Best Mistake (Iwaoi)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23:
Another Reason To Fight

Iwaizumi's eyes fluttered close as he collapsed under the shade of a pine tree marked with a slash on its bark. He cupped his face with both his hands, as he cried silently.

Oikawa's missing. We couldn't find him anywhere.

The voice of Oikawa's grandfather echoed through and through inside Iwaizumi's mind. He desperately wiped his tears away as he got up to his feet and searched again.

"Oi, please, where are you?" His vision was blurry with his tears. He practically snapped every twig he came across as he groaned in distraught.

"Don't leave me again, please." He cried. There he was, wandering around an eerily quiet forest, with only the faint chirping of the birds and rustling sound of leaves casting noise.

Iwaizumi was desperate. A familiar feeling from last year swooped over him. His heartbeat was getting to be out of hand, and with every beat it made, came a twinge in the chest Iwaizumi felt.

He was well acquainted with the feeling. Iwaizumi was sure it was the same feeling he felt a year ago when Oikawa disappeared without a word. It felt like it was some kind of a déjà vu.

Iwaizumi cried helplessly, as he allowed his feet to drag him anywhere within the woods. Random things crossed his mind as he swallowed the lump forming inside his throat.

Snippets of his past conversations with Oikawa crossed his mind. He swiveled his head towards the right where he saw the small town by the cliff. "Of course," he hissed, his eyes widening as he hurried towards Oikawa's ancestral house to get his car.

Iwaizumi couldn't be more right when he saw Oikawa, standing in queue for the bungee jump. He was wearing a hoodie and a pair of grey sweatpants. He was still attractive but he looked very fragile.

"Oikawa!" Iwaizumi felt relieved and aggravated at the same time, as he grabbed him by the arm. Oikawa had a surprised look on his face, but it dissipated as soon as it came when he shot a frown at Iwaizumi.

"What are you doing here, Hajime-san? Are you going to try the jump as well?" He took his arm back dismissively as he looked away.

"Let's get you home before you get sicker than you already are." Iwaizumi gritted his teeth as Oikawa shot a profane look.

"Go away, please."

"Don't be stubborn, you are exposed to a lot of contaminants here in the open. You're not even wearing a mask!" Oikawa rolled his eyes in frustration, knowing how pushy Iwaizumi was.

"Hajime-san..." his voice broke, words failing him as he spoke. "Just let me do this, I wanna experience this before I die." He smiled encouragingly at him, but Iwaizumi was nowhere near to being happy.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE, YOU DUMBASS!" Iwaizumi snapped, making Oikawa take a step back and catching everyone's attention on the line. Oikawa hung his head low as he fumed in embarrassment.

"Why do you always say that you're going to die? Aren't you gonna put up a fight? Aren't you gonna fight and live for us?" Tears were already cascading down Iwaizumi's cheeks. His fingers cupping Oikawa's chin as he held his gaze. "We'll get you a bone marrow donor, trust me."

"WHERE?!" Oikawa squalled, his tears were already free-falling, as a look of unrestrained fury registered on his face.

"Five years, Hajime! For five fucking years everyone's been telling me that! Everyone's been telling me that eventually, I'll find a donor and get well! And how dare you tell me that I wasn't putting up a fight?! I fought so hard, Hajime! For the people I love, for the people who matters to me! I've been battling this fucking leukemia for five years already! I've been strong for too long! I just want to rest! I want to end all of this! I just want to die! You don't know what it feels like to spend everyday in an empty room, with only the machines and hospital apparatuses to keep me company! You don't know what it feels like to see the disappointed looks on people's faces whenever they see me, JUST BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THEM! I don't even remember you, Hajime! I don't even know you! It's very frustrating because I want to remember everything, but I can't! I just want this suffering to stop!"