𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐊𝐄 • Chishiya Shuntarō

XXV: ACCIDENT

Daisuke soon left Hana again. He'd told her to call if she needed anything, but she didn't. There was one thing, one person that she needed, but she didn't think anyone could give them to her.

She cried, letting the tears fall into her fresh scar on her lip. "Fuck," she said. That stung. She realised that crying wasn't worth the pain. She wiped her tears away, trying not to think about Chishiya, and the idea of him forgetting her.

She got up to go to the bathroom, deciding to do her makeup for this first time since the explosion. She wanted to make herself feel at least a little better. She'd been given normal clothes now, too, so putting on makeup was the last part in making her feel like herself again.

She walked into the bathroom, to see Kuina already stood in the mirror applying lipstick. "I like your jacket," she said. Her voice caught Hana off guard. She had flashbacks to the last time she'd seen Kuina, getting stabbed repeatedly in the stomach. Her shoulder and hand hurt thinking about it. They'd been attacked with the same blade.

"Thanks," Hana said, "I like your hair."

"Thanks. I'm Kuina."

"Hana."

"Nice to meet you, Hana."

"Nice to meet you, too, Kuina."

Kuina and Hana stayed in the bathroom a while longer, talking. It was nice to just talk, without the fear of a game. They learnt that they actually had a lot in common, and ended up exchanging numbers.

Hana was happy. She'd reunited with Kuina and Arisu, and might have the chance to reunite with the others. Reuniting with Chishiya wouldn't be so easy, though. If he was anything like when Hana first met him, it would be hard to get back to the point they were at.

Hana walked back to her room, where the nurse was waiting by her bed. "What's up?" She asked. Hana liked her nurse, she was nice, and she'd made her feel at home.

"There's been an accident, Miss Suzuki."

"Yeah, I was in it."

"No, another one."

"Shit. What kind of accident?"

"A car accident. Well, car and bus."

"Shit. I'd hate to be the person in the car."

"Hana."

"Yeah?"

"It was Daisuke."

"Daisuke doesn't take the bus, he told me that he rented a car. Wait..."

"I'm sorry, Hana."

"You're lying. No, no, you're lying! He can't die, not now. I've already lost too much, he can't die too. Please, tell me you're joking. Did he put you up to this. He thinks he's so funny-"

"Hana. I'm so, so sorry, I really am, but you have to accept this. He's gone."

Hana let out a scream, dropping to her knees as her tears fell to the floor, quickly collecting in a pool. She ignored the sting she felt on her lip. The pain in her heart was worse.

The nurse helped her up onto her bed, holding her hands and trying her best to comfort her. It didn't work much, but it helped Hana to know someone was there.

In the doorway stood Chishiya and Niragi. They aren't together, they just happened to be going on a walk at the same time.

"I could fix that," Niragi said.

"I doubt she's interested," Chishiya said. "God, you can't even let a woman mourn."

Hana spent the rest of her day in bed, crying. The next day, she decided to go in another walk. They were the only things keeping her sane. She didn't say anything. She couldn't talk even if she wanted to, her throat was too raw and dry from crying and screaming.

Daisuke's death was possible the most gut wrenching pain Hana had ever felt. She'd only just gotten him back, and she'd already been going through shit. It was so sudden. She'd texted Hiro, who already knew about the death, and agreed to pay for her flight to the US, where the funeral was likely to be held. She couldn't text Momo, she didn't have her number.

After everything she'd been through, this death was the worst one. The aftermath of the explosion seemed to be a game itself. The worst game. The hardest game.

She went outside, taking a seat at one of the many tables. The hospital was still full. Pretty much everyone in the explosion was still there.

She looked around. Everyone seemed so happy. How could they be so happy? People had died. Why did no one seemed to be feeling some sort of empathy?

Maybe Hana was just being pessimistic. Not everyone had to think like her. She was focusing on the negatives.

She felt someone sit down next to her and grab her hand, intertwining their fingers. She looked up to see Arisu, and lay her head on his shoulder.

"I know about what happened," Arisu said.

"How?" Hana asked.

"In the nicest way possible, it's hard not to know when you're crying and screaming. Don't worry, okay? You'll get through this. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"Thank you, Arisu. Thanks for being here. I think you're the only person who shares what I went through. I'm glad you made it."

"Thank you, too, Hana."

Hana and Arisu stayed like that for a bit. Maybe it was too soon to say, and Hana didn't know if he felt the same, but Arisu was her best friend. He was one of the first people she met when everyone else disappeared. He comforted her when she thought Chishiya had died, then again when she thought he'd forgotten about her. He was the only one she could talk about her experience with without sounding crazy. And he was here. He was here with her right now, comforting her. This, at the moment, is what she needed.