Stars and Roses ✓

𝐈𝐈𝐈.

Such pretentious acts lead him to realizing...

✧*。

YAMAGUCHI Tadashi walk-run towards the room where his lover is. With his hands running cold, heart beating fast; he managed to reach her room without passing out because of nervousness. He slides the door open to see Tanaka Kiyoko getting ready to leave.

"Kiyoko-san! Thank you for looking after her, " He bowed respectfully at the woman, while she chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Yamaguchi-kun. I'm off now. Ryuu is waiting in the parking lot." She smiles warmly at him before picking up her bag and started to walk toward the exit. However, the moment that she walked past him, he could have swear that he hears her say, "Let her go."

Kiyoko-san, what do you mean by that?

"Take care, Kiyoko-san! Have a safe ride with Ryuu-san!" Hitoka cut his thoughts of as she bids the older lady a goodbye. She is currently seating with her back leaning on the headboard of the hospital bed. The door shut close and they were left with an awkward silence. Tadashi has been busy with their company preparing for their anniversary; so he had been meeting his lover less and less. Now, he doesn't know how to face her.

"Hey, Ta-- Yamaguchi, a penny for your thoughts?" Yachi broke the silence between them, giving him a warm smile. Yamaguchi only stares at his lover. 'That genuine smile, your loving look... What did I do to deserve you?'

"Yachi, I'm sorry... I was--"

"Shh. It's all right. I'm all right." The look on her eyes did not change, nor the tone of her sweet voice. She was even reassuring him when she should be mad at him; she's supposed to be angry! He wanted her to scream at him. He wants to satisfy the guilt that he's feeling. He didn't do anything to deserve a lady like her...

Patting the empty space near her, she invites him to sit next to her. He slowly made his way toward her, and did what he was told. He held her hands, whispering apologies she doesn't want to hear.

She pulls her hands away, as she cups his cheeks and gave him a chaste kiss. It was short, yet full of emotion. He wanted to ask her, 'what was that for?' Yet, he's terrified of what the answer could be. However, her words breaks him.

"Yamaguchi, my star. Tonight, even just for tonight, let's pretend that there's nothing wrong between us." She whispered, curving her lips into a sad smile. She knows that he was slowly slipping away from her hold yet she didn't say a word.

'Can you feel my hands, Tadashi? They're cold. I'm nervous. I'm scared of what your answer would be.'

"Yeah. I remember the drill." He smiled at her, leaning in-- kissing her slowly. She wanted to cry, but she stopped herself. In just a few hours, this will be over. They broke the kiss, smiling at each other.

She asked about his day, while he asked about her condition, and the things that he missed. She answered almost everything truthfully; leaving her real condition a lie.

"You collapsed from fatigue? I should be scolding you but we'll save that for once you get discharged. For now, tell me about every little adventures you had." He said, playing with her small hands.

Yachi loved yet hated how genuine his words sounds like. It's as if after all of this, she will go back to him and things will be the way they used to be. Where they will go back to going to one another's house, spend the weekends together-- doing what lovers would do. Doing what they used to. On her lover's part; Tadashi hates this little act that they're doing. But maybe, just maybe he will recover something after this. Maybe, he will ease the guilt that he's feeling. Maybe, he could at least satisfy her one last wish. After all, the moment his feelings for her crumbles-- so did their relationship. He slowly drifted away from her, and she slowly lets him go; thinking about his hapiness over hers.

After a few topics here and there, Yachi looks up to the clock on her private room. It was almost time. Around ten more minutes before the visiting hours ends. "Yama-kun, it's almost time." She said looking back to her lover. 'Just ten more minutes and I'm letting you go.'

"You know that I love you, right?" She suddenly blurted out, smiling warmly at the lad. To his surprise, even though her smile was as warm as the light of the sun, her tears that were brimming in the corner of her eyes were as sad as the rain.

"Yachi.."

"You know, I'm not r-ready to say goodbye..." Her tears started falling as she looked down to avoid eye contact. This is breaking her more than it breaks him.

"But," She hiccuped before looking up at him. "Let me tell you a story one last time." She sobs her sentence while Yamaguchi watched. He could only watch.

How can he comfort her if he's the one who caused her pain?

"Yachi, I'm so-"

"It.. It was a story revolving around the stars and roses." She started off. It was once about the galaxy and her star. But the moment they started pretending, she knows that she is wrong.

"There was a seed planted in the middle of the field. A field full of different flowers growing in a different pace. She is never meant to grow so soon. But the moment she caught the light of a star, that is when she started growing." She sobbed, playing with her blanket. 'Just a few more minutes.' She thought.

"Because of that light, she became a rose. She's not as eye catching as the red ones, nor as beautiful as the pink ones. She's just... Plain white." The crawling pain on her chest started which made her sob harder. 'Please, let me finish my story first..'

She gasped as the burning pain on her chest intensifies. She clutched her chest as she started coughing. She started tasting blood and rose, but she could only bite her lip and cover her mouth. Tadashi shouldn't know.

"Y-Yachi?!" He is now panicking, however he felt himself ran outside for help when he saw blood drip down from her hand. Fortunately for him, there is a doctor and a nurse walking in the hallway who immediately went to help his lover the moment they've seen him frantically looking for help. The nurse rushed to get the equipment while Tadashi just stared at them do all the work.

He doesn't know how he just ended up sitting outside the room being consoled by Ryuu and Kiyoko. He also failed to notice how Ryuu practically dragged him to the parking lot, taking him on his own home, gives him coffee while he only stared the hot mug in his hands.

"Yamaguchi, it's all right. You can cry now. It's just the two of us here." He would've made fun of the older man if it was a much more lighter situation, however his own tears could only fall the moment that Ryuu finishes his sentences.

"Did I do that to her? Ryuu-san, I never meant to hurt her..." He started trembling as he sobbed his sentences.

"I can't tell you what is happening but I know for sure that Yachi will be all right. I may be a goofball but I never lie when it comes serious things like this. Have faith Tadashi. She will be fine. You should also rest, Kiyoko said that your company's anniversary event is tomorrow. You wouldn't want to miss an event that you and your team planned for, right?" Ryuunosuke pats the younger lad's shoulder. The freckled-man nodded.

"After everything tomorrow, I swear to do things right." Tadashi told himself and Ryuu. If only he was looking at the older man, he would've seen series of emotions in his eyes before he leaves.

He would've seen the look on his eyes telling him that it was already too late.