Love - For Real?

Stayin' Alive

Bryce's PoV, one hour after the incident

She's alive. Thank god. She's alive and is being questioned by the doctors. Naomi's mother is coming a bit later due to traffic. As I sit in the waiting room, I sing to myself quietly once more...

Put to rest
What you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands of uncertainty
So let mercy come and wash away

What I've done

Ms. Kaminari's PoV

As I finally arrive, I head over to the reception. "Yuki Kaminari, Naomi Kaminari's mother-!" The reception lady nods. "The boy in the waiting room already told me that you would come. I can tell you that your daughter is alive, but please, take a seat in the waiting room for a bit." I sigh in relief.

I do as the lady told me to do, looking at the raven-haired boy who has his head hung low. "Are you the friend of hers?" He looks at me. "Yeah...and the reason why she is here..." He's close to tearing up. Naomi clearly means something to him.

"It's not your fault." "Huh?" Then, I explain everything to him. How she has been on stage before a few times. How this sort of thing always happens. "So... It's not the first time?" I shake my head as he asks that. "Nope. Even those school theatre plays back when she was in primary school were enough to cause that." He sighs. "Damn..."

Bryce's PoV

Crap. I don't know what I should talk about with her. Should I tell her about my relationship with her daughter? No, not now! This is DEFINITELY not the right time! "I'm Bryce," I say to break the ice, smiling at Naomi's mom wryly. She smiles back. "I'm Yuki... You know, she told me a lot about you. About how you're her bandmate and all that." I chuckle. "Yeah, exactly. Like I said, I'm kind of the reason why she's here..."

As silence takes over again, I breathe in. Worth a shot. "Naomi and I-!" "Ms. Kaminari would like to see you both." Should I thank the nurse or not for interrupting me? Anyway, she leads us to a certain room where I see Naomi on a hospital bed, looking at me and her mother with a beaming smile. She's back. I feel myself freezing up. I just can't believe it...

"So, it happened again, huh?" Yuki asks. Naomi merely nods. "Yeah..." I wonder how many times she went through that... I regain my composure and walk over to her before hugging her tightly. "I think I should leave you alone, huh?" "That would be good, actually..." Yuki and Naomi say.

Yuki's PoV

I nod and bow before heading out... But I still can't help but eavesdrop on what they have to say.

"Why... Why didn't you say anything?!" I hear Bryce ask, apparently crying judging by the sound of his voice. "What... Did mom tell you about that?" "Uh-huh... Why didn't you tell me anything about that? You could've said no..." Bryce mutters.

Then, I hear Naomi crying as well as she responds. "Music is my life, I have no choice... Besides, when I'm with you..." "That doesn't excuse the fact that I almost killed you!" I hear Naomi chuckle wryly. "Don't worry... It's my fault, anyway. But if you are with me, I can do anything..."

Could there be more than just a normal friendship between them? "Uhm... Can I come back in?" A small pause ensues before I hear Naomi respond. "...Sure." I open the door and see how Bryce still hugs my daughter.

"I-It's not what it looks like!" Naomi exclaims. Then, Bryce sighs. "It's alright, Naomi." Then, he looks me in the eyes as he takes Naomi by her hand. "I'm your daughter's boyfriend. You may not accept this, but just know that we're happy with each other-!" "It's okay." Bryce tilts his head in confusion. "Huh?"