Ms. Side Character

Chapter 34 - I need me.

Clank. The door slides open, though I was still staring at the afternoon sunset that is revealed on the glass window, I saw three figures standing at the entrance. One short, two tall.

My Family.

Without hesitation I looked at them and smiled, "Hey, mom, dad, b-brother..."

I noticed droplets of tears building up at the corners of my mother's eyes and my brother's. But father simply gave me a little smirk. He knows that I had already woken up the past few days.

Well, he is a doctor in this hospital.

My mother rushed to my side hugging me while sobbing. It was then that I noticed she had huge dark circles under her eyes. I gave her a hug back. My brother was standing at my side while staring at the floor, his tears were dropping like rain from a raincloud. Simply falling.

"I'm alright now, mom, brother," I spoke whilst reaching his hand and squeezing it, "And, I am deeply sorry too."

Mom, hugging my body and brother holding my head while kissing my temple. I simply broke down with them and a lot of apologies were exchanged with me and them.

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"You didn't had to pretend you were still in your coma, y'know" my father spoke to me as he switched the position of his stethoscope to my back, "But I do know your reasons for doing it so I played along"

All I simply did was nod, my mother and brother went off to buy some sweets at the grocery store near the hospital for me after all the crying we had.

"I too was worried," he continued, taking off his stethoscope and putting it on the bed, giving me a warm hug.

"Thank you dad," I croaked up despite how sore my throat was.

Just like my brother did, he gave me a kiss on my temple, simply telling me how important I was to him. As he got up, my brother and mother arrived in time.

"We got you some gummy candy Akemii~" my brother held out the packed cellophane, his eyes looking more puffy as he made a cheeky smile.

He sat down on my bed and sorted out all the sweets for me to eat. My mother arranging the stuffed toys and letters, while my dad reminding me to not eat too much. This is my family.

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"Are your things ready Akemi?" my brother asked as he twirled the keys for his car.

Still putting on my socks, I managed to speak, "You really don't have to drive me there y'know, school is just blocks away."

Blurting out his "You just recovered" reason, I had no energy to contradict anymore and gave way to his suggestion.

As we drove to school, we talked about many things in particular, about what happened the past few days while I was asleep, he told me that the volleyball club had a new assistant manager.

Yachi.

I guess I'm not needed anymore.

I couldn't hear what my brother was talking about. My thoughts were now clouding my head. Who knew I wasn't mentally stable.

I really wasn't since I was still Ember Clarke.

Just a few blocks away from school, I told my brother that I needed fresh air for a few seconds, and he understood.

Parking the car to the sakura tree park near my school, I got out and breathed. Luckily my brother understood that I needed time alone. Taking a few steps away from the vehicle, I used the method I rarely used these days.

One, the sakura's were very pretty. Two, birds chirping and people's voices can be heard. Three, I am standing on stable ground.

I really need therapy.

I am needed. I am needed. I am needed. I need myself. I don't need anybody's 'needing' if I have myself. It's alright. Just breathe Ember. Breathe Akemi.

It took me 3 minutes before I went back to the car. As my brother Akira started the car, he gave me words of reassurance.

"If they don't need you, Akemi, it'll be their loss," he said, "remember that."

I nodded while smiling.

We arrived at school just in time as the bell rang. Before getting out, I kissed my brother goodbye on the cheek and ran off towards my classroom. As I passed by other classes, I knew I was late.

Arriving at the door of my room, I heard my aunt's muffled voice teaching. I'm freaking dead.

I knocked slightly, then the sound of heels clacking towards me made me nervous. I held my breath until a head peaked through the door. Auntie!

Her eyes widened a little bit as she saw me. Without further ado, she told the children she will be back quickly and they should continue the activity given, she closed the door behind her and hugged me slightly.

"Did you know how worried I was, Akemi?" she said while I felt her shake. I hugged her back giving her solace at this point of time. After the huggings, she pinched my cheek very hard like what she always does when I did something wrong.

"Ow oww, that hurts auntie!"

Letting go of her pinch, I held my cheek for comfort. I still felt the long lasting burning sensation of being pinched tho.

"When you were asleep, Hinata and Kageyama didn't seem active in classes at all. So it is your responsibility to cheer them up because they're grades are decreasing."

What had I done?

Without any warning, my aunt opened the classroom sliding door and announced my arrival.

"Class, today your classmate Fukuda Akemi will be joining us after a brief time of being in a coma, please take good care of her"

As I went in and waved my hand, I could hear some gasps and my name being cried out. A crowd was building in front of the room but my aunt paid no attention to it and let them be. Girls were hugging me and checking if I was ok, the boys were patting my back and asking me many things about what happened. Crowds really were unnerving.

I looked around the room and saw Hinata and Kageyama still frozen in their seats. It was when the crowd dispersed as I approached them.

Two more steps before I neared them, they looked away.

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A/N: Ok...let us face facts here- this chapter was quite shippy to right. ;-;

Total Word Count: 1059