Author's Note: And here's were things get interesting... I am not a benevolent God.

Chapter 28 (Love Is Watching Someone Die)

Kita clutched her schoolbooks tightly against her chest so that they wouldn't fall out of her arms as she maneuvered her foot to push aside Akito's door. It was Sunday, her last day before exams, so she had begrudgingly accepted the fact that she would have to spend the day studying regardless of whatever activities Akito had in mind. It was certainly a preternatural event that he didn't ask her to see him yesterday, especially since it was White Day and he had stealthily slipped her an engagement ring, of all things, as a present. With the exception of a few days ago, he had been perpetually ill, yesterday included, but he still didn't ask to see her. Kita had concluded that it was because he wanted her to think over the proposal on her own.

The ring was still on her finger in all of its extravagant resplendence as she kicked at the door. She had gone to sleep still wearing it and when Kureno told her that Akito was ready to see her, she considered taking it off so he wouldn't assume she was saying yes but she just couldn't do it. Now, with the stack of books in her arms, the ring's band was pressing into her skin, sure to leave a mark. The skin around it filled with blood and turned red, cutting off her circulation, as she continued to slide the door aside with her foot. She heard a brutal cough come from within and felt her heart sink. It finally opened the whole way and she stepped inside, immediately placing the books on the ground and rubbing her sore finger.

Akito was lying on the ground, drumming his fingers on the hardwood floor in boredom. He looked over his shoulder at her and she quickly hid her hands behind her back. His cold, dark eyes scanned her, starting at the top of her head and ending on the pile of books on the floor. He raised his eyebrows in question.

"I have finals all next week." she told him, picking up the books again, careful to conceal her left hand. "I'm sorry. I really have to study today."

She sat down next to him and pulled her calculus book into her lap. Her first exam was her worst subject but at least that meant she would get it over with right away. She put her left hand under the book and in between her legs so he couldn't see it.

As she silently read about derivatives and functions, Akito sat up and leaned against her, languidly resting his head on her shoulder. He was feeling worse than he ever had. The room was spinning rapidly as it simultaneously began to slowly tilt on its side like a wobbly carousel. He put his arm around Kita for stability but she merely looked at him, smiled, and went back to reading.

Akito closed his eyes to try to slow the movement and found that it helped slightly. Wasn't there something I needed to talk to Kita about, he vaguely recalled. Why didn't she come and see me yesterday? I remember feeling really sick. She should have been there to take care of me... The ring. I gave her the ring yesterday and I wanted her to think it over. She hasn't mentioned it yet. Where's her hand?

Now pushing most of his weight on her, which really wasn't that much, he reached over and ran his hand down her left arm. Kita's back stiffened as he tugged on the arm so that her lifeless hand was drawn up from its hiding place and landed on top of her calculus book, ring and all. He gently took her fingers into his hand to angle them upwards so he could admire the sparkling ring displayed on them. He simpered at her and she gave him a weak smile back because she really didn't know if she was saying yes or not.

Akito's grasp on her hand faltered suddenly and her fingers slipped away from his chilly, bony hand. His eyes started to close slowly as he fell backward and hit the floor with a loud thud. Kita threw her book down and rushed to his side.

"Akito? Akito!" she said, tapping his shoulders, afraid to move him in case he really hurt himself during the fall. He didn't respond but appeared to still be conscious and breathing, even though the breaths were very short and sparse.

"Kureno! Kureno! Kureno, come here! There's something wrong with Akito! He fainted or something! Call Hatori! Call the hospital!" she shouted. Kureno ran down the hall, his cell phone already out and pressed against his ear.

"Yes...okay. I'll see you there." Kureno said, closing his phone and running into Akito's room. Without skipping a beat, he scooped up the scrawny, ailing man and started running for the door with Kita alongside. "Kita, we're taking him to the hospital. Hatori is going to meet us there. For now, I need you to sit in the backseat with him in case something happens." Kureno blurted out as they left the main house and went towards Kureno's car, or at least a car that they could use.

"Like what?" Kita asked, terrified.

"I don't know. He's been sicker than ever this past week so anything could happen."

Kita started shaking as she sat down in the back of the car and Akito was placed with his head in her lap. She started stroking his soft hair in an effort to calm herself. Not now, she thought. Please don't leave now.

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"Here" Kureno said, handing Kita her calculus book that she hadn't even noticed him pick up when he went to get Akito. "Even though you're under a lot of stress, you need to study."

"How is he?" she asked nervously, setting the book down on the table in front of her. The waiting room they were in was the exact same one she was in when her father was there. She even sat in the same chair without thinking about it. Same scratchy, cheap fabric covering the furniture. Same coffee table with outdated magazines covering every square inch. Same tilted tree in the corner. It looked healthier though: more green, less brown. The staff had finally started watering it.

Kureno sighed and sat down in the chair next to her, the one the nurse had sat in to tell Kita that her father was dead. "He's in intensive care. He stopped breathing."

Kita shivered. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked, concerned.

Kureno stared down at his hands. "They don't know. Even if he starts breathing on his own again, they said he'll have to stay here at least three days before they can release him."

Kita nodded.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, looking over at her. His expression was so sincere, Kita thought she was going to cry.

"Yes." she said, impulsively. Why do I always lie, she thought, now angry with herself. "No. No, I'm not going to be okay. I won't be okay until I know he's going to be okay."

"That's reasonable." Kureno said, trying to soothe her. "Do you want me to help you with that?" he asked, pointing at the calculus book. "Math was one of my better subjects in school."

Kita nodded and opened up the book to where she last left off, trying to lose herself in the numbers but finding that the reality of life was no longer avoidable whether or not she was with Akito.