Chapter fifteen! I don't own Shugo Chara!
No one said anything, and there was absolute silence in the room until Souko decided to speak.
"No...I can't allow Ikuto to participate in this surgery...I'm sorry" said Souko, shaking her head as if she was trying to reassure herself.
All eyes in the room turned around to look at Souko as if they couldn't believe what she had just said.
Surprisingly it was Mrs. Hinamori who spoke up after Souko.
"...I understand. You're afraid, because the surgery might go wrong, right Souko? I know...if it was Amu who had to do the surgery for Rima and Ikuto...I wouldn't have allowed Amu to do it...if she was healthy..." said Mrs. Hinamori, failing to put her thoughts into complete sentences.
"If Ikuto doesn't participate in this surgery...there is no other choice, Amu and Rima will just have to-" said Mrs. Yumori, before someone interrupted her.
"I'll do it. I'll participate in the surgery" said Ikuto, looking extremely calm.
There was a moment of shocked silence, as everyone in the room tried to understand what Ikuto had just said.
"No, I won't allow you to do it. I'm your parent and guardian, so if I don't allow Ikuto to do the surgery, then he can't do it, right Mrs. Yumori?" asked Souko, her words tumbling out of her quickly.
"Yes...if Souko doesn't allow Ikuto to do-" managed Mrs. Yumori, before she was interrupted again.
"I'm doing the surgery" said Ikuto.
"No" said Souko, shaking her head.
"Yes...Ikuto can do whatever he wants" said someone, opening the door with a bang.
Everyone turned around to see who the newcomer was.
"Utau...why are you in the hospital?" asked Souko, "You're supposed to be in Hawaii where you said you were going to film the commercial!"
"Oh...yes, but I heard from Ikuto one hour ago that Amu fainted...so I decided to cancel the commercial and visit Amu for a little while" said Utau, "Sure, my manager got mad, but...I managed to get out of the airplane..."
"Managed to get out of the airplane?" asked Rima, curious.
"I'll explain that later. Where's Amu?" asked Utau, "One of the nurses said I'll be able to meet her in this room"
"Amu is currently in the emergency room" informed Mrs. Yumori.
"Oh...thank you" said Utau, confident as always.
"Anyway, I still can't allow Ikuto to take the surgery" said Souko, bringing up the subject again.
"The surgery?" asked Utau, "What surgery?"
Everyone sweat dropped.
"Um...Utau...you just said that you agree on Ikuto taking the surgery" said Mrs. Yumori.
"I never agreed. I was just helping Ikuto get his way" said Utau, nodding confidently.
Mrs. Yumori quickly explained the current situation to Utau.
"Look Utau, your brother could possibly die in this surgery...I can't allow that...you know how dangerous and complicated the surgery is for lung cancer...you know" said Souko, desperately trying to convince Utau.
"Mom...that's selfish" said Utau, looking at her mother with piercing eyes.
"What are you trying to say, Utau?" asked Souko, looking hurt.
"You know exactly what I mean. Ikuto wants to do the surgery, so let him do it...it's that simple. Don't you think it's selfish to try to live by yourself while the other two of your friends just...die?" asked Utau.
"I don't-" said Souko, before Ikuto interrupted.
"Remember the promise? You said that if I go meet Amu...you'll do anything for me. This is what I want" said Ikuto, looking like he wasn't going to change his mind.
"Ikuto...Utau...please" said Souko.
"Do you believe Ikuto?" asked Utau, "If you do, then you should let him take the surgery"
"I think you lost Souko...to your own children. They really are convincing..." said Mrs. Yumori.
Souko just sat there, not knowing what to say.
"Since it's better to do the surgery as soon as possible, the doctors will get prepared today. The surgery will start tomorrow morning" said Mrs. Yumori.
Utau and Ikuto nodded.
"Alright...it's decided. Ikuto, can you come with me for a minute?" asked Mrs. Yumori, allowing everybody else to go.
No one moved except for Utau. She went out of the door after Ikuto and Mrs. Yumori, obviously going out to search for Amu.
Mrs. Yumori led Ikuto to a small little room right next to the operation room.
"Is there a particular reason why you wanted to speak to me alone?" asked Ikuto, calm as always.
"Oh...yes. I just wanted to tell you to comfort your mother after your surgery. She's hurt you know. She cried a lot when we were young, and I was the one that always had to step up and be on her side" said Mrs. Yumori, smiling.
Ikuto stayed silent.
"It's still a mystery how she managed to give birth to Utau and you" said Mrs. Yumori, "You two are very different from Souko, you know"
"Is that all?" asked Ikuto, bored.
"Oh, no" said Mrs. Yumori, "I wanted to ask you a question. Why were you willing to do the surgery for Rima and Amu?"
"I don't know" said Ikuto, still looking bored.
"The Ikuto I know didn't care about other people...in the past...but why now?" asked Mrs. Yumori.
"I don't know" replied Ikuto, once more.
"Did Amu change you in some way?" asked Mrs. Yumori, "Did you by any chance f-"
A car honked in the streets, and Ikuto barely managed to hear Mrs. Yumori.
"Why are you asking me these questions?" asked Ikuto.
"I'm just trying to help you organize your current situation...this is how I managed to change Souko's life" said Mrs. Yumori, "You're so different, yet so similar to Souko when she was young..."
"I...don't understand what you're trying to say" said Ikuto.
"You will understand someday" said Mrs. Yumori, "Just like Souko"
Before Ikuto could reply the door opened with a bang, and a nurse came in, panting for breath.
"Amu...she...she...ran away. She's not in the emergency room anymore" said the nurse, still out of breath.
"What are you talking about?" asked Mrs. Yumori, "Find her!"
"Wait...I think I know where she went" said Ikuto, "Can you let me find her?"
Okay, I updated way faster than I said I would, which is good. But I really am going to update after about a week this time. You might be thinking: Oh, you're lying again. I'll look for your story again after two days! I wish that was true...but no. This time, seriously. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'll try to update as soon as possible!