Alive, Again?

Packing up to go.

Kaede's POV

Walking outside towards the building where Shuichi's room resides I start spacing out again, just receding from everything and enjoying a strange silence. I mean yes I can hear, but it's soft and off in the distance. I'm pretty sure I can make out Shuichi's voice within the soft noises but I just can't seem to focus on it, it's fine though, it's not like he'll get super mad if I don't listen.

 I can see too, but it's just been reduced to a blur of colors. A strange moving mix of green, gray, black, blue, yellow and a few other colors that seem to pass every now and then. I can tell I'm walking but I can't seem to remember where my feet are leading me to, feeling the rhythmic drumming though makes I feel like I can walk forever just to listen to the calming sound. 

Different smells flood in through my nose as I'm in this dazed like state, a sweet floral like scent mixed with freshly cut grass, different snack smells coming and going with different blurred passing colors, and the scent of cleaning supplies and bleach that are getting closer and closer. Each scent making my brain react in very different ways, delighted, hungry, disgusted, ect, ect. 

Walking between a blurry gray and tan archway held open by some mysterious force introduces a whole new world to me in the dazed like state. All the colors suddenly being overcome by whites, grays, and blacks. All recent smells being drowned out by the smell of bleach and maybe a hint of lemon. The sounds coming to only rhythmic walking, whispering people including a now whispering Shuichi, and louder then normal air conditioner. 

As if I've been teleported I now sit on a soft surface, maybe a bed, and listen to the muffled sounds of Shuichi and things being shuffled around. All of a sudden a hand with a black glove waves in front of my face. 

" aede, Kaede, earth to Kaede, everything alright up there? " Shuichi said as he continued to shake his gloved hand in front of my face. Finally snapping me out of my dazed state I look at him with a look of surprise. 

" Oh, sorry Shuichi, I must if zoned out. What were you saying? " I asked while reaching one of my hands to the back of my head, gently itching at the back of my neck. Shuichi not looking entirely mad just sighed, the reason why? No clue, maybe annoyance? 

" I was trying to tell you about how some of the nurses that have been taking care of us came up to a couple of our classmates, including me, to tell us to tell everyone that we need to pack things we want to bring with us that is not owned by the hospital. Like things that were given to us by friends or things we've made while here...Oh, and a few pairs of the provided clothes." Explained Shuichi as he continued to pack a dark colored bag that seemed to already be halfway full. He also nudged a light pink bag that was laying aimlessly on his bed before continuing, "So I got me, you, Miu, Kokichi, Kiibo, and Rantaro some bags. I would've gotten everyone bags but I didn't wanna use all of the money I have."

" One, thank you for the bag, Two, where is everyone getting all this money? Is there some type of money machine where you have to dance in front of it to get free money or something? " I asked as I picked up the bag Shuichi got me and started to see where all the pouches and zippers were. There was only two, a main one that zipped up and and a second one in front of the first that zipped up as well. I really do wonder where everyone is getting money, I just got the money I won off of Miu, talking about Miu, I'm going to have to make it up to her soon. 

" Hah, I wish there was. But you can actually do things around the hospital and they'll give you around five to fifteen dollars. " Shuichi said as he placed a few more folded pants and shirts in his bag before leaning towards a dresser and pulling out a few books to pack. 

" Really? I wonder why I was never informed of this... " I said before loosening my tie which at some point became far too tight for comfort. 

" Well, most of our friend group learned of it when Miu came running for some help in a job. In fact, if my memories serve me well, I believe it was the same day I came across you crying, I was coming to ask if you wanted to help Miu as well but there was some more pressing matters to deal with that day. " Shuichi informed me as he continued to place books inside his backpack just the right way so there was still some room to add small snacks and a water bottle that I haven't even noticed was next to his bag until he placed it inside the darkly color pack.