When she got back to the infirmary, she wasn't surprised that Recovery Girl was mad.
"Really! Tripping down the stairs... Just how clumsy you are?" She huffed, "be careful!"
"I will," Akemi answered sheepishly, after all these years lying and covering up had become natural to her. "I'm sorry. I had a disagreement with my father and I just..." She chuckled. Leading on and letting others assume things is better than lying. Cause you're just twisting your words around. All that you have to do was imply something else.
"Oh, really..." The elderly woman sighed and shook her head. "You really need to pay attention to your surroundings better, Dear..."
"Yeah..." Akemi scratched her head and stood up, "The finals should be up by now, so I should probably get to the waiting room for my match—"
"Oh, the match for the third place was cancelled." Recovery girl said.
"Huh?"
"Iida-kun had a family emergency and his parents called him away." The nurse sighed, "You should get ready for the medals ceremony."
"O-oh. I guess..." Akemi stuttered, A family emergency? What... She frowned and suddenly the door slammed open and Akemi jumped.
"Akemi!" It was Kōki. Akemi patted her chest to calm herself, "Mum wants to help you do a different braid, come on!"
"Eh- wha- Wait Kōki!"
And with that, she was dragged out of the infirmary and into the 1A's lockers, where her mum's waiting with brushes and hair ties. And when her mum was finally done with her hair, Akemi wanted to cry.
"Oh, mum com'on..." She brushed behind the strands that framed her face, "this is too much!"
"You look beautiful, Akemi." Her mother nuzzled her, and it's all she could do to stop sobbing. "You got third place! And while I'm sure you could do better, this is amazing." Akemi chuckled, and her mum kisses her temple. "Now out you go. Get your medal!"
Akemi smiled and wiped away a few stray tears as she gazed into the mirror, and at the golden flower crown in place of the Dutch crown braid, then hugged her mother one last time.
Hibiki would say that this is one of her happiest moments— The moment Akemi waved and smiled brightly with the bronze medal handing from her neck, and the crowd exploded into cheers. Hito-chan looked a little sour, but she nudged him and patted him on his back.
She was sure she screamed the loudest.
Hibiki got the call almost right after she left the stadium. So hugging Hito-chan goodbye she walked to the side to take the call.
"Mum?"
"Hey, darling... About your internship at the hospital..."
"I know." Hibiki sighed, "You gave me a break, right? 'Cause I need to focus back on my studies first and I'm supposed to start after the festivals, right? And mum, please don't try to hide things from me. I'll know." She added, softly.
"Yeah..." Hibiki frowned at the urgency and worry in her mother's voice. "Hibiki, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but..." She hesitated, "Hibiki... It's..."
Her phone hits the pavement, and Hibiki took off running for Ueno University Private Hospital, her mother's hospital.
In Hosu.
