"Doesn't wish to see me?" I repeated, not believing what I had just heard. "What? Why?!" I tried to keep my voice steady, but even I could notice I was shaking.

"She didn't specify why, and It's not my business to ask. I'm sorry, I'm only telling you what she said."

My hands balled into fists, my nails digging into my palms. "But... Why wouldn't she want to see me..." I spoke my thoughts outloud.

Had I done something to upset her? I thought of everything that happened, but I couldn't come up with a reason why she would be angry at me. Maybe she was just feeling too sick to see me.

"Is she better?"

"Somewhat," the nurse was writing on some doccuments, only half listening to me.

"What do you mean, somewhat?"

"She's gotten better overnight but she hasn't eaten anything. If she keeps refusing to eat we may have to give her a feeding tube to keep her from starving. Yui's doctor has been checking with her every few hours, so I can promise she's in good hands."

"Could I speak with her mother?"

The nurse glanced up at me, clearly annoyed. "She's not in right now. I can let her know you wished to see her."

I sighed, looking back at Otonashi and Kanade who were standing a few yards back from me. "Nah, that's okay. Thanks anyway."

I walked up to them. "I'm sorry guys... Yui doesn't want to see me right now," my voice cracked.

Otonashi looked concerned. "Aren't you her best friend? Why wouldn't she want to-"

"I don't know," I said a little too harshly. "I'll come back tomorrow or something..."

"We will too," Kanade decided. "Maybe Yui is just tired. Don't overthink it too much."

"I'll try," I shoved my hands in my pockets. After everything Yui and I had been through, her sudden actions made my heart shatter. "Let's go visit your mom, Kanade," I said. "I can stay in the waiting rooms if you like."

"No, it's okay you can come in," she took Otonashi's hand. "I'm sure she won't mind."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I had to look away.

Kanade's mother laid on the hard hospital matress, her face sunken in and her eyes bloodshot. I could see the bones in her arms and her skin was so pale it almost looked transparent. The heart monitor beeped at a steady pace, the florecent hospital lights shining down on her.

It was hard to look at.

"Hi Mommy," Kanade cooed, kissing her cheek. "You feeling okay?"

"Better, yes," her voice was barely a whisper. She wasn't elderly, but her sickness made her appear much older than she really was. She had the same long silver hair as Kanade, but her eyes were a deep chocolate brown.

"Hello Mrs. Tachibana," Otonashi gave a small smile in her direction. "We thought we could stop by for a little bit."

"You didn't need to do that," she laughed weakly. "I don't want you to miss too much school, Kanade. You too Otonashi. I don't need your mother calling me again."

"My apologies," Otonashi said. "I think my mom is okay with it now."

It was strange standing there in the back of the room, just watching them talk. I felt like I should have stayed back.

"Oh, Mom I almost forgot! This is Hinata," she pointed me out to her, awkwardly standing away from them. I smiled and gave a tiny wave. "I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no not at all," Kanade's mother assured. "Any company is welcome. Come! Sit down!" She nodded at a chair off to the side of the room. I hesitantly took it. Kanade sat on the hospital bed, and Otonashi took the seat next to me.

"Have the doctors said anything?" Kanade asked.

"Nothing I haven't already heard," she sighed. "I can't eat or drink anything before the surgery, but the nurse said we should do it soon."

"How about tomorrow Mom? Why wait?"

She scratched her neck with her hand full of medical tubes and wires. "I just don't like it, Kanade. I haven't ever had a surgery before."

"But I don't want you to die mom..."

"I won't sweetheart. It's just a very big decision for me," she patted her daughters arm. "It's also very costly, and I don't want to take anything from your college funds."

Kanade looked so heartbroken to see her mother slowly wilting away from her. I wished I could help more than anything.

"My uncle had heart surgery before," I blurted out. "He was scared to do it at first too... but once he decided to do it, it saved his life. I promise it isn't as scary as you may think."

She tilted her head slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yes... I know it's not my place to say but I highly recommend to go through with it. Who knows what might have happened to my uncle if he had decided not to?"

Mrs. Tachibana paused. "I suppose putting it off won't do much of anything, now would it?"

Otonashi nodded. "I agree with Hinata. I think it would be best if you went ahead with it."

Kanade gave her mother one last look of encouragement before she said okay. Even if I only knew her mother for a small amount of time, I still felt happy that she agreed to have the surgery.

After a but of sergury planning, Kanade pulled out a card game from her bag to play with her mother on the bed. It was a game I had never heard of before, but they both looked like they were having fun with it.

Otonashi nudged my arm after awhile. "Kanade might be a little quiet at first around you," he leaned in so only I could hear. "She's very reserved until you get to know her."

I smiled. "Well she seems fine now," we both looked over to her laughing with her mother.

"That's because I'm with her," he gave a little smile of something that I hadn't seen in him before. "She's confident and talkative when I'm around, but if you were to ever be alone with her she'd just stay silent the whole time." He didn't take his eyes off of her laughing as he spoke.

I turned to face him. "How long have you been together?"

"Almost a year," he said proudly. "I know it sounds cheesy, but I never really knew what love was until I met her. She makes me a better person without even realizing it."

I felt happy for the guy. There was a sense of pure happiness about him that I was sure wouldn't be there if he didn't have Kanade by his side.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I made up my mind I would go to school the next day and try to see Yui again afterwords. I hoped with all my heart that she was just having a bad day or something, and for some reason didn't feel like talking. Perhaps she would be better tomorrow.

I took the noodles off of the stove and poured some into my bowl. It felt emptier without Mom being around the house, but I guess I was used to it by then.

Suddenly the door flew open, and my dad stompped inside.

"Oh... Hey Dad. You're home early."

"Yeah there's never much business on Mondays so I decided to close it up a little early," he rubbed his tired eyes. "How was school?"

"Wha- oh, yeah it was great," I lied, hoping I sounded somewhat convincing.

"Glad to hear," he grunted, not sounding very glad at all. After yanking off his work boots, he came and sat next to me at the table; something he usually never does.

He wouldn't look at me. His eyes were cold and looked like he was about to punch something.

"Did something happen Dad?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Hinata."

"Then why are you acting like you have something to say?" I spat. "You never talk to me anymore."

Me and my dad never really got along, so it wasn't the first time this had occured. I absolutely dispised when he wouldn't look me in the eye, and just acted like I wasn't even there.

"Dad I'm just trying to help you. You can't just live on your own expecting everything to just go your way."

"Hinata I'm very tired...I don't want to argue with you."

"When will you start acting like I'm your son?" I stood up, shaking the table. "I don't know if you even remember, but we're related."

He took a sip of his water, creating a long awkward pause. He swallowed. "It may have crossed my memory a few times," he laughed like it was a joke. Everything was a damn joke.

I stormed away without putting my dishes away or asking to be excused. He called after me but I ignored him. Maybe he would understand how it felt.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I hated myself for going to school the next morning. The hours seemed to stretch on for an eternity; the clocks ticking slower and slower by the minute. As soon as that last bell rang, I would go and see Yui again. I was so impatient I caught myself tapping my foot like crazy during class.

Otonashi and Kanade had given me their phone numbers before I left the hospital to them if I desired. Hopefully when they met Yui, we could all figure out what was going on with the strange connections between all of us. We needed to search deep in our memories to find what we were looking for...

"Hinata!"

My head snapped up off the desk. My teacher was in the middle of writing a math problem on the chalk board when he turned and yelled at me.

"Pay attention!"

"Yes, sorry sir," I looked at my feet to avoid all the students who were probably glancing at me.

I came to realize I hadn't been taking any notes while he was teaching, which I knew I would probably regret later on.

But I just couldn't stop thinking about her... about us. Did something change? Did Yui blame me for hurting her?

Did she hate me?

Hey guys! I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year if you celebrate :) The next chapter will be posted soon and I promise you won't have to wait as long for the next one. Thanks for reviews and favorites and follows! :)