Chapter 5

After a few days in hospital anyone would be bored out of their minds and Mai was no exception as she stared out of the window.

After everyone had calmed down about her awakening she'd fallen back asleep and had apparently caused a stir when she'd failed to wake up until Ayako made a ward for her.

It had been a week and Mai was being released the next day, she couldn't wait.

I wonder what the guys are doing now, she pondered before her mind turned to the one forbidden topic… Gene.

She was confused to put it lightly. Gene was identical to Naru but his name was Eugene Davis and Naru's was Kazuya Shibuya. Maybe they were split up at birth, Mai mused quietly to herself, it would explain their different names… Gene's dead. It was hard to believe the nice Naru from her dreams was a different person entirely and she remembered saying Gene's name when she had first woken and spotted Naru.

Speaking of Naru, he hadn't come to visit her since her return to consciousness. Really and truly what was with that? It was his fault that she got dragged onto cases so the least he could do was visit her when she was injured!

Mai huffed before jumping to her feet, "If no one's going to come and visit then it is upon my shoulder's to entertain myself," she muttered to herself as she stalked stealthily to the door, fantasising herself as a ninja but the need for her stealth skills was to be unfulfilled once she realised the nursing station was empty and scowled to herself, muttering about lack of excitement.

It was strangely quiet within the ward and with as much impulse as curiosity she strode down to the small room at the end of the corridor.

She had first noticed it on one of her previous wanderings but had never been able to investigate before a nurse came along and took her back to her room. But those killjoys aren't here now, she thought with a grin to herself.

She pushed open the door and walked into the mysterious room. Like all the other rooms it was cream coloured with a light blue tiled floor.

A small bed situated in the corner overlooking a beautiful view out the window and the sakura trees caught her attention.

A small outline could be made out over the multitude of blankets as she made her way closer.

Her hand slowly pulled the curtain aside and she was able to glance before realising who it was. Hinamori Keigo looked like he was peacefully sleeping and she couldn't help but smile gently at him as she pushed his hair back from his forehead.

"Keigo-kun, it's nice to meet you in person," she said gently and paused as if waiting for a response, some acknowledgement of her presence but she got none, "I'm Taniyama Mai. You tried to push me down the stairs," Mai paused again, glad that the accusing note had stayed out of her voice, "but I forgive you. No harm done so…" Mai trailed off wondering what to say next and she glanced around for inspiration.

She spotted a small picture on the bedside locker and picked it up as she saw Keigo wrapped in a hug with his sister, "You know, I don't have any parents either," she said soothingly, "They died quite a while ago and I don't have any relatives… but I do have a family, my co-workers. It's kinda dysfunctional as I'm sure you can imagine, but I don't really care.

Bou-san's the dad cause he always protects me and Ayako's the mum because she gives help when I need it, plus she argues with Bou-san a lot, which is what parents do, right? Besides I think they like each other.

Masako… well she's the annoying cousin that everyone wants to avoid apart from John, they seem to hang out together," Mai mused for a second, "John's kinda hard to place, he's kind and caring and gives out a feeling of trust but he's not weak either, more of a brother I suppose and so's Yasuhara, only he's the troublemaker with all his schemes. Lin's the quiet, chilling uncle who scares everyone but we always turn to him when we're in trouble. He doesn't really get much credit for what he does but the attention he gets from Madoka more than makes up for it. Madoka's like the aunt role-model, confident, smart and care-free. That leaves Naru," Mai paused wondering how he fitted in, "He's smart and cares about everyone and kind of protective at times, I'd say he's like an older brother but then being in love with your older brother isn't right. I'd put him as a… close family friend," Mai took a deep breath, "I don't know why I'm telling you this, I suppose I just want you to know that a lack of blood relatives doesn't mean you're lacking a family," Mai stopped after that and stayed in the room for a few more minutes before the silence became unbearable and she left.

She wandered through the corridors, peeping into different rooms she passed by looking for something to do.

Without thought she opened the doors to a large room and froze. Every bed but two were occupied by bodies all connected up to machines to check their vitals.

What made it worse was unlike with Keigo, these people, who Mai knew for certain to be the coma victims, didn't look like they were sleeping. They looked like corpses and Mai felt that she had stepped into a morgue. The thought tat simply a few days ago this was what she must have looked like to her friends made her feel guilty for putting them through so much pain and worry.

Without meaning to she sunk to her knees from despair and felt that slow trickle of salty tears coming from her eyes.

"Mai," it took a few seconds for the voice to register in Mai's head. Naru, his tone for once was gently, "Come on Mai, stand up. You're leaving the hospital with me now," his voice calm and reassuring made her resurface from her unnecessary guilt.

"Naru?" I queried as he lifted me to my feet and guided me through the halls to my room, "Was I going to be put in that room with those other people?" She stared at his face as he looked resolutely ahead. Not knowing why but the question seemed to be important to her and she needed to know it.

He stopped outside her room and without looking at her, "No Mai. I wouldn't let them out you in there. Now go and pack your bag,"

With that he left and she watched him walk away.

YAY I got this updated lol. I think that the next chapter will be the last one before the madness begins. I can't wait, so excited lol. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed last chapter

lil whit, kikan, iloveme5895, Flamegirl5500, ., DEATHCARNATION, emydo and jgood27

whew, till next update byeeeeeeeee