Dance With Me [ a matchablossom fanfic]

Chapter 19

It was now 6:00 PM and this was when Kojiro would pick me up from the hospital. I was still by the window. It was getting close to golden hour. I can't wait to get out of this blank room. 

" Kaoru," Kojiro's voice called. I turned my head and saw Kojiro standing in the doorway. I turned my wheelchair and looked at him. " Are you ready to go?"

" I've been ready to go for a while now," I answered. Kojiro walked out of the room, looking back to make sure I was following and I was. 

There was more paperwork to be done before we could leave. Ms. Fujisaki had handed Kojiro the bag, telling him what to do with the medication and the times to give it to me. I'm sure I would remember more than he would. Ms. Fujisaki kept looking at Kojiro as they talked about something other than medication. The same envious feeling came into my chest as I watched them. Fujisaki bowed and walked away, Kojiro walked over to me. 

" Apparently, your nurse knew who I was," Kojiro said, pushing me out of the hospital doors. " She recognized me from Sia la luce. She said she liked my food."

" Just take me home," I said as calmly as I could. 

We stopped in front of his car. He opened the passenger seat door and turned back to me. He took my available arm and set it behind his neck as he picked me up and set me in the seat. He closed the door and I waited in the car as he folded the wheelchair and set it in the back. He got in the car and started up the engine. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove off to the destination that was my home. 

" I'll drop you off at your home, go to my house and grab a bag of clothes, then come back over." He explained to me. " Is that alright?"

" That's fine," I answered. I mostly looked out the front window but from time to time I would find myself looking at Kojiro and how he drove. His right hand was on the wheel, steering the car in the correct direction, and his left was resting on the window sill. Although it was dangerous, I found it attractive. It was quiet for almost five minutes when Kojiro decided to ask me another question.

" You know 'S' is happening tonight, are you planning to go?" He asked me. It took me a second to think about it but I gave him my answer.

" Yes," I said. I wanted to see Reki race against Adam. I wanted to see Reki win. 

" Alright," Kojiro said, sighing, as he pulled into my driveway. 

He got out and got my wheelchair unfolded before taking me out of the car and setting me in it. He rolled me into my home, I found it dark and strange. I haven't been here for days and it seemed so... odd. He took me to the couch and set me on it. 

" Do you want anything?" He asked me.

" Hm, a blanket would be nice," I said to him. I could get used to ordering him around. " And some water." He nodded and left me on the couch, going to retrieve the items I asked for. I looked up at the ceiling, the fan circling around. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The sound of steps came nearer as Kojiro came back with a blanket that was from my bed and a glass of water with ice in it. He set the glass on the table across from the couch (and on a coaster too!) and set the blanket on me. 

" Alright, I'm gonna stop by my house and get my clothes and I'll be back. Call if you need anything," He told me and walked toward the door. I took my glasses off and set them on my abdomen, closing my eyes. 

--

When I awoke, the smell of cooking food filled my nose. It was darker in the living room as the kitchen had a light on. I looked up at the ceiling. I guess Kojiro saw me moving and walked over to me. 

" Morning, Sleeping Beauty," He said, smiling down at me. " Dinner is almost ready and I'll bring it over." I squinted up at him. I sat up and Kojiro helped me move my legs to go over the edge of the couch. My glasses fell off my lap and onto the floor. 

" Oh," I muttered in a tired voice. Kojiro picked them up and set them on my face carefully. His hands ran through my hair as he did so. I rubbed my eyes, getting the tiredness out. Kojiro stood back up and walked back to the kitchen, finishing his cooking. Five minutes passed and he brought over two plates, one for him and one for me. I took a drink of the water he left for me earlier. 

" Do you know how long you slept for?" He asked me, smiling to himself.

" How long did I sleep for? What time is it?" I repeated his question and asked him.

" It's 8 o'clock now," He told me. " You slept for basically two hours."

" Really?" I looked down at the food that he made. It was better than the hospital's food, that was for sure. 

We both ate and had short conversations. I asked him how the kids were and he said everything was going okay. He was glad that Reki was back and talking to them again. I was glad to hear that. Kojiro stood up and took my plate when I was done eating and washed them. 

" I'm gonna go get ready, then I'll help you, okay?" He said, walking towards the spare bedroom I had. I nodded and looked down at the floor as I waited. 

Minutes passed by and Kojiro came back into the living room. His chest was bare, with only his necklace and his orange and blue jacket on his shoulders and his white, baggy pants over his legs. 

" Arms," He ordered, bending over to pick me up. I wrapped my arm around his neck and he picked me up, one of his arms around my torso and the other around my legs. 

He set me in my wheelchair and pushed me to my room. He turned the lights on and found my outfit I set out for "S". It was a clean, extra one I had made in case anything had happened to the other. He set it down on my bed and looked over at me. 

" Do you think you can do it yourself?" He asked me. I looked at him with an empty stare.

" What do you think, idiot," I retorted. He nodded and looked back at the outfit. 

" Okay, um, arms up," He ordered and I did so. He took off my kimono, being careful around my injured arm. I kept my arms up as he switched out with the white hakamashita kimono that I wear for "S". He seemed so concentrated, making sure I was comfortable and it was on right. He put my baggy, hakama pants on me carefully and made sure they were secured right with my yellow belt. I watched as his hands went through his dark green hair. I wanted to run my fingers through it. I wanted to untie his ponytail and make him look up at me. I wanted to-- stop it.

He looked up at me. " Is this correct?" He asked me. I looked at everything he did.

" Yes, it is," I answered, nodding. 

I took out my hair from its loose ponytail and shook my head around, making my hair messy over my shoulders. Kojiro helped brush my hair and put it in a high ponytail. It took a few tries but I was patient with him. He pushed me to the bathroom and I took my glasses off and switched them with my contacts. That took a lot of struggle and I was starting to get frustrated with myself when I finally got the clear lenses in my eyes. 

" Do you want to bring water or anything?" He asked me, pushing me out of my room. 

" I'll be fine," I replied. We got out of my house, the sky was dark and cloudy. He brought me to the car and set me inside. We both would have to get used to this lifestyle for a couple of months, I knew. Kojiro got in the car and drove off to the abandoned mine that was the location for "S".