Chapter 2
After reaching the emergency room of the hospital, Fuji was sent straight to the surgery room quickly due to his fatal injury. Yuuta followed closely until the nurses stopped him. The light of the surgery room was turned on. Waiting anxiously, he could not control his emotion. He hit the wall and cry desperately and helplessly, his first cry ever since he has grown up and not a kid anymore.
Back to the Seigaku boys, after trying to calm Oishi down, Kikumaru suggested all the regulars to go to the hospital immediately. They all looked at Tezuka. To everybody's surprise, Tezuka didn't turn down the plan. Therefore, getting on a bus, they all got to there. Before the Seigaku boys found him, Yuuta has already dried up his tears. Like his brother, Yuuta would not show his weak side to the others easily. He was sitting on a bench, staring at the ground for a long time. Not until Oishi patted him on the shoulder did he realized their existence. Usually, he was not very happy to see them. After all, they were rivals. However, the expression Yuuta showed them this time was not hatred, only worry. He explained the details of the accident to them and continued to stare.
"It's my fault... If only I didn't stand in the middle of the road! Baga (Stupid one) Aniki, why did you have to save me?" Yuuta muttered.
The Seigaku boys fell silent for a very long time. Their heart sank deep down, just like Yuuta. Tezuka folded his hands and waited alone at a corner, away from the others. Perhaps they couldn't notice, but their captain was no longer as calm as usual. After three hours has passed, Yumiko arrived at the emergency room as well and joined the boys. Judging from her red eyes, she has probably cried for quite some time already. She tried to stay very calm in front of those youngsters as an adult.
"How is Syusuke doing, Yuuta?"
"We know nothing about that... Nee-san. Aniki has been in the surgery room for three hours already. But nobody has come to inform us about Aniki's condition!"
"I see... But I guess that Syusuke will be fine! He has always been a blessed child, hasn't he? He is going to be okay, I am sure..." Lying to herself, Yumiko ensured the crowd. Even though she understood the seriousness of Fuji's head injury very much, as she has seen it herself, she didn't want the others to worry too much. She would like to comfort herself in some way as well.
"How can he be okay? Can't you see how intense Aniki was hurt when he was hit by the van? Brother...." Yuuta burst out loudly, but Yumiko quickly stopped him.
"This is the emergency room. You have to keep quiet, Yuuta!" Yumiko demanded. She glares into his brother's eyes. "You know that I just say that because I don't want Syusuke's teammates to be worried, don't you?" They seem to be saying.
"Sorry... Yuuta concerns about Syusuke very much... He must be too troubled by his brother to misbehave himself. Anyway, Syusuke is going to be fine. Perhaps you can either go back to school for practice or go back home. If there is any news about Syusuke, I will instantly inform your captain. Tezuka-kun, can you please give me your cell phone number?"
"Ah..."
"Wait a minute, Tezuka! We are not going to wait for Fuji to come out? Even we go back to school to practice, we will not be able to concentrate! Fuji needs our support, doesn't he? He is fighting for his life. We are his friends, and we have to support him until the last moment!"
Kikumaru has spoken out the words in everybody's heart. The boys were all reluctant to leave Fuji alone in the surgery room, as Fuji has been such an amiable person, with his well-known smile hanging on his face almost all the time. He was nice and kind to everybody, although he could be sadistic sometimes. His friendly appearance gained him excellent relationship with everybody who knew him. Behind the façade, though, nobody could really get into the heart of the tensai.
"Tezuka... Please let us stay..."Karamura begged.
"............"
"Captain..." Momoshiro added.
"............ I understand now." Tezuka turned to Yumiko and bowed. "Sorry for causing inconvenience to you, but please let our members stay here until we know about Fuji's condition." He said that in a very cool manner as usual, as though nothing has happened at all. However, from his response, the Seigaku Regulars all knew that their captain was very much concerned about Fuji.
Hearing Tezuka's answer, the rest of the boys all sighed with relieve. Kikumaru tried very hard to squeeze a smile, but he smiled bitterly. So the gang continued to wait in silence. Nobody was in the mood of talking at all. Ryoma just went to the vending machine twice to buy Ponta to drink, but his heart wasn't in drinking either.
Time crawled as slow as a tortoise. Another five hours passed uneasily. To Yumiko and Yuuta especially, it seemed that a whole week has already gone. Oishi was walking anxiously round and round in front of the door of the surgery room. Tezuka was still standing in his desolated corner, with his hands folded and eye closed. Kikumaru and Momoshiro were sleeping at one side of the bench. The rest of the people were scattered in different position of the emergency room. Eventually, the light of the surgery room went off, and Fuji was pushed out of the room on a surgery bed by the nurses, with bandages all around his forehead. The boys could only take a glance of Fuji before he was transferred quickly into another room. The doctor was the last to come out.
"Who is Fuji Syusuke's relatives?"
"I am! How's Syusuke/ Aniki?" Yumiko and Yuuta said almost at the same time.
"The condition of the patient is quite poor. He suffers from a very bad head injury. What's worst, his hindbrain has received some shock. We have done everything to save him. Thanks God that he was sent to us on time that his external wound in his head, elbow and leg go fine. However, his life is still in danger now. You know, receiving shock in the brain is fatal. It is fortunate for him to survive already. He will go into a coma from now on. However, whether he is going to return to life again depends on his determination and health condition. If he was not able to get over, he will be no better than a living-dead. Anyway, we are taking him to the X-ray room now. After that, he will be sent to Room 229. Would either one of you please follow the nurse to get the entry form filled up for hospitalization?"
"I will come." Yumiko said calmly. "Yuuta, if Syusuke has come out, please follow him to his room. I will meet you there later." She then walked away.
At least Fuji is still alive, everybody thought, and they were a bit relaxed.
After reaching the emergency room of the hospital, Fuji was sent straight to the surgery room quickly due to his fatal injury. Yuuta followed closely until the nurses stopped him. The light of the surgery room was turned on. Waiting anxiously, he could not control his emotion. He hit the wall and cry desperately and helplessly, his first cry ever since he has grown up and not a kid anymore.
Back to the Seigaku boys, after trying to calm Oishi down, Kikumaru suggested all the regulars to go to the hospital immediately. They all looked at Tezuka. To everybody's surprise, Tezuka didn't turn down the plan. Therefore, getting on a bus, they all got to there. Before the Seigaku boys found him, Yuuta has already dried up his tears. Like his brother, Yuuta would not show his weak side to the others easily. He was sitting on a bench, staring at the ground for a long time. Not until Oishi patted him on the shoulder did he realized their existence. Usually, he was not very happy to see them. After all, they were rivals. However, the expression Yuuta showed them this time was not hatred, only worry. He explained the details of the accident to them and continued to stare.
"It's my fault... If only I didn't stand in the middle of the road! Baga (Stupid one) Aniki, why did you have to save me?" Yuuta muttered.
The Seigaku boys fell silent for a very long time. Their heart sank deep down, just like Yuuta. Tezuka folded his hands and waited alone at a corner, away from the others. Perhaps they couldn't notice, but their captain was no longer as calm as usual. After three hours has passed, Yumiko arrived at the emergency room as well and joined the boys. Judging from her red eyes, she has probably cried for quite some time already. She tried to stay very calm in front of those youngsters as an adult.
"How is Syusuke doing, Yuuta?"
"We know nothing about that... Nee-san. Aniki has been in the surgery room for three hours already. But nobody has come to inform us about Aniki's condition!"
"I see... But I guess that Syusuke will be fine! He has always been a blessed child, hasn't he? He is going to be okay, I am sure..." Lying to herself, Yumiko ensured the crowd. Even though she understood the seriousness of Fuji's head injury very much, as she has seen it herself, she didn't want the others to worry too much. She would like to comfort herself in some way as well.
"How can he be okay? Can't you see how intense Aniki was hurt when he was hit by the van? Brother...." Yuuta burst out loudly, but Yumiko quickly stopped him.
"This is the emergency room. You have to keep quiet, Yuuta!" Yumiko demanded. She glares into his brother's eyes. "You know that I just say that because I don't want Syusuke's teammates to be worried, don't you?" They seem to be saying.
"Sorry... Yuuta concerns about Syusuke very much... He must be too troubled by his brother to misbehave himself. Anyway, Syusuke is going to be fine. Perhaps you can either go back to school for practice or go back home. If there is any news about Syusuke, I will instantly inform your captain. Tezuka-kun, can you please give me your cell phone number?"
"Ah..."
"Wait a minute, Tezuka! We are not going to wait for Fuji to come out? Even we go back to school to practice, we will not be able to concentrate! Fuji needs our support, doesn't he? He is fighting for his life. We are his friends, and we have to support him until the last moment!"
Kikumaru has spoken out the words in everybody's heart. The boys were all reluctant to leave Fuji alone in the surgery room, as Fuji has been such an amiable person, with his well-known smile hanging on his face almost all the time. He was nice and kind to everybody, although he could be sadistic sometimes. His friendly appearance gained him excellent relationship with everybody who knew him. Behind the façade, though, nobody could really get into the heart of the tensai.
"Tezuka... Please let us stay..."Karamura begged.
"............"
"Captain..." Momoshiro added.
"............ I understand now." Tezuka turned to Yumiko and bowed. "Sorry for causing inconvenience to you, but please let our members stay here until we know about Fuji's condition." He said that in a very cool manner as usual, as though nothing has happened at all. However, from his response, the Seigaku Regulars all knew that their captain was very much concerned about Fuji.
Hearing Tezuka's answer, the rest of the boys all sighed with relieve. Kikumaru tried very hard to squeeze a smile, but he smiled bitterly. So the gang continued to wait in silence. Nobody was in the mood of talking at all. Ryoma just went to the vending machine twice to buy Ponta to drink, but his heart wasn't in drinking either.
Time crawled as slow as a tortoise. Another five hours passed uneasily. To Yumiko and Yuuta especially, it seemed that a whole week has already gone. Oishi was walking anxiously round and round in front of the door of the surgery room. Tezuka was still standing in his desolated corner, with his hands folded and eye closed. Kikumaru and Momoshiro were sleeping at one side of the bench. The rest of the people were scattered in different position of the emergency room. Eventually, the light of the surgery room went off, and Fuji was pushed out of the room on a surgery bed by the nurses, with bandages all around his forehead. The boys could only take a glance of Fuji before he was transferred quickly into another room. The doctor was the last to come out.
"Who is Fuji Syusuke's relatives?"
"I am! How's Syusuke/ Aniki?" Yumiko and Yuuta said almost at the same time.
"The condition of the patient is quite poor. He suffers from a very bad head injury. What's worst, his hindbrain has received some shock. We have done everything to save him. Thanks God that he was sent to us on time that his external wound in his head, elbow and leg go fine. However, his life is still in danger now. You know, receiving shock in the brain is fatal. It is fortunate for him to survive already. He will go into a coma from now on. However, whether he is going to return to life again depends on his determination and health condition. If he was not able to get over, he will be no better than a living-dead. Anyway, we are taking him to the X-ray room now. After that, he will be sent to Room 229. Would either one of you please follow the nurse to get the entry form filled up for hospitalization?"
"I will come." Yumiko said calmly. "Yuuta, if Syusuke has come out, please follow him to his room. I will meet you there later." She then walked away.
At least Fuji is still alive, everybody thought, and they were a bit relaxed.