[Charlotte] Seventy-Five Years (Discontinued)

Chapter 10: Losing Abilities

Yuu took a breather before Nao tilted the door knob open.

Here goes nothing. Stay calm, Otosaka Yuu. He told himself.

Iori was a fine girl, with such energy and attitude; he couldn't hide the fact that he had grown fond of her now. And finally seeing her with quite an unwell state after a month was something he wished not to expect.

"Are you ready?" Checked Nao. She had been protecting the latter, though she hadn't known and/or aware of.

Only a nod was the male's reply. Even if he nodded, he was still unsure.

Finally, Nao tilted the door open. It revealed a blonde little girl lying on a white, fluffy hospital bed. She looked like she was pinned on it, but there were no wires or ropes holding her. Iori was talking to Honoka; her head was supposedly tilted to the side to see her best friend, but it wasn't. She couldn't move. At all. Though even if in that state, Iori was still smiling.

And even if she was, it still delivered a piercing pain in their hearts. Even more painful.

"Tomori-san!" Called Honoka in excitement, waving her hand in the air as a greeting.

"Tomori-san is here?" Iori asked. There was a frown carved on her lips for a second but then was removed, exchanging it with a bright smile. "Hello, Tomori-san! It's been a long time since you visited me! Is school taking the best of you?" As she spoke, her head didn't tilt to the direction where Nao was; she couldn't move it. All she could do was speak, her head and eyes locked on the ceiling.

"Not much, really. We're supposedly going to universities now but since our powers have returned, we couldn't just sit there and enjoy our lives as normal students. We were told to stay in Hoshi no Umi until our power disappears. That means, we still will be staying in the school's student council," explained Nao. She petted the little girl's head, removing the strands of her untied hair off her face.

"I see. Pretty tough, huh," there was a second pause until she decided to ask again. "Are you with nii-chan?"

Nice. Able to tell that I'm around. That could have grown in her because of her state. Yuu composed himself, took another breather and told himself to move a step towards the lass.

"How long are you gonna stand there?"

Oh, right. Mind rea-- "I mean, yeah. I'm coming."

The lad took steps now, giving her his most bright greeting. "Yo! how's everything?" He couldn't ask how she was, or how she had been these past few days. Yuu knew that would make her feel bad, and would make her remember her state.

"P-Pretty good!..," she replied with completely fake happiness. Not long ago, the lass began sniffing.

The three looked at the direction where the sniffing could be heard. Witnessing this only made them frown or avoid Iori's gazes. They couldn't do anything.

---

As they returned to Hoshi no Umi, Yuu couldn't contain the urge anymore, thus he began asking Nao something important. "Nao," he took a sigh before continuing. "Is there a cure for Iori?"

She shook her head, sadness still lingering in her.

"Tomori-san,"called Takajou who just appeared before them. Yuu was surprised and was taken aback, but he managed to recompose himself after a few seconds. "There is actually a cure for Iori-san. I believe you have to make it yourselves to get it."

The platinum blonde blinked in surprise. "There is?"

A determined look was given to Takajou from both Nao and Yuu, for they wanted to cure her before the time ends. Takajou only nodded as his response of agreement, then led them back to the headquarters.

As both Nao and Yuu went outside Iori's room, Honoka leading them, they stopped and turned to the smallest lass. The platinum blonde leveled her and stared in her eyes. "Honoka-chan," she started. "How many months will Iori last, according to her doctor?"

"She..," Honoka tried her best to not let her tears fall from the brim of her hues whilst replying to the older female. "For another week, Tomori-san..."

"Alright. Take care of her."

"Tomori-san..," she called before they were able to turn away from her. "I-Is there a way for her to continue living..?"

Only a frown was the lass' response.

"Shunsuke-san," called Maedomari whilst Takajou, Nao and Yuu were walking behind him.

With his usual smile, the purple-haired male glanced at the direction where he felt the three were standing. "You guys should be in school; you are too early to be in here," he joked.

"We just graduated, Shunsuke-niichan," said Yuu with a comical look of disinterest on his face.

They heard small chuckles before he continued. "So, what brings you here?"

"We want to ask how we could obtain the cure for Iori. She can only last for a month, so we have to move as soon as possible," explained Yuu. Nao was just looking and listening to the brothers, as well as Takajou.

Shunsuke's facial expression didn't change at all, he only calmly looked at them. "The cure lies...in Furuki-san's home."

Furuki-san?!