Chapter 12 – A Birthday with Sickness & Guilt

Akane's POV

So…today's the day. Akari's 14th birthday. A day that I've been looking forward to, at least.

But…does she even want to celebrate it today? I know how depressed she's been lately. Locking herself in her room, crying all day, accepting the life "fate" gave her, and being ready to die…

And yet, here I am reading book after book after book about depression instead of physically trying to help her. I'm such a crappy sister.

…

Not to mention a creep with an incestuous obsession for her. I really need to get that cured…

"Hey, Sis."

"H-Huh? Oh…morning, Akari. Happy Birthday." I said to my dear little sister after noticing her standing next to me.

"Thanks, Sis. But…are you feeling okay? You were spacing out deeply a second ago."

"O-Oh, that? I-It's nothing. I'm fine. Just…a little tired, that's all. Been recently studying for finals and such."

"Oh…that makes sense."

"Yep. Totally makes sense. Hehheh…"

…

…

…

"Sis, I know you're lying." Akari said after a moment's silence.

"Wh-What? How am I lying?"

"Because you don't go to college."

"Tch! Crap!"

Damnit, Mom! I thought you would keep that a secret!

"*sigh* Alright, fine. The truth is I've been doing all-nighters researching all I can about depression. When to spot it, how to treat it, a bunch of other advice for it…but all of those sites I've found just led to absolutely nothing! I kept searching and searching…missing days of sleep and taking these energy shot drink things to keep me up! But to this day, I've still found NOTHING!"

"S-Sis, are you okay?" Akari asked. But my mental breakdown made me completely ignore her.

"I'm so tired~! So damn tired~! I really want to sleep~! But I can't sleep knowing that you're suffering with these horrid events the world has forced on you~!"

"S-Sis, you're starting to shake a little…"

"I know I haven't been the best older sister lately~! Stealing your underwear and having perverted incest fantasies about you~! But this time, I want to do better~! I WANT TO BE BETTER~! I PROMISED MYSELF THAT I WOULD BE THE BEST OLDER SISTER YOU'VE EVER HAD~!"

"B-But you're my only older sister!"

"I JUST WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY AGAIN, AKARI~! I MISS YOUR HAPPY CHEERY INNOCENT SELF~! AND I WOULD DO…I-I would do…I-I…w-would do…a-any…th-thing…"

*THUD*

"S-Sis? Sis?! H-Hey, wake up! Onee-chan~!" I could barely hear Akari cry out to me after I had felt extremely weak and suddenly collapsed on the table in front of me. My head was burning up and my body was filled with chills. I couldn't move at all.

But…I did have just a smidge of energy to respond to Akari.

"I…I just…I just wanted to help…A-Akari…"

I then slowly closed my eyes…using up the last of my strength to release strong tears of sadness, regret, and failure.

I-I'm sorry…A-Akari…

"*moan* Wh-Wha…wh-what happened? Wh-Why do I feel so weak?"

"Hey, you're up. Thank goodness…you had us worried, you know." I could just barely hear a recognizable voice.

"T-Tomoko? Wh-What…what are you…doing here?"

"Akari called our house crying and freaking out. Saying that you collapsed right in front of her."

"I-I…c-collapsed? I-In…front of…A-A-Akari? I-Is she…o-okay?"

"Chinastu's calming her down in her room."

"I-I…s-see…" I said while trying to get up.

"Hey, hey! Lay back down!"

"B-But…A-Akari…"

"Take care of yourself first, damnit! You're as sick as a dog right now!"

"I-I'm fine *cough* *cough*! I-I need to help…A-Akari *cough* *cough* *cough*!"

"I said…LAY BACK DOWN!"

*SMACK*

"O-Ow! Wh-What the hell?!" I yelled after Tomoko smacked me in the head with a paper fan. As if we're doing a comedy skit right now.

"Seriously. Look after yourself. Doing constant all-nighters researching and working your body to death isn't gonna help Akari."

"H-Huh? H-How do you…"

"Akari told us what you told her earlier. How you've been forcing yourself awake researching depression tips to help her with. She said you looked like a mess."

"O-Oh…"

I can't believe I went bat-shit crazy in front of Akari. I bet she's traumatized as hell right now…

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Hey, Sis? Feeling any better?" I heard another familiar voice after a knock on the door. Well, okay barely. I'm so weak that I've gone deaf in one ear. And my vison was blurry, too.

"A-Akari…?"

"Sorry, Sis. I tried stopping her, but she was really persistent." I couldn't even hear Chinastu clearly even though she was standing right next to her.

"It's okay, Chinastu. I'm sure it's fine now."

"Sis, I'm so happy you're awake now! You had me really scared earlier!" Akari said to me.

"I-I…did? S-Sorry…A-Akari. I only want…w-wanted…*gasp*" I then felt my breathing getting short and heavy. And my head was getting hotter than before as I started sweating rapidly.

"Sis?! Sis?! A-Are you okay?! Wh-What's wrong?!"

"Crap…she's overheating! Quick, Chinastu! Get me a wet rag!" I heard Tomoko say to her sister.

…

Again, barely.

"Right!"

As I could barely hear footsteps running through the hall, I felt myself getting weaker again and passed out on my bed.

"Sis?! Sis! Please! Whatever you do, PLEASE DON'T DIE ON ME~!"

These were the last words I heard from Akari before losing consciousness again.

…

Thankfully, I didn't die. I eventually woke up again…still feeling weak all over…but my head had cooled down from last time. My vision was no longer blurry. As I was able to see Akari, Chinastu, and Tomoko clearly now.

"*moan* Wh-Wha…? Wh-what…happened?"

"You overheated and passed out again." Chinatsu said. "Luckily, that wet rag I got cooled you down a bit."

"You were out for nearly 3 hours." Tomoko added. "It's already 7:00."

"O-Oh…I-I s-see…"

"S-Sis…" I heard Akari call out to me. I then turned to her and saw that her eye was all red and puffy from all the crying she did.

D-Did…Did she really think I was going to die?

"A-Akari, I…"

"Sis *sniff*…I'm so happy you're still alive~! I really thought you were a goner~! I don't know what I'd do if that happened~!"

"Akari…I'm sorry for making you worry. I only wanted to help you feel better. What you've been through and all…"

"We get that. All of us have been trying to help Akari." Chinatsu said. "But it's no excuse for overworking yourself like that. You really need to take better care of your body, Akane."

"R-Right…sorry…"

I'm being scolded by a 13-year-old. Now I know I REALLY screwed up…

"So, you mentioned something about doing all-nighters? How did you managed to do that?" Tomoko asked.

"Oh. Well, I drank that energy drink over there." I said while trying to point to an empty bottle on my dresser. Chinastu went to go pick it up and read the label.

"5-Hour Energy? Never heard of this brand."

"It's an energy drink sold in America. It's said to keep you awake for five hours, so…"

"F-For 5 hours?!" Tomoko said in shock. "So, if you got sick from drinking these…Akane, how many of these did you drink?!"

"Well…I started researching once we got home from the hospital. And that was about three weeks ago. And I would drink at least 4 of them a day, so…"

"5 x 4 is 20." Chinatsu started doing the math. "3 weeks is 21 days, so…20 x 21 is 420. So, to be up for 420 hours means that you've had to drink…"

"...84 energy shots." Akari answered.

…

…

…

*SMACK*

"Ow! Again with the fan?!" I yelled after Tomoko had smacked me again.

"YOU DRANK 84 OF THESE THINGS?! SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" Tomoko shouted.

"B-But I was trying to help Akari and…"

*SMACK*

"Ow!"

"DRINKING 84 ENERGY SHOTS ISN'T THE WAY TO DO IT, DUMBASS! NO WONDER YOU GOT SO DAMN SICK!"

"I-I'm sorry! Just don't hit me again!"

"Y-Your sister's scary when she's angry, Chinatsu!" Akari said in mild fear.

"Yeah…that's a normal response." Chinatsu replied with a sweatdrop.

"*sigh* Whatever." Tomoko said after finally calming down. "Just get some rest, okay?"

"H-Huh? B-But what about…"

"The party?"

"H-Huh?!" Tomoko, Chinatsu, and I faced Akari with huge looks of shock.

"Yeah…I knew about the party already. Kuuko told me when she was grabbing my schoolwork one day."

"Ugh! Damn that girl!" Chinatsu grumbled to herself. "*sigh* Might as well tell the others that you already know."

"I can still act surprised, though. I gained a talent for faking happiness lately."

"That's not something to be proud of, Akari…" Chinatsu gained a sweatdrop.

"Huh…Rise said the same thing."

At least her airheadedness is coming back… I thought to myself with a sweatdrop of my own.

"Well, since you already know, Akari, you can help get the place ready for your own birthday party." Tomoko said.

"Sure, I don't mind."

"Hey, since we're all free at the moment, I can make some soup for Akane."

And THAT was when Akari and I began panicking.

"Uh…th-that's okay, Chinastu." Akari said. "I-I can do it myself."

"What? Oh, come on! You're clearly gonna need help with you only having one eye!"

"S-Soup is easy to make. It doesn't require two people to make it."

"If it doesn't require two people then I could make it myself."

"NO! I-I mean…S-Sis isn't really that hungry. Right, Sis?"

By this point, I had turned over to my side and pretended to fall asleep. I did NOT to be part of this conversation. And even if I did, I wouldn't have the energy to do so.

"See? Knocked out cold."

"*whine* I get the feeling that you don't think I'm good at cooking!"

"Don't worry, Chinatsu. I totally think you're a good cook." Tomoko said. "And your drawings are absolutely beautiful, too."

"Thanks, Sis!"

Girl, stop being oblivious! Everything she makes is the stuff of nightmares!

Once that conversation was over, the three girls walked out of my room to prepare for Akari's birthday party. Giving me some time to sleep off some of this sickness.

I really did feel bad, though. Having to miss out on Akari's birthday because of my carelessness to my own body. I made her, Tomoko, and Chinastu worry…thinking that I was going to die because I drank so many of these energy drinks.

I thought I was helping Akari by doing such a thing…but in the end, I only made it worse. And nearly killed myself in the process.

I need to make it up to her. I need to show Akari that I'm truly sorry for what I did…and what it almost did to me.

But it can't be something short and simple. It has to be big. Exciting. Something that would nullify these horrible experiences from her memories. From now, all the way back to the day when she lost her eye.

…

But…I can't think of such a thing right now. I'm too weak. And I need some sleep.

Author's Note: First off, a bit of a PSA: PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! DO NOT DRINK 84 ENERGY SHOTS IN A ROW! IT IS A STUPID IDEA AND IT WILL KILL YOU!

Now, as for the chapter itself…again, not much has changed. This is going to be the outcome for most of these rewritten chapters. A lot of them just don't fit within a normal timeline.

Thanks for reading. Later.