Kokoro no X (I) ~EDITING~

Sixteen

Ugh...

It was way too bright. Even with my eyes closed, the intensity of light burned into my retinas. Despite this, I opened my eyes and made the mistake of moving suddenly, sparking pain all along my left side.

A small noise caught my attention, and I turned, my left side catching fire again.

"Oh. Hey, Takumi," I began, clenching my teeth.Everything hurt. Everything I did hurt. I felt so weak... why? I hated it.

"Mm." Someone didn't sleep last night.

"So, uh... What happened with Hitoshi?" I asked.

Takumi looked confused. "Hitoshi? As in Nakagawa?"

I shook my head. "Nagai. The guy we were about to fight last night."

"Hitoshi Nagai? As in lead singer for Ever Nowhere Hitoshi Nagai?" I nodded, my face expressionless.

"I don't know how, but he knows a lot about us, you included." I kept my gaze cold. "It'll be best if we try not to reveal much in case, y'know, someone's watching."

He was silent for a few heartbeats. He nodded.

"Anyway, you asked what happened, right?" Takumi asked, almost too fast.

"Yeah. Did you kill him?" Takumi flinched.

"No... after he shot you, he ran off. You went unconscious, obviously, and I had to carry you. Sayuri is safe," he added. "She wasn't hurt."

I let out tension that I didn't know I had been holding. "Good.

"Wait, did you say you had to carry me?"

He laughed a little. "Yeah. Sayuri said it would be awkward for her, plus she's kinda weak, so I had to drag you out on my own." I grinned. "I almost broke my leg!"

"What do you mean, 'broke your leg?' Did you trip or something?"

He froze, panic twisting his face. "Oh, uh- I m- Y-yeah! I tripped on the, uh, the stairs?"

"There was just a ladder, no stairs... just tell me the truth!" Takumi looked away, flinching again.

"The truth?" I barely heard him. For a split second, I saw something--

Hah! Takumi, you're so weak!

He's probably gay, that's why he only hangs out with Sayuri.

Just ditch 'im, Koichi! He's not worth our time.

Then it all went away.

"Well, uh, I've never really told anyone this before, but, uh... well, the short story is, my right leg is fake."

Show no emotion, Tamotsu.

I didn't know what to say.

"Well, now you have to tell me more."

"Wha?"

"You can't just leave me at that!"

"But you said-"

"I know what I said. But... you really can't just give me that and expect me to be content."

"Touche. Besides, you're right. Everyone hates cliffhangers, but... doesn't everyone hate it when it's just served on a sliver platter right to their face?

"I know I do."

I was silent. I wished more than ever in that moment that I could see into his mind. But of course, wishes don't come true.

"Hey, Takumi, I brought lu-" I jumped as the door near slammed open, and Sayuri marched in. "Oh. He's awake?"

I regretted waking up in an instant. Sayuri latched onto me in a hug too painful for words. My left side went up in flames again.

"Omigodomigodomigodomigodomigodyou'resafeIthoughtyouweredeadomigod" and on and on.

"I'm fine, but-" I hissed through clenched teeth, "please- let- go-"

Sayuri immediately snatched her arms off of me, almost dropping me. Fortunately, I caught myself before I slithered off the bed.

"You've missed, like, five tests, cos Fuji's a really mean sub if you're not there, and really strict too," Sayuri babbled.

"And Tatsuo told me that the choir teacher's out sick and then she's getting surgery in Novembr, and apparently the sub in there is awful too-" Takumi jumped in.

"Art is fine, though." Sayuri thought for a few seconds. "Mrs. Arakawa is actually happier than ever."

"I thin kshe's getting married. She said something about getting engaged last time I was in there." She's also been thinking about wedding plans quite a lot recently, too, I added to myself.

"So we're gonna get a sub in art too?!" Sayuri groaned. "Too many subs..."

We talked for a little while longer. Apparently, I had been out for five days. It was Wednesday.

Eventually, we ran out of things to talk about, so they left. And I was left alone.

---

OKAY LET ME EXPLAIN

So not only did I think that Sixteen was Nineteen, but apparently I forgot that this chapter existed. So here you go, the chapter that took me less than a day to get online. ^^

But yeah if you haven't already go follow my KNX blog on Tumblr, thetamotsusoup . It's laidback and fun and just kinda a parody thing. Go on, follow it! We have fun times in store... and stuff.

-Parker