A Fucking Hurricane

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(ZANE AKAGE)

"Stage four liver cancer?" I repeated what the doctor said like it will miraculously not be the case. "He has a stage four liver cancer? What?" I looked at my father who lay on the reclined hospital bed.

My father is confined to a VIP room in one of the largest private hospital here in Tokyo. I just landed an hour ago on the airport where a car was already waiting for me to take me here. Rumi welcomed and ushered me to my father's room where we meet the doctors looking after my father's health.

And just a moment ago, they told me that my father, Akihiko Akage...has stage four liver cancer.

"It was still on late stage 3 when it showed itself on Chairma Akage's last MIR." Dr.Yama said. He is the leading physician on my father's case.

"Stage 3. Isn't that curable at that stage?" I asked, still reeling from the news that my father has cancer. A deadly one at that.

"We held an emergency meeting with specialists and oncologists to study Chairman Akage's case, COO. But we all agreed that with his age and the vulnerability of where the tumor is...surgery will be too risky for him. Chemotherapy will not help as well."

"So what? We will just wait for my father to die?!" I cannot help my tone from getting louder. I looked at my father. "What is going on? When did you know about this? Why didn't you inform me?"

Instead of answering me, my father nodded to his doctors. "Let me have some private moments with my son." He said. The doctors respectfully bowed to us and piled out of the room. Even Rumi left. Leaving me and my father alone on the spacious and luxurious hospital room.

"Jiro...I am dying..."

I laughed at his opening remark. Then my amusement melted quickly. "When did you learn about it?" I asked in a tight tone.

"Three months ago."

"Three months ago." I nodded bitterly at that. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because there is no hope for me," my father said those words while looking directly at me. "There is nothing any doctors could do..."

"You don't know that..."

"I've tried! You insolent boy!" Otosan finally stirred from his relaxed reclining pose. "I went to several doctors. Got a second, third and even fourth opinion. There is nothing to be done! Surgery is almost doomed to fail because there is a high guarantee that the tumor that formed on my liver could rapture and poison my whole body and will instantly kill me. I don't know about you Jiro...but I would prefer not to die on top of a cold surgery table, thank you very much."

I covered my face with both of my palms. I think I am feeling both hot and numbing cold. Its all mixing on my body and head.

I heard my father sighing. "Everyone also advised me that going under an aggressive chemotherapy will only shorten my already short life. It will suck the life out of me as my body will slowly rot and shrink until I will be nothing but bones and skin. I don't want that. Call me vain or a coward but I am scared to die like that."

Silence reign after that confession from him. I swallowed hard around the lump that formed on my throat.

"So what? Are you really telling me that we are here waiting for you to die?" I chuckled hollowly after saying that. "You called me to watch you die...is that it?"

"I called you because you are my only child," my father sneered. "But sure, if you don't want to be here, go. Go!" He turned his angry face away from me as he laid his head down on the pillow again.

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