A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks to all who reviewed, I really, REALLY appreciate it! And again, I am really sorry for not updating sooner; however, in this chapter, many eventful things will happen!
craftyhime-chan: Your wish is my command! xD
BlueSakuramon: Uh...I saw a non-Korean version of Glass Slippers. -.-;; Yes, I know, that helps, doesn't it? But anyway, I might throw in Eriol, I don't know, I just find Eriol a lame excuse for Tomoyo to be with someone, and even if he WAS Tomoyo's boyfriend, it wouldn't be as if he would play an important part. But I might.
And to all others: THANKS FOR REVIEWING -glomps to death-. -resurrects self- Well, come on, I gotta continue the story, right?
Oh, and just in case you're wondering - I will be using (insert doctor's name)-sensei, because sensei isn't only used with a teacher, but also for people who are above you, so please don't get confused and chide me for it in your review. I hate that.
CinderSakura
Lotus Dreams
Chapter 13: Blood Fuss
"SHE'S FREAKING LOSING BLOOD AS I STAND HERE WAITING FOR THAT STUPID DOCTOR TO FINISH HIS FREAKING CHECK-UPS!"
"Calm down, Touya, I'm sure she'll be fine."
"FINE? NO, SHE IS NOT FINE - AUGH - WHY ARE ALL YOU FREAKING PEOPLE TELLING ME SHE IS FINE WHEN IN FACT SHE IS NOT FINE?"
"Well, if the doctor says so, then he says so," answered Mr. Kinomoto tensely.
"NO! I SPENT THE LAST 10 YEARS SEARCHING FOR MY LITTLE SISTER, AND I WILL NOT LET HER GO THIS EASILY!"
"She won't go. The doctors can save her, I already talking to one of them."
"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH FREAKING BLOOD SHE LOST?"
"Well, iie," admitted Mr. Kinomoto. "How much did he say?"
"FIVE. HUNDRED. CC. 500 CC. 500 FREAKING CC! HOW THE HELL IS SHE SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE AFTER LOSING 500 CC? A FREAKINGPART OF HER LIFE IS GONE!"
Mr. Kinomoto's eyes widened. 500 CC. That was pretty serious.
Touya's eyes were shining brightly, and his voice was cracking as he yanked and pulled at his hair in frustration. "UUGHH. They've supplied her temporarily with blood from the blood bank, but he says it's best if someone from the family donates blood."
"Someone...from the family?" Touya nodded.
"'Preferably a sibling'. His exact words."
"A sibling?"
Touya nodded once again.
"He says it's best if I donate blood. Which is why tomorrow-and no later-I am getting ready to extract blood from myself."
"All...all 500 CC?" Touya nodded grimly.
"Anything it takes to save Sakura."
Mr. Kinomoto sat down in the office's chair, looking as important as ever, and regarded the doctor seriously.
"I want to know her current stage." The doctor flipped through his clipboard.
"Her stage. Current. Ah. Well, she is still VERY faint, and as I have said about 20000000 times before to Kinomoto-sama - your grandson - we have supplied her with blood from the blood bank. But, I think it's healthier if a sibling were to donate blood, and so your grandson scheduled tomorrow to donate his blood for his sister."
"But 500 CC is too much blood!" Mr. Kinomoto stood up, slamming his fists against the doctor's desk. "I realize how much he cares about Sakura, but he is risking his OWN LIFE for Mana - I mean, Sakura's!"
"Well, that is what Mr. Touya insisted." (A/N: O-O)
"IIE! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!"
"Well...Kinomoto Touya is already an adult, and I think he can make his own choices." The doctor looked at him sharply. "I realize 500 CC is a lot, Mr. Kinomoto, but we will make sure that your grandson comes to no harm." With that, the doctor left the office with his clipboard, white coat billowing behind him.
"HOW MUCH BLOOD DID SHE LOSE?" Tomoki-sensei winced.
"...350 CC."
"350 CC!" bellowed Syaoran. "ARE YOU DAMN SERIOUS? BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY WEAK AND STUPID JOKE IF YOU WEREN'T!"
"I'm not joking around, Li-sama. She needs a family member to donate to her as soon as possible, because 350 CC is quite a lot to lose. Now, do you know any of her family members?"
"I...well...iie."
"Well, ask her when she wakes up." He jerked his head towards Nadeshiko, who was sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed. "And if she doesn't have any family members...well, she's in for some pretty bad consequences. The blood bank can only help so much."
In the dim corridors of the Hospital, many nurses and doctors wheeled an injured patient, suffering from a stab in the stomach. Tomoki-sensei adjusted his mask, and asked the nearest nurse, "What happened?"
"Well," said the nurse feverishly, "He was walking along the road when a couple of guys stabbed him in the stomach. They got it in pretty deep, and then ran off. However, those guys aren't our concern; this man is dying, and we need to get him to the ER right away!"
"I know that," snappedTomoki. The nurses rushed him into the ER, wherehe examined him quickly.
"Okay," he said, "I can do this."
He instructed a couple of people to hand him various instruments and carefully removed the knife from his stomach. Then, quickly, he performed minor surgery, and then swiftly stitched his skin up to prevent any more blood loss. However, the patient's breathing was still extremely shallow.
"Did they club him on the head, too?" The nurse nodded.
"Head, chest, shins, groin."Tomoki-sensei groaned.
"Complications. Great."
WhenTomoki was done with him, he told a nurse, "Wheel him into a room."
The nurses glanced at each other.Tomoki glared at both of them.
"HELLO! CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
"Well, Tomoki-sensei...all the rooms are occupied."
"NANI? THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF TOMOEDA HOSPITAL!" One of the nurses shrugged.
"It has now."
Grumbling, the doctor consulted his faithful clipboard.
"Hmm. Room 203 is occupied by Kinomoto Nadeshiko. Let's move her into room 205, how about that?"
"Room 205? Are you sure she won't mind?"
The doctor shrugged. "Who would mind being with Kinomoto Sakura?"
When Nadeshiko awoke, her vision was groggy. She expected to see an abstract painting across from her, but instead, she saw a white wall, and green curtains. Uttering a small moan, she turned to her side, and her eyes widened.
It was Manami, slumbering across from her.
She had been moved into the same room as Manami.
Yawning, she stretched her arms, which she noticed had tubes running along them. So, she was being fed intravenously.
Then, her eyes landed on Manami's hand, draping over the edge of the bed: her ring.
The ring that said her name.
The ring that she had had ever since she lost her memory.
Ever since she was ten.
"Kami-sama," breathed Nadeshiko, tears filling her eyes, "Arigatou, Mana-chan - you found it." Reaching a weak hand towards Manami's wrist, she gently pried the ring off of Manami's middle finger. Now, the tears traveled down her cheeks in rivulets.
"I thought I lost you forever," whispered Nadeshiko. She saw her clothes hanging over a chair, which had been taken off because she needed to be changed into a hospital gown. They had saved her the courtesy of bringing them with her when they moved her. Reaching for the pocket of her skirt, she retrieved a string - the very string the ring had been strung on when she found it. Feeding the string through the ring once more, tying it in a secure knot, she feebly put it around her head.
"You're staying with me," she murmured, before falling back asleep again.
When Manami awoke, the first thing she felt was an unbelievable pain in her head. She tried to sit up, but there was not enough blood in her system to support her, and she ended up sinking back down.
Ugh, where am I?
"Manami."
Her eyes snapped open.
Mr. Kinomoto looked at her sternly. "You're currently suffering from blood loss, so I won't bother you for long. However, Touya has agreed to give you blood."
"O-Okay," Manami managed weakly.
"Do you have any idea what this means?"
"Iie..."
Mr. Kinomoto glared at her. "YOU and our family OBVIOUSLY have different types of blood. When Touya so kindly sacrifices his blood for you, it will be for NOTHING."
"He...He's giving me...blood?"
"HAI!" he shouted. His shouting made Nadeshiko stir ever so slightly. "HE IS RISKING HIS OWN LIFE FOR YOURS!" (A/N: Okay, I realize that losing 500 CC isn't the most serious blood loss, but just bear with me will you?) Manami winced.
"I...I..."
"It was a mistake to keep you. You have caused us nothing but trouble, Manami. I think it's time we left you."
Manami's eyes widened.
"Kinomoto-sama!" she cried weakly. "Please don't leave me! Touya...Touya can keep his blood, I still have my okaa-san and my otou-san to get blood from, they can each give me 250 CC! Onegai, Kinomoto-sama, onegai!"
"Your okaa-san and otou-san..." Mr. Kinomoto paused thoughtfully.
"They-They can give me their blood, and Touya - you can tell him that the hospital has found blood to replace in my veins. He won't be in danger, everything will be okay that way, how about that, Kinomoto-sama!" Mr. Kinomoto sighed.
"I...I suppose I'd much rather have him still believe his sister is alive, rather than give so much of his blood..."
"Hai, hai!" said Manami eagerly.
"Fine." The sharpness in Mr. Kinomoto's eyes returned. "If you ever get drunk again, don't expect me to be so forgiving."
"Hai!" Mr. Kinomoto glared at her, and he left.
She sank back into the pillows. Blood loss made her extremely weak, and she fell asleep before she even had another thought, or seen that the person she hated most in the world was lying right across from her.
"G-Give her blood?"
"Hai," said Mr. Kinomoto firmly through the phone. "I would greatly appreciate it if both of you can each give 250 CC if you want to save your daughter's life."
"250 CC? You mean she lost 500 CC of blood?" said Matsuo's scratchy voice disbelievingly.
"Unfortunately, yes."
"When would you like us to donate?"
"Now, preferably - I want this over with as soon as possible, and the sooner you give your blood, the sooner your daughter will revive."
Mr. Kinomoto rushed in whena nurse was taking blood from Touya. The nurse looked at him funny.
"What are you, crazy? This is a hospital, old man!" Mr. Kinomoto glared at her.
"That's Kinomoto-sama to you-owner and founder of Kinomoto Inc., CELLPHONE company, and I see you have one of our models sitting on your desk." The nurse's mouth fell open. It was true, she had a silver flip phone sitting on the corner of her desk, which was obviously hers. The front of it had a small rectangular screen stating the time and date and whatnot, and it glowed neon green. She blushed.
"Aha...ha..."
"Yeah," said Mr. Kinomoto sarcastically, "Not so cocky now, eh?"
"Haha...um...would you like a seat?"
"No. Touya, you don't have to give you blood anymore - Manami - I mean, Sakura already has been saved by the hospital, they found blood extremely suitable and now she is healthy and well. I believe she's sleeping."
Touya raised an eyebrow. "That fast? They found blood that fast?"
Mr. Kinomoto looked slightly uneasy. "Well, yes. They donated a couple of hours ago, and they just found it."
"I see. Sakura's well, though? Back to normal health?"
Mr. Kinomoto nodded. "Hai, they're feeding her intravenously at the moment." However, Mr. Kinomoto was still a second too late. Touya had already given 350 CC of blood when Mr. Kinomoto had come.
That same day, Nadeshiko was moved into another room, and when Manami woke up, she looked to the right and saw no bed, just like before. Manami did not know that Nadeshiko had rightfully taken back her ring, and she did not know that temporarily her worst enemy had been side by side. It was best she did not know.
A couple of days later, Manami was released from the hospital, with several bruises to her head, and scrapes on her arms, but those were only minor injuries. They could heal over time.
When Touya had left, the nurse had realized there was still 350 CC of his blood. She cursed herself, stamping her foot and almost dropping her lovely Kinomoto cellphone. However, when she ran through the patient list, she found another girl with blood loss, and strangely enough, she had lost exactly 350 CC of blood. Quickly, the nurse called a doctor to compare the blood types, and lo and behold, they were EXACTLY IDENTICAL. Soon, Nadeshiko was up and about, restored to full health, although there was a small part of her that wondered how on earth the doctors managed to get blood that was so similar to hers.
All in all, everyone was happy, right? Well, for the time-being. You see, though everything seems to be fine, but not solved, that crash DID have a pretty big impact on everyone's lives...
"BASTARD! GET THE HELL OUT!" screamed Makiko, beating the crap out of Matsuo as he stumbled outside of the house.
"FINE THEN!" shouted Matsuo. "JUST BECAUSE I HAVE PINK LIPSTICK ON MY TIE DOESN'T MEAN THAT I WENT AND DID SOME INAPPROPRIATE THINGS WITH ANOTHER GIRL - "
"IT SURE DAMN DOES!" screeched Makiko. "YOU DIRTY - CHEATING - SON OF A BITCH! GET OUT AND DON'T EVER LET ME SEE YOU AGAIN, OR I SWEAR I WILL MURDER YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS - "
"OKAY THEN, YOU OLD HAG!" yelled Matsuo. "LIVING WITH YOU WAS GETTING TIRING ANYWAY!"
He charged into his room, packed his belongings, as well as some money that the Kinomotos had given them as gifts, and stormed out of the house. Makiko slammed the door behind him.
Matsuo walked through the streets angrily, dragging his suitcase behind him. Stupid bitch, he thought savagely, stupid bitch, damn getting on my damn nerves...fine, you don't want to live with, I'll damn live somewhere else BETTER!
A bus approached him, and he waved his hand frantically.
"HEY! BUS! YO! OVER HERE! YOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The bus screeched to a stop. Fumbling, Matsuo dropped some change into the ticket box, and managed to find a seat, glaring at the man who stared at him. The man went back to reading the newspaper. Better to leave the mentally retarded in their own misery.
Matsuo stopped the driver when the bus reached a hotel. He took his suitcase with him and entered the hotel, booking a room.
"How long would you like to stay, sir?" said the pretty woman at the counter politely.
"Uh...a week for now."
"And in a small room, single bed, with bathroom?"
"Hai."
"Alright then. That will be 30,800 yen in total, sir." His eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"NANI?"
"Please pay." Grumbling, Matsuo reached into his pocket. Thankfully, he had taken about 500,000 yen, so it was enough to pay for the hotel.
"Arigatou gozaimasu, sir. Please follow me."
"Nadeshiko-chan!" Tomoyo cried as she bounced down the stairs. Nadeshiko was currently typing up something on a laptop when Tomoyo clapped her on the shoulder.
"Hai?"
"Somebody wants to speak with you on the phone!"
"Naze?"
"They didn't say."
"Then hang up. This spreadsheet is due tomorrow, and ever since I was in the hospital, I haven't been able to do anything."
"It sounds like Syaoran." Nadeshiko immediately snatched the phone out of Tomoyo's hand. She laughed.
"Moshi moshi-is it Syaoran-kun?"
"Hai," replied Syaoran's voice. "Do you have time this Friday?"
"Friday? Well...yes...I suppose..."
"Great, you want to have dinner together?"
"Sure," said Nadeshiko wearily, "I could use some relaxation."
"Okay then. Don't work yourself too hard, Nadeshiko."
Nadeshiko smiled faintly.
"I won't."
"Aishiteru, Nadeshiko-chan."
"I love you too, Syaoran." Nadeshiko hung up on the phone and resumed her spreadsheet.
Tomoyo's eyes had hearts in them.
"KAWAII!"
Okay, there you go, a pretty long chapter-well hopefully. The REAL real story starts next chapter, and things will eventually be solved. Okee, now you must press that lovely little purple button and REVIEW! And in case you're wondering, CC is a measurement for blood. I forgot what it stood for.
