Chapter 45: The Bill (part 3)

Atsushi stood among the crowd as he smiled broadly. He stood close to the court building as he said, "I wonder what is happening…the police are staying inside to protect the senators and the people inside. It must be swarming with reporters too. But imagine if it passes! I could be…well, sort of remembered for helping with survey. Yuki…" He turned to his absent lover and started to look for Yuki. Atsushi started to feel a little scared as he walked through the crowd. He started to panic when he just could not see an orange blonde in the crowd of dark haired men and women.

He gulped and tried to stay calm. As sirens started to wail, he looked to the emergency doctors come to the crowd as the crowd opened to reveal…Yuki passed out in the center of the crowd.

Atsushi's heart dropped as he rushed in. He screamed, "YUKI!" His eyes could not fake this…he felt his body loses all control as he tried to fight his way closer. A few people held him back and said, "Will you stop! The guy passed out…he was not in any fight."

He blinked and said, "I am his lover! Please let me pass! I need to notify his parents about this…"

The man let Atsushi go as Atsushi quickly went to Yuki. Yuki was slowly put into a stretcher as the doctor said, "Are you friend or family?"

Atsushi stood and said, "I am his lover."

The doctor smiled and said, "Come with us. We will check on him at the hospital. His vitals are fine, but his breathing is concerning. We will have to check that out."

Atsushi nodded as he remembered Yuki having a cold…also bad coughing fits. He told Yuki to take it easy, but Yuki kept working and ignoring his cold. Atsushi shivered as he followed the doctors to the ambulance. He yelled, before entering the ambulance, to the crowd "who ever called the ambulance…thank you!"

Nowaki Kusama and Hiroki Kamijo waved to Atsushi as the crowd swallowed them in again. Atsushi sat beside Yuki as the doors of the ambulance closed.

He sighed and said to himself, "I owe them big favor for this…Yuki. You should have told me that you needed a doctor than…" His tears slipped down his face as he reached for Yuki's hand. He finished, "I am sorry to make you stand in the cold…my poor beloved. I am so sorry…"

The doctor patted his shoulder and said, "Yuki is his name? I will call for records and see what else we can do for him." The doctor got his cell phone as Atsushi said, "His name is Kojima, Yuki."

Atsushi blinked when the doctor hung up the phone. The doctor said, "What is your name?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Atsushi said as he fully looked at the doctor.

The doctor said, "My name is Oberman. I am a family doctor to the…Kojima family when I am not on emergency errands. Yuki…has been like this a few years ago. He almost died of pneumonia then…"

Atsushi looked to Yuki as Yuki struggled slightly to breathe. Yuki's face was so pale and his body shivered…

Oberman said, "he was very sick…I hoped, truly hoped, that I would never see Yuki like this again. Unfortunately, luck is sometimes against us."

Atsushi said, "What can I do?"

Oberman turned to him and said, "Tell me your name."

Atsushi said, "Sugisaki, Atsushi."

Oberman blinked and said, "Are you sure? I seen a man that has your nose and his name is not Sugisaki…"

Atsushi stiffened as his let go of Yuki's hand. He said, "my parents…divorced…my father's name is Nakahara…"

Oberman sighed and said, "your father has been admitted to the hospital recently…he is not doing well."

Atsushi blinked and turned away. He said, "Why…haven't I been contacted before this?"

Oberman said, "We tried to contact your family, but your uncle said very sternly that you would not see to him. But Sugisaki-san, your father is dying…you should see him."

Atsushi nodded and said, "I will…as soon as we go to the hospital. But, how do you know about him?" He turned to Oberman's concerned face.

Oberman was about forties and wore thick glasses over his blue eyes. His orange blonde hair…looked like Yuki's!

Atsushi said, "are you…Yuki's cousin?"

Oberman shook his head and said, "No but your father…I dated a woman from his company. That is how I knew him…nothing more."

Atsushi sighed as the ambulance came to the hospital. The doors opened as Oberman exited and helped to get Yuki out. Yuki was taken indoors as Oberman called, "the fifth floor! You father is there! Yuki will be joining him on that floor later…"

Oberman nodded when Atsushi exited and nodded. He turned and walked with the other staff to bring Yuki to the emergency room.

Atsushi went to an elevator and gulped when he hit the up button. The elevator opened as he went in and hit the fifth floor. He closed his eyes for a moment when he came to the fifth floor. His trek came slowly to the third door…where his father lied on a bed connected to many tubes and his heart rate was a slow, but steady beat.

Nakahara senior stirred in his sleep and turned to Atsushi. He opened his eyes and snarled hoarsely, "what…are you…doing here?"

Atsushi gulped and came in. He said, "Showing you that I am not afraid of you. I never was…" His heart was beating slowly as he kept calm. More than anything, he did want to run…but not in fear. He wanted to run away because of his knowledge that his father hated him…Nakahara always hated him…

Nakahara senior laughed throatily and snarled, "you are scum…to think I would…even give you a title in my will…"

Atsushi said, "Is it that bad?"

"I had a stroke…bad enough to restrain me here…" Nakahara senior said as he groaned in pain.

Atsushi stayed at the door as he leaned on the door frame. He said, "I wanted to thank you for paying for allowing me to attend Seijo University."

Nakahara snickered and said, "so, you have a master's degree in…what was it? You are a survey researcher…pity. I spent all that money for you to make gossip quizzes."

Atsushi sighed and said, "You never liked my choices in life. Why should you even care? You gave me up…you allowed my mother to lose her mind…and you abused me."

Nakahara senior blinked and said, "I do not care what you think or do with your worthless life. You can leave…I rather die without you looking at me." He turned away as Atsushi sobbed.

Atsushi sobbed, "Dad…I never hated you! I only hated your actions! All I ever wanted to do was make you proud…but…you always shunned me. Why, father, why…"

Nakahara said, "You grew up into a bastard child that I could not mold properly. So, I released my frustrations on you. Grow up."

Atsushi said, "I did…" He wiped his tears and said, "father…can we agree on one thing?"

Nakahara turned as Atsushi said, "I tried to be the son you would love…but you never did. So, was there a time I made you proud? Please, tell me…" More tears fell down Atsushi's face as he continued, "Was there a time…ever you said, 'that is my boy…' Was there?"

Atsushi waited as his tears kept coming down. He breathed slowly as he waited for his father's response.

Nakahara said, "no…I never loved you… or was proud…of you…" His eyes slowly closed as he panted hard. He gasped as he slowly stopped breathing. The heart monitor beeped the sound of death.

Atsushi sobbed, "I always wanted you to be proud of me…but even in death…you never loved me. I always loved you…but…I was always hurt by you…but why can't I hate you?" He slammed his fist on the door and growled, "Why can't I HATE you! You abused me and hurt mother and…you were never there. You…will always be my father and deserve a proper burial. But as you did to me, I will bury you and forget all about you. Like all these years since you left, I only thought of you when I was alone or saw something that reminded me of you… Pity we could not talk…but I will end with this…"

He slowly closed the door and said, "I am your son, and I always will be…but I refuse to change my life for you. Good bye father…forever and ever more…" His hands slipped when the door was closed. He stared at the door as he walked away to the waiting room. His tears kept falling as he only thought of Yuki…and what would Yuki say to this piece of news…