Disclaimer: I'm not good enough to own Pot…

Chapter 5: What's wrong with me?

That night…

Kunimitsu Tezuka…there sure is a lot to learn about him, I thought as I on my bed. He wasn't just a simple geek that studies all day on his desk. I was surprised he was a procrastinator but more importantly I never saw anyone this talented in tennis. He matches my father's level and father's ranking during his teenage years was not low: Nationally ranked 20 out of 7000. Then the faces of Fuji, Kikumaru, Oishi and other freshmen tennis players came to my head. Are they as good as Tezuka is? Or is Tezuka just an exception? Oh well no matter. I should get up to do some studying and then write some fanfiction.

Mean while…

What an extraordinary girl…based on what I've seen in the Seigaku tennis club, girls can barely volley and hit ground strokes, ignoring the fact that some have trouble with their backhands. But Twist serves? I haven't seen any guy in Seigaku hit that serve. I really need to improve so I'll win against her for sure next time. (Visions of Mina dancing, smiling and laughing come to his mind) She sure is complicated to understand…I can't get a good grip of her abilities or her feelings. She's always smiling just like Fuji but her smile seems to be warm and sincere unlike Fuji's…

Flashback

"Hey Tezuka what do you see in your ideal girl?" I nui asked with his notebook open, his glasses gleaming at Tezuka.

"Why?" feeling insecure, Tezuka backed away.

"I'm doing a survey for a class" (quote from automatic petals)

"Hmm she has to be pretty, caring, smart and she has to like tennis."

End of flashback

She is pretty…very pretty. Her chocolate silky hair flowing down her back, hazel colored eyes that seems to take you into her world as she gazes at you, creamy ivory skin that makes you want to hold her hand to see how smooth it is, her smile can make anyone's heart thump. Yes I noticed that even if I maybe labeled as unemotional…and she is caring: she asked to dance with me, noticing that I was left out and countless times she would help people with homework problems if they didn't understand it. Besides that, smart is the synonym for her name. She can nail all problems that teachers throw at her Flashback images of Mina taking notes continuously with a serious expression and absorbing every word from the lectures. And best of all, she likes tennis or more like she's pro at it…is that a sign that I'm falling for her? (Shakes his head) puppy loves mean nothing. It'll interfere with my present life but I think I pissed her off though. Who knew girls notices trivial things like that? Person other than Aizawa san that noticed I was not playing with my dominant hand was Fuji…I'll talk her tomorrow. I'll pack for school now. (Notices that some of his homework is missing.) Oh I left it at Aizawa san's house. It's barely 8 and her light is on.

"Konbanwa (Good Evening)" Tezuka bowed as Mrs. Aizawa opened the door.

"Kunimitsu Kun what happened?"

"I'm sorry to trouble you at this time but is it possible for me to pick up my belongings that I left in Aizawa san's room?"

"Sure! I'm sorry Mina should have delivered it to you."

With a polite answer, Tezuka headed upstairs to Mina's room. Recalling that Mina said not to knock, he quietly opened the door not to startle her. Though he expected her to be on the desk studying for some test in 100 years, he found her on the bed asleep. He wanted to just gather his papers and leave but when he faced her, he seemed rooted on the ground.

The Mina he was observing now looked like a portrait. Her hair was neatly placed as though she fell asleep right when she hit the bed, her eyes closed made her look as innocent as an angel, her hands laced together as feminine as one can be. However, he noticed her face had more pink color as though she wore blush. Is she sick? Quickly he placed a hand on her forehead and the other hand on his forehead. Her temperature is pretty high. He ran down the stairs, almost tripping on the third step and called for Mrs. Aizawa.

With the sound of someone running down, I opened my eyes without blinking. I had an unusual dream. A doctor was chasing me and I wanted to stop but I couldn't. I kept running and running.

"Mina! Are you okay? Let me measure your temperature." My mom paced around my room grabbing a thermometer, towel and icepack.

I looked up at mom while the middle aged woman inserted a thermometer under my arm.

"Mom I'm fine I just had a dream and you know after dreams, you get a headache and you're more tired than before?" even if I said so, I understood that I was sick. My throat ached when I talked and my head seemed like it was replaced with a stone.

"39.8 degrees Celsius (normal temperature is 36.0 degrees) No school for you tomorrow Mina" my mom muttered as she took out the thermometer. "Sweetie you're lucky Kunimitsu Kun noticed you were sick or I wouldn't have known."

"Hmm?" I gave her a puzzled look until at the corner of my room; I caught sight of Tezuka looking at me concerned.

"Are you okay Aizawa san?" Tezuka questioned as my mother walked out after she persuaded me to go see the doctor tomorrow.

I nodded and forced a smile. Smiling wasn't that easy when your head throbbed with pain.

"You need to rest so I'll walk alone to school tomorrow." As he said so, his expression was soft and it gave me the strength to smile once again.

"Thanks Tezuka kun" I whispered while he gave me a pat on the head. "You act like a brother to me."

With a rare smile on his face, Tezuka exited my room and I drifted off into a deep sleep.

Is she right? Are my feelings for her similar to affection for a sister? I'm sure she's right Tezuka nodded convincingly. I'm not experienced in feeling love affection for a girl so what makes me think that I like her?

Next Morning…

"Mina let's go see the doctor." My mom coaxed to get out of the bed.

"Mom you took a day off? I'm just sick like usual. (yes I get sick very often)." I forced out my voice from my vocal chords.

"Yes because Mina you get sick so often I want the doctor to tell me exactly what is wrong. So get up dear."

"Mmm but mom it's so cold and I feel dizzy." But after I said that I regretted it. My mom was hysterical. She put her hand to my forehead and put a thermometer under my arm.

"Mooooom…those symptoms are ordinary for having a fever…"

"AH! 42.1 no wonder you're feeling cold. I'll call the doctor to come here instead."

Great I made her panic even more. Everyone reading this, please understand I DO NOT trouble people usually. So please don't think I'm troublesome (

After ten minutes or so Dr. Kurosawa arrived. He was well known to us since I get sick often, at least four times a year. He chatted with my mom a bit outside my room and unfortunately, I wasn't able to hear their conversation. When he came back in, he took out a syringe and three empty tubes.

"Mina Chan, I need some of your blood to diagnose your illness."

I nodded and I watched as the doctor inserted the syringe on my forearm. I anticipated that it would hurt but in reality, the syringe wasn't causing the pain, the amount of the blood he extracted did. He took three full tubes and with sudden loss of that blood, my head was beginning to feel rotated once again.

"You should stay home at least two days after your fever is completely gone so you can prevent it from coming back."

"Arigato gozaimashita sensei (You can also call a doctor sensei.)." my mother and I both chimed and I watched as my mom walked the doctor out. He said the results will come out in a week. Hopefully I'm recovered by then. I'll prove nothing is wrong with me!

With that determination, I made huge efforts to eat, follow the medicine routine and rest instead of working like I used to. (That's also because mom was home this time but yeah…)

In the afternoon, Tezuka came to drop off today's homework.

"Are you feeling better Aizawa san? Did you take your medicine?"

"Yes daddy" I answered obediently.

"Hmm first I'm your brother then I'm your dad, what else am I?" he answered amusingly.

"Also you're my mother since you asked me if I took my medicine." I managed a weak smile.

I asked him to leave quickly though because I didn't want to spread anything. Actually, I wanted him to stay and I felt empty when he left. What is this feeling? I just have a fever why am I so needy this time? It's not like I have a terrible disease right? After attempting to convince myself, my conscience proved skeptical. So I just fell back to sleep.

42.1 degrees Celsius fever was sure stubborn. After all the efforts I put it, I was finally better on Saturday, in other words, I was sick for a whole week. Good thing I did some homework before I got sick so I can just study lecture notes when I get better.

It was Monday morning and both my parents forbid me to go to school. I'm falling behind…but oh well now I can do something. I should watch some movies. So I popped in a DVD of "Prince of Tennis." Before I knew it, it was 3o'clock and my mom came back from work. These days, she comes home early (Mrs. Worrywart) since usually she comes home around 8.

Just as I opened the door, the phone rang. I answered it speedily to stop it from deafening my ears.

"Oh is this Mina Chan?" A man with friendly deep voice called.

"Yes and this must be Dr. Kurosawa?"

"Yes very good (chuckles) Mina chan are any of your parents home right now?"

"Yes" oh it must be the blood test result. My brain put it together as I twisted the phone chords.

"Ok I'll be right over." Then he hanged up. Uh-oh this doesn't sound good. If I had no problem he could just congratulate me over the phone. So why is he coming over?

And my dark prediction was right.

"Leukemia?" I repeated along with my mother.

"But from what I know of it, isn't that when I have excessive leukocytes and they start clogging up together so my immune system is not able to respond as well when there's an intruding pathogen?" I said in one breath. He can't be serious, he just can't be…

"Yes you're quite right Mina Chan but there's more. Leukemia is one of the most fatal diseases that exist. Gradually, your lymph nodes will enlarge accompanied by anemia. That's when your limbs will be paralyzed." My mom paled and I was petrified.

"One way out of this disease is for you to receive a bone marrow transplant. But the most unfortunate thing is….that…you only have about two years to live…"