Compromise

Chapter 24

Ai's POV

I opened my eyes and my family is still here, watching over me. They are talking to each other.

"Ah! Ai~chan is awake now!" it's Keito~kun. They all gathered around me.

"Do you want to eat, my princess?" toochan asked.

"No. I'm still full," I said. I caught Ryosuke~kun pouting then, he seems like murmuring something and he grimaced. I giggled.

"Doushita no?" Inoo~kun wondered.

"Ah no. Nothing," I said. Still giggling.

I'm really glad that they are here. It's been a long time since I felt this kind of happiness. That in spite of all the problem, they are here to take care of me and make me smile. I wonder if Nagi's family is with her also. Is she okay now? I want to see her...

"What's wrong, Ai?" Ryosuke~kun asked worriedly.

"Huh?" I gasped. "Ettou... I want to see Nagi," I said.

"Nagi?" some of them echoed.

"She's the friend of Ai," Ryosuke~kun answered them.

"She?" Inoo~chan uttered. "I thought Nagi is a 'he'," he said.

"I also thought of that," Ryuu said then he chuckled.

"Isn't Nagi a name for boys?" Yuya~kun asked.

"Since it's the name of Ai~chan's friend then that means it can be unisex," Chinen~kun concluded.

"Why are you that smart, kid?" Daichan asked.

Chinen~kun laughed proudly. I giggled.

"Do you want to see her now?" Ryosuke~kun asked.

"Yes, please," I said.

He pressed the buzzer. Within a minute, a nurse came in.

"Yes, sir?" she asked.

"Can we borrow a wheel chair? Ai wants to visit her friend who is also confined here," he stated.

"Ok, sir," she said and left.

She came back with a wheel chair. Ryosuke~kun carried me and guided me to sit on the wheel chair. He fixed the dextrose properly and we went out.

He pushed the wheel chair until we stopped in front of a room. He knocked on the door. I inhaled deeply. I don't know why I'm this nervous... Am I afraid that she might be angry at me? Maa... who won't be angry when you were stabbed by your own best friend, right?

Ryosuke~kun was about to twist the knob when it opened. I got a peek of my best friend. She's lying on her bed... I felt bad with what I saw.

"Who are they?" a voice of an old man. It's Nagi's grandfather.

"Hi! I'm Yamada Ryosuke and this is Ai-- Nagi~san's friend," Ryosuke~kun introduced ourselves.

Nagi's grandfather gazed at me. I felt awkward. "Are, Acchan?" he uttered, surprised. "Come in!" he said gladly as he opened the door wider.

"Nagi, Acchan is here!" he exclaimed full of smiles.

Nagi turned her head at me. She smiled but I can't look at her eyes. I remember what I did to her and it hurts that I betrayed my bestfriend...

Ryosuke~kun pushed the wheel chair until I'm at her bed side.

"I'm happy that you are alright," she said. I felt a soft touch on my head. She's caressing my hair.

I looked at her. She's smiling. She looks glad... why is she like this? Isn't she angry with me?

"Why are you crying?" she asked worriedly.

I reached out for her hand on my head. I put it on my face and felt it. "I'm sorry..." I said, my voice is frail. "I'm really sorry..." I just continued caressing the back of her hand by my face.

She caressed my face. "Don't say sorry. It's not your fault," she said. "I already told ojiichan what happened. They are now searching for the robber who stabbed us."

"Robber?" my brows furrowed.

She winked at me.

"You might have forgotten about what really happened to us. But I won't narrate it to you again. I know how surreal that was." she said with a matter-of-fact tone.

I'm still confused... I don't understand what robber is she talking about?

"But shouldn't she know? She's also a victim here. So that she can sue the guy who did this grievous crime," her grandfather said full of anger. His hand balled into fist, shaking because of the force he's exerting in it...

"Maa, you are right, ojiichan," Nagi agreed. "Do you still remember the last time we've met at your house?" she asked.

I nodded. Of course, how would I ever forget that?

"That morning, while we were talking to each other the door bell rang. You looked outside and saw a stranger. He wanted a glass of water that's why you let him in. But after that he just stabbed us. You fell unconscious quickly. But I saw that he went to your room to get something. He's so frustrated because only the flat screen tv is the thing he can rob that's why he left empty handed," she narrated... a big lie.

But why? Is she protecting me?

"Ojiichan! Look what you've done. Ai is in a trance because she remembered what happened!"

Am I in a trance?

"My bad! My bad!" her grandfather apologized as he scratched his head.

"I-ii yo," I said, trying to smile.

"Good thing Yamada~san came and rescued us," Nagi added, gazing at Ryosuke~kun intently.

He chuckled. "S-sou ne..." he uttered.

"I think I won't bother to file a case anymore... what's important is that Nagi and I are alive," I said, without looking at any of them.

"Well, you are right," Nagi said. "I already told kaachan and ojiichan that they don't need to do this. I'm fine because I'm alive," she added.

"That can't be, Nagi! You nearly died! What do you want us to do? To let that criminal at large?" her grandfather asked with rage.

"Whatever, ojiichan. I'm tired arguing with you," she sighed. "But still, let it be. Things already happened. As if that robber can still bring back the time we're... Ugh, just forget it. I won't win over you, anyway," she sulked on her bed.

I'm actually ready to face the consequences of what I've done. But I'm still afraid... I don't know what to do... Will I just wait for the truth to be revealed?

END OF CHAPTER 24.