Her Shooting Star

Chapter 20: What She Truly Feels (Part 1)

It's been five days since the day that Yuki confessed to Mayu. She was sitting on her bed as she looked outside the window, when the door opened and Yuki entered the room.

"You're here again." Mayu said as she watched her put down her belongings on the sofa near her bed. "I told you, I will always be by your side." Yuki replied.

"And I clearly told you that you don't have to."

"Well, I guess sometimes I can be stubborn like you." Yuki said as she placed the flowers that she brought to the vase on the bedside table.

"You're annoying." Mayu said, clearly being irritated. "But you haven't pushed me away though." Mayu rolled her eyes and went back to looking outside.

Yuki wasn't entirely wrong. The one million yen that she has promised Yuki as payment was already inside the bag and was brought to her a few days ago, but Mayu has kept it inside the closet of her room in the hospital instead of giving it to Yuki so that she would stop coming. Though she could've give it to her already, Mayu doesn't think that it is necessary to give it to her this early or rather she doesn't have the heart to do so. Because for her, it means that it will be the last time that she will be seeing her. Somehow, deep inside, the presence of the older girl has become comforting, that she doesn't want it to end.

The door opened and Rena came in together with a nurse. "Mayu, it's now time for your chemo." She said. Rena then helped Mayu transferred to the wheelchair, with the assistance from Yuki and the nurse.

Just as Yuki was about to come with them, Mayu looked back at her. "You don't need to come along. Just go home already." She said then she signalled them to go on. And with that, the three of them left the room, leaving Yuki behind.

-----

A few days ago

"I will continue to receive my treatments." Mayu said as she was looking outside the window of her hospital room. "Are you sure?" Rena asked. Mayu nodded. "But what about" I'm already tired of all the treatments, I'm going to die anyways. "?"

"I want to continue living, Rena-Chan." Mayu replied. "Even though I know that right now, there is only a slim chance that I will survive, I want to fight. That's why I want to continue to receive my treatments."

"Is this because of her?" Rena asked. "Your new found reason for living, is it Yuki?"

-----

Mayu winced in pain as the chemotherapy drug was being infused in her vein. The pain slowly spreads from her veins to her muscles, but she endures it. This is not the first time that she underwent chemotherapy so somehow she is already used to it.

After her session has ended, she was sent back to her room. She feels tired and her whole body is aching, yet she didn't fail to notice the girl who was sitting by the bench I front of her room.

"What are you still doing here?" Mayu asked weakly. Yuki looked at her and was surprised at how she looked. "Are you alright?" She asked. "I told you, you don't have to worry about me. I'm alright. You don't have to come here so often."

"But -" Yuki glanced at Rena who shook her head. She was about to say something but Rena spoke. "Mayu needs some rest. She can't be stressed right now, so I suggest that you should come back some other time." Rena then signaled the nurse to push the wheelchair inside the room before she followed.

Once Mayu was settled on her bed, she turned to Rena. "Remember what we talked earlier. If something happens in the future, please fulfill the thing that I asked you to."

"I understand. Rest now, Mayu." Rena replied.