Her...and Me

Chapter 14

"What...huh?"

"She...passed yesterday from her injuries," Kagami said. "She was bleeding internally and that bastard shot her...she was in pain and barely holding on."

That can't be.

The door to my room slid open, revealing the others. Kise's eyes were red and swollen. Their faces said everything.

"You've gotta be kidding," I said. "How could she be gone? She was right here! She was in front of me! Stop lying to me and tell me where she is!"

"Calm down, Daiki," Akashi said, gritting his teeth. "She...She is gone."

"Come ON!" I slammed my fist into the mattress, making everybody flinch. I panted heavily, angrily. Nothing was making sense. She's not gone! "Not you too, Akashi! Don't do this to me! She is NOT gone! Shut the fuck up!"

I attempted to stand again, my legs trembling. "Fuck!"

"Sit down, Aomine! You'll get hurt!" Kagami warned.

"Someone get in here!"

Suddenly, a group of nurses grabbed my arms and dragged me to the bed.

"Get--off--!" Suddenly, my head started to spin, my eyelids feeling heavy. I passed out again, falling into the darkness I no longer wanted to escape.

. . .

I opened my eyes again, this time to darkness.

Nighttime.

"Aomine-kun..." Slowly, I tilted my head in Tetsu's direction. His face was pale, blank, and half his usual weight. "Are you ok?"

The weight of my reality crashed into me, sending a wave of tears down my face. Due to the lack of energy, the only thing I could muster was her name.

"Satsuki..." I said, in a weak voice. Maybe if I call out to her, she'll come. Maybe they were pulling a prank on me. I'm even willing to forgive them if she appears right now.

Tetsu's face contorted, and soon, he was biting his lip to stop himself from crying again. "Aomine-kun..."

I took a shaky breath. "I couldn't even...I couldn't even...help...her..."

Tetsu covered his mouth, a small whimper escaping his lips.

My hands shook as they grabbed at the bedsheets. "I had to...watch..." My lips trembled as my tears reached my chin. "We were just...on a date...innocently...happily..."

Tears blurred my vision. Pain didn't show me mercy as another jolt of it made me twitch. "We were finally...happy...she was...happy..."

My voice cracked as a sob escaped me. Small cries escaped my mouth as tears ran down the sides of my face. The room suddenly seemed so small, so empty, so lonely...

I stared up blankly at the ceiling, her pink hair engraved into my head. "I'm sorry..." I whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you...I'm sorry, Satsuki, so come back..."

. . .

After my legs healed, a funeral for her was held. None of her family members came, or even offered to arrange her funeral, so my family did it instead.

Now I stared at the urn filled with her(ashes) in the columbarium.

"Satsuki..." I whispered, placing my hand on the glass that separated us. Behind the urn, a picture of her and her nameplate stood. My hand trembled, tears threatening to fall yet again from my already swollen eyes.

"Daiki."

Slowly, I turned to my friends. They wore black suits. For once, Murasakibara didn't shove food into his mouth. For once, Midorima didn't have his fingers taped. For once...they weren't the same.

It will never be the same.

"Go get rest," Akashi said, walking over. "You've been up for three days now. You'll faint."

"'M fine...you guys go home."

"Daiki--"

"I said I'm fine--!"

Bam!

I tumped to the floor, pain erupting from my left cheek.

"Akashi!"

"Akashi-kun!"

I wiped blood from my lip. Akashi was panting, uncollected. Rage burned in his heterochromatic eyes.

"Stop acting like a fool!" He shouted. His voice echoed. "You're only hurting yourself and the people who care for you. Wake up to reality, Daiki! Would Momoi want this? Answer me, Aomine!"

I looked at Akashi, confused at the name change. Is he...huh?

"Akashi, calm down," Midorima said. "We are in a columbarium."

"I don't give a damn where we are!" He shouted. "Everything is different now. Momoi is gone, and that affects us all! Does that mean we want to see you worry yourself to death? Do you want to die as well?!"

"Akashi-kun--"

"WE are your friends! You haven't talked properly to us, cried to us...it's as if we don't exist anymore!" He shouted. Surprised at the cracked, uncontrolled tone in his voice and his tears, I couldn't respond. "Lean on us! Talk to us! Cry with us! Why must you carry the burden when we were all her friends once?!"

He panted, clenching his fists. "If all you can do is starve, tire yourself out, and not ask for help, then so be it! But I won't be here to witness your downfall!"

"Akashi!"

Murasakibara stopped him, carrying him back like a backpack.

"Aka-chin is small..." He said, his voice trailing off.

"Stop it, both of you," Midorima said, as Kise helped me up. "He's right, Aomine. You must not tire yourself half to death. What Akashi is saying is to mourn, and grieve, you have every right, but do it all while making sure you are healthy. And if the burden is too heavy, come to us. We are...friends, aren't we?"

I stared back at Satsuki's picture. She was smiling. So brightly.

Would Satsuki want this?

My eyes burned, my lips trembling. Tears fell down my face as I took a deep breath.

"Yeah...yeah, I was wrong. Sorry...Thanks..."

"Let's just get you to a futon, Aominecchi. We'll take care of the guests. Just sleep, okay?" Kise's voice was trembling.

"Yeah...ok..."