(Disclaimer: Ikigami manga belongs solely to Mase Motoro, but Sasuke Mura and the other unknown characters I am writing about belong to me. The story is just based on the plot line of the manga. If this disclaimer is wrong, then please do not sue me.)

Chapter 12: Family

Sasuke sat in the lab looking over a slide. Sasuke sighed and said, "This patient's cancer has worsened."

"So the patient is going to die?"

Sasuke glared at Jiro, who was smiling like an idiot.

"The patient could die, but there's still a chance," said Sasuke sternly. Jiro sighed and said, "The patient should just die." Sasuke snapped at his words. She slapped him across the face with anger clearly in her eyes.

"How can you call yourself a future doctor?" demanded Sasuke. Jiro smirked at her holding his cheek.

"Well being a doctor is just about getting money. Doctors don't really care about the patients," pointed out Jiro. Sasuke clenched her fist. She gathered her books and stormed out of the lab room.

When Sasuke was out of the lab room, Jiro looked through the microscope and smirked.

"Sasuke always makes a big deal when a patient is about to die, but she'll learn sooner or later that it is all about the money."

Sasuke walked through the hallway with an angered expression.

Yuki-San is heartless.

"Sasuke-Chan?"

Sasuke looked back at Erin, who was approaching her. Sasuke showed a small smile to her friend.

"Hey Erin-Chan," said Sasuke in almost a whisper. Erin looked at Sasuke in concern.

"Did Jiro say something stupid again?" asked Erin. Sasuke nodded and said, "He only cares about money." Erin nodded in agreement.

"That's true. He even thinks he can buy you with money, the jerk."

Sasuke sighed as she hugged her book and whispered, "If Yuki-San changed his way of thinking, I would respect him more." Erin nodded.

Erin suddenly spotted Shiro and nearly squealed. She saw him approaching them and clung to Sasuke's arm. Shiro reached them and greeted them with a bright smile that sent Erin's heart racing.

"Nice to see you, Shiro," greeted Sasuke. Shiro smiled warmly at her.

"Nice to see you too, Sasuke."

Erin looked at Shiro and Sasuke in confusion wondering when they started calling each other in first name basis. Erin also noticed the warm look of Shiro, which was directed toward Sasuke. Erin clenched Sasuke's arm feeling a pain in her heart.

"We have to get to class, Sasuke-Chan," whispered Erin. Sasuke nodded and looked back at Shiro.

"You want to come with us or are you going to skip to lab?" asked Sasuke. Shiro chuckled and said, "I'm going to class, so lead the way." Sasuke nodded with a small giggle feeling a little better.

As they walked, Erin noticed the friendly atmosphere around Sasuke and Shiro. Erin bit her lip wondering what she was feeling.

Meanwhile, Jiro was still in the lab writing down notes. His cell phone suddenly rang causing him to nearly jump. He ran out of the lab with his notes in hand.

When he was out of the lab area, he flipped his cell phone open.

"Jiro speaking."

"Jiro-Chan?"

Jiro's eyes widen when he heard the voice through the phone speaker.

"Neo-Nee-Chan? Why are you calling me? Shouldn't you be at work?" asked Jiro filled with confusion.

"I decided not to go to work today. I really need to see you, so please see me in the park, Jiro-Chan."

Jiro could sense the trouble in Neo's voice and replied with a yes. He hanged up the phone and immediately ran out of the institution toward the park, where Neo was waiting eagerly.

After class, Sasuke was on her way home. Sasuke looked at her watch wondering what Mrs. Ohtori would make for dinner. Her cell phone suddenly rang in her bag. Sasuke pulled it out and answered it.

"Sasuke, could you go to the market to get some beef and pork before heading home?" asked Mrs. Ohtori through the receiver of the phone.

"Of course, bye," replied Sasuke and hung up the phone. Sasuke changed her direction toward the market place.

On the way to the marketplace, she collided into someone causing her to fall over. Sasuke groaned and looked up only to see a woman with long black hair in front of her sitting on the ground rubbing her head. If it wasn't for the woman's yellow Sunday dress, Sasuke would have believed that she was looking through a mirror. Sasuke kneeled in front of the woman and asked, "Are you OK?"

The woman nodded and looked at Sasuke. She gasped in surprise and shoved Sasuke away screaming, "Doppelganger!" Sasuke caught herself. She looked at the woman and said, "I am not a doppelganger." The woman looked at Sasuke meekly.

"Neo-Nee-Chan, don't run ahead of me?"

Sasuke recognized that voice. She looked up and saw Jiro approaching them. Jiro stopped in front of them. He spotted Sasuke and smiled like an idiot.

"Sasuke, what a coincidence bumping into you," said Jiro. Sasuke groaned. The woman, known as Neo, looked up at Jiro confusingly.

"Do you know her?" asked Neo. Jiro nodded as he helped Neo to her feet.

"She's my girlfriend," replied Jiro happily. Sasuke stood up and whacked the side of Jiro's arm.

"Who says?" demanded Sasuke angrily. Jiro laughed rubbing the side of his arm. Neo stared at them. Sasuke noticed the sadness in her eyes making her confused.

"Is something wrong?" asked Sasuke. Neo shook her head and showed a small smile.

"I was just surprised that Jiro-Chan had such a beautiful girlfriend," said Neo in a monotone voice. Sasuke sighed claiming that she wasn't his girlfriend.

Neo suddenly gasped and said, "How rude of me not to introduce myself. My name is Neo Rinko, Jiro-Chan's older cousin." Sasuke nodded and introduced herself as well. Jiro chuckled.

"I bet you were surprised to see how much you two look alike."

Sasuke and Neo nodded. Neo suddenly grabbed Jiro's hand and said, "You told me that you were going to bring me to the museum, didn't you." Jiro nodded with a wide smile.

"Anything for Neo-Nee-Chan," said Jiro. Neo smiled with a small blush against her cheek. Sasuke noticed this and smiled.

"You two sure are close," said Sasuke. Jiro chuckled, while Neo's blush deepened. Jiro suddenly held his hand to Sasuke and asked, "Do you want to come with us?" Sasuke was about to refuse, until she saw Neo shaking.

"Are you all right Rinko-Chan?" asked Sasuke. Sasuke placed a hand to Neo's exposed shoulder. Sasuke's eyes widen as her Soul's Eye activated. Sasuke frowned when she saw the Nano pill in Neo's heart shaking. Sasuke released Neo's shoulder making Neo confused. Sasuke smiled at Jiro.

"I would love to come, Yuki-San," said Sasuke. Jiro chuckled, reminding Sasuke to call him by his first name. Sasuke smiled and flicked his forehead.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," said Sasuke. Jiro rubbed his forehead with a smile on his face. Neo noticed this and clenched Jiro's arm tighter as if to prevent him from running away.

Sasuke, Jiro, and Neo arrived at the Art museum. They explored inside examining each of the paintings. As they explored, Sasuke continued to look at Neo.

Jiro brushed Neo off and said, "I'm going to the bathroom, so just wait here." Neo and Sasuke nodded watching Jiro run off. Sasuke looked at Neo ready to say something, but stopped when Neo said, "Please don't go near Jiro-Chan." Sasuke blinked in confusion.

"What?"

Neo looked at Sasuke with desperate eyes and said, "Jiro-Chan is my only joy, so don't take him away." Sasuke stared at Neo and came to a realization.

"Are you in love with him?"

Neo clenched her fist as she blushed and said, "I know it is wrong for cousins to love each other in a romantic way and I am older, but I can't help this feeling." Sasuke stared at Neo and sighed.

"What do you see in him?" asked Sasuke. Neo smiled.

"Kindness. Ever since we were small, we always dreamed of becoming doctors to help people. We continue that dream even today."

Sasuke looked at Neo confusingly.

"But he only cares about the money, not the patient. He tells me that almost every day during lab," pointed out Sasuke. Neo sighed.

"He doesn't mean it. He's only like that because of his father."

"Father, what did he do?"

Neo clenched her fist and began to explain.

"A long time ago, Jiro-Chan had an older sister who he was close to, but she died according to law. Jiro-Chan was crushed. His father claimed that she had earned enough money and could just die. According to his father, as long as there is money, there is no need to save anyone, so a patient can just die as long as there is money. Jiro lived by those words, but I know that there is still kindness in his heart."

Sasuke clenched her hand staring to understand why Jiro acted the way he does. Sasuke smiled at Neo and said, "You really love him don't you." Neo nodded.

"I want to live and support him, but I know I can't," said Neo as a tear began to escape from her eye. Sasuke placed a hand on Neo's back and whispered, "I'll support you then." Neo looked at Sasuke confusingly.

They suddenly heard Jiro calling for them and looked up. Jiro waved to them and asked, "Where do you want to go next?" Neo and Sasuke looked at each other and then to Jiro.

"How about ice cream?"

Jiro laughed and said, "You guys are almost like twins." Neo and Sasuke giggled.

After having ice cream, they headed down the street. Jiro smiled and said, "That was satisfying." Neo and Sasuke nodded in agreement. Jiro looked back at them and winked.

"Let's try this again someday," said Jiro. Sasuke looked at Neo, who had a sadden look. Neo approached Jiro making him confused. Neo kissed Jiro on the lips causing him to gasp in surprise. Neo pulled away from a shock Jiro.

"I love you, Jiro-Chan, ever since we first met. I know it is wrong, but please understand my feelings," said Neo. Jiro was speechless. Tears began to escape from her eyes as she spoke.

"I received an Ikigami yesterday, so I am bound to die by law."

Jiro felt his heart sink. He shook his head in denial.

"No. That can't be, not you too," said Jiro as he began to shake. His once huge ego was shattered as he stared at Neo. Neo nodded and said, "I wanted to spend my last moments with you and tell you my true feelings. I will only love you."

Neo was crying against Jiro, who just held her in shock. Sasuke watched them and then pulled out a syringe from her bag. She stuck the needle behind Neo's back and injected the liquid. Neo passed out immediately in Jiro's arms. Jiro gasped as he held Neo.

"Neo-Nee-Chan?"

"Don't worry," said Sasuke as she took Neo from Jiro's grasp. Sasuke placed Neo on the ground and said, "I just knocked her out." Jiro stared at Sasuke in disbelief.

"What are you doing?" asked Jiro. Sasuke began to pull out many medical supplies from her bag.

"I'm going to save her," replied Sasuke. Jiro shook his head.

"That's impossible and even if it was, that would be going against the law," said Jiro. Sasuke looked at Jiro seriously.

"So would you choose the law over your family?" asked Sasuke. Jiro was struck speechless. Sasuke held her hand to Neo.

"Rinko-Chan told me about your sister and how your father told you only to care about money after her death. Not about a life. Is that what you truly believe? That money is greater than a person's life?"

Jiro clenched his hand and said, "If I care about a person's life, then I would always cry. That's why I care about money, but…"

Jiro began to cry as he looked down at Neo's unconscious form.

"…I do care about my family, so please save Neo-Nee-Chan."

Sasuke nodded and began the procedure. As Sasuke did the procedure, Jiro felt warm all over. Jiro watched Sasuke do the operation and suddenly remembered what his sister told him when he was young.

Every patient is your family, so take care of them the best you can.

Jiro felt a tear escape from his eye as a smile crept onto his face.

When Sasuke was finished with the procedure, she sighed and looked at Jiro with a smile.

"She'll be fine now, Yuki-San," said Sasuke as the pill turned to dust in her hand. Jiro ran to Neo and hugged her close to his chest. He looked at Sasuke and said, "You really are something." Sasuke placed her medical equipment away with a smile.

"Take care of her and tell her how she was saved. You also have the choice to tell the Government about what I did."

Sasuke got up and began to walk away. Jiro stared at her retreating back as he held Neo. He then looked down at Neo and smiled. He kissed her forehead with tears in his eyes.

The next day during lab, Sasuke looked over a patient's records. Sasuke frowned and said, "This patient needs a lot of medications to survive."

Jiro looked over her shoulder and asked, "Will the patient be OK after taking those medications?" Sasuke nodded and added, "Hopefully."

"That's good."

Sasuke looked back at Jiro with a smirk.

"You usually say that the patient should hurry up and die. Why the change of heart?" asked Sasuke. Jiro scratched the back of his head.

"Well I remembered some words of wisdom from my sister. Now I am going to live by her words and seriously help people like you," said Jiro. Sasuke smiled.

"I like this change," replied Sasuke. Jiro smiled widely at her and asked, "Does that mean you will go on a date with me now?" Sasuke elbowed his side.

"Don't push it and what about Rinko-Chan?"

Jiro rubbed his side and said, "She won't mind." Sasuke crossed her arms at him.

"I doubt it," said Sasuke. Jiro began to pout and said, "Well I at least want some reward from you for keeping your secret and changing." Sasuke giggled. She pulled Jiro by his necktie causing him to lean forward. Sasuke gave him a small kiss on the cheek and whispered, "Good luck, Jiro."

Sasuke gathered her things and walked off from a stunned Jiro. Jiro placed a hand to his cheek, when Sasuke left, and smiled brightly with a small blush against his cheek.

Thanks Moon Child.