Will You Still Love Me?

I Still Love You

With Sora not in the house, Chikako had the whole place to herself. As the cartoon was playing on the TV, she turned her head to the side table. On that table, it was a picture of her and Sora from a few years ago. They haven't changed that much since then. But then, it started to hit her.

Flashback

Chikako was working on the garden, when suddenly she heard a horrible noise. She turned around and saw Sora coughing up blood.

Chikako: Sora-kun!!

Chikako helped the poor guy up. Sora was trembling as he was being held up. Chikako guided him into the house, and lay him down on the mattress.

Chikako: I'm sorry, baby... I don't have enough money for the medicine...

Sora: It's fine, baby...

Chikako: Don't worry, Sora. I will do anything to save you. I'll get a job, even if it hurts me so I can get the medicine.

Sora: Okay...

Chikako remembered that moment like it was yesterday. The day when Sora fell ill. She could feel goosebumps emerging across her arms. That very day was one of the worst days of her life, as she thought she was going to lose her man for good.

She then looked down at her hands. There were scars all her fingers. They were just lighter than her natural skin color. That definitely took her back.

Flashback

Chikako came home with her hands all bloody. She looked exhausted, and the only thing she was looking forward to was seeing if Sora was going to be okay. She went up to Sora's room to greet him. Much to her surprise, Sora was still awake.

Sora: Chikako-san! Daijoubu?

Chikako: Hai...

Chikako went into the bathroom. She turned on the cold water, and placed her hands under the faucet. She let out a long, high pitched sob as the burning sensation of the water touching her wounds exploded through her hands. It hurt too much. All the pain she was getting from her work was beginning to take a toll on her. She looked in the mirror. What a stupid, stupid fool I am, she thought.

After giving her fingers a good wash, she shut off the water. She opened the medicine cabinet, and took out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the wounds. She picked up a cotton swab, opened the bottle, poured it on the swab, and started rubbing her fingers with it. The burning sensation was only magnified ten times worse than when she put her hands under the water.

Teardrops fell onto the bathroom counter. She was unable to handle all this pain. She then went back to the cabinet, located some bandages, and began to wrap her hands with them. She sniffled and sobbed as she watched herself wrap the white material across her battered fingers. She thought her fingers had been cut off, yet they were still there. But the immense pain she was dealing with was beginning to make her think that she was doing the wrong thing.

She finished applying the bandages on her fingers. She exited the bathroom, and got on the bed with Sora.

Sora: Hey, baby.