"Uh, Hatori," Shigure says, turning to me, "I'm going to go comfort Aya for a bit, he's pretty shook up. Are you going to be okay alone here for awhile?"
I have never seen him this intent, concerned. "I'll be fine," I reply, "I'm sure Ryo-Sensei will take good care of me." "Sure I will," Ryo-Sensei adds, coming up to me to insert the IV. "Any vein preference?" he asks, laughing. "Well, I'm right-handed," I reply, "So maybe you should inject it into my left arm."
"W…Well, I'll be going then, Hatori." Shigure tells me, heading for the door.
"Shigure, kiss me." I don't know why I just said that…I suppose I need reassurance that he'll come back. It seems that everyone I love leaves me. Wordlessly, he walks back to the bed, leans down, and kisses me. "I'll see you soon, I promise."
Ryo-Sensei turns to me and promises, "You'll be fine." He winks. The door clicks and once again I am all alone. Well, Ryo-Sensei is here but…
"I'm going to use the main vein in the crotch of your left arm, okay?" he asks, and I nod. "Fine." I feel a prick and watch while the tubing slowly washes out my blood and allows medicine to enter into my blood stream. I had never asked what kind of medicine I would be receiving. "Ryo-Sensei…" I begin.
"You didn't really fall in the shower, did you?" he asks. He refuses to meet my eyes and is instead looking at the floor, his face ashen.
"W…Why do you ask that?" I stammer.
"You don't have the flu;" he answers me, "what you have is e-coli poisoning."