Risky: A Chrono Love Story

|Chapter 14|

Please read the Author's Note if you haven't.

Oh noes something bad happened again 😔

"I've been diagnosed with cancer."

Cancer? Since when? "H-How long? Since when?" I leaned over on the smooth marble table top, panicked. He lets out a calm sigh and turns off his expensive phone.

"I don't know since when. I went to the doctors yesterday for a checkup, and they said they'll tell me the results tomorrow, which is today. They just phoned in and told me that there are cancer cells in my lungs. I'll probably be dead soon," he laughed dryly, a fist hitting his chest lightly. "The time was eventually going to come anyways, you know. I wonder how I'm going to tell the boys this," he wonders out loud.

"I guess that'd be hard to say to them. And don't think like that, saying the time was eventually going to come anyways. It sounds like you're older then one hundred or something," I crossed my arms and pouted. He heartily laughed at my comment and smiled.

"All old geezers like me act like this, don't you think? Except some of them just complain how life sucks so much. But you're still young, Y/N," he sighed.

"Oh come on you're not like that," I said.

"Oh, I guess so huh," he lays back on his chair. "Soon, I'll be stuck in the hospital in a bed, dealing with the constant beeping of whatever machines they use. Then, in a random matter, I'll just perish. Unless some witch can wack up some cancer potion in time, I'm practically done for," he sighed, defeated. "Are any of the boys awake yet?" he questions.

"I don't think so," I looked to the floor above me. "How're going to tell them? What about the house! Your money?"

"I'm not sure how to tell them, I'll give you that. The house? It'll be fine without me, I'm sure of that. I'll just split my money equally to the boys. Maybe I'll even invest some cash in my funeral," he joked dryly. "Don't worry about all that Y/N."

I could feel my eyes water. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't really be able to live in this luxury. He was the kind soul who let me stay in his house under his rules, with the invitation of Kurono of course. I wonder how Hari's going to take the news? My thoughts were interrupted with the loud ringing of Pop's phone.

It wasn't a phone call ring though.

It was J-alert, Japan's version of the Amber alert. The old man picked up his phone to see what the ringing was about. "A kidnapping of eight kids at a daycare center at Tokyo, we're going to be fine," he said as he put down his phone once again. There was the similar ringing coming from upstairs, which will probably wake Kurono and the others up.

The ringing stopped one by one, as each sleepy boy woke up and read the message. I heard some footsteps from upstairs, telling me they're definitely awake now. One ring was left, and it was probably my phone. "I'll stop the ringing," I said, as I walked upstairs. Kai was walking to the bathroom and shot a friendly wave at me. I waved back. I walked down the clean corridor and opened the door to my room, the ringing as loud it could get. I opened my phone and tapped the stop button, and read the case message. The kidnappers were people in black suits and horrendous masks, a picture to go with it. It was the exact same people who destroyed Gamblerama and took my parent's lives. There sure were a lot of them.

What the hell were they doing at a daycare though?

Man, there's a lot of trouble circling these guys huh? I took my phone and slipped it in my pocket, returning back downstairs to eat something. Pops was heating some pancakes up in the microwave and was bringing some maple syrup out of the large but stylish fridge. He also poured himself a cup of coffee. "Want a glass?" he asked. It sounded like he was some guy from a bar, but I passed on the idea of coffee.

"No thank you," I turned down the offer. "Can I have water instead?"

"Sure," he smiled and took my cup along with the glass water pitcher. He poured a good amount and slid me my cup across the table. He did that every morning, no matter what the mood. I sat down on the fancy cushioned seat and took a sip on my water.

Impatient about my food, I chugged my water down and headed to the fridge. I spotted a lunch mate package on one of the bottom shelves and digged it out. I slapped the fridge door close and Nemoto came down the stairs, raising a brow at what I had in my hands.

"Lunch mate? Aren't you a little old for that?" Nemoto asked. I sat back down, licking my lips.

"Nah, besides, this package us the best of them all. Lunch mate stackers, with a kitkat! It's basically perfect," I childishly remarked.

"If you say so," he sighed, pushing his glasses up. How is Nemoto going to take the news? He eyed Pops with a suspicious expression and asked, "Is something wrong?"

The old man turned around, as he was taking the pancakes out of the microwave. His hungry expression was turned into a dull one, "Yes, but I'll discuss that when Kai and Hari come down," Pops sighed, sitting down with his pancakes. He grabbed a fork, and poured some maple syrup on his food. After the food was well-covered, he began to dig in, enjoying the sweet taste of the syrup. He always had pancakes for breakfast, similar to how he always slid my glass of water to me each morning.

Sooner or later, Kai and Hari started rumbling down the stairs. Hari was complaining about how early the J-alert forced him to wake up. "It's so earlyyyy," the light haired male whined.

"You idiot shouldn't complain. Pops and Y/N always wake up at 7. Pops even earlier," Nemoto glared at him.

"But they're like freaking giraffes who run only sleep for like two houuurs. I need like, at least 8 hours of sleep. I'm so tired," he complained, almost sounding drunk.

"He has a point," Chisaki added plainly.

"I'm not a giraffe," I crossed my arms, holding my little combination of crackers, cheese, and meat in my hands. Kai took a look at what I was eating and started laughing.

"You? Lunch mate? How old are you?" Kai laughed.

"18, the same age as you..." I grimaced, taking a bite out of my childish snack.

"You act like you're 7," Nemoto said.

"You're all teaming up on me," I pouted, ignoring any other comments of theirs.

I looked over at Pops. He looked spaced out. "Pops? Earth to Pops?" Hari's words shook him awake.

"Yes Hari?" the old man responded, a little shaken up. Hari mentioned Pops didn't seem his best this morning, which Kai agreed on. "Listen, boys," the man sighed, catching everyones attention.

"I have cancer."

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