Guts
By Miyu
Disclaimer: The story idea is mine, the characters are not.
Note: Thoughts are in italics
A/N: Many thanks for everyone who had left a review. Words cannot express how happy I was to receive them. Even as I would love to reply to each and every one of you…I'm not sure if I should considering it's been a year?
Chapter One: Gall
They say that Shizuru Fujino leaving indoor volleyball would be a huge loss to the Fuukan national college team.
They say that since the beginning of her first year, many professional volleyball teams already had their eyes on drafting her. Such talent would be great at any playing field.
Still others say that young Fujino had made a mistake. The wave that was beach volley ball would not be great enough to make a splash. Soon, her name will sink into obscurity.
The hospital at the border between North and South Fuuka took in all patients, regardless of where they originated. With 647 licensed beds and an affiliation with Fuuka Medical School, Hinode Byoin was once staffed with only the best doctors using the most state of the art health equipment that had ever been invented. But that was before the war broke out, when Hinode was still richly funded by the government. Due to its neutral location and impartial patient acceptance, once the government broke apart the hospital eventually lost all of its funds.
The hospital maintained its claim on neutrality. However, by then most of the wealthy chose to depart for more private health institutions at further locations up north, while those who were unable to afford healthcare continued their influx into Hinode from the southern slums. As the war continued to expand, the neighborhoods south of the hospital became the battleground between the two sides.
Because most people ultimately migrated to towns away from the battlefield, the hospital remained filled with orphaned children, elderly, and chronically ill patients who had never left. Eventually even the majority of the doctors, nurses, and staff had departed, leaving only a select few most dedicated to their profession. At this point all would have been entirely lost if not for the work of Fuuka's best surgeon, Dr. Yohko Sagisawa, who volunteered to remain in the facility with her most loyal students.
Her work there was met with great praise because losing such a formerly grand establishment would only serve to diminish northern morale. Nonetheless, the now weaker government had no way of providing for the hospital. The situation of Hinode thus remained in abeyance for a very long time until a little over two years ago, when a freshly high school graduated Shizuru Fujino stepped up with a new proposition.
Hinode would continue to be publicly available to all who sought proper healthcare. Due to its convenient location, the hospital would also serve as a healthcare compound for northern soldiers injured in the war. The only request from Doctor Sagisawa was that no fighting was to take place within the boundary of the hospital, and for the orphans and patients to remain there.
Inside the protection of Hinode, every human is made to be equal. Such was the popularity in the Fujino name and the eagerness to save Hinode Byoin that the northern leaders had no protest in immediately granting the request. Shizuru Fujino at once began to solicit funds to equip the hospital with accommodations for those soldiers injured in battle. Meanwhile, any southern orphans and patients were to be left alone if they chose to remain within the safety of the refuge. Within this group was a young boy who would become Shizuru Fujino's right hand.
The day after Shizuru's announcement, the north was in an uproar of conflicted reactions. Supporters feared for her safety and lauded her bravery in the effort to unite the country. Opponents claimed that the girl was a traitor to the north- after being rejected by her own grandfather, she was finally showing her true form by joining up with the revolutionaries.
As if oblivious to it all, the volleyball player chose to play in the final game with her team on that very day. It was in this atmosphere that Takumi found himself surrounded while he went to see the sportstar.
"Excuse me. I'm sorry, just passing through…"
There was a crowd outside the double doors to the gymnasium. A couple of the girls eyed the teenage boy warily as he sifted through the frenzy. The few that were about to protest were soon silenced by the handsome apologetic smile he presented, bowing his head to the side politely as he continued onwards.
Reluctantly they parted way for him to enter.
A shout and the squeaky shuffling of shoes on the hickory wood floor greeted him as he approached the net dividing the court, waving slightly to the coach standing beside it.
"Takumi! Here to watch her play the final game with this team?"
The young boy grinned before crossing his arms and looked over to the athletes playing in front of them. He contemplated is answer for a brief moment, as it was technically not all that he had come there for. However, being with Fujino Shizuru had taught him many things, and one of the first things he'd learned was how easy it would be for the wrong sort of rumors to spread. At times like these, perhaps the simplest of answers would suffice.
"Yeah. I wouldn't miss it for the world."
For a moment they silently watched as the ball shot from one side of the court to the other. In an instant, a tall figure dashed to the nets and jumped, both arms raised in swift movement to block the ball.
The players on the other team dove towards the ball that was slammed downwards only to find themselves too late. The girls around the gymnasium screamed and clapped before running towards their star.
Beside Takumi, the coach laughed and blew the whistle to end the game.
"She shines even among the best, doesn't she?"
The brown haired boy smiled gently as he watched Shizuru stand within the tight group hug of her teammates. Around them an even larger group of girl gathered, jumping and squealing to offer their star some words of support.
"But Midori-san, do you think it's too soon? She's been doing so well with indoor volleyball, she can become a professional if she wants. To just head out alone and start over like that with beach volleyball during the middle of college-"
"Who says she's going alone? Beach volley is a fairly new sport. She'll need a coach to train her, doesn't she?"
Takumi's eyebrows rose as he turned to look at the dark haired woman.
"You can't mean that you're…"
Midori fondly draped an arm over his shoulders and shook him.
"You bet I am! And I'm sure every single one of her friends will be supporting her in this too. Beach volley will become something great, you'll see."
From the corner of his eyes, Takumi could see the crowd separating for the popular college student to cross. A few of the more stubborn girls remained attached to her side but Shizuru seemed to pay them no mind, politely waving them off before heading over and nodding her head in greeting.
The boy rushed forward.
"Onee-san!"
Young Fujino smiled warmly in greeting as she reached forth to fondly ruffle his hair.
"What brings you here so early, Takumi?"
Knowing that she would understand, he locked his eyes with hers for an instant before shaking his head and flashing an easygoing smile. They nodded in silent communication, and without missing a beat, Shizuru began to head towards the exit.
"Walk with me."
Together they left the gym with a brief goodbye to Midori, who had begun to direct the volley ball players in helping her disperse the mass of people still gathering around the doors. From there they proceeded towards the subway station headed towards the hospital district. It was only until they were in one of the private compartments of the subway did Takumi begin to speak.
"Your announcement was a big shock for everyone, and most of them are dying to see you confirm whether you'll really be leaving in search of a volleyball partner or not. Your idea to open a fundraiser party for Hinode Hospital right now is great. All of them have already reserved a spot."
Shizuru nodded once, but her expression was thoughtful when she spoke to the boy beside her.
"I figured as such. My announcement in time with the opening of the fundraiser should increase the attendance of our financial supporters. I wonder how many of them actually came for the fundraiser though?"
Concerned as to how they would proceed, Takumi sighed before continuing.
"Well, word has it that quite a few of them were thinking of withdrawing their funding once you leave the hospital. It just doesn't seem as worthy an investment without anyone to hold it up if you're on your tour in the south."
At this, Shizuru smiled. "Then we just have to increase the minimum contribution for those who do participate, don't we?"
The boy looked up in puzzlement. The idea seemed ludicrous, no matter how talented his friend was at handling business affairs. "Wouldn't that just make us lose even more supporters!?"
Shizuru's eyes twinkled in amusement. "I believe Sagisawa-sensei will be able to hold out on her own. She is the true head of the hospital; what I've only done so far is offer up my name. The problem is, most of our financial backers don't have the hospital in their best interest – what they're after is a profitable investment bolstered by the clout of the Fujino name. They're afraid that once I leave, Hinode will no longer be a worthwhile venture."
She paused to make sure her companion was following her idea, and Takumi nodded for her to continue.
"At this time, as our position is unstable and they are doubting the outcome of my tour, if we show them how much we need them, the opposite effect would result and our value would diminish within their eyes. But if we make them believe that only the elite would be able to join the contribution pool…"
"-They would want nothing more than to become a part of it!" The boy replied with an excited gleam in his eyes and a snap of his fingers. He did not waste any time to take out his cell phone, and within a few minutes he had already begun to whisper new suggestions to the people handling the fundraiser. Leaving him to finish the calls, the young Fujino leaned back into her chair and entertained herself in folding one of her touring announcement posters.
-Elsewhere, in the Warzone between North and South Fuuka-
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Natsuki ducked but remained in one place nonetheless, urging the gun to loosen from the dead man's fingers. Biting her lips, she gave the gun another yank as a round of shots was fired from the buildings behind her.
Come on…there!
"Yukino! Take this and run to the next one!"
A muddled answer resounded from the sewage hole nearby, and Natsuki threw the gun down to the girl below before diving behind an abandoned car. Seconds later, a few bullets hit the ground where she had initially stood.
Damn. That was close.
"Surrender now girl, or we'll shoot."
She could hear the footsteps of the soldiers getting closer, their boots thumping against the pavement as they marched. From the other side of the broken car door, Natsuki peaked out to see four men in green uniform.
She groaned. She could still see a few weapons to forage ahead, and there was no way she could leave without gathering enough to sell to Yamada for the day; Yukino and the rest depended on the money.
Oh, hell. There's no point in waiting anyway.
With a deep breath she took off down the streets, quickly jumping to the right to avoid a new onslaught of bullets and in the process pulling herself into a somersault that brought her closer to the next manhole. Her nimble fingers swiftly unclasped the weapons on the second dead body before throwing them once again to the girl below.
She tried moved on to the one after that, screaming for Yukino to follow her using the sewers. By then, however, the soldiers had gotten too close for comfort. There were no more covers for Natsuki to shield herself, nor any covering between her and the swift escape through the sewage system.
Still pondering on the best escape route, she glanced back to find that the buildings around them were most likely locked. There would not be enough time to scrounge for a place to hide once the men reached a distance where their guns would not easily miss.
The long-haired girl breathed heavily, announcing her change of plans to her comrade. "Yukino! We'll split from here!"
From there she scurried down the streets, making a quick turn towards a small alleyway, only to find herself facing a tall wall ahead. Blood pounded in her head, and Natsuki could hear the steps of the men following closely behind.
Her mind raced. The only possible escape route would probably be to jump over, but to do so would expose her back to the gun-wielding soldiers who were quickly approaching. It would be a dangerous gamble, but much better than staying to fight four gun-wielding men.
Natsuki quickened her pace, using her speed to help her leap higher. Her hands caught into the top of the wall, and for a moment she rejoiced as she pulled herself up. Behind her, however, the men aimed their guns and sent forth yet another rain of shots.
She heard whiz of the bullets almost the same time as she felt one of them hit her shoulder. Her opposite hand raised to clutch the throbbing wound, as she continued her escape. With a brief stagger, she jumped down from the wall and hurried off through the various streets. At this point, Natsuki did not care where she was headed. The one thought in her mind was to find someplace safe to hide.
She ran and ran, late into the night, until finally the pain and loss of blood was too much for her to bear. Eventually she collapsed against the walls of a tall building. The last thought that came to her mind was of annoyance that something had fallen on top of her much-too-tired head.
It was a piece of paper of some sort, folded into a crane.
End Chapter One.
Regarding updates: I write for my own enjoyment, and because I want to improve. However, I'm also juggling between work, school, and life. Updates for my stories will be random at best. It might take a year; it might take two days… depending on how much time and inspiration I have. That being said, I might have more time to update now that the end-of-year holidays are quickly approaching. As an avid reader myself, I understand how horrible it might feel to wait for someone to continue their storytelling. While I'm not saying that any of my stories are worth such anxiety for…if ever you find yourself wanting to say "please hurry and update!", do know that if there is anything you want to discuss, feel free to send me a message. Stimulating Shiznat conversations are welcome and inspiration in writing from such discussions is not unheard of. Also, constructive criticism is appreciated. Finally, don't be surprised if you suddenly find my chapters rewritten. I'm still learning, and every draft is a rough one.