Chapter 22

"So, what are the two of you? Friends?"

I looked over to Kyoko, who was currently sitting next to me on my bed. Wait this already happened, is this a dream?

The last things I remembered was the short wedding ceremony before my surgery began. I remembered being hooked up with all sorts of tubes, and one of the doctors telling me the name of some drug before I blacked out from whatever they had pumped into my system.

"Hey Kyoko, can we talk for a moment?" Kyoko looked up from the manga that she was reading and nodded. She had never been that big into manga before we became friends, but it had become a ritual whenever we had hung out at my house to read a little bit.

"Sure Sakura, what's up?" I could tell that she was trying to be strong and hold back her emotions, clearly she was still a bit rattled from whatever her and the boy who had stolen my heart had gone through.

"What do you think about him? You two seem to be getting along a bit better now."

Kyoko thought for a moment, I could tell her opinion of him had gone up since she didn't immediately blurt out a response.

"I still don't really get it, but I can see how much he cares about you. Before he always used to brush it off, or say you two weren't really anything, not even friends. Part of me still thinks you can do better, but I guess that's just me being superficial."

There's more you want to say, just say it. I won't be mad.

"I can tell he's changed from how he used to be, maybe that's because of all the time he's spent with you. I know you like him and if you're really set on him, I won't argue too much. If he makes you happy, then I'm happy."

I felt my cheeks burning as she came right out and said it. "Was it that obvious?" Kyoko smiled and nodded.

"You can't hide anything from me, I could always see how you would look at him and how your mood would be when you two were together, or how you would talk about what the two of you did. Even before you two started hanging out, I noticed how you'd be watching him from time to time."

Well there is one thing you don't know.

"I guess denying it at this point would just be a waste of time. I do like him, and it would make me really happy if the two of you could get along. He can be a little rough at first, but once you get to know him, you can see that he's a good guy."

Kyoko shrugged. "I'll do my best, at the very least I won't go off on him like I used to." She started to go back to the manga but squealed as I leaned over and hugged her.

"Thank you Kyoko, it means a lot to me."

Wait but if this is a dream, then...

"Kyoko, what if I said I didn't just like him?"

I had never asked this the day we hung out, we had just spent the rest of the time talking about whatever came to mind. Part of me wondered if this would even work, or whether Kyoko would just do the same things she had done when we had hung out.

"What do you mean?"

Kyoko looked over to me once more, closing the manga she had been reading with her finger saving her place. I silently celebrated that my idea had worked.

"What if I told you that I, well that I might love him?"

Kyoko didn't respond for a moment. I didn't really know what I expected to happen from here, while part of me wondered if this might be another lingering part of the syndrome.

"I understand."

I looked up in surprise. It still sounded like Kyoko, and Kyoko was still sitting in front of me.

"I don't quite understand your feelings, but if you say that you do then I'd accept that. This doesn't seem like something you'd joke about, and as long as he makes you happy I don't see how I could object."

Before I could thank this version of Kyoko, I suddenly felt cold. No, I had been feeling cold for a bit now, and as I finally noticed I felt my body become colder and colder.

What is happening to me? Haruki please help me.

It was a hopeless wish, there was no way he could hear my thoughts. Something must be going wrong in the operation, and what I was feeling was my body shutting down.

Oh I wish we could have had more time together, there's so much I wanted to do with you, and Kyoko, and everyone.

"Sakura?"

I could hear Kyoko, her voice sounding far away even though I knew this dream version of her was only a short distance away. I tried to answer, but couldn't muster the strength to.

All in all, I guess I had a good life. I made some good friends, met a special someone, and had a lot of fun. I just wish it wasn't over just yet.

As I struggled to open my eyes, just once to see the world again, I felt a slight warmth enter my arm. It was a familiar warmth, but I struggled to figure out when I had last felt it. It was recent, that was all I could come up with.

Haruki, be strong without me okay??

"Sakura are you okay?"

I could hear her voice more clearly, and I realized I could open my eyes once more. The familiar warmth had filled me from head to toe, and as I opened my mouth I realized why it felt so familiar.

Haruki did you save me? No, I don't need to ask that.

I knew for certain that whatever had happened, he had been there to save me. Just like he always had, and as he always would.

"Yeah, I'm okay Kyoko. I think it's almost time for me to go though."

Kyoko nodded, understanding what I meant.

"We'll see each other soon, and who knows maybe one day we'll go on a double date."

I smiled, even though none of this was real. I was looking forward to that day.

The room around me began to lose detail, as the dream began to end. The surgery must be ending. Or maybe it already has. I waved goodbye to Kyoko, though the world around me has faded away so much it may have been a pointless effort.

When I finally awoke, I was in a hospital bed. I didn't know how long had passed since the surgery, but I felt very well rested. Rio was sitting in a chair by the bed, turning toward the noise alerting her that I was finally awake.

She looks upset. Did something happen?

"Good afternoon Sakura, how are you feeling?"

I noticed her tone was tense, as if she had something to say but was holding back.

"A little sore, but other than that good. Where is Haruki? I was hoping to see him when I woke up."

The look on her face told me everything right then and there. Oh no, what did you do?

"This may be tough to hear, but he is..."

Rio stopped herself, standing up. She held her hand out to me.

"Would you like to go see him? It may make things easier."

I nodded, and Rio helped me out of the bed onto a waiting wheelchair. She pushed me down the hall, explaining what had happened on the way.

"During the surgery, there was a complication. You started to lose blood, a lot of it. What we had on hand wasn't enough to replace what you needed, so he offered to donate blood to save your life."

So that explains the cold feeling and everything that happened in the dream.

"So why isn't he here to see me when I woke up?"

I didn't understand, had he given too much blood and needed to rest? Why would that be something that had distressed Rio this much?

We finally stopped in front of a door, and I noticed how quiet the area around us was.

"Are you ready?"

I nodded, wanting to finally get some answers that Rio seemed to be holding back. Rio opened the door, and I saw the price that Haruki had paid for saving me.

"What happened to him?"

That was all I could utter, as I saw the one I love laying in a hospital bed. He was attached to so many different monitors, some I recognized and some I had never seen before. A lot of wires seemed to be around his head, pad attached to different points of his scalp.

"During the transfer of blood, Haruki passed out and ended up in a coma. We made sure to not take too much blood from him, and normally most people don't enter a coma when giving blood. They may pass out, if they didn't eat before hand or from seeing the needle."

Rio pushed me along side the bed, so I could reach up for his hand. It felt warm like always, and I could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Oh you're still alive, can you feel me here with you darling?

"He hasn't yet responded to any stimuli, and officially we have no idea what caused the coma."

"But what about unofficially?"

I caught her wording, the way she said it made me realize that she had an idea. Rio nodded, glad that I had understood.

"I believe it has to do with the syndrome. We still have no true understanding of how it works, but I believe he may have passed it onto you and his mind entered a coma as a way of protecting itself.

His goal all along was to protect you, to save you. That strong desire is what caused him to develop the syndrome in the first place, and his wish to save you yesterday when he gave his blood may have caused the syndrome, whatever remained of it, to transfer to you.

Since the syndrome is brought about by the mind, the mind has to work to protect itself as it is essentially losing part of itself. This is the first time I've heard of or seen this happen, so this is all guesswork."

I nodded, focusing on the feeling of his hand in mine. I caressed his palm, hoping that it might make him wake up. I heard a beeping from one of the monitors, and Rio rushed over to it.

"Whatever you are doing, it's reaching his mind. We've tried speaking to him, simple touch exercises, reading books from his room, but none of it reached him. But you are. Keep doing whatever you are doing."

Haruki I'm here, please wake up for me.

I continued to carress his hand, hoping that he might interlace his fingers with mine. Or that his eyes would open, a smile forming as we were back together once again. But there was nothing.

"This is still a good sign, don't feel discouraged."

Rio made her way back over to me, kneeling on the ground.

"If you can come visit him, we will get him to wake back up. If anyone can do it, it's you."

I nodded.

"I'll come everyday if that's what it takes. I'd never leave his side if that's what makes him come back to me."

And so I did. I visited every single day, sometimes staying the night during the weekend. When I was with him, I'd read to him. Most of his books were a bit too confusing for me, but whenever I read The Little Prince I could have sworn I could see him smile, just a little bit.

We missed out on some of the dates we had planned, but each day I was still with him. Some day, Kyoko and the ones who had helped him would come to visit too. We'd sit around talking like it was just a normal day, and they'd bring gifts and flowers to fill the room with.

As time passed on, Haruki still never woke up. There was times when the monitors would begin to beep, and someone would enter the room to take notes. But this only ever happened when I sat with him, spoke to him, held his hand. He never responded when any of the others spoke or did anything.

When Christmas came, I visited once again. My family had understood why I needed to leave the house, they offered to drive me but I decided to walk. I wanted to clear my head, and enjoy the brisk winter air.

"Hey dear, it's me again. It's Christmas today, so I got you something. I hope that's okay with you."

As usual, there was no response. I still had a small hope that one of these days, I'd hear his voice answer back with some quip or just anything at this point.

I took the present out from my pocket, and opened the box.

"I would have wrapped it, but I wanted to give it to you to wear today. And as much as I hoped, it doesn't look like you're able to open it."

I took his left hand, sliding his gift onto his finger. The ring fit perfectly, matching the one on my own finger.

"I know the ceremony we held that day wasn't official, but you know the feelings I have for you are. So I hope it's okay with you, but I wanted to have something to symbolize that. No matter how far apart we are, no matter what happens we'll always be together."

I sat down, taking his hand in mine. I could tell he had gotten a bit thinner, and I made a mental note to start learning how to cook more once he woke up.

I wonder what you'd like to have when you wake up? Maybe your mom can give me some ideas.

"I'll be back tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Everyday until you're back."

I stood up, squeezing my fingers around his one last time when I felt a slight contraction in his hand. The monitors began beeping, more than they had before.

A nurse came into the room, taking notes as usual. She checked the machines, then finally turning to me.

"Whatever you did, I think it's starting to wake him up."

The Author's Desk

Hello friends, and happy holidays.

First off, sorry for the delay. When I first started writing this chapter, I hit sort of a block. I had the idea to make this another Sakura chapter, but after a point I wasn't sure where to take things. That and not having the free time like I used to lead to this chapter taking longer to finish.

Rest assured, there won't be another 15 chapters dealing with the syndrome and all that. There will be some resolution to it in the final chapters, that's all I can say at the moment.

I hope to have the next chapter out next week, but it may take a bit longer with the holidays and everything.

Hope all is well, and as always thanks for reading along. I'll see you in the next chapter.