "Takeo, I know you're such a good friend of my muffin. Maybe you can help. Would you please come over here?"
"Yes, alright." Takeo started to pull on a pair of pants, "Could you tell me what hospital?"
Takeo shuddered involuntarily. His dreams were a dark premonition of what had happened yesterday...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The next day...
Sae was not her usual self that morning. Something just didn't feel right. Last night, she had called up Nanaka expressing that feeling. Nanaka had felt the same thing. But she dismissed it, saying it must be some kind of illness or what.
Out of restlessness, Sae also called up Akane. But when Sae called Akane, she didn't seem affected at all. So Sae just ignored the strange feeling she was having and went to bed.
She was awakened however by the ringing of the phone beside her.
"He-hello?" she stuttered yet again.
"Sae? It's me, Takeo."
"Oh! Takeo I uh well why-" Sae turned red, "Why did you call, Takeo?"
Usually, Takeo would be all cheerful when he spoke to Sae. But now, he seemed very serious about something. Sae wondered what it could be.
"Sae, there's been an accident." Said Takeo gravely.
"Accident? No way! Are you hurt, Takeo?" exclaimed Sae.
"No, Sae, it's not me. It's Ayanojou."
"Wha-what's happened?"
"He got hit by a car..."
"That's terrible!"
"Sae, could you please tell Akane and Nanaka for me? I'm staying by Aya's bed side and I'm a little tired. We're in the local hospital."
"Y-yes of course! How is he?"
"He's fine but... I'll explain it later when you three girls get here..."
Takeo hung up without another word. Sae scrambled out of her bed and dressed quickly. She fumbled with the buttons of her shirt for a few minutes until she finally buttoned everything up. She then proceeded to call Nanaka.
-=-=-=-=-
At the hospital...
Nanaka, Sae and Akane entered the hospital room of Aya. A tired Takeo opened the door for them. In one corner, they saw Mrs. Aburatsabo asleep on a couch. In another was the open window, and sunshine was streaming through it.
And there on the bed... bandaged and connected to life support devices was an unconscious Aya with his beautiful hair strewn around his face.
"Oh my god!" whispered Nanaka.
"Aya-chan!" said Sae, running to Aya's bed.
Akane was speechless. She had never gone through anything like this before. It was such a shock to her. Takeo guided her to a chair.
"What's happened to him, Takeo?" asked Nanaka, eyes brimming with tears.
"He got hit by a car." Replied Takeo.
Sae tried to smile. "Well, he's okay now isn't he? He should be able to wake up!"
"Sae, I don't think you should..." started Takeo.
Sae took Aya's hand and squeezed it.
"Aya! Please wake up!" said Sae.
Akane ran to Aya's side as well.
"What's wrong with him?" said Akane, bursting into tears.
"Aya! Aya! It's Sae! Please wake up." Repeated Sae who was crying as well.
Aya did not stir.
"Aya! Please... please wake up..." said Sae in between her tears.
Takeo looked away. Nanaka seemed to know already exactly what was wrong with Ayanojou. That was why Nanaka was sobbing into her hands.
"AYA! Wake up!" said Sae, who was bawling by now.
Nanaka couldn't stand it anymore. "Stop it, Sae!" she shouted.
"Oh, Nanaka... what's wrong with him?" Sae embraced Nanaka.
"Don't you see it, Sae?" Nanaka croaked. "He's in a coma!"
"Then he may... he may never wake up!" Akane broke off with a sob.
-=-=-=-=-
Meanwhile, in Aya's subconscious...
"Oww..." said Aya, "Where am I?"
Aya opened his eyes and found himself in a wide grassy field. He stood up and looked around.
"Wait a minute... I was just hit by a car..." Aya suddenly thought of something very scary. "AM I DEAD?!"
Aya pinched himself, hoping to wake in the real world. Nothing happened. His arm just hurt.
"No, this is not true! NO! NOOOO!!! I can't be dead!!!" Aya shouted at the top of his lungs, with wide and terrified eyes.
Suddenly, he heard somebody giggling behind him. He turned around and saw... Sajuko.
"Who— Sajuko! You! You killed me!" said Aya.
Now, this would've been funny if not for the serious circumstances we're in. Sajuko threw her head back and laughed.
"This is funny." Said Sajuko cheerfully, with her hair blown by a soft wind.
"What's so funny about getting killed?!" retaliated Aya.
"Correction. I tried to get you killed. But you're not exactly dead right now." Said Sajuko, smiling.
"What do you mean?" At this time, Aya's face was contorted with fury, "You killed me, I saw it with my own two eyes!"
"Oh? No, you're not dead yet. I assure you." Replied Sajuko.
"Then what's happened to me?"
"You're in a coma."
"A coma?"
"Yes. Here, let me show you what's happening now in the real world." Sajuko moved her hand and the whole scenery dissolved into a big screen.
Aya watched Nanaka, Sae and Akane crying over him. He also saw Takeo, standing in the corner. Then he saw his mother, sleeping on the couch. This touching scene really melted his heart. He had a feeling that this was what was really happening.
He was beginning to believe what Sajuko was telling him.
"How long have I been in this coma?" asked Aya.
"Not too long. Just a day."
"Will I ever wake up?"
"It depends if you want to."
"I do! I want to go back now! Everybody's worried about me! My mom must have cried herself to sleep!"
Sajuko flicked her hand and the grassy field scenery came back again.
"Are you so sure?" said Sajuko with another mysterious smile.
"Of course!"
"You are willing to go back and get hurt again?"
"Get hurt?"
"Yes. You're confused, aren't you? You like Takeo. But you like Nanaka as well. And this is causing you pain..." Sajuko placed herself beside Aya.
Aya knitted his brow. "What are you talking about? I like only Takeo..."
"Oh my dear Aya... Don't deny the truth." Sajuko embraced Aya.
"Stop it. I've forgotten all about Nanaka."
"Ssshh... you don't need to lie to me..."
"I am not lying!" Aya released himself from Sajuko's embrace.
"Then, you're saying you hate Nanaka."
"No! I don't hate Nanaka! I like her... but only as a friend."
"It's either you love one and hate the other."
"I don't hate her!"
"Aya, don't you hate her for hurting you? Don't you hate her for confusing you about your feelings for Takeo? Don't you hate her for just existing?"
"I... I don't hate her, stop saying those things!"
"But you say you don't love her either. What is it, Aya, love or hate?"
"I- I don't know! I don't want to talk about it..."
Aya walked away from Sajuko, fighting the urge to cry.
"Oh Aya... if you would only listen to your heart..."
With those words, Sajuko disappeared from Aya's subconscious.
Chapter Two- Reunion
Takeo was having a fitful night. Every hour or so, he would wake up from a nightmare bathed in cold sweat. That night, something just felt wrong. Takeo kept dreaming about a vague image of a girl and then getting hit by a car.
Once again, Takeo woke up breathing heavily.
"Oh damn..." Takeo rubbed his eyes, "I must have eaten something rotten."
As if on cue, the phone started to ring. Takeo yawned and picked up the phone.
"Hello? Takeo Takakura here." Said Takeo sleepily.
"This is Takeo, right?" said a strained female voice. The woman seemed to be vying for control.
"Mrs. Aburatsabo?" asked Takeo who was getting worried.
"Takeo, something bad has happened. Something very bad..." said Ayanojou's mother who was on the verge of tears.
"Wait a minute, something bad has happened to whom?" Takeo's eyes widened in realization, "Ayanojou?"
"Yes." croaked Mrs. Aburatsabo. "Takeo, I know you're such a good friend of my muffin. Maybe you can help. Would you please come over here?"
"Yes, alright." Takeo started to pull on a pair of pants, "Could you tell me what hospital?"
Takeo shuddered involuntarily. His dreams were a dark premonition of what had happened yesterday...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The next day...
Sae was not her usual self that morning. Something just didn't feel right. Last night, she had called up Nanaka expressing that feeling. Nanaka had felt the same thing. But she dismissed it, saying it must be some kind of illness or what.
Out of restlessness, Sae also called up Akane. But when Sae called Akane, she didn't seem affected at all. So Sae just ignored the strange feeling she was having and went to bed.
She was awakened however by the ringing of the phone beside her.
"He-hello?" she stuttered yet again.
"Sae? It's me, Takeo."
"Oh! Takeo I uh well why-" Sae turned red, "Why did you call, Takeo?"
Usually, Takeo would be all cheerful when he spoke to Sae. But now, he seemed very serious about something. Sae wondered what it could be.
"Sae, there's been an accident." Said Takeo gravely.
"Accident? No way! Are you hurt, Takeo?" exclaimed Sae.
"No, Sae, it's not me. It's Ayanojou."
"Wha-what's happened?"
"He got hit by a car..."
"That's terrible!"
"Sae, could you please tell Akane and Nanaka for me? I'm staying by Aya's bed side and I'm a little tired. We're in the local hospital."
"Y-yes of course! How is he?"
"He's fine but... I'll explain it later when you three girls get here..."
Takeo hung up without another word. Sae scrambled out of her bed and dressed quickly. She fumbled with the buttons of her shirt for a few minutes until she finally buttoned everything up. She then proceeded to call Nanaka.
-=-=-=-=-
At the hospital...
Nanaka, Sae and Akane entered the hospital room of Aya. A tired Takeo opened the door for them. In one corner, they saw Mrs. Aburatsabo asleep on a couch. In another was the open window, and sunshine was streaming through it.
And there on the bed... bandaged and connected to life support devices was an unconscious Aya with his beautiful hair strewn around his face.
"Oh my god!" whispered Nanaka.
"Aya-chan!" said Sae, running to Aya's bed.
Akane was speechless. She had never gone through anything like this before. It was such a shock to her. Takeo guided her to a chair.
"What's happened to him, Takeo?" asked Nanaka, eyes brimming with tears.
"He got hit by a car." Replied Takeo.
Sae tried to smile. "Well, he's okay now isn't he? He should be able to wake up!"
"Sae, I don't think you should..." started Takeo.
Sae took Aya's hand and squeezed it.
"Aya! Please wake up!" said Sae.
Akane ran to Aya's side as well.
"What's wrong with him?" said Akane, bursting into tears.
"Aya! Aya! It's Sae! Please wake up." Repeated Sae who was crying as well.
Aya did not stir.
"Aya! Please... please wake up..." said Sae in between her tears.
Takeo looked away. Nanaka seemed to know already exactly what was wrong with Ayanojou. That was why Nanaka was sobbing into her hands.
"AYA! Wake up!" said Sae, who was bawling by now.
Nanaka couldn't stand it anymore. "Stop it, Sae!" she shouted.
"Oh, Nanaka... what's wrong with him?" Sae embraced Nanaka.
"Don't you see it, Sae?" Nanaka croaked. "He's in a coma!"
"Then he may... he may never wake up!" Akane broke off with a sob.
-=-=-=-=-
Meanwhile, in Aya's subconscious...
"Oww..." said Aya, "Where am I?"
Aya opened his eyes and found himself in a wide grassy field. He stood up and looked around.
"Wait a minute... I was just hit by a car..." Aya suddenly thought of something very scary. "AM I DEAD?!"
Aya pinched himself, hoping to wake in the real world. Nothing happened. His arm just hurt.
"No, this is not true! NO! NOOOO!!! I can't be dead!!!" Aya shouted at the top of his lungs, with wide and terrified eyes.
Suddenly, he heard somebody giggling behind him. He turned around and saw... Sajuko.
"Who— Sajuko! You! You killed me!" said Aya.
Now, this would've been funny if not for the serious circumstances we're in. Sajuko threw her head back and laughed.
"This is funny." Said Sajuko cheerfully, with her hair blown by a soft wind.
"What's so funny about getting killed?!" retaliated Aya.
"Correction. I tried to get you killed. But you're not exactly dead right now." Said Sajuko, smiling.
"What do you mean?" At this time, Aya's face was contorted with fury, "You killed me, I saw it with my own two eyes!"
"Oh? No, you're not dead yet. I assure you." Replied Sajuko.
"Then what's happened to me?"
"You're in a coma."
"A coma?"
"Yes. Here, let me show you what's happening now in the real world." Sajuko moved her hand and the whole scenery dissolved into a big screen.
Aya watched Nanaka, Sae and Akane crying over him. He also saw Takeo, standing in the corner. Then he saw his mother, sleeping on the couch. This touching scene really melted his heart. He had a feeling that this was what was really happening.
He was beginning to believe what Sajuko was telling him.
"How long have I been in this coma?" asked Aya.
"Not too long. Just a day."
"Will I ever wake up?"
"It depends if you want to."
"I do! I want to go back now! Everybody's worried about me! My mom must have cried herself to sleep!"
Sajuko flicked her hand and the grassy field scenery came back again.
"Are you so sure?" said Sajuko with another mysterious smile.
"Of course!"
"You are willing to go back and get hurt again?"
"Get hurt?"
"Yes. You're confused, aren't you? You like Takeo. But you like Nanaka as well. And this is causing you pain..." Sajuko placed herself beside Aya.
Aya knitted his brow. "What are you talking about? I like only Takeo..."
"Oh my dear Aya... Don't deny the truth." Sajuko embraced Aya.
"Stop it. I've forgotten all about Nanaka."
"Ssshh... you don't need to lie to me..."
"I am not lying!" Aya released himself from Sajuko's embrace.
"Then, you're saying you hate Nanaka."
"No! I don't hate Nanaka! I like her... but only as a friend."
"It's either you love one and hate the other."
"I don't hate her!"
"Aya, don't you hate her for hurting you? Don't you hate her for confusing you about your feelings for Takeo? Don't you hate her for just existing?"
"I... I don't hate her, stop saying those things!"
"But you say you don't love her either. What is it, Aya, love or hate?"
"I- I don't know! I don't want to talk about it..."
Aya walked away from Sajuko, fighting the urge to cry.
"Oh Aya... if you would only listen to your heart..."
With those words, Sajuko disappeared from Aya's subconscious.