Five years had already passed since Kaori died. Arima Kousei is now a successful pianist who studies music and plays piano in the United States along with his piano mentor, Seto Hiroko and father, Arima Takahiko. He also plays his piano in so many m...
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Tsubaki Sawabe and Watari Ryota had heard from their friends that Kousei had already returned from the USA and so, both of them decided to visit him in his home three weeks later. They had been so busy in their sports clubs and study for three weeks. When they visited Kousei's home, both of them found out that he's having a bad time. Ever since they had returned, Kousei only spent his time sleeping on his bed feeling so nasty and bad.
"You can't visit him in his room, yet," Takahiko answered them. "He doesn't take anyone except me in his room."
"Can I at least go and peek?" Tsubaki asked him. "We really miss him."
"Go. He might accept you," Takahiko told her. "You're his girlfriend."
...
Kousei sat up on his bed again. He's given IV drips due to it that he had become too dehydrated. He can't even drink the water due to the metallic taste that his taste buds are giving him. Tsubaki peeked and saw Kousei awake on his bed but without his glasses. His face is so pale while his lips are dry and cracked. She entered his room slowly and noticed that Kousei closed his eyes and laid back down to sleep. He didn't even notice that Tsubaki entered his room.
Kousei's nurse entered his patient's room. "Who are you?"
Tsubaki stared at him and scrutinized him. After that, she knew what he was to Kousei after knowing that he's wearing a nurse's uniform. More on, he looks like a lot more as a caregiver.
"I'm his girlfriend. I'm Tsubaki Sawabe," she introduced herself to him. "How is he?"
"Kousei hasn't shown any improvement ever since he returned back here in Japan. He kept on sleeping," he answered her. "His father is already thinking that the flight could have stressed him too much and he would need to return back in a hospital."
While they are talking, Kousei opened his eyes and groaned in pain. "Do you have my pain relievers, Yurinosuke-san?"
Tsubaki Sawabe couldn't help but cry after she heard it from him. His nurse went closer to him and checked his temperature. He was absolutely shocked to know that Kousei is having a fever and his breathing was very ragged. He knew that he needs to report it to his father.
"Stay here. Hold his hand," he told her. "He might need you right now."
Tsubaki sat on Kousei's bed and she held Kousei's hands. By just holding his hands, Kousei knew who's holding them that made him cry. "Tsubaki...," he cried.
Tsubaki assured him, "I'm here. Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Kousei smiled in happiness and so, he closed his eyes again.
...
Ten minutes later, his grandfather checked the beating of his heart and his grandson's breathing. He sighed in relief as the results were normal. There was nothing for them to fear.
"He's just very tired. Also, give him his medicine for his pain," he told his son. "Two weeks from now, if he doesn't improve by then, we will go back to New York by an air ambulance."
Even so, he still took a blood sample he could look under a microscope.
...
"How is he?" Watari asked her two days after they last visited him.
They were walking back in their homes at that time after their practice in their sports clubs. The sun is also going down at that time already.
"Sick," Tsubaki told him. "His grandpa is thinking that they should return to New York if Kousei doesn't improve."
Watari held her hand and asked her, "Do you really like Kousei?"
Tsubaki looked at him in surprise. "I love him. He had been a friend of mine since we were kids. Kaori told him the truth about me in her letter to him. She would want me to stay with him."
Watari looked down. He's still sad that his best friend is suffering from a disease. More on, cancer. "Let's visit him again this Saturday?"
"Right," she told him. "Kousei might be happy that we'll be with him."
...
"Don't bother him too much, okay?" Dr. Florence warned them in the dining room. "I just checked on him. He's emotionally stable but his body's still weak. Let him sleep, okay?"
Watari Ryota and Tsubaki Sawabe thanked her soon. Both of them walked slowly at the staircase and when they finally reached the second floor, Tsubaki gently opened Kousei's door. His nurse was sitting beside him and it seems, he had also fallen asleep.
Both of them went near Kousei's bed where they found out that he does have a nasal cannula on his nose. Tsubaki hugged Watari after seeing Kousei who started to resemble the worse days of Kaori. The natural shine on his hair is gone. He's losing hair again.
"He won't leave us like Kaori, right?" cried Tsubaki. "I don't want to lose the person that's very important to me!"
Watari Ryota pitied his friend. "He would want to live. He will survive."
Kousei slowly opened his eyes when he heard their voices.
"Tsubaki?" he whimpered. "Watari?"
...
A/n: I know. Short. Even so, I hope you like it! Don't forget to vote and comment!
