The Lightning Flash

Chapter 14: I Have to Win This Pt. 1

2 Weeks Ago:

16-year-old Kiko Watanabe's heart sank deep into her chest as she heard the words, "Stage Four Pancreatic Cancer," leave the doctor's mouth. The diagnoses wasn't for her, even though, she really wished it was. Rather, it was for her younger sister, Honoka, who was 3 years younger than her. Their mother was with them as well and when she heard the news, she, immediately, began crying, at the implications of what the doctor had just said. Kiko doubted her mother could even hear the rest of what the doctor was saying through her tears so, despite crying as well, she tried to keep it quiet enough so she could understand the doctor.

"I know this news is terrible and...I feel truly awful that I have to tell you this," the doctor continued, a grim expression on his face. "Although, there are plenty of treatment plans available for you, if you want them?"

The doctor was now talking to Honoka, directly, who, strangely, was the only one, who wasn't crying. Kiko could tell that she was sad in her own way but, for some reason, was processing it the best. She was always strong, emotionally.

"T-They're...probably expensive, though," claimed Honoka, sadly. "I don't want my family wasting their money on me, especially when times are so rough."

Unfortunately, there was some truth in what Honoka was saying and Kiko knew this. Their family, who consisted of the three of them, since their dad was never around, had lived in Japan their entire life and, barely, scraped by the entire time while doing so. They lived in a small apartment building with only the basic of necessities. However, there were two things in the house that were pretty expensive. Two Nerve Gears. One for Kiko and the other for Honoka. Kiko still remembered how long the two of them had saved to get them...it took so long that they actually couldn't even purchase them until after the SAO incident, which they were both grateful for. The two Nerve Gears were the only real sources of joy that the girls had in their lives and was the main way that the two had bonded. Their mother wasn't around the house too much because she was always working hard at her job to earn enough so that they could afford their current living quarters. Lately, the two sisters had been playing this brand new VRMMORPG titled "Gun Gale Online" and Honoka, particularly, took a liking to it. In fact, the two had gotten so good at it, that they were going to participate in the game's first tournament which was called the "Bullet of Bullets." It was actually Honoka's idea because she thought that they may be able to win some money to assist their mother, since she was the one, who helped buy the Nerve Gears for them, in the first place. Now though, none of that seemed to matter to Kiko as she sat, miserably, in her chair, forced to listen to her younger sister deny the doctor's request of a treatment plan.

"W-We'll do the treatment plan!" their mother called out, managing to stop herself from crying just long enough to yell this. "I-I don't care how much it costs!"

Honoka had been sick for almost a month and it had taken them so long to, finally, get her into seeing a doctor. Kiko wondered if her mother blamed herself for this and then came to the conclusion that it was just as much her fault. She was around Honoka far more than her mother was. She should have noticed just how severe her sickness was sooner but was convinced when Honoka claimed it was just a stomach bug. Kiko figured that if it was anyone's fault, it was hers...and hers alone.

"How much time would I have if I don't receive treatment?" asked Honoka, calmly.

"It doesn't matter!" interrupted her mother. "You're going to get the treatment, no matter what! I-I'll get the money...somehow."

Disregarding the mother's interruption, the doctor answered Honoka's question, "Without treatment, I would say...about 6 months, best case scenario."

"6 months is a long time...how much longer could I live, if I did get the treatment?" was Honoka's next question.