Chihiro Hanagaki

Chapter 23

*One Day Prior*

It didn't surprise Chihiro that Kakucho would find out she had been hospitalized. She received a text from him wondering where she was. Chihiro was confused until she remembered that she had planned a date with him for today. Cursing under her breath she debated if she should tell him the truth or not. Chihiro is already typing away on her phone, 'I'm in the hospital.' By the time she sent the text, she felt like kicking herself.

*Ring Ring* Kakucho's name was flashing on her flip phone. 'I really did it now.' she thought. Chihiro answered, "Hello?" Kakucho's panicked voice came from the phone, "What happened!? How badly were you hurt!?" Chihiro calmed him down enough so she could explain, "Me and Hibiki were messing around in a junkyard and I fell and bruised my back. It's nothing serious." Kakucho snapped, "It is serious if you're in the hospital. God how can you be so reckless..." For the next thirty minutes, Kakcuho laid into her until he stated that he was coming to see her.

*With Kakucho*

Izana woke up to Kakucho's yelling. Kakucho had convinced him to come back to their shared apartment, but he was still loafing around and drinking. Kakucho still didn't know where he got the alcohol since Izana was still underage. "Why are you screaming?" Izana complained. Kakcuho sighed as he got ready to go out, "I'm going to see someone." Izana's already present frown deepened, already knowing who he was referring to. "You're going to see that girl again aren't you?" he grumbled. Kakucho looked back at him, "Yes. She got hurt and is in the hospital."

Izana could care less about Chihiro's condition. All he knew was that someone was trying to steal Kakucho from him. "I'll be back later. Please try to take a shower," Kakucho said before leaving. Izana stared at the apartment door for a few minutes before throwing his bottle at the door. It shattered with a crack, spilling what was left inside all over the door and ground. "Mikey took Shinichiro from me...now this bitch is trying to take Kakucho from me...." he muttered with a distant look in his eye. His depression made him even more bitter.

He got off the couch and stumbled into the bathroom. His violet eyes were dull and sunken and his hair was even longer and more unkempt. Izana stared at the shower through the mirror as Kakucho's words rang in his mind. 'When was the last time I showered?' he wondered. Izana had been wondering where that terrible odor was coming from. Izana slowly removed his clothes as he stepped into the shower. He stood in the shower blankly staring at the shower wall as images of the girl flashed in his mind.

*With Chihiro*

Chihiro nearly jumped when Kakucho barreled into her hospital room. "Um...hi..." she awkwardly greeted him. Kakucho walked over taking a seat in the chair at her bedside. "How are you feeling?" he asked. Chihiro gave a small smile, "Are you gonna yell at me again?" Kakucho shook his head, "Tell me." Chihiro's back still felt sore from the fight.

"A little sore," she admitted. "You need to be more careful," he told her. Chihiro nodded, "I know. Can you please not lecture me anymore?" Kakucho took her hand, rubbing his thumb over it. "You really scared me when I read that text." Chihiro felt a pang of guilt not realizing how he would have felt to receive a text like that. He lost his parents in a car accident when he was just an elementary schooler. He must have been traumatized in some way from that day.

Chihiro squeezed his hand, "I'm sorry Kaku." Kakucho leaned forward resting his head on her lap. Chihiro felt heat rise to her face, "Kaku!" Kakucho looked up at her, "Let me stay like this for a while." Chihiro didn't try to push him away and let him use her as a pillow. She was surprised to see how quickly he fell asleep. 'Either he was super worried or he hasn't been sleeping properly,' she thought.

*With Izana*

Izana stared into the fridge looking at the contents. His stomach growled, but the thought of eating made bile rise in his throat. He settled on a water bottle, pressing the cool drink to his throbbing temple. Izana sank onto the couch and resumed staring up at the ceiling. 'What does that girl have that I don't have?' he thought. The girl who held Kakucho's interests flashed in his mind again. The girl had a pale complexion, blue eyes, and pitch-black hair.

She had braided her hair in Dutch braids and blunt bangs. The girl wore a light blue yukata with a bunny pattern. She looked so cozy and happy when she was around Kakucho. He didn't know why, but her smiling face made him so angry. He practically yanked Kakucho away after he won her a prize. 'Kakucho had said her name was Chihiro Hanagaki.'