Ashika and Hayakawa didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. I stayed silent and didn't say much in front of Ashika. But during class, I chatted with my classmates freely. How was she supposed to find out anyway? And who cared if she did?
At the end of the day, I was exhausted. I played a lazy game of chess, before putting my head down on the desk and trying to take a nap. At least club activities all ended at the same time. I rode the car back with Mitsukuni.
I wanted to take a nap the moment I was back, but Azumi told me that Mom wanted to see me. So, I slouched my way over to her office.
"You wanted to see me?" I asked, closing the door behind me.
"Yes," she replied. She was typing away on her computer. "Hang on. Okay." She looked up at me. "How was it?"
"How was what?" I said.
She frowned slightly. "You know what I'm talking about, Rika. How did your day go? What did Ashika ask of you?"
I sighed, and then said, "She had me carry her books, and I was supposed to only 'speak unless spoken to.' And she told me I couldn't talk to anyone unless I had her permission, but I didn't follow that. I talked to my classmates when she wasn't around. It was alright."
This time, Mom sighed. "I knew I should have told you this."
"What?" I took a step forward.
"I know I want you to please the Ashikas, but we are a high-class family, Rika." Mom looked me straight in the eye. "Which means, you don't have to bend to her every will. You should help her in any way you can, but there are limits. You don't have to piggy-back ride her down the halls."
"I wasn't doing that though," I replied, more defensively than I'd intended.
"I know. But her telling you that you can't talk to anyone else is ridiculous. Our two families are on the same status. There is no reason why you should follow something like that. Carrying her books is fine, because in her injured state it may be more difficult for her to do so herself. But you speaking to others will not slow her healing."
Thank you! Mom is on my side about this! Sort of.
I nodded. "I tried telling her that, but she wouldn't listen. She kept saying that if I didn't do everything she told me to do, she'd tell her parents. Then her parents would come and sue us."
"That's fine. They can't get away with such absurd requests. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you, Rika?" Mom asked. "Set some limits and boundaries. You must be flexible towards her, but there is a line. One, you won't do any of her homework for her. Two, your social life should not impede you from helping her, but it is also something that she has no control over. And three, don't exhaust yourself. Understood?"
"Yes." I smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I'll go do my homework now."
"Yes."
Even though Mom told me that, I still wasn't sure whether I should boldly talk in front of Ashika. I guess I just didn't have the guts to. So, I remained quiet when I was around her.
Hayakawa tried approaching us during lunch. Yes, I even had to eat lunch with her. What a pain in the ass. I might as well feed her her food.
"Suzume, can we talk?" she asked.
Ashika frowned, staring down at her meal. "No. Go away."
"I want to talk, though," Hayakawa said.
"No. Go away."
"Suzume. Come on! Don't you want to be friends again?"
"No. Go away."
"But I want to try and fix this, Suzume," Hayakawa persisted. "Don't you? Are you really going to say that you don't ever want to be friends again?"
"Go away." She was gritting her teeth now, glaring at the table. Her fists clenched and unclenched.
"Why don't you go talk to her?" I asked quietly.
Her glare latched onto me. "What did you say? Minion."
"Go talk to her," I replied with a blank face. "It's not like you have any other friends." It was true. The two of us were sitting all by ourselves at a table near the back of the cafeteria.
"How dare you!" Ashika yelled. She stood up, looking like her head could explode any moment from sheer anger. That'd be nice to see. Really, it'd be the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in years. Maybe in all my life. Kinda like seeing a triple rainbow all the way!
"Please, Suzume," Hayakawa pleaded.
"Really, I feel quite bad for Hayakawa-san," I continued, settling back in my seat. "Always putting up with your crap. I wouldn't be able to stand it. And now she's giving you a chance to apologize and make-up and hug and all that fluffy shit."
Her eyes were bugging now. "You-You."
Hehe. I wonder if her head is going to explode.
"Fuck you!" she screamed. Then she turned to Hayakawa. "And you too! You're both-both complete
assholes!"
Then she stormed out, once again attracting the curious and slightly frightened and disgusted stares of students.
Hayakawa sighed, sitting down in the seat Ashika had just occupied. "Sorry," I said. "I think I made it worse."
"It's fine. Thanks for, well... Suzume really isn't that bad," she said. "I've known her since middle school. She used to live in Osaka, and when she transferred she had the strangest accent. Everyone laughed at her whenever she spoke, and, uh, it was practically like bullying. And I made friends with her but it was only because of her family and name. But, as I got to know her, she really isn't as bad as she makes herself out to be."
"It's hard to believe it," I replied truthfully. "She seems like a complete-"
"I know." Hayakawa sighed. "But if she really values you, she can be very kind. She has never forgotten my birthday, and she has certainly always given me a gift. She sends me emails on every holiday. I once told her about my favorite band, and she immediately looked it up. She sticks up for me. She's-She's a good friend."
I raised my eyebrows. It wasn't like I thought Hayakawa was lying — there wasn't much reason for her to — but it was hard to picture the Ashika she was describing.
Hayakawa smiled. "Still don't believe me huh? Well, she wasn't very interested in boys at first, because they laughed at her accent the most. So her first crush ended up being Honey. And it changed her. She was suddenly, um, like obsessed. Boy obsessed, you could call it. I guess she just really liked him. I liked Honey too, and so there was some friction between us for a while. Then we both agreed that it wouldn't matter who got him in the end. That we should still be friends." She chuckled, even though a sad, wistful look had appeared on her face. "In the end, you were the one who won, huh?"
She looked up at me. "Suzume's always been a sore loser. She's not taking her loss well, that's all. When I decided to give up on Honey, I guess that's when I 'changed,' if what Suzume said was right. I didn't want to talk about him anymore, and I wanted her to give up before she got in too deep. She's probably already in too deep, huh? She's already invested too much of her heart in."
We fell into an uncomfortable silence. Hayakawa tapped her fingers on the table, thinking. I was still trying to wrap my mind around what she'd told me. It was truly, very hard to imagine the Ashika Hayakawa had described. Then she sighed and pushed herself up. "I should go. See you."
"Hayakawa-san," I said, rushing to my feet too. "Do you think I should go find her?"
"No," she replied with a slow shake of her head. "I'll deal with it." "But-"
"It's fine." She smiled at me tiredly. "I owe Suzume." Then she left, leaving me behind with a very confusing line.
How? Why? What? Huh?
I'm so confused! Ahhh! Oh, whatever. Who cares.
3rd POV:
Ashika Suzume stormed down the hallway, shooting glares at anyone who looked at her. They were all pests. Annoying, shallow idiots. Screw them all!
"Ah, Suzu-chan, hello!"
She froze. She could recognize that voice anywhere. She turned around to face the grinning third year. Suzume forced a smile. "Hi, Honey!"
"Where's Ri-chan?" Honey asked, beaming innocently.
"She-" Suzume paused. Perfect timing. She pulled out her phone. "Actually, Honey, there's something I want to show you." She opened the recording. "You know, I understand your feelings, so I asked Hayashi-san what she thought of you. And this is what she said." She pressed play.
"I don't like Honey."
What? What is this? Why does it sound like a... a robot? Suzume frowned.
Honey's eyes widened. "What?! But-But we're friends! Why would she not like me?"
Oh, of course. He must be the dense type. So she smiled. "I asked her if she liked you as a... like, crush. You know, dating material, boyfriend material kind of thing."
He tilted his head. "Boy...friend?"
Suzume nodded. "Yeah. And she said that she didn't like you, as in she doesn't have a crush on you." "Ohh." Honey nodded in understanding. Then he smiled. "Okay then!"
She stared at him blankly. What the hell? "Um, but Honey." She paused to glance around before leaning forward to whisper, "I thought you liked her."
"I do like Ri-chan!" Honey replied loudly with a grin. "Oh, but I like Takashi and Tama-chan and Haru-chan and Kyo-chan and Kao-chan and Hika-"
"Okay! Okay!" Suzume interrupted frustratedly. "I don't mean it like that!"
"I don't get it, Suzu-chan!" he said with a pout. "Can we talk about something else?"
"No!"
"Suzume!" Hayakawa Ayako came running down the hall. "There you are!"
"Ah, Aya-chan! Hello!" Honey beamed brightly.
"Hi," she replied breathlessly as she struggled to catch her breath. "I-I really need to talk to you, Su- Suzume. Now. Please. Please."
"But I don't want to!" Suzume yelled.
"I understand," Ayako continued in the same winded manner. "That-That I have changed. I have, but so have
you."
"Why can't you just leave me-"
"Listen to me!" Aya shouted, grabbing the other girl by the shoulders. "Just listen to me, damn it Suzume!"
Suzume blinked in surprise. "Uh, Aya, did you just-"
"Damn it!" Aya yelled. Her eyes widened. "Oh crap! I said it again! Oh who gives a damn!" She turned her head up to scream at the ceiling, "Daaaaamn!"
"A-Aya," Suzume said.
"Look, we can still be friends! I'm sorry what I said to you yesterday. I just got mad. And you were mad. And, look, so what if I changed? We can still be friends! And I didn't change that much!"
"You did," she replied quietly. "You don't care about Honey anymore. You don't want to talk about him anymore. And suddenly, you're on Hayashi's side. Didn't you use to hate her as much as I did? Why'd that change? Why are you suddenly so-so calm about these kinds of things now? Why can't we — why can't we have fun talking about these kinds of things anymore?"
"We can talk about other things, Suzume! It doesn't have to be boys and other people or... or whatever! Like music! And we can still talk about the Host Club! It's just that- Ugh, I don't know how to give these cheesy speeches!" She shook Suzume roughly while looking away, embarrassed.
"Well neither do I!" Suzume yelled back.
Aya stopped. "Wait, does that mean you want to be friends again?"
"Of course I do!" she replied, eyes squeezed tightly shut. "Of course I do, Aya! But I don't know what to say! I was scared! Don't you know this is my first time fighting with a friend?"
Aya sighed, smiling warmly. "It's my first too." Then she stepped forward and embraced Suzume in a hug. "So, um, sorry."
"Me too. I'm sorry."
"What are you two apologizing for?" Honey asked curiously, suddenly reminding the two of them of his presence.
"Ah shit!" Suzume shrieked, panicked, as she stepped out of the hug. "He heard everything! Crap, Aya, crap! He heard everything!"
Aya chuckled, and said, "I know. Does it matter though? You promised you'd give up on him anyway." "Fine." She scowled. Then she said, "What were we apologizing for?"
"Um, yelling at each other?" Aya replied with a shrug.
"Okay," Suzume said.
"Then, you'll also go easy on Hayashi-san?"
"Give me one good reason," she said, looking away with a pout.
Aya's eyes softened. "She's human too, Suzume. You don't know what she has gone through, just like how she doesn't know what you have gone through."
Suzume stared at Aya defiantly. "Or what you have gone through."
Suzume stared at Aya defiantly. "Or what you have gone through."
"As if that could compare." Aya rolled her eyes.
"Yeah right! Didn't you say it was total shit?" Suzume asked, as the two began walking to their next class.
"You know I didn't say that," Aya replied.
"Right, cause goody-two-shoes doesn't swear. Except hell."
"Hey! I try my best not to swear. It's only because of you that I say any kind of swear words." "Yeah, I know." Suzume giggled. "I'm a bad influence."
"No kidding. Oh yeah, you left your books back at the cafeteria."
"Yeah, I know. Who gives a damn. I'll get them later... Wait! How dare you change the subject!"
Honey watched with an amused stare as they disappeared around the corner. He didn't quite understand what had happened, but it seemed like good news to him that the two were friends again. Plus that means Rika won't be as troubled!
Rika's POV:
I don't know what happened, but after that lunch, Suzume didn't approach me again. I thought she'd come storming back and demand I continue to listen to her, but I didn't see a speck of her. It was nice.
I'd left her books on the cafeteria desk. No one would steal them anyway. She'd eventually find out where they were and get them anyway. Whatever. Hopefully, she won't go back to being a crazy bitch tomorrow.
"Hey, Rika, have you seen this?" Ryota had emailed me a link to an article. "It's about some students at Ouran. One girl beat up the other girl. Do you know about this?"
"Unfortunately, that is me."
"So... you punched a girl? Or you got punched?"
"Of course I was the one doing the punching! I beat up the girl who destroyed my bow." "Ahh..."
"Should I tell Akane?"
"No no no no! You better not!" "Are you sure?"
"Positive! Promise me you won't!" "Okay. I promise."
"You better not give a thing away!" "Okay, okay. I get it. I won't." "Good."
"So you're alright?"
"Who do you think I am, Ryota? -_-" "Hey, I'm just worried."
"Yeah. Thanks for worrying. :) I'm fine." "Oh right, November's starting soon." "Yeah! :D How's school?"
"Same. Boring."
"Do any middle schoolers give you guys weird looks when you walk on campus?"
"Nah, they're used to us by now. The first years always stare at us, though. The others usually wave and say hi."
"Haha staying connected with middle schoolers." "Hey! Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"
"No. Oh yeah, so I heard Yuuta's playing basketball?" "Where'd you hear that? Akane tell you?"
"Maybe :)"
"You emailed Yuuta didn't you?"
"You emailed Yuuta didn't you?"
"Tee hee! ^-^ Maybe."
"You totally did. Whatever. Yeah, he is. And it's stupid! He should just study! And don't you know how dangerous basketball is? They push and shove and people twist their ankles all the time! Or like knee injuries! Don't you know he could hurt himself?"
"Lol of course. He's already a second year in middle school Ryota. You can't keep treating him like a little kid."
"But he's my little brother!"
"You still see him as a little kid right?"
"How can I not? Nobody else but me takes care of him."
"Your mom's still not?"
"Of course not! That lazy hag only cooks us dinner a few times a week. She doesn't ask us anything. I doubt she even knows that Yuuta's playing basketball."
"Of course she does! I'm sure your mom cares more than she acts."
"Yeah as if you would know. She might have stopped smoking but she's still drinking a ton everyday."
Crap. I think I messed up.
"Sorry. :(," I stared at my message, hovering my finger above the send button. Then I continued to type, "I'm unsensit-"
I stopped and quickly deleted it. "I really wouldn't kno-" I sighed, then I began tapping the delete button. Talking about this with Ryota had always made me a bit anxious. I never knew what to say. Was I being sympathetic? Or did it seem like I was pitying him? As I got to know him and his family better, it seemed like it was easier. But I guess it still hadn't changed. It'd always be hard.
So I ended up just sending a single-word message. "It's fine, Rika. :) I'm used to it."
Damn it, Ryota. I really want to give you a hug right now. Why is it that, even though it's only been a few months, I really miss you?
"Rika, what is Ryota hiding from me?" "What do you mean?"
"Whenever I'm around him, he gives me that nervous stare of his. He wiggles around in his seat. He dances on his feet. It's annoying. Tell me what he's hiding from me."
Oh snap. Akane is sharp. Actually, more like, Ryota sucks at not telling people certain things. "Why would I know?"
"Why would you not know? And if you don't, wouldn't you like to know?" "Yes."
"Then can you find out for me?"
"No."
"Rikaaa! DX"
"Akane! DX Noooo. Ask him yourself."
"Fine. :( Meanie."
"Nooo. I'm not a meanie. ;_; Please. I just think you should find out yourself."
"Aw, your crying emoji! ^^ Don't cry, Rika."
"I'm not."
"By the way, there was this article I saw about some students from Ouran. I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, though."
"Oh that, lol you don't need to read it."
"What is it?"
"It's just about some students getting some boring awards thing." "Oh. What awards?"
"I don't know."
"I'll still read it anyway."
"I think you'll find it boring though."
"But you know I like reading things."
Crap. I'm really failing today.
"Well I guess if you really want to read it."
"So Rika... This article is not about some awards."
"No? Maybe we're talking about different articles."
"No. It's about two girls and how one beat the other up. Do you know anything about this?"
"RYOTAAAAA!"
"What is it?"
"Should I tell Akane?!"
"Figure that out yourself."
"NOO! Please help mee!"
"I don't know. It's not like Akane's going to beat you up if she found out."
"Actually, it'd be a lot more likely that she beat that other girl up to get some revenge for her bow. Although you already did that right?"
"Ryota! Not funny! That's exactly what I'm scared of!" "Chill. She won't. If you politely ask her."
"Really now... Ughhhh!"
"You may as well tell her."
"Right cause someone's not good at keeping secrets. -_-"
"Wow! If you wanted Akane to not know, then you shouldn't have told me in the first place!" "Well I thought you'd want to know."
"Sorry. My bad. I guess I'll tell her after all. Sigh (*-Д-)=3・・"
"Okay, good."
"So Akane. Actually I do know about that article."
"Ah. You have some secrets you're sharing with Ryota? Are you going to tell me?" "Yeah so... I'm the one who beat up the girl."
And now I just wait for her response. Oh dear. Fun.
"I see."
Okay, now I wait just a bit more for her second response. Even more fun!
"Why?"
"Cause I was mad at her."
"Why?"
"Cause she did something that I didn't like."
"What did she do?"
"Akane seriously please."
"What? Why won't you tell me?"
"Fine. I found out that she was the one that cut up my bow. So I got pissed. And beat her up. Not really beat her up. More like a punch and a kick."
"A hard punch and a hard kick?" "Most definitely."
"Okay. Good then."
"That's it?"
"That's it?"
"What?"
"Ryota, what's Akane doing right now?"
"She's staring with a frown at her phone. Did you tell her?"
"Yeah. She doesn't seem mad?"
"I don't know."
"Akane, you aren't mad right?"
"No. Why would I? And why didn't you tell me this before hand? Didn't you tell me that you lost it at a waterpark? I thought it fell in some machine that cut it up."
"No well... I mean it is your bow. I didn't tell you because I was scared you might get mad." "Haven't I already told you that that bow really isn't that important?"
"Yes."
"Exactly, that's why I'm not mad."
"Oh thank goodness."
"You're alright right? She didn't punch you back?" "Of course not. She didn't stand a chance." "That's my Rika. ^-^"
Thank goodness she wasn't mad.
The next day at school, I waited at the entrance for Ashika. I wondered if she was going to chew me out. Instead, she came towards me without a hat. Her hair was in a pretty French braid, and there was a smile on her face.
"What are you doing here, Hayashi-san?" she asked me politely. She wasn't exactly smiling at me per say, but she was certainly in a good mood.
"Aren't I still..." I hesitated on the wording. "Don't you want me to carry your books?"
Her smile faded. "Considering you ditched them at the cafeteria yesterday?"
Oh great. She is mad at me.
"It's fine," she said, brushing past me. "I don't usually bring that many books to school anyway. You can stop talking to me now."
"Wait, what?" I followed after her. What in the world happened? Was I suddenly in an alternate universe where Ashika Suzume isn't an idiotic bitch?
She glanced back at me. "I said, you can stop talking to me. I don't need you anymore. Oh wait." She looked a bit higher above me. "Where'd you get that rose hairpin? Is it like some special Host Club product?"
"Huh?" I asked as my hand touched the hairclip Mitsukuni had given me. "Ashika-san, I'm really confused right now!"
She sighed. "Fine. Look, I don't need you anymore. I'll tell my parents to let you off the hook. Okay?"
"Really? But-But why?" My eyebrows furrowed together in suspicion, doubt, and — guess what — confusion.
"Do you want to carry my textbooks everywhere?" she scathed. "Aya talked me out of it, okay? She told me that I should go easy on you. Well, if I'm going to go easy on you, then what's the point of having you around anyway? Besides, it's not like Honey will ever look at me the way he looks at you!"
Wow. I think I am in an alternate universe.
"Excuse me," I said, walking back towards the front doors. "I'm going to find the portal I fell into."
"Hang on!" She grabbed my arm and jerked me back. "I am not crazy! And neither are you! I've changed my mind, okay? Is it so hard to believe?"
I stared into her bright amber eyes. They seemed quite sincere, almost sad. "Okay. I believe you."
"Thank you," she said with a tired sigh. "Seriously, why was it that hard to persuade you? Geez. Anyway, where did you get that hairpin?"
"It's a hairclip and it was a gift," I replied.
"From who?" she asked curiously.
Wow! I can't believe it! I'm having a normal conversation with her! She was still staring at me. Oh right,
Wow! I can't believe it! I'm having a normal conversation with her! She was still staring at me. Oh right,
answer her question. From Mitsukuni... my boyfriend. I smiled at the thought.
"What?" she said, frowning.
"My boyfriend," I said with a bright grin.
Her mouth dropped open. "You-You have a boyfriend? Oh my God, why didn't I know about this? Who is it?" I smirked. "It's a secret. Please don't tell anyone else."
"Okay." She nodded.
"Wait, why'd you think it was a Host Club product?" I asked as the two of us headed towards our classes.
"Well it's a pink rose," she said.
"Uh..." I gave her a perplexed expression.
"Well, every host has its own colored rose, right?" When I nodded, she continued. "And Honey's rose is pink, so I thought you'd bought a Honey Rose Hairclip or some product like that."
Honey Rose Hairclip....
Holy frick! I have Mitsukuni's rose in my hair? Is that cool or strange?! I think it's cool. Yeah, definitely cool. Okay.
"You never thought of it that way?" she asked, looking just as surprised as I felt. "Huh. Maybe you should suggest the idea. I'd buy one."
"You can buy a rose hairclip, like, anywhere," I replied.
"It's a bit different." She shrugged. "Besides, your hairclip looks a bit... cheap."
"Gee thanks." The sarcastic comment slipped out without a thought.
She glanced at me and smirked. "Someone's sassier than they look. Bye." Then she disappeared into her classmate.
Okay, either I just revealed everything to the enemy, or I just made a possible friend. Or maybe I am in an alternate dimension... I better find that portal fast!
I didn't find the portal. But Ashika did keep her word. My mom was told that all was forgiven and forgotten by Ashika's parents.
"I don't know what you did," Mom said. "But the Ashikas have decided to drop the entire matter." My eyes lit up in hope. "Does that mean that you'll drop your own-"
Her sharp stare shut up me up quickly. "Well, have you learned your lesson?"
I nodded eagerly. "Yes."
"Really? What have you learned?"
"Don't beat someone up in public," I replied honestly.
"Why are those last two words there?" she asked.
Ahaha. So much for getting her to drop her little "grounding." I smiled charmingly. "Well, I got the Ashikas to forgive me, isn't that good enough?"
She frowned. "Fine, I'll drop my own rules if Minoru-kun reports a good date."
Are you kidding me?! Nooo! Why does it have to be dependent on that guy? I made my puppy-eye face. "Mom, please. Funaki-san had a nice time the last time. Why does it have to depend on this time?"
"Please don't make that face," she said, turning away. "B-"
The office door suddenly banged open. Azumi stood there, looking rather distressed. "Sayoko-sama! Noboru- sama has returned! But he's seriously ill!"
"What?" Mom slammed her hands on her desk and was out the room in a flash. "Where is he right now?"
Dad's sick? Oh, just great. I followed them down the stairs to where my dad was walking slowly towards us. He was leaning against his personal butler for support.
"What's wrong?" Mom pressed her palm against Dad's forehead. "Goodness gracious. What are you doing here? Why didn't you go straight to the hospital?"
Dad dropped his head on Mom's shoulder. "You know how much..." His voice had turned raspy. "I hate... hospitals..."
Mom frowned. "Get him to the car now!" she yelled at the butler. "We're leaving for the hospital this instance." Azumi handed her her coat.
"Mom! I'm coming too!" I yanked my own coat out of the closest.
"No, Rika-sama." Azumi put her arm in front of me. Mom was already heading out the door.
"Yes, I am," I said fiercely, shoving her away.
"No you're not," Mom snapped without a glance back at me. "You're staying home." I ignored her as I followed her out the house and into the car.
"Get out of the car, Rika," she said. We glared at each other from our seats.
"No," I replied. "You should really get the car moving or else Dad's condition might worsen." "Goodness gracious you're a handful!" Her eyes flashed in frustration.
"Mom please," I pleaded.
"Get the car moving!" she barked. "And fast!"
"It's the flu. There shouldn't be much to worry about, Hayashi-san, seeing as your husband is a healthy man. However, we'd like to keep him overnight to monitor him and make sure complications don't occur."
"Alright." Mom nodded, as relief seemed to relax her entire body. "Thank you."
The doctor nodded. "If you need anything, just call a nurse."
"So, there's nothing to worry about right?" I asked.
"Yes," Mom replied, leaning over Dad. "Noboru? You'll be staying overnight at the hospital, okay?"
Dad had fallen asleep on the car ride over, and it had taken the three Garlic Squad members who'd came with us to carry him inside the hospital. But, now, he began to stir. He could probably just feel that he was in the hospital.
"No." He grabbed Mom's hand. "Not... the... hospital. Can't you - Sayoko - stay. Or no. I don't want to." Wow, Dad's so childish when he's sick. Haha.
"The doctor wants you to stay, Noboru," Mom said quietly. "You have a very bad fever. It's dangerous. You might catch something else. So you have to stay here."
"No. Take me back." He was starting to become more lucid. He tried to push himself up and blinked quickly in an attempt to wake himself up. "You know I can't rest well here. Sayoko, take me back." He blinked a bit more before spotting me. "Oh, Rika is here too?"
Achoo!
Dad sneezed. Then he started coughing. Mom patted his back. "Take it easy, Noboru. Rest for now. I'll talk to the doctor about taking you home. Rika." She glanced at me. "Stay here with your dad, okay?"
I nodded as Dad lied back down.
"Rest," Mom ordered as she made her way out the room. Dad closed his eyes rather reluctantly. Once Mom was gone, he opened them and sat straight up. He smiled at me.
"Hi, Rika! Not the best way to greet you, huh?" "You should rest Dad," I said, coming closer to him.
"Ah, you should stay away Rika," Dad said. "Don't want you to get sick. Oh yeah, I heard from your Mom that you beat another girl up." He chuckled. "It was a punch and kick too. That's my girl. Don't just settle for simple slaps. You got to knock them out!" He swung his fist in the air.
"Dad, you're obviously tired," I said with a smile. "So you should sleep. I'll be here."
"No no no." He shook his head stubbornly. "If I fall asleep, I'll wake up in this damn hospital." "Mom will take you back home," I replied.
"No no. Sayoko believes in the power of hospitals and medicine. You see, Rika, you can't trust these hospitals because all they do is want money." Dad had his eyes closed but still sat straight, swaying slightly in fatigue. He coughed some more.
"Dad," I said.
"What? You want me to change the topic? Fine. How have you been? Tell me something. Wait, don't tell me something. Cause then I'll fall asleep. How about I tell you something? I was already on the plane to come back home, but, ah." Cough. Cough. Cough. "I don't know. I think it may be because other countries have other flues going around. Before I came back, I was going through these poorer neighborhoods. I donated, um, it's-it's 5 million yen, I believe-" Cough, cough. "-to some charities and organizations and stuff. Do you
um, it's-it's 5 million yen, I believe-" Cough, cough. "-to some charities and organizations and stuff. Do you
know what I donated to? There was like 2 million to this one charity for kids and stuff. And-"
"Noboru, what do you think you are doing?" Mom stomped in with the doctor in tow. "I've spoken to the doctor. You'll be discharged."
A nurse pushed a wheelchair over, and Dad frowned at the sight. "No. Sayoko I am not going on a wheelchair-" His protests were ignored as he was dragged onto the wheelchair.
Mom crouched in front of him. "Go to sleep, Noboru. You'll wake up in bed at home. Okay? I promise." Dad yawned. "No. I-"
"Shut it," Mom said impatiently. "Let's go Rika."