.:x:.
Haruka ran into the hospital entrance and went to the front desk to ask for Ayashi's room. "Excuse me." Said Haruka out of breath to a nurse who was busying typing something into her computer.
"Hai, How may I help you Sir?" Asked the nurse.
"My friend... was brought here...and I would like to-"
"What's her name?" Interrupted the nurse smiling, she saw that the blonde was in a hurry and she was herself kind of busy.
"Sakamoto...Ayashi Sakamoto." Said Haruka smiling back.
The nurse checked her computer and seconds later was directing Haruka. "Sakamoto Ayashi, room 707, it's in the left wing on the 7th floor."
"Thank you..." Said Haruka as she started to run.
"No running Sir !" Called the nurse but Haruka was already out of sight. She couldn't help but grin. "I wished I could have a boyfriend like that."
The
lift to the 7th floor was rapid and she was soon walking
towards Ayashi's room. Turning a corner, she saw from afar two
familiar figures sitting in front of a room.
As she approached them
the older one stood up and went to met her.
"Father-" But before she could have say more, she was slapped by a very angered Tenou-san.
"How could you?" Scolded Kenji-san. "I told you to stay by her side! Didn't I?"
"You did, I'm sorry..." Said Haruka remorseful. She then bent her head down in shame.
"Where
were you anyway ?" Asked her father more calmly. He saw that his
daughter did regret and that she was already blaming herself.
'I
should have told her about Ayashi's state, but I promised.' He
then thought sadly.
"To a
friend's house..." Whispered Haruka. She knew her father would
probably ask her which friend,
so in order to avoid the topic she
decided to ask about Ayashi. "How is she?" She asked worried.
"She is out of danger now, but she is still weak." Said her father reassuring.
"He is right, she is still weak but even being frail she hasn't stop calling you..." Added Sasuke as he walked to them. "She is sleeping now..."
"Can I
go see her ? I won't wake her up." Asked the blonde promptly.
Hearing what her father and Sasuke told her, she felt her heart
tighten.
It truly pained her to know that Ayashi had needed her and
that she hadn't been there.
"You can, but Sasuke-kun and I will have to go now. Past midnight visits are forbidden. Only one person can stay the night..." Answered her father looking at the closed door.
"I understand, Arigatou Otou-san." She then slowly opened the door and made her way into the dark room.
.:x:.
Once the door closed, the other two walked slowly towards the lift. "You did care a lot about Ayashi, right Tenou-san?" Asked Sasuke.
"Yes, I
really like her. She looks a lot like my late wife." He answered
wholeheartedly.
"She loves Haruka unconditionally and will do
anything for him...even putting her life in the line." He added
sadly.
"Do you think Haruka still held feelings for her?" Asked Sasuke concerned.
"I don't know if it's love, but I hope it is." Replied Kenji.
.:x:.
Michiru
slowly woke up to an empty bed. "Ruka ?" Came her soft voice, but
as her call echoed in the darkness of the night, she wondered where
Haruka went to.
Slowly, she wrapped the blanket around her to cover
her naked body and strode to the living room.
"Ruka ?"
Called Michiru again as she turn on the light, but there was no
answer. She looked around but found no trace of the blonde.
"Where
is she? It's almost one a.m ?" Asked to herself the aqua haired
girl a little worried.
As she
went to check on the blonde's former bedroom, she found one of her
housecoat laying in the bed.
She then went to the bathroom and before
entering called the blonde. "Haruka ?...Are you in ?" The floor
was still a little damp but there was nobody.
"Did she left ?" Wondered Michiru nervously. She took off the blanket, threw it into the blonde's former bed and put on the housecoat.
As soon as
she was changed, she ran to each room of the apartment distraught,
and looked around in hope to find the blonde or a note.
She wanted to
believe that Haruka was still in the apartment somewhere, that she
didn't sneak out on her. However the more she was progressing in
her search the more she felt alone.
Minutes later, her heart started to pound fiercely. "She's gone..." The aqua haired girl stated with regret.
"Without a word, or a note..." Whispered sadly Michiru. Tears came out of her deep blue eyes and streamed down her cheeks.
At that very moment, she realized that, what she had feared, happened. For the blonde it wasn't probably love, but only lust...and because of that she had left without any words.
Her body suddenly shuddered and felt too heavy for her two legs to support her, without anymore thought she knelt down holding her face and cried.
"Why...?"
She stammered between her sobs. She felt abandoned and lonely but
more importantly she felt deceived and it hurt.
She wanted to hate
the blonde, to despise everything they had shared but deep down she
knew she couldn't. She loved Haruka irregardless.
"Ruka !" She cried desperately into the darkness.
.:x:.
Helped by the moon light, Haruka managed to get to the chair next to Ayashi's bed without making any noise.
As she sat there contemplating the sleeping face, Haruka pondered again about her decision. She wanted to believe that her choice was the best but somehow she felt that it wasn't the wisest decision.
"No...I've already decided." Whispered Haruka. She then shook her head in order to remove all the thoughts that were running in her mind. "It's for the best."
"Ruka...?" Whispered Ayashi faintly. She was still weak but she wanted to make sure that it was really Haruka.
"Hai..." Replied Haruka. She took hold of Ayashi's left hand and held it to her cheek. "How are you feeling...?"
"I'm fine...now that you are here." Said Ayashi as she gently stroke Haruka's cheek. "I'm glad you came." She added smiling.
"I'm sorry Aya, it is my fault...I-" but a light finger stopped her to say more.
"Don't...It wasn't your fault, I should have been more careful." Said Ayashi tenderly.
"Still,
I feel guilty." Whispered Haruka. She took Ayashi's hand that was
caressing her cheek and held it gently with both her hands.
"You
should sleep now." The blonde said as one of her hands went to
caress Ayashi's soft face.
"Hai...but..." Hesitated Ayashi. She turned her head and looked away preventing Haruka to see her blush.
"But?" Enquired the blonde.
Building up her courage, Ayashi slowly turned to Haruka. "I don't want you to leave...me." Answered Ayashi still blushing.
"I'm not leaving you." Stated Haruka.
"Promised?"
"Yes, I promise." Haruka gently pull the blanket to cover Ayashi and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams Aya."
.:x:.
"...in room 707?" Enquired a young nurse.
"Yes, poor girl." Nodded a nurse in her late thirties, she looked down at her coffee and held it tightly between her two hands. "She is so adorable...it pains me to see them like that."
"You are right, it's not fair...I wonder if her boyfriend knows?" Asked the other nurse.
"No...she had requested medical secrecy. To fight alone is very brave...but she should at least tell her boyfriend. What if he finds out?"
"I don't know, I just hope he won't break up with her because of her illness..." Answered the young nurse.
"But he is Tenou-san's only son." Said sadly the older nurse.
"And ?" Asked the young woman.
"And he is the only heir to the Tenou's empire, you know the Tenou Corp." Replied the other.
"No...you mean the famous Tenou Corp?" Asked the young nurse bewildered.
"Exactly. See my point?"
"Yes...but
still, I don't think he will let her down because she won't last
long enough to give him any heirs." Stated firmly the young nurse.
She was probably six years older than them, though she believed they
shared the same view.
"We never know..." Said the older nurse. "Come on, It's late I will give you a ride home." She then added as she made her way to the lift.
"Hai Arigatou Kaori-san, but I wish she could at least get married and spend her days with her husband till the very end..." Said the young nurse as she ran to catch up with the older.
"You are too romantic Midori-chan..." The older nurse sighed and shook her head.
As soon as
the hallway was empty, Haruka let her emotion won her. Enable to stay
on her two legs, she slowly leant against the wall and let her body
slid down.
She was just going back to the room when she heard
Ayashi's room being mentioned.
She wanted to know if she was really
out of danger like her father had told her, but after hearing the
conversation she felt miserable and powerless.
"Aya..." Whispered sadly Haruka as tears started to form in her empty teal eyes.
.:x:.
"Good-" Started Sasuke as she entered the room, but stopped himself as Ayashi was already awake and hushed him.
"He is
still sleeping." She whispered. It was dawn when Ayashi woke up and
not wanting to disturb the peaceful sleep of the short blonde,
she
decided to call a nurse to help her sat down and to brought another
blanket for Haruka.
Sasuke stared at the blonde head resting on Ayashi's bed left side and smiled. "I see, he was awake all night."
"Probably..." Said softly Ayashi as she stroke gently Haruka's hair.
"I'm glad you are already awake Ayashi. You scared me yesterday, running under the rain and suddenly collapsing coughing blood." Said Sasuke as he walked to the right side of the bed.
"I'm sorry, I don't know why I had suddenly wanted to run..." Explained Ayashi truthfully.
"Anyway
you are fine now." Smiled Sasuke, seeing the hurtful expression on
the blonde face he decided that it was best to change the subject.
"Here, those are for you." He handed her a bouquet of lily.
"Oh they are beautiful...they are lilium, right?" Said softly Ayashi. She savoured an instant their scent and smiled before pulling them away.
"Yes, I'm glad you like them. Shall I put them in a vase ?" Asked Sasuke smiling.
"Yes please." Answered Ayashi. She returned to gaze at the sleeping blonde's face and smiled tenderly.
.:x:.
Half an hour later, Haruka slowly woke up to a bright room. Being blinded by the sun rays, the blonde instinctively hided her head under the blanket.
"Did you sleep well, Haruka ?" Asked after a moment Sasuke smiling.
"Hm ?" Came Haruka's voice. She got out of the blanket and rubbed her eyes. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?" Asked the blonde a bit sleepy.
"Well, I'm paying Ayashi a visit. Can't I?"
"Huh?"
Haruka slowly turned her head and came face to face with Ayashi.
She
was blushing and had her eyes cast on her lap. "Aya ?" She
whispered and then it hit her.
She was in Ayashi's room and the
warm pillow...She suddenly felt her cheeks grew warm and had the
decency to look away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Said
Haruka guilty.
"I-It's okay." Said Ayashi still blushing.
"Oh Haruka! You were doing naughty things under the blanket!" Suspected Sasuke with a broad grin plastered on his face.
"No I wasn't!" Denied the blonde.
"Young nowadays..." Came a voice from the open door.
"Tenou-san." Acknowledged both Sasuke and Ayashi.
"Otou-san? What are you doing here?" Asked the blonde. Behind, Ayashi and Sasuke shared a knowing smile. Haruka did have a special greeting.
"Well I came to see Ayashi. Can't I?" Replied Kenji Tenou.
"No, I meant didn't you have an important meeting today?" Asked Haruka surprised to find his father here.
"Oh, the
acquisition of the Daichi Group ? I already sent a delegation to take
care of that." Answered Kenji smiling.
He had never thought that
Haruka was keeping track of his schedule. He then walked to Ayashi's
bed.
"Souka..." Said Haruka pondering.
"So how are you feeling Ayashi?" Asked Kenji concerned.
"I'm fine, I feel a lot better." Smiled Ayashi.
"Good, because I'm here to pick you up." Smiled back Kenji.
Through their conversation, Haruka had never stopped pondering about what she had heard the last night. It seemed like her father knew something about Ayashi's current state but kept it to himself.
"Otou-san? Can I talk to you in privacy please ?" Asked Haruka seriously. She had to know and the shorter way was to ask directly.
"Yes, of course." Replied her father. "Sasuke-kun, Can you help Ayashi to get prepared ? We will be back in a few." Demanded the older man.
"It will be my pleasure." Answered Sasuke. He knew that Haruka probably wanted to discuss an important matter and that it was involving Ayashi, so he complied.
.:x:.
As they stood side by side on the large balcony and looking into the distance, people around them seemed to be inexistent.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"About ?"
"I'm not blind nor stupid Otou-san, I know you knew about Ayashi's illness."
"I promised not to."
"Aya's request ?" Asked Haruka.
"Yes, you remember when you rescued her back in high school...well I asked for a complete checkup and that's how I found out."
"I see." Stated sadly Haruka.
"You were with Kaiou-san last night, right?" Asked her father after a minute of silence.
"Hai..." Answered honestly Haruka. She knew her father wouldn't let her go without talking about this matter.
"I know you really love her, but...she had rejected you for who you truly are. I think you should give Ayashi her chance, she loves you unconditionally for who you are, you know."
"I know father but-"
"Haru, I won't force you...you are free to choose but you have to know that life is never fair." Interrupted Haruka's father.
"What do you mean?" Asked Haruka.
"Life is not a long undisturbed river, Haruka. Obstacles appear and sacrifices have to be made..." Explained sadly the older man.
"You think I'm being too selfish..." Enquired Haruka after reflecting on her father's words.
"I don't know... maybe love is." Said Kenji apologetically.
TBC
AN: I don't know if you had figured out what was Haruka's choice in the end but I have left some hints here and there! Had anyone figured it out?
For the reviewers of the Chapter: In the moon light.
2taxidermy, I'm
glad you like the previous chapter. I tried to put as much
emotion/angst as I can into this chapter, especially when Michiru
wakes up.
Hope you liked it. For
me, romance and angst are complementary !
Papapapuffy, Thanks for your review it gave me the idea to write the paragraph in which Michiru wakes up and find Haruka gone. (Even if it's the opposite of what you hoped, Gomen)
Rushingwind, Wow you really flattered me. Thanks for the nice review. I hope you didn't cry too much for this chapter. I added special joyful moments in order to not let you 'cry your eyes out'. Hehe!
Shinn, Thanks for all your reviews! They are always punctuated with such enthusiasm that it makes me want to update as soon as possible.
Haruka's Knight,
Thanks for your review. I have to say that at first Aya did get hit
by a car...but because I don't like to be obvious, I changed the
storyline! No seriously I'm just kidding. Gomen.
It would have
meant too much drama... However I did thought about it!