Altered Ending - Chapter 4
Title : Altered Ending
Chapter Title : Waking Up to the Bitter Truth
Setting : Hidarime Tantei EYE - Episode 8
Summary : In the last episode, Kokusho Akira shot Yumeto first before getting shot. But what if that one fatal bullet had got her first before her finger jerked, firing the gun, when the gun was off target and Ainosuke stood right between the two crime planner?
Rating : T
He woke up at the ray of light which shone on his face, sending its warmth to his body. Lifting his left arm to block the sunlight from his eyes, he could feel something attached to it. Slowly, he opened his eyes and was greeted with an unfamiliar white ceiling. He looked around and found that almost everything was white in color, even the curtain and, looking down, the clothes he was wearing and the bed he was lying on. As his eyes moved up his arm, he noticed a needle injected into his wrist and then his eyes traced the long tube connected to it before resting on the plastic container. That’s when he noticed the noises from outside the room.
“He should have been up since this morning,” worry could clearly be heard in the feminine voice.
“He just needs rest. He’ll come around soon enough. The doctor said he’s still recovering, isn’t he? He needs the sleep,” a masculine voice tried to reassure the first voice’s owner.
‘Are they talking about me?’
“I just wish that he’ll regain consciousness soon, though I have no idea how to deliver the news to him when he does.”
A sigh could be heard before the male voice spoke up again, “And I don’t think we can keep it from him either.”
Silence bounded the situation as no sound was made and he was thankful for that. He needed it to gather his thoughts. Then, just as the words formed in his brain, images of what happened last night flashed through his mind, making him winced at the sudden occurrence.
He started to list out the things that he remembers, slowly. He had gone to find his brother, which he did after a good, tiring search. He remembered that the woman had pointed the gun at him before moving it towards his brother. But the gun had been a fake one and his brother had turned the table, only to get it turned again as another woman appeared. Then there were sounds of guns being fired, just seconds before a pain shot through his whole body. He sighed.
He was shot, the dull pain on his abdomen prove it. He looked around and a slight frown appeared on his pale face, wondering how he got there in the first place. He remembered falling and then the feeling of someone holding him close, sharing the warmth that he desperately needed, not only physically, but also emotionally. He remembered clutching onto his brother, silently pleading that he wouldn’t go away. Then, the comforting words that his brother had said to him, his promise not to leave him again…
His breath hitched and eyes widened in pure fear. He sat up, only to double over with hands over his stomach as the pain intensified because of his sudden movements, causing the bed to let out a creaking sound. He looked up shakily and frantically looked around once more, hoping that his sleepy eyes had failed to notice him earlier. But the sight in front of him only made his heart beat faster and he felt himself started panicking.
No one.
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his knees, trying to calm his ragged breath and shaking body.
‘Calm down,’ he told himself mentally. ‘He promised not to leave you again. He’s probably just going out to get something to eat. Yes, that’s it. He’s out to get something. He’ll be back any minute. Just relax. He has always kept his promises before. You have nothing to be so worked out abou-’
“Ainosuke?”
The concern-filled voice caused him to lift his head up again. There, at the door frame, stood two people. But none of them was the person he was hoping to be there.
“You’re awake!” Sayama came into the room, her face showed clearly that she was relieved to see him up. Kato had a big grin plastered on his face and he followed the school nurse.
But the boy did not respond to them. He just sat there, eyes transfixed to the door. A pleading expression could be seen all over his face. The two noticed this and in an instant, they came to a stop, exchanging confused look to each other. Sayama tried to call him again, but no response was given. He just kept on looking at the door with a pained look.
‘Any time now,’ he tried to convince himself. ‘Any time now, he’ll come through that door. Smiling his usual grin as he greets me. Please. Please be there. Niichan!’
Seconds passed, but no one else was coming. His hands gripped the other’s upper arms as his small figure shook with suppressed emotion. Tears started to roll down his cheeks, but his eyes never once tear their gaze on the door.
“He left, didn’t he?” His voice croaked. “He left me alone again. Even when he promised me he won’t.”
He had wished that either Kato or Sayama would deny that and said that his brother would be back later, letting out a chuckle at his unnecessary worry. But no such words were given and he knew his suspicion had been right. Upon realizing that, the tears streamed down even more rapidly and he began to cry openly.
“Ainosuke…” Sayama tried to reach out to him.
“Why?” He choked the words out between his sobs. “Did I do something wrong? Does he really want to get rid of me? Am I not a good brother for him? Why? Tell me!”
He shouted the last two words before going back to weep at his loss, hanging his head down. Then suddenly he felt warmth engulfed him. He looked up, meeting Sayama’s concerned face. The school nurse gave him a sad and sympathetic smile. And all he could do was to only give in and cried his heart out in her embrace.
xxx
Kato watched in silent as Sayama laid the now sleeping boy back on the bed and covered him with the blanket. She had done her best to comfort the boy and Ainosuke had fallen asleep in Sayama’s arms a few moments ago after draining the tears out of his eyes. Trails of tears could still be seen on his cheeks and the nurse wiped them with her hands.
The detective gazed sadly at his sleeping face, which showed pain even in his sleep. He put his hand on Sayama’s shoulder, who had pulled a chair and sat by Ainosuke’s bed side.
“I’m leaving. Call me if there’s an improvement in his condition, okay?”
“Where are you going, Kato-san?”
He looked back to the sleeping figure on the bed before turning around.
“I’ll track down that irresponsible big brother who caused all this and drag him back here. I’ll let him know how much suffering he had gotten Ainosuke-kun into.”
Chapter Title : Waking Up to the Bitter Truth
Setting : Hidarime Tantei EYE - Episode 8
Summary : In the last episode, Kokusho Akira shot Yumeto first before getting shot. But what if that one fatal bullet had got her first before her finger jerked, firing the gun, when the gun was off target and Ainosuke stood right between the two crime planner?
Rating : T
He woke up at the ray of light which shone on his face, sending its warmth to his body. Lifting his left arm to block the sunlight from his eyes, he could feel something attached to it. Slowly, he opened his eyes and was greeted with an unfamiliar white ceiling. He looked around and found that almost everything was white in color, even the curtain and, looking down, the clothes he was wearing and the bed he was lying on. As his eyes moved up his arm, he noticed a needle injected into his wrist and then his eyes traced the long tube connected to it before resting on the plastic container. That’s when he noticed the noises from outside the room.
“He should have been up since this morning,” worry could clearly be heard in the feminine voice.
“He just needs rest. He’ll come around soon enough. The doctor said he’s still recovering, isn’t he? He needs the sleep,” a masculine voice tried to reassure the first voice’s owner.
‘Are they talking about me?’
“I just wish that he’ll regain consciousness soon, though I have no idea how to deliver the news to him when he does.”
A sigh could be heard before the male voice spoke up again, “And I don’t think we can keep it from him either.”
Silence bounded the situation as no sound was made and he was thankful for that. He needed it to gather his thoughts. Then, just as the words formed in his brain, images of what happened last night flashed through his mind, making him winced at the sudden occurrence.
He started to list out the things that he remembers, slowly. He had gone to find his brother, which he did after a good, tiring search. He remembered that the woman had pointed the gun at him before moving it towards his brother. But the gun had been a fake one and his brother had turned the table, only to get it turned again as another woman appeared. Then there were sounds of guns being fired, just seconds before a pain shot through his whole body. He sighed.
He was shot, the dull pain on his abdomen prove it. He looked around and a slight frown appeared on his pale face, wondering how he got there in the first place. He remembered falling and then the feeling of someone holding him close, sharing the warmth that he desperately needed, not only physically, but also emotionally. He remembered clutching onto his brother, silently pleading that he wouldn’t go away. Then, the comforting words that his brother had said to him, his promise not to leave him again…
His breath hitched and eyes widened in pure fear. He sat up, only to double over with hands over his stomach as the pain intensified because of his sudden movements, causing the bed to let out a creaking sound. He looked up shakily and frantically looked around once more, hoping that his sleepy eyes had failed to notice him earlier. But the sight in front of him only made his heart beat faster and he felt himself started panicking.
No one.
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his knees, trying to calm his ragged breath and shaking body.
‘Calm down,’ he told himself mentally. ‘He promised not to leave you again. He’s probably just going out to get something to eat. Yes, that’s it. He’s out to get something. He’ll be back any minute. Just relax. He has always kept his promises before. You have nothing to be so worked out abou-’
“Ainosuke?”
The concern-filled voice caused him to lift his head up again. There, at the door frame, stood two people. But none of them was the person he was hoping to be there.
“You’re awake!” Sayama came into the room, her face showed clearly that she was relieved to see him up. Kato had a big grin plastered on his face and he followed the school nurse.
But the boy did not respond to them. He just sat there, eyes transfixed to the door. A pleading expression could be seen all over his face. The two noticed this and in an instant, they came to a stop, exchanging confused look to each other. Sayama tried to call him again, but no response was given. He just kept on looking at the door with a pained look.
‘Any time now,’ he tried to convince himself. ‘Any time now, he’ll come through that door. Smiling his usual grin as he greets me. Please. Please be there. Niichan!’
Seconds passed, but no one else was coming. His hands gripped the other’s upper arms as his small figure shook with suppressed emotion. Tears started to roll down his cheeks, but his eyes never once tear their gaze on the door.
“He left, didn’t he?” His voice croaked. “He left me alone again. Even when he promised me he won’t.”
He had wished that either Kato or Sayama would deny that and said that his brother would be back later, letting out a chuckle at his unnecessary worry. But no such words were given and he knew his suspicion had been right. Upon realizing that, the tears streamed down even more rapidly and he began to cry openly.
“Ainosuke…” Sayama tried to reach out to him.
“Why?” He choked the words out between his sobs. “Did I do something wrong? Does he really want to get rid of me? Am I not a good brother for him? Why? Tell me!”
He shouted the last two words before going back to weep at his loss, hanging his head down. Then suddenly he felt warmth engulfed him. He looked up, meeting Sayama’s concerned face. The school nurse gave him a sad and sympathetic smile. And all he could do was to only give in and cried his heart out in her embrace.
xxx
Kato watched in silent as Sayama laid the now sleeping boy back on the bed and covered him with the blanket. She had done her best to comfort the boy and Ainosuke had fallen asleep in Sayama’s arms a few moments ago after draining the tears out of his eyes. Trails of tears could still be seen on his cheeks and the nurse wiped them with her hands.
The detective gazed sadly at his sleeping face, which showed pain even in his sleep. He put his hand on Sayama’s shoulder, who had pulled a chair and sat by Ainosuke’s bed side.
“I’m leaving. Call me if there’s an improvement in his condition, okay?”
“Where are you going, Kato-san?”
He looked back to the sleeping figure on the bed before turning around.
“I’ll track down that irresponsible big brother who caused all this and drag him back here. I’ll let him know how much suffering he had gotten Ainosuke-kun into.”