Breathe Chapter 10

It wasn't until the clocks stroke five when Hikari finally found the hospital, with the help of strangers who pointed the way to help her, though when Akane said that it was near where they always parked the Tako Café it helped her a little. When standing infront of the hospital, Hikari observed the hospital as she has never seen one before; she gave a 'wow' when she saw how tall the building was which it had 12 floors. It looked so little outside but as she stepped in, the hospital looked it had enough room for everybody and it big. She couldn't help but be nervous when she walked a little more inside. The white walls around her made her ponder why it was colorless and dull. She got a chill through her spine up to her head when she by passed the sick people, both young and old.

"Can I help you?" said the woman behind the desk as her gum popped. Hikari hesitantly approached the woman; the woman was little obese, had red hair, to her thoughts she must be a foreigner. "I'm looking for my friend, Misumi Nagisa-san." The woman played with the pen as she tapped with one of her hand to search the name. To kill the time, Hikari accidentally got her eyes on her nametag which stood, Frances Walker. She smiled at herself with satisfaction of beeing right. Frances put the pen behind her ear as she made a bubble out of her gum and replied.

"Misum Nagisa is on the 5th floor, room 201." Hikari bowed politely and thanked her. She did so and went to the fifth floor with the elevator, looking at the numbers going up. As she exit the elevator, she saw two familiar faces; Nagisa's parents. Though they have been a lot through they seemed to be fine, smiling and forgot about the situation. But somehow, she knew that they were hiding the sorrow like Akane did this morning. She bit her lower lip, it was a little awkward for her that they acted that way.

"Hello, Kujou-san. How have you been?" Takashi asked friendly as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

"I-I've been better." she replied. Their conversation was small; after that, they went together to Nagisa's room. They saw Doctor Hiyamori standing outside the room with two nurses who looked nervous as they were looking for something. Hiyamori got startled when he saw the family and friends coming towards them. As they approached them, Hiyamori looked away, disappointed. "

Hello, doctor. How is Nagisa today?" Rie asked cheerfully. Hiyamori closed his eyes as he tried to think of something, but what he really needed to do was to be honest. But if they ever heard it, they'd break down. Hiyamori took a deep breath before he replied.

"I have some bad news." Takashi, Hikari and Rie got tensed up and the couples held each others' hands to prepare for the news. "I am afraid that your daughter is missing." Rie let out a 'what' as Takashi held tighter to her. "How the hell did that happen?" Takashi yelled.

"Now, Misumi-kun, we don't know how it happened. But that's not it; if Nagisa isn't brought back to hospital...she will die." Again Hikari looked befuddled at the doctor. The couples held eachother tighter as tears escaped from Rie. "We have no time to waste. We have to find her!" Takashi yelled. "I'm going to Nagisa's favourites places maybe she's there." He explained as he ran off. Hikari was confused; she didn't know if she should follow Takashi or stay in the hospital to take care of Rie.

Fuji-P performed a CPR on Nagisa, but no result but it didn't keep him stop to revive her. Fuji-P glared at Nagisa's face, it was so peaceful; he stared at Nagisa with widened eyes as he stopped performing CPR. Could this be it? Is she gonna die here? No. Fuji-P shock his head in deny, he couldn't let her go, not now. He finally got the courage to express his feelings to her. He touched her left cheek as tears escaped; her face was ice cold. He heard the staff yelling at him, asking him why he stopped doing CPR, but Fuji-P was too busy to believe what's happening right now. Suddenly, one of the staff who was in control of the ferral wheel, pushed Fuji-P of off Nagisa and performed CPR. Somehow, Fuji-P wasn't angry at him; he couldn't help but feeling sad, that's the only emotion he could hold on on this moment. But that emotion lifted to happy face when after several attempt, Nagisa coughed and started to breathe normally, but her eyes were still closed. He rushed to her side, took her hand and kissed it in delight. But it wasn't over yet. Nagisa needed to go to the hospital just in case. He started to panic, he turned over to the staff who called the ambulance few seconds ago.

"When is the ambulance coming?" he asked like he was almost yelling.

"It's on its way, it'll take five or ten minutes." Fuji-P looked at Nagisa again. He couldn't wait that long, what if she's in serious danger? He looked anxiously around as he doesn't know what to do, ignoring the people around who had gathered around them. He found an idea; he lifted Nagisa's unconscious body on his back and turned back to the same staff. "Tell them it isn't neccassary anymore."

"Kid, what are yo-" He was cut off when Fuji-P ran off.

As he was halfway through, it started to rain; he could feel his hands slippery and almost dropping Nagisa so he ran a little faster and tried to lift her up higher. 'Come on, come on' he thought when he saw the signs he ran pass by. He rose his head when he saw the hospital infront of him, shining inside as the lights were still on.

Hikari looked down to her feet in despair. Next to her sat Rie who was crying silently. Hikari closed her eyes in concentration; 'is it a good timing to ask that question?' she thought. The girls jumped up when they saw an familiar unconscious body rolling to the room 201. Rie immediately stood up, along with Hikari, off the chair and headed to the girl but Hikari stood still. When she heard a panting beside her she turned around and saw Fuji-P using his hands for support while gasping for air. "Fujimura-kun? What's going on?"

"That's what I would like to know." he replied when he breathed again.

Rie was escorted out by the nurse so they could treat Nagisa. Fuji-P told the couples and Hikari what happened at the fair. They exchanged information; Takashi told Fuji-P about Nagisa's condition, he didn't took it well, he went somewhere to be in privacy. They could hear him sob from the bathroom. Takashi sighed sadly and stood up. Rie knew what he was going to do. He went downstairs where there were phone booths and dialed the numbers. It rang three times before an old lady answered. ''"Hello?" ''

"Yes, Yukishiro-san. We have a little problem. Tell your daughter to come to the hospital."

Hikari was intense. She wanted to know badly what fatal meant. She was just too embarrrassed to say it right now in this situation. She bit her lower lip as she inhaled and gathered the courage. "Misumi-sa-" She was cut off by the doctor who came out from the room. Rie automatically stoopd up and fold her hands together. Hikari joined her and stood up too. Doctor Hiyamori looked at their faces, it was too hard for him to say it. This was the worst part to be a doctor and he hated it. He cleared his throats and began as he looked up from the paper he wrote on while in there.

"I-I" he hesitated. "I'm afraid that...your daughter is in critical conditon. She pushed herself too far, the body couldn't handle it. She...she will most likely not survive through the night..." he finished. Just when Hiyamori finished, Takashi came running towards them to his wife. Rie tried to hold back her tears, but she broke down and cried on his chest. Takashi, realizing what's going on, shook his head as he looked at the doctor. The doctor hung his head. "No..." he managed to say. "NO!" Hiyamori couldn't handle the cries and tears, he walked away but Hikari managed to stop him by grabbing his sleeve.

"Wh-what's going on? Why is everyone so sad...?" Hiyamori gulped and looked away before replying. "Young lady, your friend..." he hesitated for a moment but continued. "She's gonna die."

"Die? What does than mean?" Now it was more harder for Hiyamori to explain to her what death was like. "She's going away."

"But, she'll be back right?" Hikari smiled, waiting for an answer. Hiyamori stared at her sadly and shook his head. Before he could comfort her, Hikari ran away in disbelief.

Honoka's knees felt weak when she saw her friend; Nagisa was hooked with wires, the wires were connected from her stomach, her heart and her chest and wore an oxygen mask. Honoka couldn't believe it.

The sun rose; the bird sang, delighted over the summer atphmosmere. The kids skipped to school the last time before summer break. Hikari, on the other hand, had her curtains closed and in fetal position. Her tears were dry, she already cried all night. She looked very tired, she stayed up from ten to seven without sleep. Porun, concerned about her friend, snuck off the bed where Lulun was lying besides him so she wouldn't wake up, he was near Hikari and jumped as he chanted cheerfully.

"Let's play-popo, let's play-popo. With Nagisa, Honoka, Lulun, Mepple and Mipple-popo!" There were no respond from Hikari, not even a blink. Porun cocked his head and jumped on Hikari as he chanted again that he wanted to play. "Porun." Porun stopped jumping and started to listen with serious face.

"Nagisa-san isn't going to be with us anymore." She explained emotionless. Porun started to cry as he let himself fall down and flapping his tiny arms and legs.

"No-popo, I want Nagisa to stay with Hikari and Honoka forever-popo!" Suddenly, Porun was picked up, Hikari held him closely to her face; Porun was shocked how her face has become. She wasn't like herself anymore. "This is how life is.." She said as a tear escaped from her left eye. Her right eye was paralyzed with sorrow.

"Quickly! She's going into shock!"

"Inject it! Now!"

"It's not working!"

"Doctor, what now?"

"Stay away! Clear!" the heartmonitor was still flat. The doctor tried again.

"Clear!" But nothing. He tried again. Again. Again. Again. Once more. Nothing happend.

She was dead.

"Grandma?" Honoka rubbed her eyes as Sanae opened the door at the same time as a bright sunlight came into her eyes. She turned around and closed the door. Honoka observed, her eyes narrowed while her grandmother approached her.

"What's going on? The school doesn't start in one hour." Sanae smiled sadly, trying to cover up her sorrows behind but she couldn't bear holding that feeling; her smile turned into frown. Honoka knew from the start that something was wrong. Sanae sat gently on the bed, carefully not to sit on her granddaughter's feet, while rubbing her cheek for comfort.

"W-w-what's going on?" Honoka asked scared. Chuutaro approached the door, scratching his paw on the door while whining. He sniffed around below as he caught some interesting smell. He lifted his head as he heard Honoka crying on top of her lung. Curiously, he looked through the thin door; the shadow to the right, which awfully looked like a teenager sobbed as she dug her head in her hands while an adult shadow, pulled her closer to comfort.

Verone Junior High School

"Okay. Thank you for the information, Misumi-kun. I'll inform it to them. Goodbye"

As she heard the click of the phone being hung up, Yoshimi slammed the phone on the receiver loudly, drawing the attention from everyone in the teacher room. Her eyes were covered in shadows two tears from each eye started to flow down her cheeks in the meantime she squeezed the receiver harder in anger as she was still holding it. Her arms started to tremble as well were her hands. The receiver rocked in a millimeter from where it was standing. She pulled herself together and took up the mike.

"Kubota-san and Takashimizu-san, please come to principal office." After she turned the mike off, she buried her face into her hands, for the worst part wasn't over.

Rina and Shiho entered the principal office, looking at each other hoping that they would get away from whatever they did. They were surprised that Yoshimi-sensei kept drying her tears and the principal looked at them sadly. They acted like someone died. The principal nodded his head, indicating that they should come inside they did so but hesitated. As they stopped in the middle, the principal began to speak. "Kubota-san, Takashimizu-san. It is very difficult to say this..." The principal sighed deeply before he continued.

"Your friend, Misumi-san...she just died this morning."

At the wake for Misumi Nagisa, everybody showed up. Her classmates, her teammates and the teachers. Honoka felt the numbness through her body; her pupil's grey as she stared blankly at the picture of Nagisa smiling at her. She ignored the crying and sobbing around her. Hiyamori was also present there; he buried his face in shame, he promised them to cure their daughter, but he failed again. Hiyamori shook his head in disbelief. How could Buddha be so cruel and take a little girl away? Hiyamori couldn't stand it anymore; he ran away from the church and cried when he got outside. Takashi noticed Fuji-P go to the bathroom, while he was crying; it was so obvious since he could see his tears.

Honoka and Hikari approached the coffin where Nagisa was lying; as Hikari and Honoka saw Nagisa's peaceful face, she looked very pale. Honoka couldn't help but reminiscences Nagisa's happy face and compared it to now. Honoka touched her face, she felt the cold from Nagisa's face she ran her hand up to her hair, after seeing her like that for a few seconds, Honoka let out tears as she muttered.

"Nagisa….." the memories of Nagisa smiling cheerfully and eating takoyaki came to her mind. "Nagisa.." she said in low voice between the sob, her eyes started to fill with tears. "Nagisa!" Honoka cried as she fell down to her knees. Akane and Yoshimi-sensei came towards her to help her stand up, but Honoka pushed them away. Hikari went to her knees and clenched her teeth as her tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Nagisa-san…." They hugged each other as they cried on top of their lungs. Now it was Takashi's turn; Takashi took a deep breath before stepping up to the coffin.. He held tightly to his wife who was clanging on his arms while sobbing. Rie took a glare at Nagisa and ran away, before Takashi could even stop her. He turned back to Nagisa; an image of her when she was an infant appeared to his mind, she was in his arms, so peaceful with blanket wrapped around her. That image disappeared suddenly and the appearance of Nagisa dead came. Takashi broke down; The principal and the math teacher came to comfort him and took him away from the coffin. Three girls from the Lacrosse Team came up next with Nagisa's lacrosse in one of the girl's hand. She placed it next to Nagisa before the left while crying. When the Priest was done talking good about Nagisa and everyone sang psalms, two men closed the coffin, Ryouta gain their attentions with his yelling.

"Don't close that coffin! She won't able to breathe! Please someone, open it!" Ryouta cried. Takashi held tightly to his son as Ryouta was struggling to run towards the coffin.

Seeing Ryouta like that, Honoka couldn't take it anymore. Without anyone's warning, she ran out the church while some people were calling her name. Honoka passed by the graveyard when she stopped and kneeled down behind the tree and went into fetal positon. She stared at the ground while the tears escaped from her eyes. "I can't do it..." she muttered to herself as she started to tremble too. The image of Nagisa's dead body came to her mind as she yelled.

"I just can't say goodbye!"