K: Bittersweet Flames

Chapter 45.2

A while back...

A pair of leather shoes walked on the stoned pavement, climbing up a set of stairs to a mini park. Another set of shoes followed after behind him, walking with soft steps as if not to disturb the quiet environment and the person leading in front.

Walking along the outer length of the mini park, the two pairs of footsteps paused at the torii gates at the entrance of the park. "... It's been a while isn't it," A mildly deep voice was uttered by the male standing in the front, "Sasaki." He then stood there for a few minutes, eyes blankly staring into space.

The secretary kept quiet throughout the whole time. He was used to it. Every time they came here, his boss would stand by the entrance for a few minutes, staring into blank space. He looked at the bouquet in his boss' hands.

--White lilies.

The short walk down the bricked path felt to be too long for the person leading. He took a turn to the right and with the precise number of steps, his feet stopped beside a particular spot. Turning 90 degrees to his right, he faced forward. Eyes lidded, he looked downward, staring at the engravings on the stoned wall.

For every moment that he was here, every time that he came here, he would have to face reality. Feel the pain of losing his loved one again and again. Remembering the scenes of that day. On that horrid and unfortunate day, he wasn't given a choice and lost his life-long partner.

A memory that he wanted to forget-to erase from his mind-slid out from where he had pushed to the back of his mind and played an illusion of the past in front of his eyes.

...

A trembling hand reached out towards him who was briskly walked with the bed that was being pushed out of the ambulance.

The owner of the hand tried putting on a smile, but it ended up looking like a grimace. Her bloodied lips parted, opening and closing as if speaking to him, but he wasn't able to remember what the person said. But he could remember vividly what he felt at that point in time when she was speaking.

--Disbelief. Bewilderment. Distressed. And lastly, anger.

The trembles from the hand seemed to stop before the last strength left even the tips of the fingers; falling lifeless. In that moment, that split-second change struck pure terror into his heart as he felt his hopes being crushed.

"I'm sorry sir but please leave, we can't have you in there!" A nurse pulled at his shoulders, pulling him backwards in an attempt to stop him from following.

"N-No, I must go with her." He shrugged the nurse's hand off as he took a step to approach the surgery hall. "I must-"

"Sir!" Another nurse stepped in and pulled at him. His steps faltered and he watched the double translucent doors closed in front of him.

He felt his chest tighten and turn sour; his sobs clogged in his throat.

"Sir... The other female patient is..." The nurse's voice trailed off as he stumbled on his feet, feeling the energy drained out from his legs. Shocked, the nurses grabbed onto his arms and helped him over to the nearest chair.

The nurse continued speaking about another patient to him, but their words were not registering.

"Let's give him some time. Luckily, the other patient seems to only have surface injuries. The first emergency scan didn't find any immediate danger. She will be sent for a thorough CT scan later once the room is available to check for internal damage." Another nurse said. "Let's pray the ones inside will be all fine."

After what felt like days to him, two doctors and a nurse walked out from the surgery hall's doors. He instantly recognised one of the nurse's faces that entered together with the bed his wife was on and quickly stood up from his seat, rushing to the doctor beside that nurse. "My wife! Ho-How's my wife?" He stuttered out.