I'm back! What a place to leave you guys at in the last chapter :P. I rarely get sick, but when I do, I get really sick (like, go to the hospital kind of sick). BUT I'm here now so who cares ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Hope y'all enjoy the chapter!
As if everything was moving in both fast and slow motion, Mei watched in sheer horror as her girlfriend collapsed in front of her. For the briefest moment, time stood still and Mei was frozen along with it. But a flash of silver hair immediately moving to the blonde's side snapped the student council president out of her daze.
Sara moved quickly and expertly, checking the girl's airway, breathing and pulse. "Nina, call an ambulance! She's not breathing...", the older Tachibana twin ordered. Mei watched on hopelessly as the scene played out before her. "Mei, snap out of it! Can you perform CPR?"
She could only nod as her voice failed her. The cool demeanor she'd learned to maintain over the years had crumbled. She'd never been more scared in all her life and she'd never looked more vulnerable.
"Stay calm. I'm just getting the AED, alright?". 'She might be going into cardiac arrest', she decided not to voice her thoughts.
Mei did not ask any questions, instead focusing on performing CPR and placing one hand over the other against Yuzu's chest. She'd learned first aid in school. It was a requirement in the academy because 'it could save a life'. Of course, like with everything else, Mei easily passed the first aid exam. But this was different. This wasn't some lifeless dummy, this was Yuzu. Her Yuzu. And she could die. "15..16..17..", her voice trembled as the thought hit her but she fought to concentrate on the chest compressions.
"I'm back. How is she?", Sara kneeled next to Yuzu's unconscious body, switching on the AED.
"Sh-she's still not breathing", Mei's eyes widened at the medical device. An AED was only used on a person with some sort of arrhythmia condition, right? 'So why…?', she looked down at Yuzu. Her usual glowing skin had started to take on an ugly tinge of blue.
Sara started to follow the AED's instructions. She placed one electrode pad under Yuzu's right collarbone and the other one on the left side below her underarm as instructed. "Stand back."
Mei flinched as a shock was delivered to the blonde, causing her body to jolt slightly. To their relief, the ambulance arrived shortly after. The paramedics asked the high schoolers about the situation. While Sara was talking to them, Nina glanced over at Mei who was visibly shaking as they took the unresponsive girl away.
"...has an arrhythmia disorder…"
'Huh?'. Mei overheard Sara talking to one of the paramedics. 'Arrhythmia?'
"Mei, they're calling for someone to come with them to the hospital. It should be you", the silence that followed told her that she was either being ignored or that she didn't hear her. She approached the other girl with caution and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Hey, I know you're confused but right now Yuzu needs you!". Her words seemed to have reached the taller girl since she wordlessly got into the ambulance with them, though the tension never left her body.
Beep… beep...
Yuzu woke up to the mechanical sound of her own heart beats' rhythm. She opened her eyes slowly, her vision clearing with each blink. Her eyes focused on the multiple wires that were attached to her and she noticed the familiar machine that monitored her heart.
Her stomach dropped when she remembered what happened. She collapsed in front of Mei. Yuzu wanted to be optimistic and argued that maybe, maybe, she could explain it all away. With each second that passed she sobered up more and more and realized that she was in a hospital, in her own room.
'...Shit.'. There was no way she could make up an excuse now. She should have been more careful after the many close calls she'd had with Mei finding out. But it was ultimately all for naught since she ended up in the hospital anyway. 'Out of all the times, it had to be then', Yuzu rolled her eyes, 'Right on the day I confessed'.
How can she face Mei now, after telling her she'd never betray her and her feelings? Pessimistic thoughts ran through her head, scenarios of Mei looking down at her with disdain after she'd lied to her. Mei will most definitely want nothing to do with her.
Yuzu shook her head vigorously, 'Stop thinking like that!'. That's right, she wasn't about to let all of her friends' efforts go to waste. They all cheered her on, practically pushing her and Mei together. Yuzu wanted to make this work. Even now that Mei has found out. She wanted to properly explain her actions.
The blonde reached up to press the nurse call button.
Mei wordlessly listened to her step mother, zoning out every once in a while as she stared in the direction of where Yuzu was wheeled off to. They'd brought Yuzu to the ER as soon as they arrived at the hospital. Ume arrived a couple minutes ago after she was contacted by her step daughter. Right now, Yuzu was in the ICU but both Mei and Ume were asked to wait so as not to disturb the girl. As they waited for Yuzu to (possibly) wake up, the middle aged woman decided to tell Mei about the blonde's disease.
"Yuzu has brugada syndrome, a rare type of heart arrhythmia. Her symptoms started showing 4 years ago, before she even started middle school. She was diagnosed with the condition half a year later and was prescribed medication..."
"They're pills to help regulate my period…"
She had to hand it to Yuzu; the girl was better at keeping a secret than she'd previously thought.
"...inherited from her father…", Ume continued on.
Mei's eyes widened in realization.
"Your father passed away?"
"Yeah... when I was three. He died 'cause of a heart condition"
Mei slowly felt her stomach lurch. Feelings of guilt and contempt crept up.
"Yuzu, are you alright?"
"...Yeah, I'm fine", Yuzu managed in between laboured breaths. "Just not very athletic y'know?", she brushed it off with a lighthearted chuckle.
She could barely concentrate on what her step mother was telling her anymore. Right now her mind was occupied as she thought back on certain moments. Small signs and hints that she'd noticed. Actually, no. They weren't small. The signs were all there.
But she failed to piece them together. There were so many instances. 'Like that one time when she fainted…', a cynical voice echoed in her head. She always knew there was something off in the back of her mind. She should've been able to see through Yuzu's lies, taken the hints and confronted her about it. But instead she brushed them off. There was simply no way, right?
"Mei?", the concerned mother asked worriedly. "You're looking a bit pale"
The raven haired girl brushed her step mother off, excusing herself to the bathroom as the earlier feeling of nausea started to creep up again. Mei splashed some water onto her face in an attempt to sharpen her senses. She hadn't slept all night. How could she while her girlfriend was in the ICU?
'Girlfriend'. The word made her mind wander once more, this time to just a few hours ago when Yuzu had just confessed.
"You see, I'm selfish and I... I can't bear to see you be happy with anyone else-"
'No, you're wrong…', she looked up to stare at herself in the mirror. The disdain and resentment she felt towards herself was enough to finally make her break down. "The one who's selfish is me…". She always managed to keep her emotions at bay, never allowing herself a moment of weakness. But now she cried, sobbed and wept for herself. For Yuzu. How long? How much had she hurt the blonde? 'How can she say that she loves me?! After everything I did to her?'
Knock-knock
"Mei, are you alright in there?"
She didn't reply. Instead, she cupped her hands and dipped them under the running sink. She splashed the cool liquid onto her face in an effort to get rid of any signs of the emotional breakdown she'd just had.
"Mrs Aihara? Your daughter is awake"
Mei gasped sharply, relief flooding through her entire being until it was replaced with a feeling of dread. She was glad that Yuzu was awake. Alive. But the thought of Yuzu hating her terrified the raven haired girl. She couldn't face her. Not now. Not yet.
There was another knock at the door, "Come on Mei, let's go see Yuzu!". The middle aged woman waited for a reply. But none came. "I'm going to see Yuzu now", she heard through the door. "I'll see you there…"
As soon as the sound of footsteps disappeared into the distance the bathroom door opened with force. Mei practically dashed towards the exit before being stopped. "Where are you going?", her step mother asked, eerily calm.
"I-I have to go"
Ume furrowed her eyebrows at the uncharacteristic stutter from the girl. What's more, she kept her eyes locked on the floor, avoiding her gaze completely as if she were ashamed. If there was one thing she learned about her step daughter, it was that she was always unabashed. Her words were always harsh but true and she always looked at people directly in the eyes. Unwavering and unyielding. But now she was displaying all sorts of emotions. Remorse, shame and guilt. Before she could reassure her step daughter, before she could tell her that it wasn't her fault, the raven haired girl turned and left the building.
Damn it Mei. Even in my own fic, you're starting to get on my nerves XD. (lol even though I know what will happen). So she finally finds out about Yuzu's illness! What will happen between the two lovers now?
Just to clarify, I did learn a bit of first aid in school. (Literally passed my CPR test 2 weeks ago). But we never covered how and when to use an AED so I had to look it up for this chapter. (Apparently it gives you the instructions anyway tho ˘\_( õ 3 ó)_/˘).