Asahi noticed how shocked and quiet the other was, but he knew that Nishinoya was feeling so much more than shocked. He was like an open book sometimes, sometimes really easy to understand and sometimes not. Right now he seemed confused, shocked but also a bit sad. Then he remembered what his mother had told him earlier, that Nishinoya had probably blamed himself for the divorce, and that was probably why he looked so sad right now. He is blaming himself again, probably because he is here now and not with the others in the gymnasium. He needed something to change the subject with...

On the table by the bed was an old light-blue vase, filled with different kinds of flowers. Some were yellow, some white but one kind stood out. An blood-red one that he had never seen before.

"That's some nice flowers you got there, Noya" He said, lighting the atmosphere a bit.

"They really are, right? Truth to be told, it was a present from Oikawa and Iwaizumi from Seijou. They came in this morning. I was really surprised to see them, but it was a nice surprise" Nishinoya said, smiling a bit.

"Oikawa and Iwaizumi? What were they doing here?" Asahi asked, starting to feel unsure again.

"No clue, Oikawa said that he wanted to see how I was doing, and Iwaizumi probably just tagged along..."

"Hasn't Oikawa just recently been to hospital himself? What was it, a head injury?"

"Yes, something like that. I think he got a skull fracture, poor guy. Well, he joked and said that he knew how it is to be locked in..." Nishinoya said and chuckled a bit. Asahi felt relieved when he saw him smiling like that.

"I know most of the flowers, but what kind is that red one?" Nishinoya turned his head.

"Oh that one. It's a higanbana*, one of my favourite flowers" He said.

"I don't think I've seen it before..."

"Have you never been to a cemetery before? They usually bloom there or around rivers, usally all over the place".

"Why would I ever step my foot into a cemetery?! You know how well I can take that!" Nishinoya started to chuckle again.

"Yeah, sorry. Totally forgot about that. Well, since they almost always bloom around cemeteries they are considered a flower of bad luck. But they are so pretty that I really can't stop liking them... When Iwaizumi saw them, he nearly tore poor Oikawa to shreds, until I said stop. Apparently Oikawa also didn't know..."

The machine kept on making slow beeping sounds every now and then, but the two boys didn't notice. They kept talking about random thing, mostly about the 'cursed' higanbana and other things.

"Isn't it anywhere near town where you can watch them?" Asahi asked. Nishinoya thought about it for a moment.

"I think it does. I believe there is a big field in the forest around Shoyou's house..." They both fell silent.

"Hey, Nishinoya... "

"Hmm?"

"When you get to leave the hospital... what do you say about visiting the fields?" Nishinoya stared at him in disbelief.

"You mean the entire team? I don't know if that's within their interests…" But Asahi just shake his head.

"No, I mean... that WE would go. The two of us" He said, his voice a bit shaky with embarrassment.

It took a while for the information to sink in, but when it did, Nishinoya's face lit up in a scarlet red. He didn't mean it as a... Did he?

"Uhm... Do you- I mean... D-do you mean it as-"

"A date… yeah" Asahi's face was also red. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

"Nishinoya Yū, even though we haven't known each other for that long, I really like you. You have helped me a lot, and you have always supported me, no matter what. You always find ways to make a grey day better. You are really strong, not only physically but also mentally. You always think of others before yourself, and you never want to be a burden to anyone. But you'll never be a burden, no matter the situation. People likes and respects and envy you, myself included, and want to be like you. You are a source of inspiration, and I want to be the person you can talk to when you have problems of your own. If you ever have a problem or feel down, you know that I'm always here for you. And I love you... More than anything."

Nishinoya sat silent on the bed, to shocked to say anything. Even though he had kept his true feelings hidden from everyone, he had somehow wished for them to someday be answered. He had liked Asahi for quite some time now, but had been too scared to say anything. He also didn't deserve it, for himself to be happy with someone else, especially not another boy. But that hadn't stopped the feelings of wanting the others attention and affection to stop, in fact it had just kept on growing and growing. Even to the point of him starting to dislike himself again, wanting Asahi to find happiness that didn't involve him.

But yet here they are, Asahi just confessed to him and his biggest wish come true. Asahi liked him back? What could possibly Asahi have seen in him, to make him fall in love with him? He wasn't handsome, not smart and he certainly wasn't tall. Instead he was short, fragile in both spirit and body, and the opposite to smart. To have big, smart and handsome Asahi fall for him, that just seemed so weird and impossible.

"Yū, if you are blaming yourself, stop it!" Asahi said, his voice suddenly all serious and cold. It wasn't like the normal Asahi at all. He was more like the Asahi on court, but with a colder tone.

"You are not to blame at all! Like I said, you are so much more than you think you are. Whatever your father have told you, none of that is true! Nishinoya looked up at him, his eyes a bit blank and glassed over.

"How can you tell?! What if that's actually the case? What do you actually see in me?!"

"I know that because he can't see what I see" Asahi said and stroke Nishinoya's cheek. "You maybe aren't smart in any school subjects, but you are really smart when it comes to people and volleyball. To not talk about drawing. And your father, he simply can't understand what a beautiful and wonderful son he has."

Nishinoya felt his eyes begin filled with tears, but since his entire body was drained of it's strength, he didn't wipe them away. He shouldn't cry, not in front of Asahi. He was supposed to be the strong one... But here he was, almost crying and slowly showing his inner self. Even though he desperately tried to calm down, it was hopeless. Asahi had probably done the before seemed impossible: given him new hope. He had given him hope with these words. And yet, it felt like he didn't deserve it. He was sick, weak and simply useless. An actor who hides his true hideous self by playing another role.

But just for a moment, isn't it okay for even such an actor to live in happiness?

"R... really?" Asahi smiled.

"Yeah, 100% sure, and nothing will change that. There's no need to hide anymore."

And Nishinoya broke. Tears ran down his cheeks in small rivers, coloured gold by the sun's light. His recent tense body relaxed, and gave in to the wave of relief and joy that ran through him. Gentle breaths fell from his lips, surpassing eventual sobs from escaping instead. Asahi pulled him closer into a warm embrace, to remind him that comfort existed there for him. After a few minutes, the other calmed down enough to breath and talk normally. The sound of the machine had speed up a bit, but was now slowing down. Asahi gently stroke away the tears from the others face, making a last bit of comfort. Nishinoya was regaining his breath, and could soon focus again on his blood removal.

The two kept talking about random stuff, mostly about volleyball but also a bit but their old schools, stupid teachers, their interests outside school and lot more. Nishinoya also showed some of his drawings from his sketchbook, variating from flowers, birds and landscapes to people and human anatomy.

Asahi did most of the talking, mostly because he was so excited that Nishinoya was getting better but also because the other was far too tired to talk like he used to. But he still listened with big enthusiasm as the other spoke, listening to the warm smooth voice fill the small room, making the room a little more bright and cheerful. Soon after, a nurse came and checked on them. Noticing that Nishinoya's blood pressure was dropping, the nurse said that she would be back soon.

Nishinoya listened as her footsteps left, noticing that he heard them a bit less than he should. Thinking it was because of his blood loss, he didn't think further about it. Until he realized that he had trouble listening to Asahi talking to him. The others voice sounded more and more like he was under water, his voice sounded distorted and far away. He tried his best to only focus on Asahi's voice, clinging to it like a lifeline. But the more he struggled, the more tired and numb he felt. Like he was sinking further away from him.

Asahi had kept talking on, but realized that the other had stopped responding with his small nods or small 'yes' and 'no'. He was silent and almost looked like he was sleeping. His eyes were half closed and was missing any signs of focus or life. He quickly took a look at the ECG.

The line was straight. There was no heartbeat.