Nobody was allowed in Akako's room that night. All of the children questioned as to why that was but all got the same response: Imai and Tono were working overtime.
Now this wasn't out of the normal but there were times when the children were allowed in when they were busy healing Akako. And it was even more odd for the two to be working for over 24 hours, which is what has happened.
"Ne, do you think that perhaps... Akako's condition had changed?" Anna questions, interrupting the chatter that went around the table. At the moment, all of Class B was in their classroom, many sitting at desks as they all continued their task at hand. The light-hearted talking trails off for a moment as everyone thinks about what the pink haired girl said.
"...I guess that would make sense..." Iinchō agrees, looking down at his hands that held Akako's surprise that everyone was making for her. "But why wouldn't they want to tell everyone?"
"They're definitely being top secret about it." Hotaru chimes in from her spot next to the class president, "They've even gone as far as setting up a barrier for Alices like Kokoroyomi-kun to prevent us from sneaking information." Hotaru folds a piece of paper as she analyzed the situation.
"Un! We haven't even seen Narumi-Sensei since yesterday!" Anna nods her head. Yuu looks to the ceiling as he tries to think of what could be happening. "Well, maybe Akako-Chan's improving more!" He raises a finger in the air with a hopeful smile stretched across his face.
From further down the other table, Benjiro looks up as he ponders the possibility as well. Sure, they've had scares where Akako's health deteriorated when she missed a dose or a few healing sessions, but if that happened, they would only be kept away from her. There's no way that the school would put up a barrier when they could explain the situation.
He and a few others knew one thing was for sure. Something was different. Something was amiss that they weren't allowed to know about.
Outside of the classroom stood Natsume. He had been very curious and frustrated, because of the secrecy and the fact that he hasn't seen Ruka at all. Natsume had his hand on the knob, not turning the handle as he listened to his classmates speak. He hadn't heard of anything happening and annoyance tingled over his skin as he listened through the wooden door. Without another word, the boy turns around and walks away down the hallway, looking towards the ground as he tries to think of a way to get past the barrier of the hospital.
"Natsume..!" A voice whispers from a branched out hallway. The voice surprised Natsume, his ruby eyes turning and widening at the sight of a slightly hidden Ruka. Without any hesitation, the black haired boy briskly makes his way towards his best friend, grabbing him by the shoulders.
"Ruka, where have you been?" Natsume questions. Ruka glances away from Natsume's gaze, gently placing his hand over his friends wrists. "W-well..."
"He snuck out of the hospital."
Ruka's eyes snap wide open, turning to the side where the voice came from. In the main hallway stands Hotaru, Iinchō and Koko, along with Benjiro. Koko had the same usual grin as he seemed to stare into Ruka's mind.
" Many teachers gathered in the hospital yesterday...." Koko repeats, surprising everyone there. "They're all-!"
"They're all talking about Akako." Ruka finishes, this time, looking at everyone as their attention focuses on him. They wait in silence as Ruka deeply inhales. After one beat, his blue eyes blink harshly, preparing himself.
"Yesterday... Akako- Akako woke up."
///
'I can't move...
Everything's dark and heavy... it's like there's a giant boulder on my body. But it feels... peaceful. I wanna sleep here forever..'
Something loud startled me from the peaceful darkness. I'm not sure what it was but it wasn't pleasant. Everything is silent again and I start to fall to oblivion again when something cold touches my arm.
'A...hand..?'
I couldn't move away from the cold sensation no matter how hard I tried to. Then my arm is shaken without my permission. Whatever was happening was really annoying. It was reminding me of the fact that I can't move. I'm not exactly sure why it's so hard for me to move, I've never felt anything like this before. I have had hard times moving before from the pain of my missions but was able to move if I tried hard enough, this is totally different.
'Ouch!' My hand flinches as it's pinched. With a bit of effort, I'm able to move my hand away from where I felt the pain. 'What is happening? Where am I?'
Wherever it is, I don't like not being able to move. I want to stretch and run... I want to move. Once again, I focus all my might on doing anything. Sitting up, moving my arm, but I can't seem to do any of it! a seething feeling bubbles in my chest until I feel a soft ticklish sensation on my cheek.
'What the..?!' It was almost like a feather brushed against my face. 'Get it away..' I will for it to leave me alone since I can't brush it off of me. From the darkness, I hear a faint voice mumble. it fades in and out, making it hard to tell what it's saying.
"..ko-chan... eyes.. ear me!" The words suddenly become a little clearer. No one speaks anymore. 'Were they talking to me? Eyes... I can't open my eyes. I can kind of hear...' I try opening my eyes but they don't budge. A hand gently touches my head... it feels so soothing..
"..You're in there... roublemaker..... be patient for you." A voice whispers into my ear. I can feel the heat of their breath as it blows into my ear- it tickled.
'Who was there... it didn't sound like Nee-san..' the noises continue, all swirling together and beginning to sound like gibberish again. That's when I start feeling better. A soothing feeling washes over me and the relief was astounding, comforting me while cooling the inferno that was my body. I almost wanted to sigh in content even though I couldn't.
I slowly begin to fade away, silence taking me hostage once more. And that's how I remain. I'm not sure how long I've been like this. It feels like I'm having an odd dream... one that I can't seem to escape no matter how hard I try. No matter how much I want to see Mikan-Nee... No matter how much I want to hug Natsume and hug Ruka or Hotaru... I want to see everyone again. I want us all to laugh. I want to be in class-B with my friends and go see Tsubasa-Senpai along with Misaki-Senpai. I wouldn't even mind Natsume pinching my cheek- I just want to be with everyone so bad that it hurts my heart.
'I wonder what they're doing... those two voices that I heard weren't anything like Onee-chan or Natsume. I know that I know them but I can't remember where from. Everything seems to mesh together.' It's also come to the point that I could never distinguish what's real and what's a dream. 'What if I'm stuck here forever...? Will they remember me? Are they trying to reach for me as desperately as I'm seeking for them?'
Small fingers. I feel small bony fingers lift my hand. It feels so familiar yet so distant from me, I almost don't recognize that anything is happening to my body. Somehow, I was able to find the sensation. They hold my hand midair- the smaller ones and slowly trace each of my fingers. It tickles my hand, sending shivers up my spine as I remember what touch feels like. I almost forgot it... Even the cold touch earlier was startlingly new. I don't want to forget what it feels like. What it's like to touch the surface of another's skin and feel the texture. To feel how warm hands are... I want to hold on to it for as long as I can.
I hear other voices slowly edging through the veil of darkness, tempting me towards them though it felt forbidden to try and escape the black space I was in. Though My fingers were heavy as lead, that didn't stop my utter determination to keep hold of the hands that encased my own.
"Onee-Chan..."
'That voice... I know that voice. It's Yo-chan.' I recognize the soft spoken words as they escape his lips. 'I have to make it to Yoichi. He's calling for me!' I try fighting towards him. The thing is, I don't know what I'm fighting. Myself? The heavy weight of my body? It's hard to find out what I'm going towards except for the fact that I'm fighting to return to Yoichi. To everyone else that I hold dear.
I focus on my hand that he was holding on to, trying desperately to move it in any way that I could. 'Move.' I urge my fingers, 'Wiggle, do anything to let him know that I hear him! I need to let him know that I didn't leave him.'
After a moment passes, it happens. I squeeze his fingers. A sense of victory is quick to wash over me, multiplying by tenfold when I hear my kouhai shout for me in joy. His voice breaks my heart, knowing that he believes in me but it's so hard to get back to him. I don't want him to be alone in the academy. I can't let him fall into a dark circle, especially since I don't know what's going on in the academy.
'Yoichi... Ruka, Natsume.. Mikan..' I scrunch my eyes up. 'Wait for me...'
A bright light overcomes me. All I can see is pure white taking up my whole vision, I haven't experienced this brightness in what feels like forever. It burns my eyes and I have to blink to ease the pain that stabs at my eyes. Even with my eyes closed, I suddenly swirls of colors from the trauma my eyes just endured. it hurt but... 'I got to see color...!'
I try once more, hearing Yoichi's voice shout for me once more. It gives me the strength to open them once more. That's when I start seeing blurry colors mold with one another and take on shapes. Was I actually opening my eyes? After being lost for what seemed like eternity, I'm returning.
And that's how it continued. swirling people crossed my vision, everything seeming to pass in a blurry montage as numerous voices overlapped one another. I could barely make out a few. Ruka, Yoichi, Narumi-Sensei and Tsubasa-Senpai. I think at one point, I even saw uncle. But why was this happening? Why couldn't I stay awake for more than a few minutes? I just wanted to sit up, I want to run around with everyone and for Mikan-nee to hold me...
'Where has she been..?' I ponder as I look around the hospital room as a few others stand around me. Narumi-Sensei is here and so is uncle, but Onee-Chan is nowhere in sight. Each time I wake up, different groups of people are here together, constantly talking over my body as I helplessly lay here. I want to cry in frustration, I want to kick my legs and shout for them to get me out of here and take me to see my loved ones but no matter how hard I try, it's difficult. I'm not even sure how long I've been laying here but it feels like it's been years.
I came back to be by Mikan's and Natsume's side. I came back to spend precious time with everyone and make more unforgettable memories, not just lay here as life passes by me!
"It may take her a while to regain movement. This is significant progress considering the state she arrived in. We weren't expecting to see gradual progression for another three months, so this itself is a miracle!" Mr. Big Nose doctor tells Uncle.
'If this is significant progress... wait- three months? How long have I been here? I want to get up already! My back hurts!' I huff. I gather all of my energy and try moving more. My hand forms a fist, thankfully but that's not enough to satisfy my urge to jump. A sudden rapid beeping comes from my heart monitor when I start trying harder to move, the sound causes all of the men to turn towards me.
"Akako-Chan, calm down." Narumi-Sensei coos, kneeling at my side and placing his hand on my own. I know he's trying to comfort me but it doesn't do much. 'You try not being able to move or speak, Baka-Sensei!' I want to shout at him, 'You get to move around and talk and laugh with others! I'm stuck. I can't speak or even drink anything to help quench my dry throat!' Tears fill my eyes.
Someone bursts through the door at that moment, panting in exhaustion like he dashed here as if his life depended on it. It startled me and everyone else as we look at him, the man gulping for air before speaking, "High School Principal! Shiki-San was found collapsed in his office! He's being rushed to a room right now!"
Narumi jumps to his feet at the news, quickly turning towards me and placing a hand on my cheek. His face is contorted to one of alarm but he tries to hide it from me with a sweet smile. I try to stay awake for him as he speaks but darkness begins pulling me back away from reality once more. 'I don't want to go back to sleep! No!' I try fighting towards the light but I'm still too weak to fight back. The last thing I see is the three men leaving the room, leaving me alone once again.
///
The children peek around the hallway, looking for any nurses or doctors that could be idling around. Natsume was the one scanning while everyone else stayed behind him. Those included Ruka, Hotaru, and Benjiro. The last big seemed to be the most nervous, keeping an eye behind them to make sure that no one saw them. "I can't believe I'm helping you three do this. When my cousin finds out, he's going to kill me." Benjiro mumbles.
Hotaru rolls her eyes, peeking over his shoulder as her horse hoof was still in her hand, holding it up in a silent warning. "You were the one who agreed to help. Let's not forget that." Her eyes gleam, causing Ruka and Benjiro to pale.
"B-besides, how would he know that it was you..!" Ruka tries to ease the situation, stuttering as he tried not to say anything that would get on Hotaru's bad side.
Benjiro turns to face him completely with a serious look on his face. "I'm the only one other than the higher ups that can access his office. I go in there to sleep."
Ruka as well as Hotaru both frown at him but their attention is immediately diverted when Natsume waves for them to follow him again. As they run through the halls, Benjiro turns towards Hotaru, "What was it that I put in the tea anyways?"
"Just a sleeping aid that I made. Just a little pinch or sprinkle does the trick for anyone of any size." Hotaru informed them.
At her words, Benjiro's face dropped and he stumbled over his feet for a second. "...a pinch..?" He questions in horror.
All eyes turn towards Benjiro, the terror on his face mirroring to their own. "Yes... a pinch." Hotaru nods in confirmation as the realization of the boys mistake dawns on them.
"Please don't tell me you.." Ruka trails off. Benjiro snaps his head towards his classmate, "Of course I poured the whole thing in! Nothing in the plan mentioned how much to put in the drink!" He exclaims. They continue on down the hallway in silence as Benjiro raises his hands to his head, knowing that he would most likely be killed when his cousin awoke.
"Well... at least he'll have a nice nap." Hotaru shrugs, knowing nothing bad would happen since she created the aid herself.
They arrive at Akako's room, all sneaking in. Benjiro stays at the door, keeping watch through a small crack that they left open as the trio all walk towards the bed. As soon as Natsume had seen Akako's sleeping figure, his heart faltered and he realized that it may have been a fluke, what Ruka told them.
But there was no possible way. Ruka had seen it with his own eyes and the barrier that was set up- it had to be true. So, he briskly walks to Akako's bedside and takes her hand in his own. "...Akako.." he calls out, slightly squeezing her hand. He gets no response. After another moment, while keeping her left hand in his own, he gently moves his right hand towards her shoulder and begins to rock her slightly. "Akako?" He says, now more sure of himself as he knows that the girl must be able to open her eyes.
Even just a glimpse of her familiar blue eyes would be enough to satisfy this overwhelming greed in him that sought to see or hear anything from the girl. Once more, Akako doesn't respond to him. Natsume's face softens and he turns back to look at Ruka who looked just as crestfallen.
"Natsume... I'm sorry. She was awake just yesterday. Maybe her body is still worn out from all of the changes?" Ruka offers, looking over his own shoulder when he notices Hotaru come up behind him. "That could be it, right?"
Hotaru nods in agreement, "There's been drastic changes to her body very quickly. While it's good that we're healing her fast and she's at this state now, it doesn't ignore the fact that the quick healing could be a bit of a burden on her body."
Natsume nods in agreement but then his heart skips a beat. Nothing felt out of the ordinary but for some reason, his heart began to hammer in his chest. No one entered the room, so they weren't caught- that wouldn't get him to react like this. His heart started to slow down as doubt clouded his mind but then it all happened all over again and he turned.
His hand is squeezed.
There was no way. There was absolutely no way that the boy was feeling this after months of nothing. Months of not seeing her look at him, and there she was. In all her glory, Akako laid on the bed with her blonde hair scattered around her like usual but this time, unlike all of the other days he spent here staring at her resting face, she was staring at him.
A beautiful and faint smile spread across her lips, as best they could while she stares at Natsume. A few tears welled up in his eyes at the sight of her shimmering blue ones that lit up in joy as she soaked up his image.
"Na....ts..u.." her cracked, whispy voice croaked as she forced his name from her mouth.
It was at this moment in his life, that Natsume lost control of himself. A tear fell down his face as he brought up her hand to his cheek. Nothing had ever made Natsume as happy as he was to just have Akako looking at him and calling for him. And he would make sure they were never apart again.
Sorry for the super long wait!!! Life has been so crazy but YOROSHI_G i soured me too continue this chapter! I didn't get to publish it the day that I promised because I fell asleep while writing it and everything went hectic but thank you for being my support in the discord!
So everyone thank them for inspiring me to keep going and AAAAAA this chapter made me so happy! I'll see you all next time!