My Neko Girls (+18) (Original Story)

Chapter 10: Leaf in the Wind { Final }

When you had started this journey you never thought that it would end in the death of one of your closest friends. You had never thought these girls--these strange girls-- would mean as much to you as they do now. You don't remember much about the car crash, but you do remember the body that you saw afterwards very vividly; the puddle of blood, the gentle gasps that came from her pursed lips, and the flaming wreckage in the background.

You open your eyes as slowly as possible, a light radiates intensely from the ceiling. Your fingertips curl around the soft sheets that your body stiffly lays upon. You overturn yourself, but your aching muscles demand otherwise. Following their command, you lie flat on your backside.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Your attention is drawn to the empty doorway. On the opposite end of the hallway, you can see a dim light shining. You throw your leg over and crawl off. You lose balance and find yourself holding onto the wall for stability. "Nurse?" You peer through the slightly ajar doorway in the neighboring room. You shuffle inside as quietly as possible.

"Y/N?" Jezebel is laying down with a mug on a plastic tray on her bedside table. Her eyes start to well up with tears and the two of you embrace.

"Do you know if everybody's alright? Candy? Nina? Yoko?" Jezebel shakes her head in a quiet and solemn manner.

"No, I haven't heard anything." You take Jezebel's hand and squeeze it.

"That's alright..." You drawn your attention to a group of doctors and nurses rushing down the hall, shouting and barking orders at one another. "Stay here, Jezebel." She nods simply and you creep out of the hospital room. You turn the corner and sneak in with the nurses and doctors. You slide a curtain out of the way and look down at Nina, whose sleeping like a baby in her hospital bed.

"You shouldn't be in here." A nurse says from the doorway.

"Just give me one second." You stroke the side of Nina's face before turning around and heading back. Once you step into the hall, time seems to slow down. Headlights centered on you suddenly appear. A horn, much like the one you heard before the crash, fills your ears. A truck comes barreling down the hall, you shield your eyes before it hits and everything goes black.

...

You wake up with a throbbing pain beating at your temples like a drum. You sit upright and feel a surge of pain up your le-

Legs?

Wh-what happened to your legs?

"Nurse? NURSE?" You throw yourself around, knocking over hospital equipment before the nurses arrive and hold you down. "WHAT HAPPENED? TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

"Y/N!" Jezebel is standing in the empty doorway. The nurses all turn their heads in her direction.

"Je-Jezebel? What happened? Please, tell me."

"The accident...they had to amputate your legs, Y/N. I'm sorry." You look down and pull the covers off. You blink a couple times then your eyes roll to the back of your head and you black out.

...

Candy sprints down the hallway, pumping her legs back and forth for as long as they can carry her. She comes to an abrupt halt once she steps inside of your room.

"Y/N! It's Nina..."

You wheel into Nina's hospital room. Jezebel and Yoko are standing side by side, looking down on Nina as she breaths into the respirator.

"Nina?" You whisper, moving closer. Her eyes flicker with happiness when she sees you.

"I-I'm so happy to see you, Y/N." Her breathing is heavy and slow, it causes a pit to form in your stomach.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Nina." You stroke the side of her face. Nina smiles and squeezes your hand.

"I know..." Her eyes start to shut. You lean out of your chair and kiss her cheek gently. "See you when I wake up, boss." Nina smirks, her eyes close completely. "Oh...and you need...more...frosted...flakes." Her breathing dies down and the monitor makes a continuous buzzing sound to signify that Nina has passed.

You clutch her bed sheets and swear under your breath as Jezebel, Candy, and Yoko embrace each other amidst a fit of extreme sobbing and sadness.

...

Six months later

After the four of you are discharged from the hospital, the car comes to a halt and Yoko hops out of the front seat. Jezebel circles around the back and takes out your folded up wheelchair from the front. Candy helps you out and rolls you down the hill.

The four of you stop at a cross stuck into a mound of dirt. Memories begin to flood back into your head all at once; when you found Nina sitting in your bathtub, the snowball war, you and Yoko finding a gift for Jezebel. These girls no longer want to get home, you can see it in their expressions.

You hold Jezebel's hand and she looks down at you with a bright smile that tells you everything is going to be fine.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Her gentle voice makes your heart feel warm.

"It sure is." Yoko replies with a half smile. Candy sits down on your lap and wraps her arms around your neck.

In this somber and quiet moment, in the aftermath of an unforgettable tragedy, you realize that this is the best moment of your entire life...

Just you and your neko girls looking into the sunset.