What Rules Cannot Hold (A Naekusaba story)

Chapter 10

Strangers wearing light blue and green scrub suits appeared and vanished from Mukuro's vision. The world alternated between periods of complete darkness and blinding beams of light as pairs of differently sized lamps moved above her not much unlike sets of eyes. She heard many voices jumbled together and whenever some word or phrase escaped that confusion it evaded her understanding; fire? Hope's Peak? Sister? They sounded familiar, but were mostly empty and her memory failed to grasp them. Then there were periods of peace when, in the darkness of her room, she felt disembodied and careless. Nothing was important. Living was an unnecessary labour. Darkness was her refuge. One pleasant experience that she had regularly was seeing some boy who started visiting her several days after her arrival in this strange place. A nurse asked her about a 'friend' wanting to see her on that day, Mukuro nodded unhesitatingly, although she didn't recall knowing any 'friend', and then the boy came over to her bed. He spoke to her smiling and even gently took her hand into his own. The sensation coupled with his charming character left Mukuro wondering why he decided to see her. She couldn't remember much about herself and if the boy perhaps was someone from her family, which would have explained his frequent visits. However, she distracted herself with these musings once the boy left; when he was sitting by her side, she listened to his stories avidly, happy all the way throughout, but often responding through smiling, laughing or crying. The boy became dejected when she cried, which she didn't understand. Everything was fine, so what was the reason? 

One day he came in carrying a light blue bag that was closed with a ribbon tie placed between the handles. Mukuro ignored it at first, but looked at it when the boy placed it on her bed next to her. He gestured at her to untie it, she did so with difficulty and the boy emptied it in turn. He took out a rose in vitro and a set of hairpins. Mukuro didn't understand why he brought these things until he forwarded them to her, placing the hairpins on her lap and the rose on the small drawer next to her bed. ''It's for you,'' she heard, understanding that he was giving her a gift. 

''Would you like to try out one of these?'' He asked, pointing at the hairpins. She nodded, interested to see how she looked overall as she couldn't remember her own face very well. The boy left her and returned shortly with a mirror, holding it in front of her. Mukuro flinched, promptly following along her face with her fingertips, fixing misaligned strands of her black hair. She also inspected her freckles, feeling that they didn't look good. The boy lowered the mirror and took out a white-heart hairpin; it was a rich white that gleamed beautifully in the sunlight while the pin's surface was as smooth as that of a polished jewel. He raised the mirror again and placed the pin at the back of her right temple. She smiled, glad that the hairpin pushed away the strands of hair that were bothering her. The boy asked her about the pins and the rose, his face appearing stressed. Mukuro nodded inattentively in response, still inspecting her face, glancing at the hairpins now and then to see which ones would work well with the one the boy had already placed. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, as the boy spoke to her about their classmates. Countless names were uttered, none of them recognisable. The boy's gift left her delighted for the next weeks, so she didn't mind for him to be quiet - as long as he was with her. That was not to be. He visited her less regularly afterwards. On the days when he did visit her he appeared agitated, smiled infrequently and left earlier. Worry consumed Mukuro, since she couldn't understand why the boy changed so suddenly. Fear of the medical personnel fretting about her daily also developed within her. She felt something within her that this place prevented her from realising. 

*

''We are sorry, but our records do not-''

''Excuse me? Just take me as her friend or whatever. Either way, I want to see her now!"

''It was recommended for her to be exclusively under the care of the nurses today as the doctor has to see how the injury has progressed.'' 

''I don't care!'' Junko shouted, glaring at the receptionist. ''And if you have a problem, then my lawyers can surely take care of it.'' 

''Just be quick, please,'' the receptionist said, typing something on his computer. 

''Don't tell me what to do!'' Junko blasted, ordering the receptionist to lead her to her sister. 

''Where is she?'' Junko asked impatiently, stomping her heels to get everyone's attention. 

''Right here,'' the receptionist muttered, halting before a bed on which Mukuro was sleeping peacefully. ''Now, if you'll excuse me.'' He added before walking away. 

''This really is pathetic,'' Junko said to herself, eyeing the rose and hairpins with particular suspicion. She walked up to the sleeping girl and budged her, taking care not to be seen by any of the nurses. ''Wake the hell up.'' She whispered, gritting her teeth. She wasn't used to controlling her impulsive outbursts around Mukuro.

Mukuro awoke, her calm turning to fear when she saw the oddly dressed girl that was now jolting her shoulder. 

''Finally. Next time I won't be so gentle or maybe I won't visit you at all,'' Junko said with an impish grin. She waited for Mukuro to respond, but she was gaping at her with fearful eyes, holding her duvet tightly as if it were a shield. 

''Hey? What's wrong with you? Did that blast make you more stupid? Say something for-'' Junko stopped, careful not to raise her voice and raised her fist in the air at the sight of which Mukuro leaned back, growing more pale but not doing anything else. Junko held her fist in this manner above her sister's head before drawing it back. 

''You're now completely useless to me,'' Junko said, her voice devoid of compassion. The rage tearing her inwardly compelled her to leave the hospital, to leave her sister and to never see her again. Before she reached the ward's exit she saw Makoto enter, cheerful as always, but when his eyes locked on her he scowled at her, passing Junko without saying a word.