Secrets Of Spring | Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso ;; Watari Ryota |

Chapter Thirteen

Watari gets his phone out and calls Kousei. "Hey, Watari, what's up?" He asks.

"No time to explain, but Maika is on her way to the hospital. Tell Tsubaki and get there as soon as possible!"

• • •

Kioshi and Kaori sit beside Maika while a first responder checks her vitals and pulse. "Oh, Maika... what happened to you?" Kioshi mumbles and holds Maika's hand.

Kaori sighs and closes her eyes. "I'm sorry Maika, I have to tell Kioshi, he's known something's been up since we were kids but I always had to tell him it was nothing... Now, he deserves to know"

"Kioshi, there's been something she hasn't told you..." Kaori says.

"What?"

"She... She isn't clumsy. I mean, a clumsy ballerina? It just doesn't make sense. Maika just said that she was to cover up the truth when we were younger. Before we met, there was an accident, and it's taken a toll on her body ever since," Kaori twists the truth.

"I shouldn't tell him everything, Maika is the one that should be truthful about it all,"

"What?! So, that's what's been causing her to fall?"

"Yeah... Maika didn't want people to treat her differently because of what was wrong with her, so she kept it a secret. The truth is, the accident really scarred her." Kaori replies. "I know you care for her a lot. You have ever since we were younger, so I thought it was only fair to tell you."

"Thank you for telling me this.. I just..." Kioshi says but trails off.

"I know. We all want her to get better, but you have to keep this a secret. Promise me that you will."

"I promise."

Maika
The Next Day

My eyes slowly open as my vision becomes clearer. A white ceiling hovers above me and the smell of antiseptic cleaning products fill the air. "Am I in the hospital?"

I sit up and observe the room. I was right, the sterileness gave it away. The door suddenly opens and I jump in surprise. Tsubaki, Kousei and Kaori enter the room and freeze once they see me awake.

"Maika!! You're okay!" Tsubaki says and practically jumps on me and hugs me.

"How're you feeling?" Kousei asks.

"Tired. How long have I been out?" I ask and rub my eyes.

"A day," Kousei answers.

"Don't freak us out like that!! I thought you died!" Tsubaki sobs.

"Relax, I'm fine. But you are kinda hurting me with this hug," I comment.

"Oh right, sorry..." Tsubaki says and backs off.

"Well, I have a special surprise for you!" Kaori says and pulls out what she's hiding behind her back. "Ta da!! My parents homemade chocolate filled croissants! They remembered that you loved them when we were younger so they made a lot for you to get better!"

"Awh! That's so sweet! Tell them thanks for me," I say and take the box from Kaori and start to eat. "By the way, where's Watari?"

"He's at practice since regionals are soon," Kousei informs me.

"Oh..." I say. "I get that soccer is important but I can't help but feel hurt, Tsubaki's softball stuff is coming up and she took off time to see me, some friend he is,"

The four of us talk for a while and I constantly have to dodge Tsubaki's questions, reassuring her and Kousei that I'm fine. Kaori obviously doesn't buy it since she knows the truth.

After a while the three of them leave after Kousei says that they've taken up a lot of my reading time. Tsubaki wants to stay but then realizes that Kousei is in the right and listens to him. Once they're gone, I get up and walk to the window and open it. The curtains begin to blow inside the room as a gentle breeze is let in. The scent of the cherry trees below calms my nerves and I lean against the window sill.

"What happened to me? How could I become so weak..."

I hear a knock on the door and I turn around. "Hey," Watari stands, leaving against the door frame.

"Oh, hey..." I respond.

"I got these for you, I wasn't sure what was your favorite but I hope you like them," He takes what he holds behind his back and reveals a bouquet of pastel pink roses with blue hydrangeas and lavender. "They're for you... To get better,"

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" I thank him. "Hold on, let me get a vase." I run over to the bathroom and get the spare vase they leave for flowers. I fill the vase with water and put the bouquet inside.

"So how was practice?" I ask, trying not to sound spiteful.

"Wha- oh no, I wanted to spend time with you alone so I made up an excuse so I could also get the flowers. I actually picked them out myself, you're not mad at me right?" He questions.

"Oh, ah no.." I reply and blush. "He wanted to spend time with me alone..."

We talk for hours on end like we used to before. Being like this with him almost made me forget why I'm actually at the hospital in the first place. I almost forgot that I'm wasting away every moment now. The door opens again and the doctor that I spoke to before comes into the room.

"Ms. Akiyama? We have some news for you, your mother is also here," 

"Um, Watari, can you please go?" I ask. He nods and heads toward the door. Before leaving, he looks back with concern filling his eyes but I smile gently to let him know that I'm okay to put his mind at ease. All he can do is take my actions for what they are and leave.

"Maika, how are you?" My mom rushes in and hugs me. "I took the first flight back when I heard the news, do you feel okay?"

"I'm okay, mom, you didn't have to rush back home,"

"Of course I had to! I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you when it happened," She strokes the back of my head comfortingly, just like she used to when I was a child.

"We discussed with your mother about the disease already before you woke up, now we would like to continue our conversation," The doctor cuts in.

My mom sits on the chair next to my bed and the doctor also takes a seat to be at eye level with us. "The effects seem to be getting stronger, have you stopped physical activity?"

"... Yes," I fib. Yesterday's dance is the last time I will dance so I have stopped technically speaking. I just haven't stopped for long...

"It'd be best to also stop your P.E. courses as well, we must be careful," The doctor notes.

"What treatment plans are available for Maika?" My mom asks.

"The disease in addition to weakening her muscles, it is also taking a toll on her heart. The hardest part about your situation is that you are much younger than the usual age group of patients with Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy. Operating on your heart will be quite difficult. Because the muscles are weakening as well, it's causing an abnormal spinal curvature but that be fixed with surgery. Again, we're dealing with your spine so it'll be highly risky,"

My heart and my spine. Those can be fixed.

"What about my muscles in general?" I ask. "I'm a dancer. I'm only taking a break because you told me to but I want to be a dancer for the rest of my life. I don't want to play it safe, I want to be on that stage. Is there any way to fix my muscles?" I plea.

The doctor shakes his head. "There is no known cure for Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, unfortunately. All you can do is rest and try to control it,"

I nod and bite my tongue. I don't want to be careful, I don't want to take it slow. But if those actions will lead me back to center stage at least one more time, then I guess I'll endure it.