Mother Has What?!
yamitammy
I don't own anything that doesn't belong to me.
Hi, yamitammy AKA Avril (formerly Mitsuke Ohmori) here. This is another angsty Kuro-centric fanfiction.
Kuroudo-What's going to happen this time?
yamitammy-Well, all I'll say is that you're about to go through what I went through about eight years ago.
Kuroudo-That wouldn't be-
yamitammy-Yes, it would. There's a tissue warning as many of these events did take place but this time it isn't happening to me. Please don't flame me.
Kuroudo-This is dedicated to Kuro-san.
yamitammy-Thanks for the support you've given me for my tough life. You're such a great friend and I really appreciate the support. This is written in memory of my departed mother whom I love dearly and still miss.
At the Tobita Club HQ training was underway. However, one team member found it hard to focus on his training. Worry filled his blue eyes and this time he didn't bother masking it.
"Kuroudo, come on, we have to focus on our training!" Kouya shouted from the other side of the ring.
"Oh! Right, I'm sorry," Kuroudo replied.
"Kuroudo, do you want to take a break?" Kaoru asked, "you don't seem like your normal self today. Is there something wrong?"
"Well, it's just that mother hasn't been very well lately and she's going to see a doctor today. But the way mother has been feeling has me worried that something might be really wrong with her," Kuroudo replied.
"I'm sure she's okay," Kouya assured.
"I hope you're right," Kuroudo sighed, "if I lose mother then I don't know what I'll do."
"Come on, don't think like that. Your mother can't be that ill can she?" Jirou asked as he tried to console the older yet shorter gear fighter.
"Cancer?!" Mrs. Francine Marume exclaimed as the doctor told her why she had been so ill recently. "There's no way! I can't have Lung Cancer, I never smoked or even sat near a smoker!"
The doctor shook his head. "That's not the only way to get Lung Cancer. When you were younger did you live in a house built out of asbestos?"
"Yes, I did," Francine stated shakily. "Oh god no, you're not telling me that I have the cancer caused by asbestos, are you? That one is incurable!"
"I'm afraid so. You'll have to be admitted into the hospital. First, would you like to call your son and tell him, or would you like to tell him in person?"
"I'm going to tell him in person. After I've visited my son at the Tobita Club HQ, I'll go home, pack my things and go to the hospital."
"I'll call them and tell them that you're going to be there soon. They might have to transfer you to another hospital for your treatment though, will you be able to cope with that?"
"I'm going to have to, aren't I?" Francine stood, bowed politely then left the room. She headed to the Tobita Club HQ.
The door opened and Mrs. Marume entered. "Mother? How come you're here?" Kuroudo asked.
"I need to talk to you and Jin in private," Francine replied. She treated Jin like a second son since he spent a lot of his nights at Kuroudo's house so she felt she had to tell him too.
"You may use my office, Mrs. Marume," Kaoru stated as she lead the three into the office.
"Thank you, Kaoru," Francine replied. She as well as Kuroudo and Jin entered the office.
"Mother, what's going on?" Kuroudo asked worriedly.
"I have to go into the hospital after I leave here so you'll have to stay with Jin for a while," Francine replied.
"Why do you have to go to the hospital? Is it worse than we feared?" Kuroudo asked.
Francine solemnly nodded her head. "Kuroudo, Jin, I have Lung Cancer."
"WHAT?!" the two boys exclaimed in shock. They couldn't believe their ears and for Kuroudo that was a first.
"Mother, it can't be true! You avoided smokers! You never smoked!"
"This is the kind caused by asbestos," Francine replied as she hugged both boys.
"You don't mean the incurable kind, do you?" Jin asked shakily.
Francine nodded. "I'm going to have the treatments, but they'll just help me live longer. Kuroudo, I'm sorry."
Kuroudo had tears in his blue eyes, their sparkle was now gone. "Mother, this can't be happening. It's all just a dream that we'll wake from soon."
"I wish it was a dream, Kuroudo, but it isn't. This is real," Francine replied as she tightened her embrace.
Just outside the door of the office, Jirou, Kouya and Kaoru were listening to the conversation, even though they knew they shouldn't. "Oh no," Kaoru whispered as she heard Francine announce that she has cancer.
"It's worse than what we all thought," Jirou whispered to Kouya.
"I have to go now, the doctor has called the hospital. I might have to get transferred to another hospital though for my treatment, but I'll call you if that happens, okay?"
"Okay, mother," Kuroudo replied with a nod.
"I think it would be a good idea to tell your team mates too, you might have to miss some training and tournaments," Francine stated.
The three left the room, Kuroudo brushing away his tears before the others could see them.
"Jin, promise me you'll take care of Kuroudo for me," Francine stated as she left. "I'll call your family when I return home so they'll know about Kuroudo staying with you."
"I will, Mrs. Marume," Jin replied.
"Goodbye," Francine stated with a bow. Then she left.
"Take care, mother," Kuroudo whispered. He then turned to his team mates. "Everybody, I have some bad news."
"Hold on, I'll go and get Lilika," Kaoru stated. She headed to Lilika's office and knocked on the door. "Lilika, you have to come out for a minute, Kuroudo has something to tell everybody."
Lilika stepped out of the office. She and Kaoru walked back over to the other team members.
Kuroudo took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked at Jin and noticed he was wearing the same expression. "I might have to miss some training sessions and tournaments," he stated.
"That's fine, Kuroudo. Are you able to tell me why?" Lilika asked softly, she could tell something was seriously wrong.
"It's mother. She's really ill. She has an incurable case of Lung Cancer," Kuroudo stated in a shaky voice. Tears filled his eyes once again and streamed down his cheeks. He collapsed onto his hands and knees and cried his heart out.
Kouya, Jirou, Kaoru and Lilika looked at each other then at Kuroudo. They hadn't seen him breakdown like this since the incident at the World Cup, but even then his tears weren't of grief and sorrow, they were of joy.
Jin knelt down and embraced his best friend. Tears filled his eyes too, for Kuroudo, for Francine and for his own grief.
When Kuroudo found his voice again, he spoke up. "Mother has to go through the treatments but they won't cure her, just help her live longer."
"Oh, Kuroudo, I'm so sorry to hear that," Lilika whispered. "If you wish, you may leave practice early today."
"That's okay, I will stay for the whole time," Kuroudo replied as he stood and wiped his eyes.
"Wow, I'm impressed with you, Kuroudo, if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't be able to focus on my gear fights at all," Jirou whispered to the older gear fighter.
"I have to be strong for mother, she's going to need a lot of support through this time, she's the one who's ill, not me," Kuroudo replied. "Well then, let's continue our training." He noticed Kouya staring at him through worried eyes. "Don't worry, Kouya, I'm okay now."
"Kuroudo, you've lost your father too, haven't you?" Lilika asked.
"Yes, when I was five years old," Kuroudo replied.
"If the time comes, where will you go?"
"He can live with my family," Jin volunteered, "he's going to be living with me while his mom is in the hospital."
"Thanks, Jin," Kuroudo said softly as he tightly squeezed his best friend, "I really appreciate this."
"I can't just leave my best friend alone in his time of need, can I?" Jin stated as he returned the hug, his was for comfort, Kuroudo's was for thanks. (Not shounen-ai, they're best friends, plus they are still kids so it's fine for these two best friends to embrace each other. Besides, what about the comforting hug Kuroudo gave Jin in Germany, that one was so sweet.)
"Kuroudo, you never really told us that much about your family. We knew about your father though because on his death anniversary, you were weeping non-stop. Would you like to tell us a bit more about them?" Kouya asked, "Did you have any siblings?"
"No. Now mother is really ill and we're hoping that the treatment will come through for her."
"What kind of treatment is she receiving?" Jirou asked.
"She's receiving chemotherapy. Unfortunately, she will become nauseous around foods so I will have to do the cooking. She won't be able to eat because she'll just bring it up. Father had the same problem."
"He had cancer too?" Kouya asked.
"Yes, but not the same kind that mother has, his was in another part of the body. Well, like I said, let's continue training, it might keep our minds occupied," Kuroudo stated as he grabbed Shooting Phantom.
"That's definitely what Kuroudo needs right now. Make training really exciting so he doesn't always have to think about the state his mother is in," Lilika whispered to the younger members of the team, including Kaoru.
"Sure thing," Kouya replied.
Practice was once again underway, but Kuroudo only fought half-heartedly. 'Mother. . .'
A few months had passed. Francine was lucky enough to be in the remission stage but about a month later, she had to go back into the hospital due to her cancer getting worse. Kuroudo was at Jin's house that night. "Kuroudo, are you okay?" Jin asked with a worried voice.
"I know that mother won't recover but at least when she was in remission, it was almost like she had recovered," Kuroudo replied in a barely audible tone.
"I have an idea. Let's go visit her first thing tomorrow morning," Jin suggested. "We'll go before training."
"Thanks, Jin, but I thought you didn't like hospitals."
"I don't but your mom is. . ." he didn't want to finish, he didn't have to finish.
"Yeah. I'm not that fond of hospitals myself, too many bad memories, but mother needs me to support her."
"That's true. You're all she has. We'd better get some sleep, you might really need it. I've heard that when a person is in a state of depression, their energy is zapped and they get sick easily, you know, queasy or something."
"Yeah, that's true. I'm feeling spent already, I'd better get some rest. Thank you for this, Jin."
"You're welcome, Kuroudo-kun," Jin whispered as he smiled sadly at his best friend. Although it wasn't his mother in the hospital, Jin found it hard to sleep that night. He was really worried about Kuroudo, and when he heard the older boy sob softly in his sleep, his concern grew. That and Kuroudo sitting up and weeping softly. Three times that night he got out of bed and hugged his best friend for comfort. 'Oh, Kuroudo. . .'
The next day, the boys went straight to the hospital. Unfortunately, they had no idea which room Francine was in. Kuroudo went straight to the reception desk. "Excuse me, miss, could you please tell me which room Mrs. Francine Marume is in?"
"Yes, one second please." The receptionist typed down Francine's name and her room number popped right up on the screen. "Mrs. Marume is located in room 238, just take the elevator to the third floor and it's the fifth room on the right."
"Thank you," Kuroudo replied. He and Jin hurried to the room.
They arrived at the room a few minutes later. Kuroudo's heart nearly stopped when he saw his mother. He'd never seen her so hooked up to machines in his life. He was totally unprepared for the sight. "Mother?" he whispered.
Francine smiled. "Hello, Kuroudo, hello, Jin."
"Hello, Mrs. Marume," Jin replied. 'Maybe bringing him was a bad idea.'
Kuroudo's face went really pale, about as white as snow. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"Kuroudo, are you okay?" Francine asked softly.
Kuroudo just stood there, silent as a shadow. Tears filled his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. He opened his mouth once again. "Mother, please tell me your condition isn't deteriorating," he practically begged. He ran over to his mother and held her hand in his. 'Her hand, it's so cold. Mother, please no...'
"I'm afraid it is, Kuroudo," Francine replied sadly. She pulled her son over to her and hugged him, stroking his golden hair and repeating, "It's okay, it's going to be okay. . ." (A/N-That's what I said to my mother on the night she died.)
Kuroudo snuggled closer to his mother, sobs racking his slender body. "Mother, this can't be happening, it just can't!" he wailed.
"Shh, it's going to be okay, Kuroudo," Francine whispered.
Jin stepped closer to Kuroudo. "Kuroudo, are you going to be okay?" he whispered.
"Only if mother will be," Kuroudo replied shakily.
"Kuroudo, I'd like to tell you something. My time is coming but I've never had any regrets in the life I've lived. You and your father brightened it when the clouds were casting over. I've always been proud of you and I always will be. You can bet that I'll always be cheering for you, whatever you choose to do. Kuroudo Jean Marume, I love you," Francine whispered in a barely audible voice.
"I love you too, mother," Kuroudo replied softly. "Say hello to father for me."
"I will. Jin, I love you like a second son. Take care of your 'older brother'."
"I will, Mrs. Marume. I love you like a second mother, take care in your heavenly afterlife."
"I will." Francine closed her eyes and her breathing halted. The heart rate monitor flat lined.
Kuroudo held his mother and sobbed harder. "Mother, no please don't go."
Jin started to cry too. "Oh, Kuroudo, I'm so sorry."
A doctor came in and ushered Kuroudo and Jin out of the room. "I'm sorry, but you have to leave now."
Jin helped Kuroudo out of the room. "Come on, Kuroudo, we have to go now. Let's go to practice."
Kuroudo nodded and looked back at his mother's peaceful form. "Farewell, mother. I will never forget you." Tears fell from his eyes, despite how much he was wiping them away.
The best friends were at practice, but Kuroudo just stood in the corner of the room. Kouya walked over. "Kuroudo? Hey, are you going to train today?"
"No thanks, Kouya. I'm not really in the mood right now," Kuroudo replied in a flat voice.
"How's your mother going?" Kouya asked.
Kuroudo burst into tears. "Oh, mother," he whimpered.
Jin walked over to Kouya. "Kouya, I have something to tell you."
Kuroudo turned around. "No, I'll tell them. She's my mother, but you can back me up, Jin."
Jin nodded and called everybody else over.
"What's going on?" Jirou asked.
Kaoru looked at Kuroudo. "Kuroudo, what's the matter?"
"Everybody, I have some sad news. Mother passed away just this morning," Kuroudo said trying to hold back his tears.
"Oh my gosh, Kuroudo, I'm so sorry," Kouya stated. "But, if that happened, how come you're at practice?"
"I just want to focus on something else, just for a little while," Kuroudo replied with a sigh. "I'm just going to watch today, okay?"
"Yeah, that's fine. Hey, I know what it's like to lose somebody special, so if you need to talk about it, you can come to me and I'll listen to you."
"Thank you, Kouya," Kuroudo answered with a small smile.
"I'll do whatever I can to help you through this," Kaoru said as she placed a hand on Kuroudo's shoulder.
Jirou and Lilika nodded in agreement.
Kuroudo smiled slightly, he felt blessed to have such great friends. He then headed for the window and looked up at the blue sky. "Well, mother, father, it seems you two are together again. I'll make you both proud. I love you," he whispered. His eyes filled with tears and when he closed his eyes, his tears fell. "Please take care of Yuhya, for the Marino family. They would most appreciate it. Take care, you two. I'll never forget you." He opened his eyes and turned to face his friends. "Guys, I'm saddened that she is gone, and I know I will never get over the pain completely, but I'm also kind of happy for her. She was in a lot of pain and now she's free from her tired and sick body. She's reunited with father, and Kouya, I asked them both to take care of Yuhya for you and your family. It's the least I could do, you're a great friend and they know it too." (A/N-When my friend died, I asked my mother to take care of her for the family. The family deeply appreciated it.)
Kouya nodded. "Thank you, Kuroudo, I appreciate this. Will your parents mind?"
Kuroudo smiled and shook his head. "They said they would help take care of him for your family."
"Kuroudo, where will you go now? Do you have any relatives back in France? Do you have any here?" Lilika asked softly.
"Yes, I do have relatives in France, but mother and Jin's parents had organised that I could stay with their family until I wished to move out. Mother also confirmed it with my aunts and uncles back in my hometown Saint Eglise and my grandparents in Paris," Kuroudo explained. "Listen, I need to be alone for a while. I'll come back later." He headed out of the club and went to the park.
"Poor Kuroudo, if only there was some way to cheer him up," Jirou sighed.
Kouya shook his head. "There's no way we can do that for a while, Jirou. We have to let his grief heal in its own time, I mean, no words we say will be able to bring her back sadly."
"I still wish there was something we could do to help him feel a little better. Show him that he's never alone with us here for him, even when we're all apart," Jirou stated.
"That actually isn't a bad idea, Jirou. We might cheer him up a little if he knows that we're there for him, now and forever," Kaoru agreed. "A 'We Appreciate Kuroudo' party or something like that, nothing extravagant, just a small get together in which we all say what we feel we must to help him."
"That's a good idea. Jin, you should go and find him, we'll quickly set some food up in here. Kouya, you can make a banner," Lilika said.
"Right!" Jin and Kouya said as they went to do as they were told to do.
Jin found Kuroudo on the park bench near the lake where they sat after Kuroudo had his first match against Gavin Connor Hammer. "Kuroudo?"
Kuroudo looked up at Jin. His eyes reflected nothing but sorrow. "Hi, Jin. What brings you here?"
"Well, I need to bring you back to the club with me. It's very important and we must both be there," Jin replied as he tugged on Kuroudo's arm until the taller boy stood.
"Okay, Jin, if we must, then let's go," Kuroudo replied in a sad voice.
Jin and Kuroudo arrived at the headquarters. Everything was quiet, until Kuroudo noticed a banner. "We appreciate you, Kuroudo," he read.
Kaoru, Kouya, Jirou and Lilika all came out their hiding spots. The lights went on and there was a table set up with food and drinks.
"Is this for me?" Kuroudo asked in surprised shock.
"Yes, this is for you, Kuroudo. We know that you will be feeling down for a while, but we wanted to try to cheer you up. This party is for you, to tell you that you'll never be alone as long as we are all soul-mates," Kouya said as he stepped up to the oldest fighter.
Kuroudo smiled slightly as tears filled his eyes. "Thank you all so much. This really means a lot to me." A stray tear rolled down his cheek.
"Are you okay?" Lilika asked in concern.
"Yeah, I'm just so happy to have such kind and considerate friends like you," Kuroudo replied. He didn't bother wiping his eyes this time, he found it was no use that day. He walked over and joined the others around the table.
Kouya said the first few words. "Kuroudo, you really are a great team- mate. I'm honoured to be a captain of a team with you in it. You're not just a great team-mate, you're a great friend. I have to apologise though for bugging you to join the club when you kept telling me you weren't interested."
Kuroudo looked over at Kouya. "Thank-you for the kind words. And don't apologise for bugging me about joining the club, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have you all as my friends."
Jirou spoke up next. "It was weird how we first met. I mean, Kouya and I were getting bothered by bees, then you come along and knock them out. Even though our meeting was weird, I'm still thankful it happened."
Kuroudo's smile widened a little as he remembered the day he first encountered Kouya and Jirou. "Yeah, our meeting was weird, but I'm thankful that we met too, although it had to be under those circumstances."
Kaoru was next. "I may have lost my temper at you a few times, but you still stood your ground. Not many guys can actually do that, so I admire your courage. It's your courage and determination that have helped me get stronger these days, and you've been a great friend."
"Kaoru, it's because of your tempers I became brave with them. You've been a great friend too."
Lilika spoke up next. "You made a few mistakes when we were abroad, but these days, I can look back on them and laugh. Those moments actually cheer me up when I'm feeling blue, it's like you're cheering me up indirectly."
"Well, everybody makes mistakes and I'm glad mine actually make you laugh, I should look back on them at times too, especially when I need a good laugh."
Jin shuffled his feet as he concluded. "Kuroudo, we had that fight, but you were still a friend to me. Sure, we had our problems, but it all worked out. I'm so glad we are friends again, best friends to the end. And now, you're like my brother and I will do what I can to help you."
"Jin, you were still my friend too, and I'm so glad we made up and became friends again. Yes, you're my best friend to the end too. I appreciate the help." Kuroudo turned to all of his friends. "Thank you all for this, it truly means a lot to me. I'm so lucky to have friends like you and I appreciate the support."
"We can't just leave you alone in your time of need. If you ever need us, we'll be there for you always, whether we are together or apart," Kaoru replied.
Kuroudo looked up to the sky. 'Mother, you are gone now, and I know that nothing will bring you back. It may take a while, but I know that I will pull through with the love I have from my friends.'
The End
Kuroudo-Sniff That was so sad.
yamitammy-Hands over box of tissues I warned everybody that there'd be tissue warnings. Now to clear up some facts. . . Yes, my mother had incurable Lung Cancer caused by asbestos which she inhaled when she was younger. She had to go to Melbourne for treatments, but they only helped her live longer. She had chemotherapy and found it hard to keep her food down. She suffered through pain which got worse. After two years of suffering, she died peacefully in the hospital. I spent ten minutes out of her final hours with her-hospitals aren't the best places for me. I was at my best friend's house the night mum died and I had nightmares that she didn't make it through the night. They could've been signs because the next day I learned mum had died.
Kuroudo-That's so sad, yamitammy. Have you been getting through your grief?
yamitammy-Better than a few years ago.
Kuroudo-. . .Sniff
yamitammy-Please review and don't flame. God bless my mother. I miss you, mum, and I'll always love you. Sorry for not being the perfect daughter.
yamitammy
I don't own anything that doesn't belong to me.
Hi, yamitammy AKA Avril (formerly Mitsuke Ohmori) here. This is another angsty Kuro-centric fanfiction.
Kuroudo-What's going to happen this time?
yamitammy-Well, all I'll say is that you're about to go through what I went through about eight years ago.
Kuroudo-That wouldn't be-
yamitammy-Yes, it would. There's a tissue warning as many of these events did take place but this time it isn't happening to me. Please don't flame me.
Kuroudo-This is dedicated to Kuro-san.
yamitammy-Thanks for the support you've given me for my tough life. You're such a great friend and I really appreciate the support. This is written in memory of my departed mother whom I love dearly and still miss.
At the Tobita Club HQ training was underway. However, one team member found it hard to focus on his training. Worry filled his blue eyes and this time he didn't bother masking it.
"Kuroudo, come on, we have to focus on our training!" Kouya shouted from the other side of the ring.
"Oh! Right, I'm sorry," Kuroudo replied.
"Kuroudo, do you want to take a break?" Kaoru asked, "you don't seem like your normal self today. Is there something wrong?"
"Well, it's just that mother hasn't been very well lately and she's going to see a doctor today. But the way mother has been feeling has me worried that something might be really wrong with her," Kuroudo replied.
"I'm sure she's okay," Kouya assured.
"I hope you're right," Kuroudo sighed, "if I lose mother then I don't know what I'll do."
"Come on, don't think like that. Your mother can't be that ill can she?" Jirou asked as he tried to console the older yet shorter gear fighter.
"Cancer?!" Mrs. Francine Marume exclaimed as the doctor told her why she had been so ill recently. "There's no way! I can't have Lung Cancer, I never smoked or even sat near a smoker!"
The doctor shook his head. "That's not the only way to get Lung Cancer. When you were younger did you live in a house built out of asbestos?"
"Yes, I did," Francine stated shakily. "Oh god no, you're not telling me that I have the cancer caused by asbestos, are you? That one is incurable!"
"I'm afraid so. You'll have to be admitted into the hospital. First, would you like to call your son and tell him, or would you like to tell him in person?"
"I'm going to tell him in person. After I've visited my son at the Tobita Club HQ, I'll go home, pack my things and go to the hospital."
"I'll call them and tell them that you're going to be there soon. They might have to transfer you to another hospital for your treatment though, will you be able to cope with that?"
"I'm going to have to, aren't I?" Francine stood, bowed politely then left the room. She headed to the Tobita Club HQ.
The door opened and Mrs. Marume entered. "Mother? How come you're here?" Kuroudo asked.
"I need to talk to you and Jin in private," Francine replied. She treated Jin like a second son since he spent a lot of his nights at Kuroudo's house so she felt she had to tell him too.
"You may use my office, Mrs. Marume," Kaoru stated as she lead the three into the office.
"Thank you, Kaoru," Francine replied. She as well as Kuroudo and Jin entered the office.
"Mother, what's going on?" Kuroudo asked worriedly.
"I have to go into the hospital after I leave here so you'll have to stay with Jin for a while," Francine replied.
"Why do you have to go to the hospital? Is it worse than we feared?" Kuroudo asked.
Francine solemnly nodded her head. "Kuroudo, Jin, I have Lung Cancer."
"WHAT?!" the two boys exclaimed in shock. They couldn't believe their ears and for Kuroudo that was a first.
"Mother, it can't be true! You avoided smokers! You never smoked!"
"This is the kind caused by asbestos," Francine replied as she hugged both boys.
"You don't mean the incurable kind, do you?" Jin asked shakily.
Francine nodded. "I'm going to have the treatments, but they'll just help me live longer. Kuroudo, I'm sorry."
Kuroudo had tears in his blue eyes, their sparkle was now gone. "Mother, this can't be happening. It's all just a dream that we'll wake from soon."
"I wish it was a dream, Kuroudo, but it isn't. This is real," Francine replied as she tightened her embrace.
Just outside the door of the office, Jirou, Kouya and Kaoru were listening to the conversation, even though they knew they shouldn't. "Oh no," Kaoru whispered as she heard Francine announce that she has cancer.
"It's worse than what we all thought," Jirou whispered to Kouya.
"I have to go now, the doctor has called the hospital. I might have to get transferred to another hospital though for my treatment, but I'll call you if that happens, okay?"
"Okay, mother," Kuroudo replied with a nod.
"I think it would be a good idea to tell your team mates too, you might have to miss some training and tournaments," Francine stated.
The three left the room, Kuroudo brushing away his tears before the others could see them.
"Jin, promise me you'll take care of Kuroudo for me," Francine stated as she left. "I'll call your family when I return home so they'll know about Kuroudo staying with you."
"I will, Mrs. Marume," Jin replied.
"Goodbye," Francine stated with a bow. Then she left.
"Take care, mother," Kuroudo whispered. He then turned to his team mates. "Everybody, I have some bad news."
"Hold on, I'll go and get Lilika," Kaoru stated. She headed to Lilika's office and knocked on the door. "Lilika, you have to come out for a minute, Kuroudo has something to tell everybody."
Lilika stepped out of the office. She and Kaoru walked back over to the other team members.
Kuroudo took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked at Jin and noticed he was wearing the same expression. "I might have to miss some training sessions and tournaments," he stated.
"That's fine, Kuroudo. Are you able to tell me why?" Lilika asked softly, she could tell something was seriously wrong.
"It's mother. She's really ill. She has an incurable case of Lung Cancer," Kuroudo stated in a shaky voice. Tears filled his eyes once again and streamed down his cheeks. He collapsed onto his hands and knees and cried his heart out.
Kouya, Jirou, Kaoru and Lilika looked at each other then at Kuroudo. They hadn't seen him breakdown like this since the incident at the World Cup, but even then his tears weren't of grief and sorrow, they were of joy.
Jin knelt down and embraced his best friend. Tears filled his eyes too, for Kuroudo, for Francine and for his own grief.
When Kuroudo found his voice again, he spoke up. "Mother has to go through the treatments but they won't cure her, just help her live longer."
"Oh, Kuroudo, I'm so sorry to hear that," Lilika whispered. "If you wish, you may leave practice early today."
"That's okay, I will stay for the whole time," Kuroudo replied as he stood and wiped his eyes.
"Wow, I'm impressed with you, Kuroudo, if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't be able to focus on my gear fights at all," Jirou whispered to the older gear fighter.
"I have to be strong for mother, she's going to need a lot of support through this time, she's the one who's ill, not me," Kuroudo replied. "Well then, let's continue our training." He noticed Kouya staring at him through worried eyes. "Don't worry, Kouya, I'm okay now."
"Kuroudo, you've lost your father too, haven't you?" Lilika asked.
"Yes, when I was five years old," Kuroudo replied.
"If the time comes, where will you go?"
"He can live with my family," Jin volunteered, "he's going to be living with me while his mom is in the hospital."
"Thanks, Jin," Kuroudo said softly as he tightly squeezed his best friend, "I really appreciate this."
"I can't just leave my best friend alone in his time of need, can I?" Jin stated as he returned the hug, his was for comfort, Kuroudo's was for thanks. (Not shounen-ai, they're best friends, plus they are still kids so it's fine for these two best friends to embrace each other. Besides, what about the comforting hug Kuroudo gave Jin in Germany, that one was so sweet.)
"Kuroudo, you never really told us that much about your family. We knew about your father though because on his death anniversary, you were weeping non-stop. Would you like to tell us a bit more about them?" Kouya asked, "Did you have any siblings?"
"No. Now mother is really ill and we're hoping that the treatment will come through for her."
"What kind of treatment is she receiving?" Jirou asked.
"She's receiving chemotherapy. Unfortunately, she will become nauseous around foods so I will have to do the cooking. She won't be able to eat because she'll just bring it up. Father had the same problem."
"He had cancer too?" Kouya asked.
"Yes, but not the same kind that mother has, his was in another part of the body. Well, like I said, let's continue training, it might keep our minds occupied," Kuroudo stated as he grabbed Shooting Phantom.
"That's definitely what Kuroudo needs right now. Make training really exciting so he doesn't always have to think about the state his mother is in," Lilika whispered to the younger members of the team, including Kaoru.
"Sure thing," Kouya replied.
Practice was once again underway, but Kuroudo only fought half-heartedly. 'Mother. . .'
A few months had passed. Francine was lucky enough to be in the remission stage but about a month later, she had to go back into the hospital due to her cancer getting worse. Kuroudo was at Jin's house that night. "Kuroudo, are you okay?" Jin asked with a worried voice.
"I know that mother won't recover but at least when she was in remission, it was almost like she had recovered," Kuroudo replied in a barely audible tone.
"I have an idea. Let's go visit her first thing tomorrow morning," Jin suggested. "We'll go before training."
"Thanks, Jin, but I thought you didn't like hospitals."
"I don't but your mom is. . ." he didn't want to finish, he didn't have to finish.
"Yeah. I'm not that fond of hospitals myself, too many bad memories, but mother needs me to support her."
"That's true. You're all she has. We'd better get some sleep, you might really need it. I've heard that when a person is in a state of depression, their energy is zapped and they get sick easily, you know, queasy or something."
"Yeah, that's true. I'm feeling spent already, I'd better get some rest. Thank you for this, Jin."
"You're welcome, Kuroudo-kun," Jin whispered as he smiled sadly at his best friend. Although it wasn't his mother in the hospital, Jin found it hard to sleep that night. He was really worried about Kuroudo, and when he heard the older boy sob softly in his sleep, his concern grew. That and Kuroudo sitting up and weeping softly. Three times that night he got out of bed and hugged his best friend for comfort. 'Oh, Kuroudo. . .'
The next day, the boys went straight to the hospital. Unfortunately, they had no idea which room Francine was in. Kuroudo went straight to the reception desk. "Excuse me, miss, could you please tell me which room Mrs. Francine Marume is in?"
"Yes, one second please." The receptionist typed down Francine's name and her room number popped right up on the screen. "Mrs. Marume is located in room 238, just take the elevator to the third floor and it's the fifth room on the right."
"Thank you," Kuroudo replied. He and Jin hurried to the room.
They arrived at the room a few minutes later. Kuroudo's heart nearly stopped when he saw his mother. He'd never seen her so hooked up to machines in his life. He was totally unprepared for the sight. "Mother?" he whispered.
Francine smiled. "Hello, Kuroudo, hello, Jin."
"Hello, Mrs. Marume," Jin replied. 'Maybe bringing him was a bad idea.'
Kuroudo's face went really pale, about as white as snow. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"Kuroudo, are you okay?" Francine asked softly.
Kuroudo just stood there, silent as a shadow. Tears filled his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. He opened his mouth once again. "Mother, please tell me your condition isn't deteriorating," he practically begged. He ran over to his mother and held her hand in his. 'Her hand, it's so cold. Mother, please no...'
"I'm afraid it is, Kuroudo," Francine replied sadly. She pulled her son over to her and hugged him, stroking his golden hair and repeating, "It's okay, it's going to be okay. . ." (A/N-That's what I said to my mother on the night she died.)
Kuroudo snuggled closer to his mother, sobs racking his slender body. "Mother, this can't be happening, it just can't!" he wailed.
"Shh, it's going to be okay, Kuroudo," Francine whispered.
Jin stepped closer to Kuroudo. "Kuroudo, are you going to be okay?" he whispered.
"Only if mother will be," Kuroudo replied shakily.
"Kuroudo, I'd like to tell you something. My time is coming but I've never had any regrets in the life I've lived. You and your father brightened it when the clouds were casting over. I've always been proud of you and I always will be. You can bet that I'll always be cheering for you, whatever you choose to do. Kuroudo Jean Marume, I love you," Francine whispered in a barely audible voice.
"I love you too, mother," Kuroudo replied softly. "Say hello to father for me."
"I will. Jin, I love you like a second son. Take care of your 'older brother'."
"I will, Mrs. Marume. I love you like a second mother, take care in your heavenly afterlife."
"I will." Francine closed her eyes and her breathing halted. The heart rate monitor flat lined.
Kuroudo held his mother and sobbed harder. "Mother, no please don't go."
Jin started to cry too. "Oh, Kuroudo, I'm so sorry."
A doctor came in and ushered Kuroudo and Jin out of the room. "I'm sorry, but you have to leave now."
Jin helped Kuroudo out of the room. "Come on, Kuroudo, we have to go now. Let's go to practice."
Kuroudo nodded and looked back at his mother's peaceful form. "Farewell, mother. I will never forget you." Tears fell from his eyes, despite how much he was wiping them away.
The best friends were at practice, but Kuroudo just stood in the corner of the room. Kouya walked over. "Kuroudo? Hey, are you going to train today?"
"No thanks, Kouya. I'm not really in the mood right now," Kuroudo replied in a flat voice.
"How's your mother going?" Kouya asked.
Kuroudo burst into tears. "Oh, mother," he whimpered.
Jin walked over to Kouya. "Kouya, I have something to tell you."
Kuroudo turned around. "No, I'll tell them. She's my mother, but you can back me up, Jin."
Jin nodded and called everybody else over.
"What's going on?" Jirou asked.
Kaoru looked at Kuroudo. "Kuroudo, what's the matter?"
"Everybody, I have some sad news. Mother passed away just this morning," Kuroudo said trying to hold back his tears.
"Oh my gosh, Kuroudo, I'm so sorry," Kouya stated. "But, if that happened, how come you're at practice?"
"I just want to focus on something else, just for a little while," Kuroudo replied with a sigh. "I'm just going to watch today, okay?"
"Yeah, that's fine. Hey, I know what it's like to lose somebody special, so if you need to talk about it, you can come to me and I'll listen to you."
"Thank you, Kouya," Kuroudo answered with a small smile.
"I'll do whatever I can to help you through this," Kaoru said as she placed a hand on Kuroudo's shoulder.
Jirou and Lilika nodded in agreement.
Kuroudo smiled slightly, he felt blessed to have such great friends. He then headed for the window and looked up at the blue sky. "Well, mother, father, it seems you two are together again. I'll make you both proud. I love you," he whispered. His eyes filled with tears and when he closed his eyes, his tears fell. "Please take care of Yuhya, for the Marino family. They would most appreciate it. Take care, you two. I'll never forget you." He opened his eyes and turned to face his friends. "Guys, I'm saddened that she is gone, and I know I will never get over the pain completely, but I'm also kind of happy for her. She was in a lot of pain and now she's free from her tired and sick body. She's reunited with father, and Kouya, I asked them both to take care of Yuhya for you and your family. It's the least I could do, you're a great friend and they know it too." (A/N-When my friend died, I asked my mother to take care of her for the family. The family deeply appreciated it.)
Kouya nodded. "Thank you, Kuroudo, I appreciate this. Will your parents mind?"
Kuroudo smiled and shook his head. "They said they would help take care of him for your family."
"Kuroudo, where will you go now? Do you have any relatives back in France? Do you have any here?" Lilika asked softly.
"Yes, I do have relatives in France, but mother and Jin's parents had organised that I could stay with their family until I wished to move out. Mother also confirmed it with my aunts and uncles back in my hometown Saint Eglise and my grandparents in Paris," Kuroudo explained. "Listen, I need to be alone for a while. I'll come back later." He headed out of the club and went to the park.
"Poor Kuroudo, if only there was some way to cheer him up," Jirou sighed.
Kouya shook his head. "There's no way we can do that for a while, Jirou. We have to let his grief heal in its own time, I mean, no words we say will be able to bring her back sadly."
"I still wish there was something we could do to help him feel a little better. Show him that he's never alone with us here for him, even when we're all apart," Jirou stated.
"That actually isn't a bad idea, Jirou. We might cheer him up a little if he knows that we're there for him, now and forever," Kaoru agreed. "A 'We Appreciate Kuroudo' party or something like that, nothing extravagant, just a small get together in which we all say what we feel we must to help him."
"That's a good idea. Jin, you should go and find him, we'll quickly set some food up in here. Kouya, you can make a banner," Lilika said.
"Right!" Jin and Kouya said as they went to do as they were told to do.
Jin found Kuroudo on the park bench near the lake where they sat after Kuroudo had his first match against Gavin Connor Hammer. "Kuroudo?"
Kuroudo looked up at Jin. His eyes reflected nothing but sorrow. "Hi, Jin. What brings you here?"
"Well, I need to bring you back to the club with me. It's very important and we must both be there," Jin replied as he tugged on Kuroudo's arm until the taller boy stood.
"Okay, Jin, if we must, then let's go," Kuroudo replied in a sad voice.
Jin and Kuroudo arrived at the headquarters. Everything was quiet, until Kuroudo noticed a banner. "We appreciate you, Kuroudo," he read.
Kaoru, Kouya, Jirou and Lilika all came out their hiding spots. The lights went on and there was a table set up with food and drinks.
"Is this for me?" Kuroudo asked in surprised shock.
"Yes, this is for you, Kuroudo. We know that you will be feeling down for a while, but we wanted to try to cheer you up. This party is for you, to tell you that you'll never be alone as long as we are all soul-mates," Kouya said as he stepped up to the oldest fighter.
Kuroudo smiled slightly as tears filled his eyes. "Thank you all so much. This really means a lot to me." A stray tear rolled down his cheek.
"Are you okay?" Lilika asked in concern.
"Yeah, I'm just so happy to have such kind and considerate friends like you," Kuroudo replied. He didn't bother wiping his eyes this time, he found it was no use that day. He walked over and joined the others around the table.
Kouya said the first few words. "Kuroudo, you really are a great team- mate. I'm honoured to be a captain of a team with you in it. You're not just a great team-mate, you're a great friend. I have to apologise though for bugging you to join the club when you kept telling me you weren't interested."
Kuroudo looked over at Kouya. "Thank-you for the kind words. And don't apologise for bugging me about joining the club, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have you all as my friends."
Jirou spoke up next. "It was weird how we first met. I mean, Kouya and I were getting bothered by bees, then you come along and knock them out. Even though our meeting was weird, I'm still thankful it happened."
Kuroudo's smile widened a little as he remembered the day he first encountered Kouya and Jirou. "Yeah, our meeting was weird, but I'm thankful that we met too, although it had to be under those circumstances."
Kaoru was next. "I may have lost my temper at you a few times, but you still stood your ground. Not many guys can actually do that, so I admire your courage. It's your courage and determination that have helped me get stronger these days, and you've been a great friend."
"Kaoru, it's because of your tempers I became brave with them. You've been a great friend too."
Lilika spoke up next. "You made a few mistakes when we were abroad, but these days, I can look back on them and laugh. Those moments actually cheer me up when I'm feeling blue, it's like you're cheering me up indirectly."
"Well, everybody makes mistakes and I'm glad mine actually make you laugh, I should look back on them at times too, especially when I need a good laugh."
Jin shuffled his feet as he concluded. "Kuroudo, we had that fight, but you were still a friend to me. Sure, we had our problems, but it all worked out. I'm so glad we are friends again, best friends to the end. And now, you're like my brother and I will do what I can to help you."
"Jin, you were still my friend too, and I'm so glad we made up and became friends again. Yes, you're my best friend to the end too. I appreciate the help." Kuroudo turned to all of his friends. "Thank you all for this, it truly means a lot to me. I'm so lucky to have friends like you and I appreciate the support."
"We can't just leave you alone in your time of need. If you ever need us, we'll be there for you always, whether we are together or apart," Kaoru replied.
Kuroudo looked up to the sky. 'Mother, you are gone now, and I know that nothing will bring you back. It may take a while, but I know that I will pull through with the love I have from my friends.'
The End
Kuroudo-Sniff That was so sad.
yamitammy-Hands over box of tissues I warned everybody that there'd be tissue warnings. Now to clear up some facts. . . Yes, my mother had incurable Lung Cancer caused by asbestos which she inhaled when she was younger. She had to go to Melbourne for treatments, but they only helped her live longer. She had chemotherapy and found it hard to keep her food down. She suffered through pain which got worse. After two years of suffering, she died peacefully in the hospital. I spent ten minutes out of her final hours with her-hospitals aren't the best places for me. I was at my best friend's house the night mum died and I had nightmares that she didn't make it through the night. They could've been signs because the next day I learned mum had died.
Kuroudo-That's so sad, yamitammy. Have you been getting through your grief?
yamitammy-Better than a few years ago.
Kuroudo-. . .Sniff
yamitammy-Please review and don't flame. God bless my mother. I miss you, mum, and I'll always love you. Sorry for not being the perfect daughter.