Home Sweet Home

Truth

All night long, Jun and I stayed in the hospital and was thankful towards the staff who allowed us to stay. I wanted to bash their faces in when they looked at us pitifully, but I didn't want to risk it especially when Masa needed us the most. We waited for hours, glancing back and forth at the ICU sign, wondering what was happening behind the door, and all the nurses and doctors that passed us. I was beginning to think that we were going to be there forever.

"Kazu-nii... what happened to Masa-nii?" Jun finally asked as he took a seat by the wall. "Is he—"

I cut him off, afraid of what he was about to say. "I don't know, Jun. Remember when Masa was sick for a week?"

The twelve-year-old nodded his head right away. Of course, how could we forget it when the both of us were worried sick and tended to Masa every day. "It happened again tonight, but I don't know... I don't know what it is and Masa has been keeping this as a secret from us."

Just then, the ICU doors opened and the doctor that was in charge of Masa came out. He looked at us seriously and I was beginning to think of the worse when he said:

"This isn't the first time Aiba-san has been admitted to the hospital, but this time it was serious."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What do you mean this isn't his first time? What do you mean it was serious?"

"Ninomiya-san... Aiba-san didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"We told him to inform his family and friends at once to let everyone know how serious his illness is, but seeing your surprised face..."

"What?" I gritted my teeth together and pushed aside the painful feeling that came after. "What exactly is wrong with him?!" I snapped and grabbed the doctor's collar. "Tell me!"

"Ninomiya-san—"

"Calm down!" Jun yelled and pulled me apart from the doctor. "We... we have to know what's wrong with Masa-nii and beating him up isn't the solution!"

Jun was right. There was nothing I could get out of the doctor by beating him up. Even Masa would hate it if I used violence to get my way.

"Aiba-san, he's in stage II of lung cancer... If it weren't for your quick thinking, we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it."

"What?" I asked quietly and I could feel tears forming in the corner of my eyes. I tried holding it back, but they were falling one by one. "T-that's impossible, right? Masa can't possibly have that? He's... he's strong and... and..." I couldn't continue when my heart was hurting so much. How could Masa keep this secret from us? That he was painfully sick and that he suffered himself? Did he not love us anymore? Did he want to go on without telling us?

"I... I'm going to buy coffee," I mumbled quietly and pushed away Jun's hand I felt that he was going to comfort me. "Jun, stay with Masa for me..."