A/N: YO minna-san! It has been an excrutiating day, as well as a tired day. We also had a power outage so… it's like night time but I'm typing now. I'm so tired, but after a bowl filled with steaming-hot (seriously, I had to put an ice cube in my bowl and melt it.) chocolate flavored oatmeal, I am raring to go! (The heat made room temperature water feel like cold water) I actually researched on stuff that could cause coma last time. I mean, I had a vague idea, but just to be sure, you know?

Thank you to Major Mike Powell the III, Cleide Jam, Revengermajestyliberator: actually we didn't get a vacation. How nice that would've been., and Dash24zappshift for your kind reviews.

Enjoy!

~Shintori Khazumi

"She… lost a friend… in the most horrible way possible."

"What?!" Umi cried out. " I have never heard of this before! When did Honoka tell you? Why have you been keeping it from me?! Kotori!"

"I'm sorry… it was a long time ago. She told me before you became our friend and I promised her… I promised to never, never, ever tell a soul. I couldn't even tell my mom." Kotori sniffed trying to remember the dreadful story had been so painful to bear.

"Hon, please tell us what happened. I'm sure that if you tell us, we can help your friend right away." The doctor said, now very worried.

"OK…" Kotori gathered her thoughts. "It all started one summer when Honoka-chan and I first saw each other at the playground.

Flashback

"Ring around the …a pocket full of…" Children sang in the playground…

A young Minami Kotori had been brought there by her mother to enjoy the scenery and make a couple friends in the neighborhood. Kotori had never had so much fun before! Sliding down the tall slides and climbing the monkey bars, running around with friends and playing games, It had all been exhilarating!

Kotori was just about to join another game when she noticed a lone figure sitting on top of the slide. She wanted to go and tell the girl that she should join them and have fun too, but the way the little girl looked, she couldn't bring herself to approach the girl. She looked so depressed and it scared Kotori a bit. What if that girl hurt her? What if she was a bully, that's why no one would play with her?

Kotori's mind was full of thoughts and she couldn't tear her eyes away from the girl, even while Kotori was playing. Then, something surprised Kotori. One of their playmates, a boy slightly older than them, approached the little girl and seemed to be talking to her. He gestured toward the group of children and they all saw the little girl shake her head, as if she was afraid of them. They saw the boy coax her more and more. She still shook her head and buried her face in her knees.

Every single day, the boy would go to the slide and talk to the girl. Even after all the rejections, he would try again and again, unrelenting. Finally, the girl said yes and with the young boy, she joined the group.

"This is Kousaka Honoka." The boy introduced. "She was very shy, so she couldn't join us. I convinced her that everyone wanted to play with her. Right minna?"

A chorus of agreement followed the young boy's speech and soon after that, the shy Kousaka Honoka began to fit in more and more each day gaining more and more friends by the minute. It turned out to be a wonderful experience for Kotori to meet such a wonderful person and she made a promise to be that girl's "most bestest friend ever! " or so she told her mother.

"Pffftt…. ahaha… I'm… sorry to ruin your moment… ahaha, but… 'most bestest friend ever?' Really? Ahaha!" Nico laughed.

"I was like 3-5 years old! What did you expect?" Kotori said blushing.

"Wait… before you continue… Honoka was shy before? Like Hanayo or Umi shy?" Eli said curiously.

"Oh yeah, definitely." Kotori replied. "Maybe even more shy than them, actually."

"Please continue now." The doctor said very seriously.

"Ok… one day, when no one else was at the playground, but them…"

"Honoka, let's play on the swing set. I'll push you if you'd like." The boy offered. Honoka nodded her head, eyes gleaming. No one, not even her parents, had ever pushed her on the swings before. It made her very happy for this new experience.

While the boy pushed Honoka on the swing, he asked her why she liked playing alone when there were so many kids around even him.

"Mou… you know Yukiho is too young to play with me. I'm a girl and you're a boy. And I'm too shy around the others. It's not like I like being alone."

"I see."

As the two kept talking, a group of men were slowly approaching the two. The boy sensed that they weren't safe, but when he turned around, he was grabbed by the wrist and Honoka was carried with him into the car. The car drove on for quite a while until it stopped near a cliff.

"Let us go!" The boy shouted."

"Shut your mouth kid! We know that soon, very soon, your parents will be worried sick and look for you. We left a note for ransom there so just sit tight and wait." The rough looking man said.

Honoka was so scared she began to cry.

"Shhh… Honoka, don't cry. Be happy for me, won't you?" The boy smiled comfortingly.

"B-but"

"Shhh… just listen to me ok? We will wait for our parents to come and it will all be over."

But it was not all over. Their parents weren't there and it was already sundown.

"Tch… this is getting tiring. Why don't we have a little fun with them boss?" One of the thugs said.

"Alright then, let's get the little girl to do it. OI! You. Come here and take this knife."

Honoka shook her head. What were they going to do to her?

"Come here and…" He placed the knife in Honoka's hand and forced her to grip it.

"Now, I want you to slice the boys hand a little and wound it."

"That's great boss! She'll be terrified!" The men all cheered.

"Will you let us go if she does it?" The boy asked.

"Sure thing, kid."

"Ok then. Honoka please do it."

"What?! No I can't."

"Do it." The boy said approaching Honoka. "It will just be a little wound."

"Do it!"

"I'm tired of this. Give me that kid!" The boss said angrily swiping the knife away and injuring the boy's arm. "There we go." The boy howled in pain, making Honoka's eyes water. Then, she gathered up her resolve and kicked the man's leg. HARD.

"OUCH! You… You brat! I'll teach you a lesson. A big one."

The man took Honoka and held her over the cliffs edge. "I'll show you what happens to people who cross me!" He through Honoka off and she shut her eyes silently waiting for the impact that never came. Why?

"Honoka! I got you don't worry." It was the boy! He caught Honoka, but… his arm… his arm that was bleeding held onto the cliff's edge.

"Let me go! You are hurt. Please… let me go." Honoka cried. Behind her cries, police sirens could be heard. "Freeze! Let the children go." Gunshots were heard, but nonetheless, Honoka continued to beg the boy to save himself. "Please… If you don't let go of me, you'll fall too!"

"I won't let either of us fall. Now, I'll hoist you u and you have to ask a police to help me ok?"

"But!"

"OK?"

"Yes!" The boy did as he said and Honoka ran to get a policeman.

"Sir, sir! Please help! Someone is going to fall off the cliff!"

"What?!"

"Hurry!"

"Sure someone is gonna fall, kido. just wait until after I interrogate these guys, kid"

"Someone really is!" The chief saw the frustrated child.

"Where is the person."

"Over there."

"OK, let's hurry and get him."

"Please hurry, sir. Before we're too late."

They ran back and Honoka ran so fast her legs almost gave out.

"Yes" But the chief couldn't run that fast. Honoka knew it, because she saw the blood on the man's leg. It must have been wounded during the gun fight.

"Are you still there?" Honoka said crying out, reaching the edge of the cliff first.

"Y-yes."

"Your arm! Quick, give it to me! I'll pull you up!"

"No! You'll fall. You can't carry me. Wait for the policeman!"

"But there's not enough time!" Honoka wailed. She began crying.

"If you're gone, I'll be alone again. I don't know how to make friends, I don't know how to laugh and smile! Who'll be my friend? You're my bestfriend! Don't do this… please…"

"Honoka… look at me would you?" Honoka sniffed, but looked at him intently.

"If I fall, you have to promise me this one thing…"

"You won't fall!"

"PROMISE ME HONOKA!"

"Yes I promise."

"Be happy for me ok?"

"What?"

"I want you to be happy for me. Promise me, promise me that you'll be happy even if… AH! Even if… I am… gone. Promise me… that… You'll make lots and lots of friends. Promise me. OK?!" His hand slipped and only two fingers caught on the edge of the cliff. "P-promise me Honoka." He was straining.

"Policeman hurry!" Honoka yelled, looking back, but seeing the first policeman glaring daggers at her and accusing her of straining their chiefs energy. Honoka tried explaining about her friend, but they did not listen and instead walked back to the car.

"HONOKA!"

"Hai?" Honoka ran back to the cliff.

"Good bye Honoka."

"What?!"

"I love you. So promise me… that…" His fingers slipped and he began falling. Honoka tried to grab onto his hand, but he pulled his own hand towards his body so Honoka couldn't reach. Honoka did the only thing she could do left.

"I promise! Onii-chan! I love you too!"

"WHAT!?" All the members screamed. "Shhhh…" the doctor reprimanded them.

"Honoka has an Onii-san?" Maki was truly shocked. "Do you know his name?"

"Hai…" Kotori looked so sad.

"He was Kousaka Haruto. He was Honoka's brother and… bestfriend at that time."

"So Honoka's Onii-san… died after falling?" Hanayo spoke softly.

"No… it got worse."

After the incident, the investigators rushed to the scene about 2 minutes after he fell. They found him alive, but in a coma. He was rushed to the hospital, but after a few days, he still did not wake up. On Honoka's next birthday, he suddenly woke up and everyone rushed to the hospital to see him. Honoka ran up to him and cried and hugged him as tight as she could and told him she loved him. His words though, broke her small heart.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? I don't want to see a stranger. Mom! Dad!"

A few days later, he died because of a brain tumor. Apparently, Honoka never spoke to the children at the playground again. That is, until Kotori tried to cheer her up. Honoka lived to keep the promise she had made with her brother to make friends, but she might've only kept half the promise.

"What do you mean, Kotori-chan?" Nozomi said.

"She wasn't being Happy. She might look it, but sometimes she is completely hiding her pain. She told me she didn't regret anything though. She always told him every day before he died, that she loved him with all her heart and that she'd work hard to keep that promise. She got him to tell her he loved her right before he died too. It must have been a quick memory for him."

"So… Honoka told you all this?"

"Yes. And she told me that… he died right before her eyes."

"Kotori-chan?" A voice in the room could be heard, making everyone rush inside.

"Honoka-chan?" No answer was heard. They all saw Honoka sleeping, but with a very disturbed expression.

"O…oni…onii-san."

A/N: So guys! Wow! This must be the longest I have ever written for this story! Thank you for all the support guys! I am enjoying this right now! Woohoo! Tell me how this went in the reviews please!

Signing out,

~Shintori Khazumi