The Liar and The Patient

Hold The Line/Out Of Hand

"Ah, he forgot his jacket." Takagi whispered to herself as she noticed the light gray jacket resting on the sofa beside her bed. She stared at it for a good while. The jacket triggered the memory of what he said as it began to echo in her head, being put on infinite replay. It was as if the heat from the corn soup never left, indicated by her still bright red cheek, or whether it was simply a result of her just coming out of the shower.

A sudden ringtone made her jump slightly. She looked to the source of the noise, which was her phone on the bed. The screen showed the caller's identity as Natsu.

"Takagi onee-san!" Her cheery voice came through as soon as Takagi picked up the call.

"It's been our chatting time already?" Takagi chuckled as she glanced at the clock. "You sound happy."

"I am!" Natsu squealed with excitement. "The doctor said I can get out of the hospital in three days!"

"That's great!" Takagi smiled as she sat down on the bed. "Congratulations!"

"Maybe it's because of me being in a good mood lately!" Natsu continued. "It's all thanks to you and Nishikata onii-san!"

"I'm glad to hear that." Takagi chuckled, now laying down on the bed with her feet dangling off the edge. "What are you planning to do when you get out?"

"Visit my friends of course!" Natsu's excitement wasn't at all slowing down. "I'm finally going to school!"

"Eh~ That's nice~" Takagi smiled as she closed her eyes. "I want to go to school too."

"I have so many things I want to do!" Natsu sighed.

"You should go to the 415 staircase. Ask Nishikata. He knows where it is." Takagi suggested. "Of course, after the rehabilitation."

"I can't climb stairs though." Natsu tittered with a hint of sadness, almost as if she was scoffing at herself.

"What's wrong?" Takagi sat up straight and held the phone with both her hands.

"I think I'm going to be in wheelchairs for a while... for the rest of my life, that is." Natsu didn't sound as devastated as she was slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Takagi frowned.

"It's ok!" Natsu's voice returned to being cheery. "At least I don't have to stay in the hospital anymore!"

Takagi bit her bottom lips. She had imagined the young girl running in an open field, or swimming by a beautiful beach, but it seemed that it wouldn't happen anymore. Natsu lost her 'Nishikata', and now her ability to walk. Feeling sorry for her wasn't enough to describe what Takagi was feeling at that moment.

"Oh yeah! How's your date today with Nishikata onii-san?"

"Eh? Oh!" Takagi jolted. She took a deep breath and decided to set the negative feelings aside for now. After all, she had a girl to cheer up. "It was great! We went picnicking and visited the Ueno Zoo!"

"Wow!" Natsu gasped when she heard the word 'zoo'. "Did you see the pandas?"

"Only their butts." Takagi giggled.

"What a shame!" Natsu sighed with a wry chuckle. "I always want to see them in person. Let's go together next time.

"Sure." Takagi lay back down on the bed. She put the call on speaker and rested the cellphone on her chest. She stared at the ceiling with its white, blinding lights. Messy thoughts returned to her head one after the other with each second she was left alone with the voices in her head.

Say something, Natsu, she cried in silence. All the exchanges she had with Nishikata under the dim street lamps were being recalled in the most negative light possible. Hold the line? How? Your fate is not up to you simply 'holding the line', it's up to the doctors and your weak, fragile, stupid body! Yet you still had the audacity to agree on dating him! You're just making the inevitable worse for poor Nishikata!