Chapter 12

Tsukiko's POV

Each day dragged on with me trying to keep order around the ever clean apartment. However, I could not find the energy to keep up with the daily activities that seemed to plague me. Every time I made breakfast I couldn't stop from trying to see if someone would come to visit me. I knew for some reason I would recieve no visitors at all. The harsh reality of life.

Akina's POV

I could concentrate very little as I pulled out another paper, my glasses slipping from my face. I tried to grasp them, but they fell off of my face and onto the tiled floor. I tried to bend over, but was reminded of the pain it took to wear the strange face ornaments my eye doctor had placed on my face. I sighed before bending my body to pick up the rather thick framed reading glasses to my face. "Mikuri-sensei." I looked up to see one of my students with a questionable look on his face.

"Yes Sano-san?"

"I'd like to see my grade on my field trip paper."

"I haven't finished grading them, and you'll see them when I get done." The average boy looked defeated as he walked back to his desk. The next day would be preparations for Tsukiko-chan's surgery, and I found myself unable to grade as to the point with that attitude. I stared at the next paper on my desk and found an error, marking it with my red marker.

Uotani's POV

"Uotani-san!" The pain of something against the top of my head became apparent as I looked away from the window. The substitute ended up being a pretty arrogant woman who always thought of herself first. The woman's form approached me, pulling the object that had struck me in her hands. It turned out to be a white stick of familiar chalk in her hands. "I was hoping you'd return to us soon, since you've been like this for at least half an hour."

"No I haven't."

"Then tell me what my lesson has been about." I took a deep breath, looking around the classroom for a sign of what the lesson was. When I could not find any obvious signs, I nodded in defeat as the woman seemed to be appeased with her work. "Pay attention." Once her body moved from my eyesite, I simply moved my head back to the window and watched the clouds once again.

Tsukiko's POV

I heard a knock, having just finished my own dinner five minutes ago. A film of soapy water was on my hands as I opened the door. I had at first just seen Akina, but there was another shape behind her. As the shape moved more into the house, I could see it as the person I had been worried about the most. "Well, I didn't expect to see you so soon Uotani-san." I moved towards the sink again. I began to pull a sponge to me as I made an abrasive force against a plate. She sat down, seemingly waiting to speak. Akina seemed much more relaxed and began placing down a few papers and grading them. Her coke bottle reading glasses looking at the papers.

"Tsukiko-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you risk your life for my sake?" I knew this question would pop up, but I would still go through with my promise. I was going to be near her, and I wanted to be healthier.

"Everyone is selfish about something, I was always watching you from a distance. Even when I was part of the gang, I continued to watch you from a distance. You have a knack for being hopeful in all that darkness of yours." To be honest, I was jealous of her ability to accept so easily. "I want to be closer, but the more I want to...the more my heart rips in two. Emotionally, I need to have my heart in a better condition to accept this new life." Her eyes seemed to widen a slight bit before using her next question.

"I want to be with you when the surgery happens."

"I'll let you be there, but you better graduate."

TBC...