When You Smile - Complete

Chapter Twenty Two - Sick Again

Chapter Twenty Two – Sick Again

Over time the others dissipated until only Oishi, Fuji, Eiji and Tezuka remained. The cake was untouched and most of the sushi had to be thrown out and fillings fed to Kiba. It was nearly nine in the evening when Kaiya had fallen asleep on the lounge between Fuji and Eiji who had been keeping her entertained with stories and games – Kohana was sleeping soundly in her lap.

“Kunimitsu.” Fuji said softly, breaking a long and agonising silence, where Fuji and Eiji simply watched Tezuka where he sat on the lounge across from them, Kiba lying comfortingly by his feet, his elbows on his knees, glasses held in one hand, while both hands and fingers were tangled in his hair.

They hadn’t seen his face for nearly half an hour.

Tezuka didn’t look up at the sound of his name, he was still completely numb.

Oishi reached a hand out from the lounge beside him and placed it on his friend’s shoulder. “Kunimitsu, you can’t withdraw like this. She’ll need your strength.”

The front door of the house suddenly opened and Tezuka was on his feet at once, running round through the kitchen and came to a halt when he realised that it wasn’t Miyako as he had hoped.

“Tezuka.” Naoko said. “Can you come with me, please?”

“Why?” Tezuka asked. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll let Miya tell you. She needs some sense talked into her and she won’t listen to me or her Mother.” Naoko sighed. “But maybe you can.”

“Go on.” Oishi said. “We’ll take care of Kaiya.”

Tezuka looked at his vice Captain and nodded. “Thanks Oishi.”

“Any time.”

. : . : . : .

When Naoko led Tezuka into the hospital after a completely silent car trip, Tezuka was taken to the Oncology department – which didn’t make sense to him and only frightened him more.

Naoko stopped by a door and motioned to it, glancing at Tezuka before he stepped across the hall to console Tamie, who was sobbing into her hands. Before going to the door, Tezuka placed a hand on her shoulder, offering some comfort.

“Tezuka-kun.” She whispered, looking up at him and wiping her eyes. “Please, talk to her.”

Tezuka nodded and walked over to the door and softly knocked. “Miya.”

The soft sobbing from within halted, but other than that there was no change.

“Miya, can I come in?” Tezuka asked.

For a long moment nothing happened, but then he heard the door click. He looked back at her parents before he slowly pushed the handle down and opened the door. He’d barely stepped into the softly lit room when her body slammed into his and arms crushed him around the middle. He circled his arms around her, holding her just as tightly as he used his foot to kick the door shut.

“Miya, let’s sit down, okay?”

She nodded ever so slightly and allowed him to lead her to the two plastic chairs and sat her down in one before moving the other in front of her and sitting in it.

“Miya, would you please explain to me what’s going on?” He asked. “Is it your lungs?”

Miyako shook her head, wiping her eyes – Tezuka offered her a handkerchief which she gladly took and used on her eyes. “It’s not my lung.” She admitted. “Kunimitsu, I need to tell you something…I guess that now is the right time.” She paused for long enough to take in a deep breath. “When I was five I was diagnosed with Lung Cancer.”