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(1) Chapter 10: Training

Nagisa Hazuki

My blue crayon scrapes over the piece of paper while I think of other ways to cheer up Haru. Haru seemed so sad when we left the hospital this afternoon. He looked broken. So I thought it would be fun to think of something to cheer him up.

I look at the mind map; there are some things that could potentially work, but none of the ideas are great. I've got things like "buy mackerel" or "sing him a happy song", but I just can't come up with something good.

I've called both Rei and Makoto to ask if they had any ideas, but none of them had anything that could work. Even the library had nothing on "how to make a paralyzed friend happy" or "cheering up sick friend".

I lay my head down on my desk and tap my crayon on the table. I have to think of something before we visit again tomorrow.

I glance at the books that I did get at the library this afternoon. They all can tell me how to possibly train a paralyzed body. I've looked through most of them already, but most terms they use I've never heard of.

There's only one left to read, so I take it in front of me and start reading. Again, there's many terms I don't get, things like Paraplegia and Quadriplegia. They must mean something important, but I don't understand what they mean.

Eventually I come past a word that I do understand; Aqua. Aqua means water, which is a thing every swimmer should know.

I start reading focused. It's quite interesting. Apparently there's something called "Aquatic Therapy" and it basically means that your muscles are getting trained by therapy in water. The book tells me all kind of stuff that I still don't get, but I now know that some people with paralysis are sooner to walk in water than on land. And that the aquatic therapy makes your muscles stronger and causes better mobility.

I grin and write everything that sounds interesting down. I have to make sure that the doctors allow Haru to get aquatic therapy. Even if it doesn't work perfectly, it'll still be a good excuse for him to be in the water.

I must tell this to someone, so I grab my phone as call Rei. It takes him a long time to pick up the phone, but eventually he does.

"Nagisa?" He sounds half asleep. "Why are you calling me in the middle of the night, if I may ask?"

"I've got it!" I shriek. I fold my hand in front of my mouth when I realize that I might wake up my parents. "I think I've found a way to cheer up Haru."

Rei sounds like he has no idea what I'm talking about when he asks, "What?"

"Aquatic therapy," I say. "It would be amazing for Haru because..."

"... it's therapy in water, yes." Rei completes my sentence.

I giggle and say, "We have to talk it over with the doctors. We have to make sure Haru can do this."

Rei yawns. "Yes, let's do that..." He pauses. "... in the morning. We'll call Rin and Makoto and Gou in the morning and we can go to the hospital tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay!" I'm so glad I borrowed these books, now Haru may have a chance on swimming again.

Rei breaks the connection and I suddenly feel very tired. I fall asleep with my head resting on the book that gave me some hope that this might all turn out better than we thought.