~❀ Hanahaki disease ❀~

{ Part 9 ~ an explanation }

"Hana.... haki...." Kaito was sitting on the floor against the wall, I hadn't moved from before, and I had just finished explaining the full extent of what'd happened.

"crap... so you're actually gonna die if we don't figure this out..."

".... yeah, I guess..."

He swore under his breath again "...and how did you get it...?"

"......um...." I sighed and looked away "They say it happens from love..." I know that wasn't the whole truth, but I didn't want to tell him it was because he didn't like me back. I knew that wasn't his fault.

I saw Kaito freeze, his expression turning from confused to serious, and his face going pale ".........so, basically......it's my fault that you're gonna die..." he swore for the third time now and looked down at the floor.

I turned to look back at him "no.. it's not your fault..... I shouldn'tv—" "shouldn't've what!?!" he yelled, seeming agitated or something.

But I could see tears brimming in his eyes.

Wait- tears??? This can't be real.. Kaito's never cried..

He sighed and, still looking at the ground, rested his head against his knees, "..just...... forget it... ...is there any way to cure it...?"

I was in complete shock, but stuttered out a response anyway "y-yeah.. you can get surgery to get the flowers removed...but..."

"...but..?" he looked up at me, tilting his head slightly so that he could see me

"...but if you do the surgery, you completely lose any feeling of 'love' toward the one who caused you the disease... and I don't want that..."

He looked down again and then muttered "...yeah..."

yeah??

"......." i stared at him, confused, and he just sat there resting his head on his knees. "w-what's up with you..? ever since you got here.... you've been acting strange..." he looked up slighty, looking at me, and then looked down again, wiping away the small tears from before.

"i just heard that my friend's gonna die.. how do you think i'd react, idiot??"

"...."

wait- FRIEND?? he considers us friends!?!?!

i just stared at him in disbelief. "....w-well yeah.. but not only that.. you're being nice to me all of a sudden.. it's a bit surprisi-" "what!? so i can't be nice??" he was glaring at me again, so i averted my gaze away from his to look down.

for the fourth time now, he swore. 

but then asked me something, even though i was still looking away; "......are you really going to die..? ...just like that? completely gone??" i heard his voice crack, and turned to see something i never thought i'd see.

he was crying

there were full tears streaming down his face, and he was looking right at me again, trying his best to look strong, but it wasn't working.

"Kait--" "answer my goddamn question..!!" he sniffled a bit and wiped his eyes, but the tears didn't stop. i didn't know how to react, what to say, what to do, how to help. i just sat there feeling completely useless, and utterly speechless.

"i don't know...."