[Ongoing] Behind The Mask (9/?)
Title: Behind The Mask (9/?)
Fandom: Kis-my-Ft2, NEWS, Code Blue
Pairings: Aizawa Kousaku x Kitayama Hiromitsu
Rating: PG-15 (nothing too explicit but allusions to it)
Warnings: Unbeta-ed, allusions - nothing too explicit.
Disclaimer: The boys aren't mine but are real, living people. Their asses are most probably owned by JE. The universe is based on the drama "Code Blue" (both seasons).
Dedicated to: talisa_ahn ♥
Author Notes: Based on a couple of drabbles I posted at je100 for the AU challenge HERE. The title for the fic series is also stolen from the drabbles.
Previous Parts:
Code One
Code Two
Code Three
Code Four
Code Five
Code Six
Code Seven
Code Eight
Maybe things had been going too well recently. Work had been going smoothly, his relationship with Kitayama - was it a relationship? The two of them still hadn’t really decided on anything - was good, his grandmother was doing fine, he’d enjoyed his day off at the beach without any interruptions…of course it had to end with a big BANG. Or rather, an annoying beeping noise.
Kitayama smacked him with a pillow. “What the hell, I thought you didn’t have to get up until nightshift!” he complained crankily.
“I didn’t!” Aizawa made a grab for the beeping device and flipped his mobile phone open. “He-“
“Aizawa, come in as soon as you can. We have a severe shortage of doctors on site and you’re the only one we still have on reserve that doesn’t have to be called in from anywhere else…” Tachibana-sensei’s voice cut him off before he could say anything. He could hear sounds and shouting in the background and he was already out of bed and half-dressed when the connection was terminated.
Frowning worriedly, Kitayama sat up on the bed, “Something happened?”
“Don’t know what, yet but I have to go…I’ll get you updated when I get the time…otherwise, maybe you should just watch TV…might be faster that way,” he did take the time to kiss the other once before he went out of the door and left though. One for luck.
Arriving at Shohoku, he changed into his scrubs quickly and jogged up to the ER connected to the heli port. He was surprised to find flocks of people in suits there though instead of a flood of injured people. There were shouts and questions and some flashes from cameras went off here and there. He grabbed the next best person that passed by, which happened to be Hiyama.
“What the hell is going on?” he demanded.
She sighed, “I am just glad it wasn’t me…” Her eyes wandered over to the mob of people. “Some big shot politician was brought in yesterday. Had a stroke and fell over…Saijo-sensei treated him with the help of Tachibana-sensei. Fujikawa and Shiraishi had nightshift along with Morimoto-sensei…and this morning, the guy dies and all hell breaks loose. Mitsui-sensei can’t come in because her son is sick and she has nobody to look after him…which means…” Hiyama’s eyes fell on him, “We’ll be all by ourselves until this whole thing clears up. The politician guy’s party brought in a bunch of lawyers - and reporters - who’re insisting on investigating every single one of them to see whether it was their fault that the guy died and if so if they can sue our asses of and whatnot…” She rolled her eyes.
Aizawa felt a headache forming but pushed it aside. “Well, we’ve managed to survive crap like this before. Let’s go.” They got the walkie-talkies at the nurses’ station and then filed out to the ICU and IC units to check on patients. Doctors and fellows from other departments were around as well, filling the blanks for the time being. A few patients commented on how colorful it looked today in their room today - all the departments had different scrub colors after all.
Aizawa was in the middle of asking a patient how he was feeling when the walkie-talkie crackled and the familiar, “Doctor Heli, engine start…” could be heard. He dashed off. He hadn’t even been consulted as to whether he’d be able to handle the case. Oh well, during his fellowship he hadn’t either so he guessed it wouldn’t make too much of a difference.
He did get more information while he was running towards the helicopter though. “A teacher fainted during her lesson…she’s showing no reaction. The medics think it could be stroke. She’s also hit her head hard when she fell over the students said so there might be additional injuries.”
When the helicopter went lower, about to land on the sports field, Aizawa looked out of the window and blinked. The school building was familiar, too familiar. In fact, it was his and Kitayama’s old high school. It hadn’t changed much on first glance. The buildings were still the same plain grey as always.
They ran over the field towards the building. He remembered watching Kitayama play soccer on this very field before. He could almost hear the other shouting orders at the other boys across the field as he ran, guided by teachers. Fleeting glances told him that he didn’t recognize any of them. That was, until he knelt down next to the young woman on the floor of the classroom. It was funny how he seemed to be meeting old classmates again…unconscious and with some kind of head-injury.
“Masami…” he muttered.
“What, you know her?” Hiyama asked incredulously.
Aizawa grunted, “Funny, isn’t it? We went to school here together…sat in this very class day after day…She was sitting behind Kitayama I think…” He checked her eyes for any pupil dilations and reactions. “Doesn’t look like a stroke…but I can’t say anything about whether or not something is up with her head when she fell over…for now let’s secure her head and neck and get her transported back. How do her other vitals look?”
“Her heartbeat is a little slow…might be blood sugar problems or worse…” Hiyama pulled her stethoscope down again. “Let’s get her back ASAP.”
They wheeled her down the corridor and Hiyama spotted something there. “Heh, honor student… as expected of someone like you, Aizawa…cute photo…”
“I was 17…” he commented and continued to look ahead, telling their pilots that they were coming out any second and bringing the patient with them. They were to depart to the closest hospital if possible, otherwise back to Shohoku.
It was already early the next morning when he called Kitayama. “…did I wake you up?”
“No. I was still working on something here and I will continue to do so after this call as well, so don’t worry about it. Got a spontaneous sales promotion in about twelve hours and have to come up with stuff from scratch…guess you weren’t the only one who got thrown right back into work…” the other’s voice came from the other end of the line. Kitayama sounded as tired as Aizawa felt.
Aizawa sighed, “Things over here kind of suck right now, too…but that wasn’t why I wanted to call you. I had to go to our old school today…guess who went back and became a teacher there…”
“Seriously? Someone from our class?” Kitayama sounded genuinely surprised.
“Yeah…you’ll remember her better than I do. Masami…? She sat behind you or next to you, right?” he asked. “I just remember her first name because everyone called her that because we had more people with the same family name…”
Kitayama didn’t disappoint him. “Ah, Takeda Masami…? Really? A teacher? Wow…she liked studying and all but I thought she would’ve gone further than that…though I can picture it. She wasn’t at any of the reunions, so nobody knew…How’s she doing?”
“She fainted in the middle of class. I thought it wasn’t a stroke at first…turns out I was wrong. She has the moyamoya disease…kind of like a stroke just a lot more complicated than a ‘normal’ one…the operation took eight hours…couldn’t be there since it was done at a different hospital but I did call to check…seems like she’s doing okay but well, can’t tell for sure until she wakes up again…” he reported.
“…wow…she’s still so young! And she was always healthy…” Kitayama sounded shocked.
“…it happens sometimes…” Aizawa sighed. “I’ll send you the name of the hospital where she’s being treated in case you want to tell it to any other people in our year who might want to visit.”
“Thank you, Kousaku. Now, stop talking to me and get some rest? You sound like you need it…do not fall over on me again. I can only afford to take you to Mt. Fuji or something right now…” the other joked. “Used up most of my holidays for a while…”
Aizawa snorted, “We have rent to pay as well. Alright, get some sleep yourself, alright? I hope I’ll see you soon. I’ll let you know when that might be when I know it.”
“Alright. Bye.”
“Bye.”
And with that he put his phone down and an arm over his eyes to get a few brief moments of rest. The investigation was still going on and there was no end in sight for the near future. The hospital board of directors had complained about the severe shortage of staff this was causing their emergency rescue department but when faced with politicians there was little it could do.
The next afternoon though, life apparently decided to give him a break again. The investigation ended and all of the staff was released. According to the report of the coroners the politician had died of a natural cause and not due medical malpractice. Aizawa had smiled a little when he had seen the signature under the report but hid it quickly as not to arouse suspicion. He and Hiyama got the rest of the day off and he made his way back home to get some proper sleep.
When he messaged that to Kitayama, the reply he got while he was on his way back to the apartment, told him about plans to go and visit their old classmate whom he’d treated the previous day together with some other people. Aizawa replied back that he might as well tag along and see what became of her. Maybe he’d be able to have a good talk with the doctor from the other hospital. The man was said to be an expert in the field of researching the moyamoya-disease and its development in young people in the Asian region, predominantly in Japan.
Thus, he stood and waited at the station after catching a good four hours of sleep. It didn’t take too long for Kitayama to show up, still clad in his business attire. “We’re meeting the others at the hospital,” the other informed him and they went to board the train.
Kitayama fell asleep against him for the thirty minute ride, probably exhausted after almost no sleep at all and having to work at 300% during the day. Aizawa let the other sleep and only woke him up when they were almost at their destination. Since Kitayama was a slow riser, he had to half-drag and half-pull the other out of the train along with him though. The cool outside air did a good job waking Kitayama up though and the other was able to leave the station on his own.
“Sorry for that…” Kitayama mumbled as they walked towards the hospital.
Aizawa just grunted in response. It wasn’t like he minded it. He could perfectly understand Kitayama. He’d do it, too if he was tired and far beyond his limits already.
When they got to the hospital, a group of people was already waiting there. Most of them greeted Hiromitsu warmly and immediately started up conversations about this and that, while Aizawa’s presence caused more surprised reactions. “He’s the one who treated her first, when she fell over, so of course he’s here…if not for him we wouldn’t even know about this,” Kitayama clarified.
“We’ve been hearing some rumors about you only…being an excellent doctor…congratulations! But really, as expected of our class’ number 1 brain,” after all the class reunion had been a couple of years ago, when Aizawa had just graduated from medical school and had been about to start his fellowship. And aside from Kitayama, Aizawa didn’t really keep up with his old classmates.
“I still have more to learn, so please don’t use words like excellent…” Aizawa replied and then nodded his head over. “Let’s go in. Or visiting hours will be over.”
The group moved inside and soon found the room with the person they were searching for. Takeda Masami was unconscious still. The surgery had been quite straining after all. It was still within a normal time frame. Her parents were in the room with her of course and got up to greet the group that came in. “So many of you came…even though it’s the middle of the week…and even though she’s never really had the courage to come to any of the reunions…big or small…” Mrs. Takeda looked touched and her eyes started to glitter with tears. Her husband held her gently.
“It’s only by chance that we got to know about her condition…Aizawa here was the one to treat her initially when she collapsed at school,” one member of the group explained, gesturing towards Aizawa, who gave the couple in front of them a polite bow.
Mrs. Takeda immediately went to him and clutched his hands with her own. “Thank you so much!”
“It’s my job…and I haven’t done a lot…if anyone, you should thank the team at the hospital here, Takeda-san,” he shook his head.
The woman bowed back and then looked at the rest of the group, her eyes coming to rest on Kitayama. She looked a little sad when she looked at him. “Ah…you have barely changed since your school days…” she sighed softly, “She always carries a picture of you around with her…you know? The one you took at the play you did for one of the culture festivals…”
“Eh?” Kitayama looked a little confused.
“She’s always liked you…” one of the others in the group, one of the girls, spoke up. “But she was always too afraid to tell you…you know how shy she is. I bet she never came to any of the reunions because she was afraid of how she’d act around you. She always said she’d come but she probably came all the way only to get cold feet and turn back…”
Mrs. Takeda sighed and nodded, “Ah yes…that’s what kind of girl she is…”
“Well, Kitamitsu, go talk to her in our stead? Speak for all of us…” yet another girl handed him the flowers they’d all chipped in for. “Maybe you’ll be able to make her recover faster.”
Aizawa wanted to make a comment about that but chose not to. The revelation from his old classmates had him frowning slightly though. He didn’t like the sound of it. And he didn’t like what kind of implications this could have…and what Kitayama was thinking about it all. He waited patiently until they left the hospital again and the group decided to have dinner at a restaurant near the station together before splitting up again.
“She likes ME? I thought she liked Aizawa…” Kitayama blurted out then once everyone was seated. “I mean, she wrote that love letter to him right? Handed it to him right in front of everyone in first year…! Doesn’t anyone remember that?”
“Well that was first year…but after that, she started to have a crush on you. Especially ever since you were chosen to be one of the nobles for that stage play we did in second year. The one who was actually showing kindness to the poor…she was one of the peasants, right? And you helped her up when she had fallen down…” one of the girls recounted.
“That…was just a play?” Kitayama frowned.
“…you’re a guy…you don’t know how a girl’s heart works!”
Aizawa wanted to comment on how Kitayama didn’t need to know that but figured that it wouldn’t be a very good idea to say something like that in front of everyone.
Later when they were on their way home, Kitayama sighed, “Girls are too complicated…”
The comment made Aizawa snort softly. “That’s coming from you? How rare…Hiromitsu…” Then he looked at the other. “Really, don’t think too much about it? It’s a thing of the past now…don’t feel guilty and get pressured into doing things. Alright?”
“I can decide on what I do and don’t do myself, thanks…” Kitayama grumbled and leaned back against the train window.
“Well, she’s going to be transferred to Shohoku tomorrow. I talked to the doctor. Apparently we have new equipment and a new form of treatment for this disease…” Aizawa felt a little annoyed at Kitayama’s reaction but still let this information slip. “So just visit her again if you so wish.”
“Hn…” a grunt was all the got as an answer. The atmosphere between them seemed to be strained and for the first time in a long time, they went their separate ways when they got back to their apartment. Aizawa didn’t want to admit it but somehow sleeping in his bed alone felt lonely all of a sudden. It wasn’t like he didn’t sleep alone once in a while due to clashing schedules but that was different. This time just felt…lonely and cold. As if he’d been shut out and placed in front of a wall of ice that had suddenly appeared between them.
Maybe this was what people had felt around him before. It was weird, feeling it himself. And yet he couldn’t help but laugh brokenly. Was Kitayama giving him a taste of his own medicine?
The next morning, he supervised the transfer of Takeda Masami along with Saijo-sensei. The woman was given a thorough examination once again before Saijo-sensei explained the new treatment method to everyone present in the room. It was actually just an alteration of the old treatment, which was to create bypasses in the brain. A new method, developed in Germany, would allow them to create the bypasses easier and with less risk.
While he listened, Aizawa committed the information to memory. He’d read up on it before his shift had started earlier so everything was still fresh in his mind.
The family was left to think about everything for a while and Aizawa went back to his duties. When he passed by the room later, he spotted a familiar face inside, next to the parents. So Kitayama had come to visit. Well he had told the other about this so that wasn’t anything surprising.
Later though, when he was about to notify people of visiting hours being over, he went past the waiting room by the ICU and overheard something, he probably shouldn’t have.
“Kitayama-kun…I ask this of you just in case…as a mother…who loves her daughter, her only daughter more than anything else in this world…” it was Takeda-san’s voice. “Until the day of the surgery…could you…just pretend to…return Masami’s feelings? Please, please be her boyfriend even if it’s just for a week…I beg of you…I’ll compensate you for it, too…”
“I-“ before Kitayama could answer, Aizawa walked in.
“Excuse me but visiting hours are over now…I’d kindly ask you to leave…or at least go back to your relatives’ room…” he announced calmly. While Takeda-san bowed and walked away, he looked at Kitayama and spoke just a single word. “Don’t.”
“Were you listening?” Kitayama looked miffed. “And you’re making decisions for me again!”
Something in Aizawa started to strain. “As if you haven’t for me before…”
“That…that’s different…” Kitayama looked down.
“Oh? How so?” Aizawa challenged.
“I…ugh, whatever,” Kitayama sighed. “I’ll make my own decision though. The end.”
Aizawa rolled his eyes, “Fine. Have it your way. But you better think this through properly.”
“I will. Alone.” Kitayama stomped off.
“Fine. I won’t be coming home tonight anyways,” Aizawa called after the other and stomped off towards the next waiting and common areas. He didn’t have to stay for the nightshift but well, this was as good a reason as any. And maybe another night apart would help them cool their heads.
Maybe.
To be continued...?
Fandom: Kis-my-Ft2, NEWS, Code Blue
Pairings: Aizawa Kousaku x Kitayama Hiromitsu
Rating: PG-15 (nothing too explicit but allusions to it)
Warnings: Unbeta-ed, allusions - nothing too explicit.
Disclaimer: The boys aren't mine but are real, living people. Their asses are most probably owned by JE. The universe is based on the drama "Code Blue" (both seasons).
Dedicated to: talisa_ahn ♥
Author Notes: Based on a couple of drabbles I posted at je100 for the AU challenge HERE. The title for the fic series is also stolen from the drabbles.
Previous Parts:
Code One
Code Two
Code Three
Code Four
Code Five
Code Six
Code Seven
Code Eight
Maybe things had been going too well recently. Work had been going smoothly, his relationship with Kitayama - was it a relationship? The two of them still hadn’t really decided on anything - was good, his grandmother was doing fine, he’d enjoyed his day off at the beach without any interruptions…of course it had to end with a big BANG. Or rather, an annoying beeping noise.
Kitayama smacked him with a pillow. “What the hell, I thought you didn’t have to get up until nightshift!” he complained crankily.
“I didn’t!” Aizawa made a grab for the beeping device and flipped his mobile phone open. “He-“
“Aizawa, come in as soon as you can. We have a severe shortage of doctors on site and you’re the only one we still have on reserve that doesn’t have to be called in from anywhere else…” Tachibana-sensei’s voice cut him off before he could say anything. He could hear sounds and shouting in the background and he was already out of bed and half-dressed when the connection was terminated.
Frowning worriedly, Kitayama sat up on the bed, “Something happened?”
“Don’t know what, yet but I have to go…I’ll get you updated when I get the time…otherwise, maybe you should just watch TV…might be faster that way,” he did take the time to kiss the other once before he went out of the door and left though. One for luck.
Arriving at Shohoku, he changed into his scrubs quickly and jogged up to the ER connected to the heli port. He was surprised to find flocks of people in suits there though instead of a flood of injured people. There were shouts and questions and some flashes from cameras went off here and there. He grabbed the next best person that passed by, which happened to be Hiyama.
“What the hell is going on?” he demanded.
She sighed, “I am just glad it wasn’t me…” Her eyes wandered over to the mob of people. “Some big shot politician was brought in yesterday. Had a stroke and fell over…Saijo-sensei treated him with the help of Tachibana-sensei. Fujikawa and Shiraishi had nightshift along with Morimoto-sensei…and this morning, the guy dies and all hell breaks loose. Mitsui-sensei can’t come in because her son is sick and she has nobody to look after him…which means…” Hiyama’s eyes fell on him, “We’ll be all by ourselves until this whole thing clears up. The politician guy’s party brought in a bunch of lawyers - and reporters - who’re insisting on investigating every single one of them to see whether it was their fault that the guy died and if so if they can sue our asses of and whatnot…” She rolled her eyes.
Aizawa felt a headache forming but pushed it aside. “Well, we’ve managed to survive crap like this before. Let’s go.” They got the walkie-talkies at the nurses’ station and then filed out to the ICU and IC units to check on patients. Doctors and fellows from other departments were around as well, filling the blanks for the time being. A few patients commented on how colorful it looked today in their room today - all the departments had different scrub colors after all.
Aizawa was in the middle of asking a patient how he was feeling when the walkie-talkie crackled and the familiar, “Doctor Heli, engine start…” could be heard. He dashed off. He hadn’t even been consulted as to whether he’d be able to handle the case. Oh well, during his fellowship he hadn’t either so he guessed it wouldn’t make too much of a difference.
He did get more information while he was running towards the helicopter though. “A teacher fainted during her lesson…she’s showing no reaction. The medics think it could be stroke. She’s also hit her head hard when she fell over the students said so there might be additional injuries.”
When the helicopter went lower, about to land on the sports field, Aizawa looked out of the window and blinked. The school building was familiar, too familiar. In fact, it was his and Kitayama’s old high school. It hadn’t changed much on first glance. The buildings were still the same plain grey as always.
They ran over the field towards the building. He remembered watching Kitayama play soccer on this very field before. He could almost hear the other shouting orders at the other boys across the field as he ran, guided by teachers. Fleeting glances told him that he didn’t recognize any of them. That was, until he knelt down next to the young woman on the floor of the classroom. It was funny how he seemed to be meeting old classmates again…unconscious and with some kind of head-injury.
“Masami…” he muttered.
“What, you know her?” Hiyama asked incredulously.
Aizawa grunted, “Funny, isn’t it? We went to school here together…sat in this very class day after day…She was sitting behind Kitayama I think…” He checked her eyes for any pupil dilations and reactions. “Doesn’t look like a stroke…but I can’t say anything about whether or not something is up with her head when she fell over…for now let’s secure her head and neck and get her transported back. How do her other vitals look?”
“Her heartbeat is a little slow…might be blood sugar problems or worse…” Hiyama pulled her stethoscope down again. “Let’s get her back ASAP.”
They wheeled her down the corridor and Hiyama spotted something there. “Heh, honor student… as expected of someone like you, Aizawa…cute photo…”
“I was 17…” he commented and continued to look ahead, telling their pilots that they were coming out any second and bringing the patient with them. They were to depart to the closest hospital if possible, otherwise back to Shohoku.
It was already early the next morning when he called Kitayama. “…did I wake you up?”
“No. I was still working on something here and I will continue to do so after this call as well, so don’t worry about it. Got a spontaneous sales promotion in about twelve hours and have to come up with stuff from scratch…guess you weren’t the only one who got thrown right back into work…” the other’s voice came from the other end of the line. Kitayama sounded as tired as Aizawa felt.
Aizawa sighed, “Things over here kind of suck right now, too…but that wasn’t why I wanted to call you. I had to go to our old school today…guess who went back and became a teacher there…”
“Seriously? Someone from our class?” Kitayama sounded genuinely surprised.
“Yeah…you’ll remember her better than I do. Masami…? She sat behind you or next to you, right?” he asked. “I just remember her first name because everyone called her that because we had more people with the same family name…”
Kitayama didn’t disappoint him. “Ah, Takeda Masami…? Really? A teacher? Wow…she liked studying and all but I thought she would’ve gone further than that…though I can picture it. She wasn’t at any of the reunions, so nobody knew…How’s she doing?”
“She fainted in the middle of class. I thought it wasn’t a stroke at first…turns out I was wrong. She has the moyamoya disease…kind of like a stroke just a lot more complicated than a ‘normal’ one…the operation took eight hours…couldn’t be there since it was done at a different hospital but I did call to check…seems like she’s doing okay but well, can’t tell for sure until she wakes up again…” he reported.
“…wow…she’s still so young! And she was always healthy…” Kitayama sounded shocked.
“…it happens sometimes…” Aizawa sighed. “I’ll send you the name of the hospital where she’s being treated in case you want to tell it to any other people in our year who might want to visit.”
“Thank you, Kousaku. Now, stop talking to me and get some rest? You sound like you need it…do not fall over on me again. I can only afford to take you to Mt. Fuji or something right now…” the other joked. “Used up most of my holidays for a while…”
Aizawa snorted, “We have rent to pay as well. Alright, get some sleep yourself, alright? I hope I’ll see you soon. I’ll let you know when that might be when I know it.”
“Alright. Bye.”
“Bye.”
And with that he put his phone down and an arm over his eyes to get a few brief moments of rest. The investigation was still going on and there was no end in sight for the near future. The hospital board of directors had complained about the severe shortage of staff this was causing their emergency rescue department but when faced with politicians there was little it could do.
The next afternoon though, life apparently decided to give him a break again. The investigation ended and all of the staff was released. According to the report of the coroners the politician had died of a natural cause and not due medical malpractice. Aizawa had smiled a little when he had seen the signature under the report but hid it quickly as not to arouse suspicion. He and Hiyama got the rest of the day off and he made his way back home to get some proper sleep.
When he messaged that to Kitayama, the reply he got while he was on his way back to the apartment, told him about plans to go and visit their old classmate whom he’d treated the previous day together with some other people. Aizawa replied back that he might as well tag along and see what became of her. Maybe he’d be able to have a good talk with the doctor from the other hospital. The man was said to be an expert in the field of researching the moyamoya-disease and its development in young people in the Asian region, predominantly in Japan.
Thus, he stood and waited at the station after catching a good four hours of sleep. It didn’t take too long for Kitayama to show up, still clad in his business attire. “We’re meeting the others at the hospital,” the other informed him and they went to board the train.
Kitayama fell asleep against him for the thirty minute ride, probably exhausted after almost no sleep at all and having to work at 300% during the day. Aizawa let the other sleep and only woke him up when they were almost at their destination. Since Kitayama was a slow riser, he had to half-drag and half-pull the other out of the train along with him though. The cool outside air did a good job waking Kitayama up though and the other was able to leave the station on his own.
“Sorry for that…” Kitayama mumbled as they walked towards the hospital.
Aizawa just grunted in response. It wasn’t like he minded it. He could perfectly understand Kitayama. He’d do it, too if he was tired and far beyond his limits already.
When they got to the hospital, a group of people was already waiting there. Most of them greeted Hiromitsu warmly and immediately started up conversations about this and that, while Aizawa’s presence caused more surprised reactions. “He’s the one who treated her first, when she fell over, so of course he’s here…if not for him we wouldn’t even know about this,” Kitayama clarified.
“We’ve been hearing some rumors about you only…being an excellent doctor…congratulations! But really, as expected of our class’ number 1 brain,” after all the class reunion had been a couple of years ago, when Aizawa had just graduated from medical school and had been about to start his fellowship. And aside from Kitayama, Aizawa didn’t really keep up with his old classmates.
“I still have more to learn, so please don’t use words like excellent…” Aizawa replied and then nodded his head over. “Let’s go in. Or visiting hours will be over.”
The group moved inside and soon found the room with the person they were searching for. Takeda Masami was unconscious still. The surgery had been quite straining after all. It was still within a normal time frame. Her parents were in the room with her of course and got up to greet the group that came in. “So many of you came…even though it’s the middle of the week…and even though she’s never really had the courage to come to any of the reunions…big or small…” Mrs. Takeda looked touched and her eyes started to glitter with tears. Her husband held her gently.
“It’s only by chance that we got to know about her condition…Aizawa here was the one to treat her initially when she collapsed at school,” one member of the group explained, gesturing towards Aizawa, who gave the couple in front of them a polite bow.
Mrs. Takeda immediately went to him and clutched his hands with her own. “Thank you so much!”
“It’s my job…and I haven’t done a lot…if anyone, you should thank the team at the hospital here, Takeda-san,” he shook his head.
The woman bowed back and then looked at the rest of the group, her eyes coming to rest on Kitayama. She looked a little sad when she looked at him. “Ah…you have barely changed since your school days…” she sighed softly, “She always carries a picture of you around with her…you know? The one you took at the play you did for one of the culture festivals…”
“Eh?” Kitayama looked a little confused.
“She’s always liked you…” one of the others in the group, one of the girls, spoke up. “But she was always too afraid to tell you…you know how shy she is. I bet she never came to any of the reunions because she was afraid of how she’d act around you. She always said she’d come but she probably came all the way only to get cold feet and turn back…”
Mrs. Takeda sighed and nodded, “Ah yes…that’s what kind of girl she is…”
“Well, Kitamitsu, go talk to her in our stead? Speak for all of us…” yet another girl handed him the flowers they’d all chipped in for. “Maybe you’ll be able to make her recover faster.”
Aizawa wanted to make a comment about that but chose not to. The revelation from his old classmates had him frowning slightly though. He didn’t like the sound of it. And he didn’t like what kind of implications this could have…and what Kitayama was thinking about it all. He waited patiently until they left the hospital again and the group decided to have dinner at a restaurant near the station together before splitting up again.
“She likes ME? I thought she liked Aizawa…” Kitayama blurted out then once everyone was seated. “I mean, she wrote that love letter to him right? Handed it to him right in front of everyone in first year…! Doesn’t anyone remember that?”
“Well that was first year…but after that, she started to have a crush on you. Especially ever since you were chosen to be one of the nobles for that stage play we did in second year. The one who was actually showing kindness to the poor…she was one of the peasants, right? And you helped her up when she had fallen down…” one of the girls recounted.
“That…was just a play?” Kitayama frowned.
“…you’re a guy…you don’t know how a girl’s heart works!”
Aizawa wanted to comment on how Kitayama didn’t need to know that but figured that it wouldn’t be a very good idea to say something like that in front of everyone.
Later when they were on their way home, Kitayama sighed, “Girls are too complicated…”
The comment made Aizawa snort softly. “That’s coming from you? How rare…Hiromitsu…” Then he looked at the other. “Really, don’t think too much about it? It’s a thing of the past now…don’t feel guilty and get pressured into doing things. Alright?”
“I can decide on what I do and don’t do myself, thanks…” Kitayama grumbled and leaned back against the train window.
“Well, she’s going to be transferred to Shohoku tomorrow. I talked to the doctor. Apparently we have new equipment and a new form of treatment for this disease…” Aizawa felt a little annoyed at Kitayama’s reaction but still let this information slip. “So just visit her again if you so wish.”
“Hn…” a grunt was all the got as an answer. The atmosphere between them seemed to be strained and for the first time in a long time, they went their separate ways when they got back to their apartment. Aizawa didn’t want to admit it but somehow sleeping in his bed alone felt lonely all of a sudden. It wasn’t like he didn’t sleep alone once in a while due to clashing schedules but that was different. This time just felt…lonely and cold. As if he’d been shut out and placed in front of a wall of ice that had suddenly appeared between them.
Maybe this was what people had felt around him before. It was weird, feeling it himself. And yet he couldn’t help but laugh brokenly. Was Kitayama giving him a taste of his own medicine?
The next morning, he supervised the transfer of Takeda Masami along with Saijo-sensei. The woman was given a thorough examination once again before Saijo-sensei explained the new treatment method to everyone present in the room. It was actually just an alteration of the old treatment, which was to create bypasses in the brain. A new method, developed in Germany, would allow them to create the bypasses easier and with less risk.
While he listened, Aizawa committed the information to memory. He’d read up on it before his shift had started earlier so everything was still fresh in his mind.
The family was left to think about everything for a while and Aizawa went back to his duties. When he passed by the room later, he spotted a familiar face inside, next to the parents. So Kitayama had come to visit. Well he had told the other about this so that wasn’t anything surprising.
Later though, when he was about to notify people of visiting hours being over, he went past the waiting room by the ICU and overheard something, he probably shouldn’t have.
“Kitayama-kun…I ask this of you just in case…as a mother…who loves her daughter, her only daughter more than anything else in this world…” it was Takeda-san’s voice. “Until the day of the surgery…could you…just pretend to…return Masami’s feelings? Please, please be her boyfriend even if it’s just for a week…I beg of you…I’ll compensate you for it, too…”
“I-“ before Kitayama could answer, Aizawa walked in.
“Excuse me but visiting hours are over now…I’d kindly ask you to leave…or at least go back to your relatives’ room…” he announced calmly. While Takeda-san bowed and walked away, he looked at Kitayama and spoke just a single word. “Don’t.”
“Were you listening?” Kitayama looked miffed. “And you’re making decisions for me again!”
Something in Aizawa started to strain. “As if you haven’t for me before…”
“That…that’s different…” Kitayama looked down.
“Oh? How so?” Aizawa challenged.
“I…ugh, whatever,” Kitayama sighed. “I’ll make my own decision though. The end.”
Aizawa rolled his eyes, “Fine. Have it your way. But you better think this through properly.”
“I will. Alone.” Kitayama stomped off.
“Fine. I won’t be coming home tonight anyways,” Aizawa called after the other and stomped off towards the next waiting and common areas. He didn’t have to stay for the nightshift but well, this was as good a reason as any. And maybe another night apart would help them cool their heads.
Maybe.
To be continued...?