Silent Angel

Chapter 16

No.

Not again.

This can't be real.

My face completely lost all colour and my heart began to pound even more.

"Mako? What's wrong?"

I ran towards her ward. My breath was rattling with each step. I could hear Haru running after me.

I must have heard it wrong.

Right?

I ran back into Rin's ward. A nurse was on duty.

"Excuse me, nurse? Where is Rin Takahashi-san?"

The nurse sighed. "... I'm sorry. She was just taken into ICU because of, what we believe was, a stress related heart attack."

It was true.

My face dropped.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

First Saki, and now Rin?

No.

This isn't the time to mourn.

I'm sorry, Rin.

"Do you know where Hana Ishida-san is?"

"The blonde girl? She disappeared a few hours ago.."

Hana caused this.

Hana killed Rin.

"Thank you, nurse." I said, before walking back out of the ward. Haru was waiting outside.

"Rin-san... is dead." I burst into tears and hugged Haru tightly.

I couldn't even repent.

I caused Rin's death.

Haru gently patted my back, before also crying.

I couldn't stop.

I wouldn't stop.

Tears kept coming out.

I cried until I couldn't anymore.

My eyes hurt.

My legs hurt.

My head hurt.

And most of all...

My heart hurt.

I lost two amazing people in six months.

I slowly let go of Haru. Her eyes were red from crying, like mine.

"Come on, Mako, let's go."

I nodded. Hospitals always worried me, and I didn't want to stay here any longer after something like this. We left the hospital, both upset.

By the time we left, it was evening. The sky was dark and cloudy, as it often is in January. Haru was walking close to me, sniffling every so often, but otherwise neither of us spoke. Although I couldn't tell, I was sure Haru was also thinking about Rin.

Snow began to fall. As the gentle white flakes fell, I remembered the final days I was with Saki. How she tried to catch the snow, and we joked about how she was a child. The thought of it made me smile, but tears slowly rolled down my cheek as well.

Saki...

Please wait for me.

I sighed, and wiped my tears.

"Mako... I'm turning here."

"Yeah..."

Haru turned the corner and walked towards her home, without saying another word. As I continued walking, I noticed another familiar figure.