We Treasure Our Company

I waited.

I move across the street to the bus stop, because she said she'd be arriving by bus in order to save her feet from the unnecessary walk. For special days like this one, buses remained operational for the convenience of the residents.

I occasionally saw people dressed nicely walk past me as they headed to the shrine that Ringomori and I would be heading towards too. It was a smaller, less popular shrine nearby the orphanage and just a street away from her old home.

While waiting, I felt the touch of a small kitten that had found its way to my feet. Its fur blended in with the darkness of the night, so I crouched down to get a better look at it. It approached me as I held an open palm to its chin. I decided to text her about it.

Found a cat. If we [You] don't get here soon, we'll [I'l]l take this to the shrine with us [Me]. We'll form the best friendship.

As I waited for her reply, I caught myself smiling. I was amazed because all I ever did – or better yet, all we ever did – when we were together was smile. She completed my heart, she healed my mind.

How rude! However, if we [You] were to ever replace us [Me], We'd [I'd] definitely want it to be with a cat. Maybe we [I] just want to be a cat.

I was never the type to truthfully compliment or express my feelings unless it was in a sarcastic way. For New Year's Day, I wanted my wish to be that I complimented and expressed myself more. It was because of her that I was able to muster confidence in that wish. I didn’t wish about my confession, because I wanted to do that all on my own.

My phone vibrated.

Can we [You] summarize the past year in a single sentence? Your answer will determine my greeting to you!

I was listening to a RONDselia song that I had heard a thousand times, but it was the first time I had deepened the words. It was telling me to take opportunities when they showed up, because they didn't come often.

As practice for my wish, I decided to do one compliment before the new year began, just as a tester. I would have preferred to tell her in person, because I wanted to see her reaction, but that was okay. Using the essence of our inside joke, I felt exhilarated in finding the right words. I knew she'd understand.

I…
She…
We. Yes, we…

We treasure our company.

I sent the message and awaited a reply or the bus that'd bring her. Neither would arrive.

By the end of the song, an unprecedented sound was heard. After pausing the song, I realized the sound wasn't coming from my earphones, but beyond it. I took one bud off and heard sirens in the distance, along with the soaring sound of helicopters. In the distance, I saw both the lights of the sirens and of the helicopters.

At first, I thought nothing of it, until midnight struck and her bus still hadn't showed up.

➼ ➼ ➼

The sounds of songs passed through my ears, but not her voice announcing her arrival. The sight of people walking by my eyes, but none of them was her. No message or calls for updates, and no responses to my follow up texts.

I grew worrisome and restless, not being able to stay still by the bus stop that had no buses stopping. Something was wrong.

I first walked in the direction of the Shizuko household, then my feet picked up the pace to jog, then sprint. I was approaching closer to the sirens and helicopters I saw earlier, and there was an outspread crowd of people blocking the entire street.

What the…?

I burrowed through the crowd expecting to continue my journey, but instead ended up at the front of a police barricade. Police cars were accompanied by ambulances and the helicopters' spotlights directed my eyes to a line of buildings with an entire semi-truck container peeking out from it.

My pupils constricted, my eyes not wanting me to see the bus that was also thrown into the buildings. I forced them open to see the surroundings. Medics helped wounded civilians who were also dressed in kimonos and traditional clothing. I scanned each and every one of them to see if I could recognize a face, but a part of me was confused whether I did want to see that face there or not.

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!

There was nothing. I shifted to the police cars and saw several stocky men with cuffs on their hands being put into the back. I didn't really care for them at the moment, so I moved on. Then my ear twitched at the sound of the doors slamming shut on a few ambulances and they sped off to the hospital.

Through the shock, I muttered, "Yo-Yoru…san…?"

I wanted to rush under the barricades and figure out what happened, but my stomach and a very different type of headache attacked me as if worms had been chewing their way out. I was struggling to stand, stumbling backwards into the crowd. I backed away until I left the moshpit and fell on my butt.

Checking my phone again, there was still no reply.

I need to go to the hospital––
The thought of what I might see caused me to dry-heave as I clenched my chest and throat, and my thoughts were emptied.
N-No… I can't handle it! I-I need to just get away from here!

To most people, I probably looked like a lightweight drunkard who had several pints as I ran up the street back to the orphanage. I stumbled at the entrance and fell at the shoe cubbies, covering my face with my hands.

"Chamaru-chan? Are you okay?"
"Vieira-kun?"
asked a couple of orphan kids.

I couldn't think straight enough to issue a reply, and they seemed to have rushed to get a caregiver to tend to me. She crouched next to me and asked the same question. I heard stomping that was too loud to be any child; it was more caregivers.

"Hurry! We have to go now!"
"This is an emergency!"

The crouching caregiver asked, "What's wrong?"

The next caregiver confirmed my worst fear.
"Stay here and take care of the kids. One of our kids has been rushed to the hospital."

My eyes shot open, and my fear flowed out from them.

"Who?" asked the crouching caregiver.

Before I could hear an answer, I slapped my hands over my ears to prevent any and all sounds from entering; leaving me with the deafening white noise.

They left and I couldn't stay at the entrance any longer, so I forced myself up the stairs to my room. I stumbled and slipped over the steps because of my erratic movement. I managed the door open and dove face first into my bed, forcing my nose into my pillow and gripping my hair in frustration.

Why, why, why?! Just one simple outin' is all I wanted! Is it my fault? Did I expect too much? Is this how the world is tellin' me I don't deserve happiness after all?! I––

I rolled out of the bed onto the floor, and my pillow landed on my face. My hand removed it so that my eyes could stare at the blank ceiling. I envisioned the drawing she had in her room, the one made by me.

My door was still open, and through the thin walls of another orphan's room, I heard a news reporter on TV:

"The crash was the result of the police chase with the notorious bank robbers. They planned to rob multiple banks while people were distracted with the upcoming holiday celebrations, but their plans were intercepted. All robbers have been apprehended here, at this site of a large motor vehicle accident. Passengers from the local bus have been reported as injured and taken to the hospital, but so far there are no confirmations of death[…]"

I exhaled every carbon dioxide molecule in my lungs and gently relaxed my eyelids. I decided to change my wish.

Please, if I can make it…you can too. Please…don't join the parents.

I repeated that wish over and over until the words didn't sound real anymore. Full of multiple kinds of pain and stress, I fell asleep on the floor.

➼ ➼ ➼

Several hours later, when the sun rose over the white city, I darted out of the orphanage and to the hospital.

It was packed with people who must have also had loved ones admitted from the accident. I forced myself to the front desk and asked the receptionist,
"Is Ringomori Yoru alive? Is she in one of the rooms?"
I had attempted to maintain a calm state of mind, but the hospital wasn't the best place for that.

The receptionist said, "I'm sorry but I'm busy with other patients, please wait and––"

"Thank you," I interrupted rudely.

My next course of action to find another form of help. I saw a nurse coming out of a patient's room. My mental state hadn't fully recovered, and thus affected my demeanor with others. I stopped the nurse and asked him the same questions.

He was startled at first, and understandably so.
"I do recall tending to someone with that name," he said, "but I can't tell you which room."

She was here. She was breathing. She was alive.

That piece of news warmed my heart a small bit, tingles spreading all over my arm and neck hairs. However, I still wanted to see her as quickly as I could.

"I'm afraid only immediate family or legal guardians can see her. I can't let you through."

I was persistent, and so was he. Only he was in the right, but I didn't care.

"Y-You won't understand,” I said, raising my voice with everywhere word, “but I'm the closest family that girl has!"
Calm down! No!
"I know and love her better than anyone else in the world!"

Despite my declarations, the nurse still denied me. He was going to say something else, but then I heard my name being called from behind me. I frantically turned around and saw Dr. Takashi standing there in her white coat. The nurse took that opportunity to leave – what help he was.

Lest I wanted to get thrown out of the hospital, I shook my head and reorganized myself. I approached her and asked, in a much quieter fashion,
"Is she okay? Can I see her?"

Dr. Takashi answered, "Please relax yourself, Vieira-san. Yes, she's alive and well. She suffered minor injuries as the bus was hit near the front, and she sat in the back. However, I can't let you or anyone else see her, besides her caregivers."

My face was painted with appalling dread. My mental state was on the worst rollercoaster ever made, and it was about to go down the biggest drop of my life – even beating my own accident.

"Right now, Yoru-san is in a comatose state.”