Hiatus

Chapter I - Her

As I was laying down on my bed, just waking up, a faint voice was audible. A familiar tone that couldn't be forgotten.

"Akacchi! Akacchi! If you don't come out at once, I'm tearing your door apart!"

I look out the window, very much annoyed, to see Minori's face outside the doorstep.

She then continues, "I'm counting to 5 and if you don't open this door at insta-"

"Fine! Fine! I'm coming!", I interrupted.

"What a good way to spend my peaceful afternoon.", I sarcastically said to myself.

I walked out of my room to the corridor. I made my way down the stairs to the living room. I opened the door to be gratefully greeted with a rather unpleasant surprise.

BLAM!

Her fist met my sorry face and I fell to the ground face first.

THUD! I spent a good 5 seconds lying down enduring the pain.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!", I irritatingly exclaimed.

"That's what perverts like you deserve!", she smirks as she responds with a sharp confident tone.

She's Nakano Minori. A childhood friend of mine. I have known her for a long time. Almost two-thirds of my life actually.

"Ha ha ha, very funny dipshit.", I replied.

"Seriously though. You forgot?", she quickly changes her voice from cheerful, to somewhat curious.

She sits next to me and continues, "Yesterday? You were supposed to tell me what happened then."

It finally jogged up my memory. I finally stood up straight. I put my hands to my face as I tug my skin and hair out of annoyance. I almost forgot the day today. I must've slept for so long, I woke up at the same time, just the next day.

"What. In. The fuck. Happened...", she asked me once again.

"Should I reall-", and then I got cut off.

"Obviously. Punk..", she impatiently said.

I started by asking, "Do you know every Friday I have my therapy session? With Kushida-sensei?"

She confidently replies, "Of course, duh! You've been asking me that everytime I ask about the therapy session."

I then said, "Yeah, about that, I think I'm dropping her as my therapist. I feel like I no longer need her service."

"Oh, so that's what this is about...", she said in a deep, serious tone.

She then looked straight at me and said, "Hey... Let's go out together!"

"Huh? Huuuuuuuhhhhh?! G-go out?!", I panicked.

"Yeah. Go outside. Eat and stuff..."

"Oh is that what you mean haha." What was I thinking?!

"Anyway, for now, get dressed. Your clothes look like a tablecloth"

"'Kay okay, give me 5 minutes."

I then hurried up to my room and pulled whatever shirt I have in my closet. I got my pants behind the door and wore them. I got out of the room and walked back downstairs.

"Hey Minorin! Let's go.", I called her loudly.

"Jeez why so loud, idiot..."

We headed outside and walked along the neighborhood street. I've noticed the air is not as hot as it was yesterday. I feel peaceful. I can see Minorin also enjoying herself. She seems to enjoy just taking it easy. Just like old times, Minorin is always enthusiastic and carefree. I really enjoy the scenery. Oh how I've missed just taking a step back and enjoying life as is. But alas, my serenity is interrupted by Minorin's voice.

"Hey Akacchi! Check this out! Ain't this just perfect?"

"Yes, yes. I'm coming."

Thud!

"Minorin? Minorin?! Minorin!!"

She fainted. I was taken aback. I then rushed to be by her side. I sat down beside her and put her head on my lap.

"H-hey M-Minorin wake up! Wake up!", I panickingly told her, but obviously, she is not going to respond any time now. I carried her to my back, securing her arms around my neck and holding her thighs tightly. I know I shouldn't have lewd thoughts about my friend, especially at a time like this, but I can't help it. I then ran with all my might to the nearest hospital.

"Is today gonna be this boring... I wish something would happen.", an unnamed staff member said.

"Anyone! Help! My friend has fainted and I don't know what to do! Anyone help!"

The unnamed staff rushed to us and assisted us to the emergency room. The nurses took it from there. I stepped outside of the emergency room and sat down at the reception area. I felt unnaturally bored considering the degree of what just happened. I checked the wall clock and it read 1:37 in the afternoon. Almost 30 minutes after we left the house.

It's been 20 minutes and the staff member from earlier asked me about her parents.

"Oh unfortunately, she has no contact with them.", I responded.

The staff member followed by saying, "If it's okay with you, can you sign the paperworks?", to which I agreed.

"Let's see, full name of patient, Nakano Minorin. Date, June 11, 2020, so that's that. Hmm... Contact, Maeda Akari... Aaand done."

I handed the signed paper to the staff's table and sat back down. I waited for 10 more minutes until I was allowed to see Minori.

"Ah yes this way sir.", as the staff guided me to Minori's bed.

"If you need anything, just call a nurse or run to the staff table.", the staff continued, and we thanked her.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"So-so. This always happens when-... Nevermind.", she hesitantly spoke.

She was suspicious. Really suspicious. I can feel that she's hiding something from me. Something significant. I decided to ask her.

"Always happens when? When what?"

"Like I said. It's nothing hahaha don't mind it.", she responded with a weak, unenthusiastic laugh. Very different from how she usually laughs. I can feel the tension crushing my guts. I decided to ask her one last time.

"Be honest with me. You're all bad things but a liar. We never lie to each other. Right? Tell me what's going on. I want to understand."

She responds, "Okay. I'm confessing sheesh. No need to be so overly dramatic. I was always like this. But you never know since I hide it so well. I always faint because of my severely low blood pressure. Combined with that, I'm also anemic."

She then grabs her diagnosis paper and gives it to me. It checks out. Her BP, her health conditions, everything. This is why she always faints. I'm glad it wasn't as serious as I expected it to be. The pressure in my chest finally relaxed, and I felt like crying. I feel so terrible that I just...

*HUG*

"Akacchi?! H-hey!"

"Sorry Minorin. At least, let this slide for once.", I said with a light chuckle. I close my eyes as I give her a warm embrace. I rested my head on her shoulder.

"I getcha hihi.", as she pats my head.

"It's just... We've known each other since we were kids. It's hard to think that you'd...", I couldn't finish my sentence and instead teared up. My light sobs were enough to also make Minori cry.

"Stupid... I'm not going anywhere soon!", she said while also sobbing. Our tears dropped down to each others' clothes. What a silly way to leave a mark to someone right?