Hey guys! Okay, updates will NEVER be this late again. Enough of that, on with the story!!
""means speaking in Japanese ("")means speaking in English ''means thought ()means sound
Disclaimer: Idon't own any chars. or places in the Hana-Kimi series.
(12:00 pm)
"Miss? Miss? Can you hear me? I'm going to check your vitals now, ok? Don't be alarmed..."
Mizuki continued to lay facing the other direction of the female nurse. She kept staring at the door, hoping someone would save her from this nightmare. "What's your name?" questioned the nurse. "..." was Mizuki's response.
"Please, I need you to answer my questions, so we'll be ready when Dr. Akeboshi comes in to commence your medical procedure. Now, what is your name?"
"...My name is Mizuki Ashiya." The Nurse smiled. "Okay, Mizuki, could you sit up for me?" Mizuki struggled to push her body in an upright position with only her right elbow, since the rest of her body was numb.
The Nurse stepped closer. "Here, let me help you up..." "NO!! I-I can do it myself. Please... don't touch me," Mizuki said with a shudder.
After a few more minutes of struggling, Mizuki finally managed to push into a sitting position. Mizuki looked at the Nurse, and whispered embarrassedly, "Sorry I snapped at you."
"No. Don't apologize," the Nurse said. "I should known better; your kind are often nervous and jumpy at the mere thought of human contact for a while." Mizuki blanched. " 'M-My kind'? What do you mean, 'my kind' ?"
"Rape victims."
That phrase finally drove Mizuki to a unavoidable conclusion: This was no nightmare, no hallucination, no figment of her imagination; she really had been attacked yesterday night.
"So...it really happened, didn't it?" Mizuki said with a sunken expression. The Nurse cocked an eyebrow. "Honey, when you came in, you were completely covered in blood, trash, and who knows what else?! IT HAPPENED!!" Her expression and voice softened. "But it isn't, and never will be, your fault; let no one tell you any different." Mizuki was in tears by the time the Nurse finished her statement.
"You know that's the first step in recovery."
"What? What's the first step?" asked Mizuki.
"Recognizing it happened. Not living in denial. Don't rush through this ordeal, take your time. If you're not ready, you're not ready. But remember don't try to block it out. You know what they say 'A unattended wound tends to fester'."
"You're really good at this stuff. You know, making me feel calm."
"Well, I am a Clinical Psychologist."
"So you work as a nurse who has therapy sessions every now and then?"
"Pretty much." The nurse smiled. "Well honey I've got to take my leave, but I'll be back when Dr. Akeboshi calls for me. Take it easy. By the way my name is Yoko. Ask for me if you need anything." The nurse said as she put the clip board back at the end of the bed, gathered her belongings and exited.
"She was nice..." Yawned Mizuki as she drifted off to sleep.
X END SCENE X
(6:15) P.M.
Nakatsu just walked in from dinner and stopped at Sano and Mizuki dorm room.
"Hey guys! I haven't seen you two all day... Hello, guys! Open up, I need to borrow yesterday's science notes."
'What if they're (insert inappropriate image of Sano and Mizuki).
"Guys you better not be doing anything you wouldn't do in front of me!" hollered Nakatsu.
"NAKATSU! You idiot they're not home! They haven't been there all day. Now get in this room, you're disturbing the peace," whispered Kayashima.
Nakatsu dragged himself into his room.
"Jeez, where could they be? No one seen them in any of their classes and Sano didn't come to breakfast, lunch or dinner. God something's wrong! I know it. Maybe they were murdered and their rotting corpses are in the room!" Nakatsu whined as he paced across his dorm.
"Nakatsu, dead or not they aren't in there." insisted Kayashima.
"How do you know?"
"I felt no aura emitting from their room. In fact,I can't feel Sano or Mizuki's aura's on ("campus").
"Kansas? What are you talking about Kansas for?" questioned Nakatsu.
"Kansas!? I said CAMPUS!"
"Well, why are you speaking in english?!"
"I was just practicing and it was only one word. You know that big English test is tomorrow.
Nakatsu ignored Kayashima and continued to pace.
"Maybe Umeda knows were Mizuki is..."
"Well, go check." Kayashima urged.
"Fine!" Nakatsu said as he grabbed a jacket, then left.
3 Minutes Later:
"Damn, he's not here!" Nakatsu dashed away from Umeda's office and continued to search the school. After a while,he finally gave up.
"Well, it is after hours. Umeda always complains about getting home," Nakatsu thought as he aimlessly walked past the front office, only to run into something solid.
"Hey, idiot, watch where you're going!"
"No, watch where your going you bas- Oh! It's just you Umeda."
"What do you mean, 'Oh, it's just you, Umeda'?!" the doctor said, imitating Nakatsu.
"Well, I've looking everywhere for you." Umeda's vein pulsed. "Why!? The nursery is closed; I'm done baby-sitting for the day."
Nakatsu continued, despite his own internal debate. "Anyway, do you know where Mizuki or Sano are?"
Umeda eye started twitch. "How the hell am I supposed to know; I'm not their keeper!! Besides, I was going to ask you the same question!" Nakatsu smirked, not able to help himself. "Aww! Umeda, do you miss Mizuki coming in and talking to you?"
"Of course not!" Umeda retaliated. "It's just out the norm...plus my sister sent something for her..."
"...her?"
"Ummm, forget what I just said."
"Uh...NO! You know something, Umeda, now out with it!!"
"What?! I'm not hiding anything!!"
"OUT WITH IT!!!"
Umeda was caught in a situation with very big consequences...such him losing his job. Before he could think on it, he was saved the sound of approaching footsteps. Mr. Hito, the Front Office Secretary, walked calmly around the corner. "Umeda!" he said. " I have something you might want to see!" He handed Umeda a small note, and just as calmly walked off, satisfied.
Internally relieved that he wouldn't have to answer Nakatsu's question, he started to read the note. The relief he felt earlier vanished. 'Crap...Don't have to ask where they are anymore.' "Come on!" he commanded Nakatsu. Confused, he said, "Wh-What?! Why? Where are we going?!"
Umeda just looked at him and said, "You want to find out where Mizuki and Sano are, don't you?"
xEND SCENEx
Sano continued to fidget in his chair, once again being denied a chance to see Mizuki. He'd been in the waiting room since 1 o'clock that afternoon and it was pushing 7 that evening. His last attempt had been the worst. The nurse at the desk claimed that he was trying to rough her up, and threatened to call security if he approached the desk again.
"Hey, get up boy! This ain't nap time!" a gruff voice sounded, shaking Sano out his reverie. It was the cop who gave him a ride, and a woman who looked like his partner.
(Conversation)
Sano: Huh?
Cop 1(AN: Sano's Ride): My partner and I have some questions for you.
Sano: Okay...
Cop 2: Where were you at the time of the incident?
Sano: At school, asleep or at the track meet.
Cop 1: Could you narrow that down, please?
Sano: What?
Cop 1: (sigh) Where were you at 1:30 am, kid?
Sano: Asleep. And at one o'clock in the morning, only the janitors can tell if someone left the campus.
Cop 2: Thanks. We'll check into that. Now, did the victim exhibit any signs of distress or worry that could resulted in a decision to leave?
Sano: She was distraught over something before we went to bed; she wouldn't tell me what it was, though. Is all this necessary? I already told your partner that Mizuki's my girlfriend!
Voice: (angry)Your WHAT?!?!
(Conversation Over)
Before either police officer or Sano could react, a fist collided with Sano's face. He spun out the chair, trying to recover from the unexpected blow. Before he could recover, though, he was face to face with a bloodthirsty Shizuki Ashiya. "What did you do to her?! Huh?!" he said as he reared back his right fist for another punch. "What did you do, you bastard?!?!"
Sano, ready this time, moved slightly to his left outside of Shizuki's intentional arc. "Nothing!" he said as he countered with a right hook. "I'm actually trying to find out what happened to her! Stop interfering! You know, I think your the reason that Mizuki left last n-"
"SHUT UP!" Shizuki tackled Sano into the wall, the counterblow hardly fazing him. He then came up faster than the eye can blink with a crouching uppercut, bouncing Sano's head off the wall.
Sano's vision blurry for a moment, as he felt more impacts from Shizuki's fists "...trusted..." Shizuki's voice sounded so far away.. "I TRUSTED YOU, ASSHOLE!"
Suddenly the punching stopped.
Shizuki was being pulled away from Sano by the male police officer who previously stood frozen by the sudden violence of Shizuki's attack.
Sano had one chance, one very rapidly shrinking window of opportunity, to, once-and-for-all, end this fight. He struggled, but managed to free himself from the female officer's grip. He ran full speed at Shizuki, forehead-first. He made contact and felt both both his and Shizuki's head split from the immense collision.
"That's enough." said a thundering voice. Or rather, it sounded like it only because the authority behind it sounded absolute. Shizuki continued to try to fight despite the warning and jarring blow to the head. "I said that's enough." the voice sounded again. "Either you two act like adults, or I'll have you removed from the premises by force."
"Who are you?" Sano inquired while trying to recover his balance. The person in the white coat with the authoritative voice replied, "I could ask you the same thing."
"I'm Izumi Sano."
"Well, Izumi Sano, why are you and ..." The doctor said as he motioned to Shizuki.
"Shizuki. Shizuki Ashiya."
"Ah, yes. So why are you and Shizuki-san fighting?"
Shizuki and Izumi remained silent.
"No answer huh? So you two just fought in a hospital lobby for absolutely no reason?"
"No sir. I was fighting in self defense," stated Sano.
"You coward! If you hadn't put my sister in the this hospital, you wouldn't be fighting in self defense!"
"I told you. I did nothing to Mizuki. I would never hurt her. I just want to protect her ."
"You just want to protect her! How come last week she called home crying ? Why Sano? If you were protecting her, why did she say some boys were harassing her and calling her things like 'Fresh virgin meat'! Shizuki questioned as he lunged once again towards sano, only to be pushed to the ground by the police officer.
" I'm going to arrest you if you try to attack Sano again. Got it?!" Hollered the police officer
" Yes Sir." moaned Shizuki
The officer released Shizuki, but continued to hover behind him. After making sure he wasn't going to be attacked again, Sano turned to the doctor. "You never answered my question! Who are you?"
" Dr. Akeboshi." The man in question responded.
"Dr. Akeboshi, I've been here since 1 o'clock and the nurse at the front desk still won't let me see my friend," complained Sano.
"Don't allow him to see my sister! He's nothing but trouble!"
"What's the patient's name?
"Mizuki Ashiya!" Shizuki and Sano said in unison.
"Are you serious?" Dr. Akeboshi asked shocked.
The two nodded.
"Well in that case I can't allow you to see her."
"Why not!" demanded Shizuki.
"Too much trauma. She's not stable, plus I still need to do a kit."
"A kit? A kit for what?" questioned Shizuki.
"Look, I can't talk about this information unless you're a immediate family member."
"I'm her brother." Said Shizuki
Dr. Akeboshi turned to Sano.
"And what is your relation to Mizuki?" asked the doctor.
"I'm her boyfriend."
"Well, since Shizuki's her brother I can tell him. However, it is up to him to let you listen in."
Sano turned to Shizuki. "Please?" He begged
'He really cares for Mizuki,' Shizuki thought.
"Ummm... no." whisper Shizuki.
"All right! Now since that's settled, follow me to my office."
Shizuki started to walk away but stopped and turned around. "I'm sorry Sano. I just don't trust you anymore. I'm doing what's best for my little sister and right now... I think it's best you stay away."
"Ok. I respect your opinion." Sano said to him as Shizuki, the doctor, and the two police officers walked toward the patient's quarters. The male officer looked at Shizuki, and said "I'm sorry about this, but we're going to question you..."
They were too far away for Sano to hear anymore.
'I respect your opinion,' he thought to himself. 'But that won't keep me away from my girlfriend.' He walked toward the exit.
That the end of this chapter you know the drill;R&R!! (Apu):Thank you, come again.