Chihiro Hanagaki

Chapter 22

Chihiro woke up inside a hospital room. "You're awake." Chihiro turned her head to see Draken at her bedside. "Draken, what happened?" she questioned. Draken sighed, "We won the fight. But Baji died and Kazutora was arrested. Me and Takemichy went to see him." Chihiro nodded trying to sit up, but Draken pushed her back down. "Don't push yourself. You did a number on yourself when you fell." Draken told her.

Chihiro pouted, "I'm not an invalid!" Draken chuckled, "Yes, but your body needs to recover. Hibiki wasn't at all happy with any of us." Chihiro already knew that Hibiki would be in a mood the next time they spoke. Hibiki looked so worried before she lost consciousness. "Where is she now?" she asked. "I made her go home. She barely slept for a day," Draken explained. The door to her recovery room opened and a few familiar faces came in. Mikey, Emma, and Mitsuya walked over to her bed.

"Hey guys," she greeted them. Emma sat on her bedside, "I never knew you were a clutz Chi." Chihiro gave a small smile, "Yeah I kinda slipped up." Mikey looked a bit uncomfortable, "Um...." Chihiro blinked a few times, "Yes?" Mikey rubbed the back of his neck and Mitsuya nudged him. "I wanted to apologize." Chihiro was even more confused, "For what?" The others laughed at her confusion. Mikey sighed, "When I threw you the other day...It made your injuries worse...so I'm sorry."

Chihiro really didn't know what to say to that, "Oh...okay." Mitsuya sat a box on the bed, "Here." Chihiro curiously opened it to find a Toman uniform sitting inside. "Woah!" she gasped. Mitsuya smiled, "I'll have to have you do a final fitting, but it's pretty much done." Chihiro smiled, "Thanks Mitsuya." Her smile faded slightly when she saw a skirt sitting in the box. "Um...one thing.." Mitsuya tilted his head, "What's wrong?"

"Why a skirt?" she asked. Mitsuya glanced at Emma, "Emma suggested it." Chihiro turned red as her childhood memories flashed in her mind. She only tolerated her school uniform because she could wear shorts underneath. But she had to draw a line somewhere. "Could you maybe....make me pants instead...I don't have a good track record with skirts," she muttered. "What do you mean?" Emma asked. Chihiro hesitated but explained to them the reason why. This led to fifteen minutes of the four laughing at her expense.

"Okay okay it's not that funny," she complained. After two days she was allowed to leave the hospital. Hibiki was still angry about the events of the fight. She still didn't like the idea of her being in a gang or that a fight with said gang she was in was involved in a death. But instead of telling her to quit as she expected, she said, "I'll be there for you the way you've always been there for me."