[Kai/Gazette] The End [15: My Princess]

"We should really get you a phone," Ruki complained. Natsumi shrugged.

"It makes no difference to me if I get a phone or not," she remarked, "besides, I don't really need a phone. I can already talk to whoever I want whenever I want. It doesn't apply to me if they're busy or not."

Kai smiled. "Oh, I disagree with you there," Kai retorted, "Natsumi is much more thoughtful than you, yourself, believe." Ruki nodded, agreeing with the drummer. Natsumi rolled her eyes. The three strolled down the street, leaving the first hospital they visited behind. They blended in with the crowd of people--not being recognized at all.

"Plus, you run away a bunch of times," Ruki mentioned, "we could use your phone to track you down."

Natsumi snorted. "Nice plan--next time don't tell it to me--I'll keep that in mind," Natsumi teased.

Shrugging, Ruki replied, "It doesn't really matter to me much. We'll find you eventually." The trio met the other three in the park. Aoi was eating a big chocolate chip cookie, Reita was drinking coffee, and Uruha was texting on his cell phone. "Looks like you guys made progress," Ruki said sarcastically.

"Yeah, tons," Reita responded.

A hand grabbed Natsumi's shoulder. Natsumi turned around. Her eyes widened as his arms wrapped around her waist. He whispered in her ear, "I finally found you."

"Oi! Who are you?!" Aoi cried, yanking the newcomer off of Natsumi.

"Nii-san!" Natsumi cried.

"Hai?" Aoi whispered. Hyun rolled his eyes.

"Not you, freak. Me," Hyun snapped, "I'm Solace Hyun."

"EH?!" the musicians exclaimed as Natsumi jumped into Hyun's arms.

Natsumi was nearly brought to tears as she muttered, "I thought you were dead... What happened back then?"

"Who wants to share their story first?" Hyun questioned.

"Anoo..." They turned around to see Van. Natsumi grinned.

"Van!" Natsumi shrieked. A huge grin lingered onto her lips.

Van waved at her. "Hi, I'm Nguyen Van... Hyun's companion... We came to deliver a message."

Hyun's expression sobered. The words that left his lips sounded husky, "We came to visit Mother. If you want, we'll take you to her. Do you understand that she only has a week left?" Backing away from Hyun, Natsumi rejoined her group.

"Hyun, if you could tell me where she is, I will visit her when I have the strength," Natsumi replied. A disappointed smile stayed on her lips. "This morning, I really wanted to see her again, but... I started thinking... Am I really ready to see her? What will she say to me?" Hyun sighed and nodded. He gave her the location and directions before leaving. Van glanced at her one more time before catching up with Hyun.

~*~

"Son, did you fail?" Hana-san questioned, "I know that look very well."

Hyun shook his head. "I did not fail, Mother, but I wasn't able to bring her with me. In time she will come. In time she will grant your last wish." Hana-san nodded mutely. Suddenly, her breath was caught in her throat. Her head ached. In an instant, she grabbed a white cloth and coughed into it. Blood slipped past her lips and splattered onto the cloth--almost soaking it completely. Hyun rushed over to his mother's side and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Mother!" he shouted. Hana-san calmed down.

For a minute, she stared at the crimson-stained cloth. A train of thought rushed through her mind and left as swiftly as it came. "I-idiot," Hana-san croaked, "I'm sitting right here. There's no need to shout." Mizuki entered the hospital room, avoiding eye contact with anyone, and left a tray with food and the pills. Earlier, Kai had broken up with her when they met at a coffee shop. She had bawled her eyes out, and he even looked sorry at the time.

A moment of silence passed, Huang spoke up, "Your Majesty, what shall we do with Natsuko?"

Hana-san shook her head. "We should do nothing towards that persona," Hana-san stated firmly, "because my daughter will handle Natsuko soon enough." She spat out the name with much distaste. "Only Natsumi has power over Natsuko."

~*~

"Heyyy~ If it isn't Natsumi-chan!" Mayuki chirped, standing in front of the blonde. Natsumi lifted her head up. Mayuki's jaw nearly dropped at the sorrow Natsumi's green eyes harbored. "What's wrong? If you don't mind, you can tell me." Natsumi's head dropped into her hands.

"Mayuki...chan... Can I ask you another question?" Natsumi questioned. She quickly added, "Other than that." Mayuki smiled and sat down on the marble rim of the fountain with Natsumi.

"It's fine with me," Mayuki replied. Natsumi was able to smile a bit. Seeing a chipper person, a positive person, always made her think of Kai. Oh, the effect he had on her. How they were able to cheer her up. Optimists could be such good friends.

Natsumi thought about how to phrase her question first before letting the words escape her mouth. "If you haven't seen your mother, or heard from her, in years... Then she suddenly appears in your life, about to die, what would you do? Saying that regret dwells in you. You don't know what to do. Also, she sends this messenger--saying she wants to see you with your lover, but you don't even have one!"

Mayuki's expression softened. "Natsumi, you're not alone, are you?"

Natsumi looked up. "Huh?"

"Natsumi...you have friends, don't you? Why don't you bring them along? She would see how happy you are then. However, it's not like having a lover, yet...it is its own special affection. Friendship," Mayuki suggested. A cell phone rang. Mayuki stood up and reached into her pocket, answering it. "Oh... Yeah, I'm coming! I'm coming! Jeez! I won't be late!" Mayuki snapped her phone shut and grinned. "Sorry, I have to go to work now. Maybe I'll see you around again. Ja ne!" Waving at Natsumi, Mayuki ran off.

Her words of advice never left Natsumi's thoughts. Standing up, Natsumi ambled away from the park to the cafe where her friends awaited her. Aoi had some business at a guitar shop, so Kai ended up escorting Natsumi home. His hand easily found its way to Natsumi. His warm touch made her flinch inwardly. Somehow, on the way back, Natsumi's head found itself resting on his shoulder.

"Natsumi..." Kai began.

"Hmm?"

He reconsidered his words. Was it really appropriate at the time? When all of this was happening? Kai shook his head. "No... Nevermind. It's nothing." Natsumi hummed and nodded, accepting his answer.

Natsumi stopped.

Either she hit something or something hit her. She stood there frozen. Kai paused in his steps and tilted his head. "Natsumi, what's up?" There was no response.

She couldn't breathe. Everything in her body seemed to stop. Nothing hurt though.

Is it happening all over again? No...it's different.

"Damn right! Things are going to be more interesting!"

Are you the one doing this?

"...well... No. I'm going to help out though. Will you survive this attack?"

"Natsumi? Natsumi?!" Kai cried, shaking her shoulders, "Can you hear me?! NATSUMI?!" She was paralyzed. She just realized that. She couldn't move, but she was very much alive. Natsumi couldn't close her eyes. She saw what was happening. The world looked as if it was tilting, but it was because she was falling forward. She hit Kai's chest, who caught her on time. She couldn't talk. Nothing.

Kai pulled out his phone and called the others. Ruki, Reita, and Uruha were first to arrive. Ruki was waving his hand in front of Natsumi's face. She moved her eyes. Ruki... Do you understand?

"She's paralyzed...somehow..." Ruki answered. Reita picked up Natsumi's arm and threw it around his neck.

"She's like a rag doll, only heavier. Come on, Kai, let's take her to the hospital nearby. Uruha, call Aoi. Tell him our situation. Ruki should probably call the hospital," Reita addressed each of them. They all nodded.

A sudden pain shot through her body. She wanted to scream.

"I can only cause pain... I'm going to drag you into my darkness now. Is that okay?"

What...?

Natsumi wanted to keep her eyes open. She wanted to see this through to the very end. She wanted to live. Wherever and whatever this darkness Natsuko spoke of was, Natsumi really didn't want to go there. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her eyes were forced closed by her split personality.

Why?

"Because you need me..."

~*~

Mizuki stared at the drummer. He was sitting down, casually, in the lounge. He was confident that Natsumi would be okay. Unfortunately, Mizuki and the others could see through his cool and calm facade. He was pacing inside. A nervous wreck. Mizuki narrowed her eyes at Kai. Why did he even go out with her in the first place?

Otani-sensei entered the lobby. Immediately, Kai and his friends stood up. His expression was unreadable. "Again... She is in a coma," Otani-sensei stated, "but...she is still alive. There's a chance that she might be paralyzed for a few days once she wakes up."

"That is," another doctor said when he passed by, "if she wakes up. Something seems to be keeping her in her dark, deep sleep. She's officially a comatose." Otani-sensei gave his colleague a look of warning.

Kai clenched his fists and hissed in an icily cold tone, "Take me to her." It wasn't a request. It was a demand. Otani-sensei, struck with surprise at the sudden hostality, nodded slowly. Kai followed the doctor. His fellow musicians trailed behind the drummer. They were also in shock at Kai's change in behavior.