Chapter 5 – Was it really real?

"Rise and shine, Haruka-kun!~" I blinked several times as afternoon light flooded in. "Come on, it's time for your meds!~" As usual, she was dressed in her stark white uniform. White dress, white cap, white gloves. Her name is Ayano. Nurse Ayano. She's been in charge of me since day one. She's a really nice person overall. Just a little too perky. Like Nagisa.

I pulled the covers over my head to block the light. "Morning." I muttered. I was just too sleepy.

With a sudden yank, Nurse Ayano pulled the covers up, making me blink again. "Wake up, Haruka-kun!~"With practiced movements, she folded the blanket neatly into a rectangle.

I waited until my pupils adjusted to the light and rubbed the dirt out of my eyes. I proceeded to crack my fingers and stretch my arms. Arching my back, I could hear my spine give a pop sound. I looked down to my legs. One was moving, the other was not. I scowled at the sight. How pathetic I've become.

Nurse Ayano must've caught my scowl. In a swift movement, she managed to hit my head with her hand and place the meds in my mouth when I tried to say 'Ow'. Passing me a cup of water, I accepted it and swallowed the meds quickly. Yuck. They tasted like socks which have been left in the locker for a year.

"Don't scowl. It's your body, you know." Nurse Ayano was strict when it came to these things. "No matter what, it'll be yours."

I nodded, what I really wanted to ask was that if I would live long enough to appreciate my body more. But I clamped my mouth shut. Ayano was very sentimental. I guess that's what makes her so lovable by staff and patients alike.

She smiled brightly at me. "That's the spirit!~" She gave me a pat on the head and headed out. The time read 12:45 pm on the digital clock. I did sleep a lot. "Oh, and take care of that mosquito bite Haruka-kun!~" called Ayano as she closed the door. At first, I merely nodded. Wait, what mosquito bite? Picking up a hand mirror from one of the drawers of the cabinet, I scanned myself. I was about to give up when I felt a warm sensation at the base of my neck. I stripped off my pyjama top.

That's a mosquito bite? No way. I might love water and act cold as I want, oblivious to the world, but even I'm not that stupid. That thing on my neck was no mosquito bite. It was a hickey. A big fat hickey.

~.~.~.~

After several times of blushing and panicking, I managed to calm down by taking a soak in the tub. That hickey was still there though.

First question, where did I get a hickey?

Next, who would be so willing to give me a hickey?

Third, why in heaven's name didn't I notice it?!

I sighed into my hand. My hand. I sniffed it again. There was that smell. That smell which I had missed for four months. The smell of chlorine. The sweet smell of pool water. How? I wasn't hallucinating. If I was, I wouldn't have been able to feel the water's caress. I'm sure I didn't sleepwalk and go to the pool. If I did, the night staff would've caught me. Leaning onto my walking stick, I wondered what happened.

~.~.~.~

Then it came flashing back to me.

Last night.

Sounds at the window.

Heavy eyelids.

White teeth.

Someone calling my name.

Someone calling my name. I recognised that voice. But the mere thought of that person coming to visit me is preposterous! Not to mention sneaking into the window of my room at night. That would be utter idiocy. I could feel the start of a blush forming on my cheeks.

White teeth. White sharp teeth. Flowing hair. Red flowing hair.

I violently shook my head. No way it was him. It could never be. After all, he and I had become rivals. He was not my friend anymore. Even if he was, why would he give me a hickey then? But a small part of me, a tiny part at the back of my heart was telling me that yes, it is who I think it is.

It's Rin.

No matterhow ridiculous this sounds, I have a feeling, an unshakable feeling that it is my rival, my ex-friend. That it was the person that I had loved. Lightly, I touched the hickey. It was definitely him. There was a warmth to it, a warmth that no one had. A warmth which could be found at my hickey and at my hand.

Sorry for the late update guys!
Thank you for following up on my story so far! I promise that I'll try to upload new chapters quicker!