Bestfriend | Ran Takahashi

Wake Me Up

Ran's POV...

I saw them leave halfway through set 2 and now I'm just anxious. I tried to keep my head in the game, I really did, but my gut says something bad happened. I ran to the locker room after the match to check my phone, hoping to see a message from her saying that she's fine and that she's just tired. Nothing. Instead, I got a message from her brother almost more than hour ago, 'She's back in Tokyo, I'm not sure what's going but she was having chest pains and she coughed up blood, they're taking her to get a CT scan.' I dropped my phone and quickly changed.

Ishikawa-san picked it up and read the message. He quickly talked to coach and they managed to get someone to drive me back to Tokyo. I apologized to the rest of the team, but they were understanding enough that this was a big deal and that they will manage against India if I'm not back tomorrow.

The ride back to Tokyo was agonizing. It felt slower.. longer.. I asked for updates, but nobody was replying to me or answering my calls. What the fuck is going on? She was fine yesterday! What the heck happened in the span of 24 hours?

I arrived in the hospital and went straight to the help desk. They told me that Aya is still in surgery and where I can wait. How the heck is she still in surgery?! It's been hours! I arrived at the waiting area and the Higurashi men are all there, waiting anxiously.

"What happened?" I asked.

Higurashi-san told me that there was a blood clot in her lung and that she needed surgery to remove it. As he was trying to explain it... A doctor came out, a bloody doctor. What in the actual fuck.

He took his surgical mask off, Higurashi-san walked up to him. I didn't hear what the doctor said.. but the moment that Higurashi-san started acting out and the doctor trying to call him down...

"She can't be dead! She was just smiling a few days ago! What did you do?!! You said she was fine! All the tests that you did, you said they all came out fine! So how did she die?! How did my baby girl die?! She's my only girl... she can't die..." Higurashi-san yelled.

No. no. no. She can't be... she can't die.. she.. was just in my arms last night... I just spoke to her a few hours ago.. she was just smiling.. I.. we.. she.. She's not dead. No. She's not dead.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion. Kenzo trying to attack the doctor, but Ichiro and Daisuke held him back. Aro comforting Higurashi-san who was on the floor. Time stood still. Then all I could see was her...

I couldn't move. I was frozen in place... All I wanted to do was turn back time to when we were happy and carefree... back in that tiny villa with just us two... How is it that kami just gave us 4 months together? Is this karma biting my ass for rejecting her back in high school? Or are we really not destined to be together at all? Why? Why?! Why!

I was so out of it that I didn't even remember entering a room... right there on the bed was her... her lifeless body that I tried to protect but failed... this is all my fault... Ichiro was right... if we didn't take that trip she wouldn't be here right now... she'd still be alive... she'd be cheering me on my AVC matches... we'll be eating her favorite pocky and drinking strawberry milk on our usual bench...

I don't know how long I was standing there before Higurashi-san came up to me and gently took my hand, handing me something, hugging me tightly... When he let go of me, I opened my hand and there it was... her bracelet and the ring... I promised to keep her safe... I failed her... It took all my strength and courage to see her... Her skin was as white as the sheet that's covering the rest of her.. her used to be soft and pink lips are now void of color... her skin cold as ice... I wished that this was just some kind of a joke, that she'll scare me to death by waking up and me getting mad at her...