My Lie in October

Chapter 21

Good news! I finished the entire story on my phone, so I just have to transcribe the rest of it. There are 25 chapters total with an epilogue, and no one dies in the end. But it gets close, as you'll see in this chapter >:D

Later that week, Sakura and Kousei ran into each other several times in the hallways and during classes, but things were still a little awkward despite their reassuring text conversations.

Sometimes Kousei would ask, "So when are we practicing next? I think I'm ready to work on those piano duets."

Sakura always responded simply, "I don't know. My schedule got turned upside down this week, so I'll let you know." She always seemed a little sad when she said that, but Kousei assumed it was because of that awkwardness of her figuring out her feelings.

It went like that for several days. One night, Kousei texted Sakura trying to get a firm response, but she never replied. However, Kousei didn't bring it up to anyone because he was determined to figure this small problem out all on his own.

A weekend went by with no response. On Monday, Kousei pulled her aside after choir class and firmly asked Sakura about practicing next.

She seemed really surprised by his firmness but replied, "I should find out tomorrow. I'll let you know then, I promise."

Kousei still wasn't satisfied. "You really have to promise, ok? Even if you are ready for the competition, I don't feel ready. Please, I need the practice time."

Sakura looked at him straight in the eye and nodded. "Everything will be just fine tomorrow. You have my word." She then proceeded to give him a nice long hug, which Kousei eventually returned.

When they pulled apart, Sakura had tears forming in her eyes, which Kousei pretended not to notice. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, wiping her face with the back of her hands. She suddenly put a smile on her face to prove she was okay, started walking towards her next class, and waved, "Bye! Love you!"

Kousei smiled and waved back instinctively, "Bye! Lov, wait, what?" But Sakura was almost at the end of the hallway already.

He decided not to bug her about it until she brought it up.

The next day, she was marked absent in her biology class that they had together. That's really weird. She's never absent. Could she be sick? I've never known her to get sick before. Guess I'm not gonna find out about practice today or anything. He sighed and tried to pay attention to the lecture.

No calls came that evening or during the night. Not even a text message popped up on his phone.

The next day, Kousei didn't see her in the hallway at all. He assumed she was back in school, even though he had no proof because they weren't in any of the same classes that day. But still no text or anything came in. Sakura wasn't the kind of person to ditch class or run away from home, though.

Kousei was in the middle of a practice period when someone knocked on the door. "Come in!" shouted Kousei as he stopped playing. The door slid open and in walked the office secretary looking a little more melancholy than usual.

He pushed his glasses up higher on his nose. "Can I help you?" he asked.

The secretary walked a little closer to Kousei until she was in the middle of the room. After a brief pause, she said, "You were close to Sakura, weren't you?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah, I am. Wait, what do you mean by 'were?'"

Sighing, the secretary continued: "I'm here to let you know that Sakura is..."

"Wait, she's dead??"

"Well, no. She's in a coma right now. Medically-induced. She tried to commit suicide yesterday."