Hanahaki

The disease

Cole's POV:

I stare at the peddles, wide eyed. What was happening to me? As my breathing increased, so did the thoughts that filled my mind. Quickly I get up, flushing the peddles down. I needed to find Wu. Maybe he would know what happening. Where was he though? I groan and rush downstairs back into the kitchen. Only Zane was there. He was cooking dinner as always. Guess I would be missing that.

"Zane!" I rush over to him and he looked at me with a confused face.

"Something wrong Cole?" He looks down to my shirt and I could see his confusion grown. When I look down to see what it was myself, I saw a bloody peddles stuck to my shirt. In a a panic I rub it off. "Cole-?"

"Do you know where Wu went?" I look at him eagerly. He didn't ancwer. "Zane, do you know where he is?"

"Yes."

"Where!?" The raise of my voice makes him stiffen up.

"Cole, tell me what going on." His grip on the spoon he held tightened. My chest grew heavy.

"I'll explain when I know myself. Please. Where is he?" I watch as he lookd down, thinking. A small sigh leaves his lungs.

"He went to the library. The one on the other side of town." Zane turned back to the pot thay held soup.

"Thank you Zane!" I smile and rush to my car. That would be the fasted why to the library, and it was getting dark. I need to be quick. Lights flash as I ride past them, but I slow down as I come across Skylar's restaurant. She had gotten it from her father. Then I feel my lungs tighten again. I swallow down a cough and begin to speed up again until I get to the library. Wu didn't drive, but Misako's car was out in the parking lot. They were still here. Good. I rush in, quickly bur frantically searching for Wu. When I finally find him he was talking to Misako in a romance section. Never thought they would reason anything other then research stuff. I quickly walk over to him.

"Uh- Cole?" He turns to me confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you about som-" I'm cut off by a cough that let's pink, bloody peddles fly everywhere. Wu was in shock, while Misako looked at me sadly. "P-please, I don't know what's happening." I whisper. "It just started, why am I coughing up peddles Sensei?" It took him a minute to snap back, and when he did he just looked at Misako. She nodded and he began to walk away. "Hey, where is he-"

"I will help you Cole." Misako grabs me by the shoulder and pushes me gently to the table. "I know more about this then poor old Wu." She smiles at me. A sad smile. What was happening to me? "May I ask you some questions?" I sigh and look to the ground.

"Sure...." How were questions going to help me know what's wrong?

"Perfect," She grabs a note book and pencil and gets ready to write whatever I say. "What happened right before this?"

"Well, I went to my room. Before that I was talking with the rest about the mews that Kai gave us."

"And what news was that?"

".... that's Kai and Skylar are dating now." Misako seemed to be dazed by my words. Guess she didnt think it was possible either.

"Oh, ok. Well, next question." She writes down some stuff before looking back to me. "Hoe much pain are you in?"

"When I cough it's just a sharp pain in my throat I guess, and then every once in a while I'll feel my lungs and chest tighten, kinda painful I suppose."

"Good to know.... um, now, do you have a crush on anyone? Or romantic feelings for someone?" I choke on the air that tryed to fill my lung as she talked.

"W-what? No, of course not-"

"Cole," She looked me dead in the eyes. "Be honest. I'm trying to help." I sigh and begin to fiddle with the skin on my hands.

"Yes.... I do..." My cheeks go a slight pink. A pink that's hidden by my darker skin.

"Ok... do you know if they like you back?"

"Well, someone told me that they had a small crush on me at one point... but now... I guess that's all gone." I laugh sadly.

"Cole," Her voice was so serious. "Is it Kai?" It felt like my heart stopped.

"O-of course not- why are you even asking me this!?" I wanted to yell.

"Your right. Let's get back on track. "She puts down the book and takes my hands. It was as if she was preparing me. "You have Hanahaki Disease."

"Eh- what? I've never heard of it." I search her face for some sigh that I'm ok. Of course, I dont find it.

"It's where when a person is in one sided love. The person who feels that love has a plant grow in their lungs, causing them to cough up peddles. This was continued until the plant grows so big that the person dies..." Dies? I was going to die? "But, that can be stopped in two ways. One of them is surgery. Only problem is that when the plant is removed that way, then your feelings for the person you love with be gone forever. The other one is when the person you love loves you back in a romantic way... but it's rare for that to happen. Cole you need-"

"So I'm going to die...?" I can the fear in her eyes as I speak.

"No! Cole, we cam book you an appointment. Please, ths surgery won't hurt." Her voice was desperate.

"Misako.. I'm sorry but I don't want to lose my feeling for that person." A small, sad smile form's on my lips. "That would hurt more then anything." I look into her eyes. Her fear filled eyes. "Please don't tell the rest... I'll tell them when I can... and make sure Wu doesn't tell either.... thanks Misako...." I smile to her and get up, slowly heading for my car again.