𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝙵𝚘𝚘𝚕 - 𝙺. 𝚂𝚊𝚔𝚞𝚜𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Twenty-Five - Take A Seat, Romeo

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sakusa sat in one of the chairs in the lobby of Sajima's building. One elbow was on his knee with his chin resting in his palm while his left arm draped over his leg, letting the wrapped bouquet in his hand droop upside down between his thighs. He didn't know what to do with himself. He felt pathetic. Getting this worked up over some miscommunication when she wouldn't hear him out seemed dramatic, the one word he definitely would never use to describe himself. However, he had also never found himself in such a situation. Everything was new to him regarding this level of emotional attachment, and it was as if he was exploring uncharted territory.

With widening eyes, Sakusa registered his phone vibrating in his pocket. He didn't remember turning off the ringer, but that was inconsequential as long as Sajima hadn't tried calling him earlier. When he fumbled to get the device, Sakusa's eyes narrowed at the name on the screen, but he answered anyway. "What do you want?"

"D431," Miya blurted out, rushing to relay the information before he could forget the most crucial detail. "Some guy was lookin' for ya and said somethin' happened to Saji-chan last night."

Sakusa dropped the flowers he forgot he was holding and immediately made his way to the door. "What do you mean something happened to Sajima?"

"I don't know, Omi. Ponytail just asked me to tell ya that somethin' happened, and she's gonna be okay, but she's at Osaka Central. D431."

"I knew something was off," he groaned.

Miya sighed on the other end of the call. "He said she'll be okay, pal...but uh, if ya need anythin', Coach said he'd keep my phone handy during practice, kay?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. If Takeuchi comes back, just give him my number."

Sakusa hung up the phone, his thoughts racing as he ran, too impatient to wait for a cab that would just get stuck in traffic anyway. It wasn't as if he wasn't a seasoned runner, and he had skipped nearly his entire routine this morning anyway. Besides, it could help him be less anxious.

Of course, that wasn't the case. Every worst-case scenario ran every step beside him. After all, "she'll be okay" could mean anything. What if Sajima was assaulted? Hit by a car? What if an arm was broken? She would be devastated if she couldn't draw. Why didn't Takeuchi give any details?! Not knowing what he was about to walk into was terrifying.

Sakusa didn't bother to collect himself before he opened the door to D431. Sweaty and out of breath, he stepped inside, and his eyes darted to the bed near the window with a view so shitty that he couldn't even fathom why they'd put it there in the first place. Immediately he saw a bandage on her forehead and a scrape on her corresponding cheek. Her arms weren't tucked under the thin cotton blanket, so he knew they hadn't gotten mangled in any way, but she did have an IV poked into her left hand, and a heart monitor clipped onto her forefinger. Everything else was a mystery.

"Take a seat, Romeo. But if you wake her up, I'll kick you out before she even realizes you were here."

Sakusa tore his eyes away from Sajima to see who had just threatened him with a whisper. He was a young man with brown hair and matching eyes, most likely fresh out of high school or close to it. Sakusa wasn't sure if he was a relative, but seeing as she was estranged from her parents due to her choice of career and he was utilizing a sketchbook, it was more likely that they weren't related. In fact, Sakusa had a feeling that he knew who it was. "Kaneshi, right?"

Kaneshi nodded, and Sakusa took the seat beside him, leaning back so that his legs could extend comfortably until his breathing regulated and he could stretch them properly. "What happened?"

"A shop owner noticed her unconscious on the sidewalk when they were locking up. Called an ambulance, but she must've been in a rush 'cause all she had were her keys and one of Takeuchi's business cards folded up in her pocket. Looked like it'd been through the wash," Kaneshi hushed, their eyes focused on Sajima. "The hospital called him on the off chance that he knew her, so we lucked out in that sense at least. Doc said she probably fainted and got a concussion when she hit the ground. They're treating her for dehydration and exhaustion."

Sakusa closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's barely been sleeping. She brushed it off every time I brought it up as if it wasn't a big deal."

"A while ago, she told me you forced her to go home and sleep. Even stayed to make sure she didn't work," Kaneshi exhaled slowly, trying to process his guilt. "I should've been paying closer attention, but whenever we work together, it's usually in the evenings, and everyone's tired in the evening, y'know?"

"She was rushing to my game. I called at halftime to ask her to come." Sakusa's heart sank into his stomach at the thought. She wouldn't have gotten hurt if he had gotten his priorities straight earlier. Even if she fainted that day no matter what, the likelihood of a concussion was much smaller.

"That explains the getup, then," Kaneshi nodded to the chair on the other side of her bed despite knowing Sakusa wasn't looking.

Sakusa opened his eyes and surveyed the room, now noticing the tracksuit she hadn't returned to him (not that he bothered to ask for it back since he secretly hoped she would wear it again) lying on a chair with a little bit of dirt making the black fabric look ashen in some spots. "She must have been wearing it when I called," he mumbled before glancing back at Sajima with a frown. "Has she woken up since she's been here?"

"Takeuchi spent the night. The paramedics had managed to get her awake so they could admit her. Apparently, it was a struggle to get her to stay, and then she decided to keep bothering the nurses, hoping they'd get annoyed and release her, but they gave her a mild sedative to make her rest since she refused to. She's been out since."

"I've never met someone so stubborn," Sakusa mused. "It always comes from a good place, though. I'm sure she just wanted to get home to work on Yusuke."

"She puts way too much pressure on herself."

"Agreed."

"Woulda loved to see her messing with the nurses, though," Kaneshi chuckled.

A small smile tugged at Sakusa's lips. "I bet she was using the call button to try and prank them."

Sajima, her head so woozy she was getting bed spins, stirred from her slumber but kept her eyes closed. "Stop shit talkin' me," she mumbled.

Sakusa's eyes widened, and he scrambled out of his chair to be by her side. He clasped her fingers, careful not to disturb the IV tube, and finally spoke. "How're you feeling? Should I get a nurse?"

"Sleepy and no. Sorry I didn't make it to the game; you must've been pretty mad at me, huh?"

His gaze softened as she squinted her eyes open to look at him. "I thought you were mad, actually."

"Why would I be mad?" Her lips twitched up as if remembering how to smile in her foggy state of mind. "Made me happy that you wanted me there."

"Look, about that, I–"

"Now's not the time, man," Kaneshi cleared his throat before addressing Sajima. "You need to sleep, Sumire."

"Heya buuuuuddy," Sajima lazily smiled. "Do me a favour, will ya?"

"What is it?"

"Go grab my Yusuke draft book, please. I need to–"

Sajima couldn't even finish her sentence before both men, in unison, gave a stern, resounding "NO."