Forced to Grow Up

Part 17

"I gotta head to the library, but I'll see you later." Masato waved to his friend as he walked off to the local library.

He casually walked with his bag slung over his shoulder and his hands tucked into his pockets. As he walked, he felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket.

Pulling out his phone, he saw he had a message from Suno.

Baby Girl: You still coming over later?

Masato: Yeah
Masato: I'm just heading to the library to pick up some books for the project. I'll be over in 10

Baby Girl: Ok, see you soon. I love you

Masato: I love you too

Masato stuck his phone back in his pocket and proceeded to walk into the library.

As he walked in, it was completely silent. To the point where you could hear a pin drop. There were few people actually in the library, maybe 2 or 3, not including the librarian.

He walked deeper into the library, heading to the area he needed. Though there weren't many people, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, and possibly followed.

Masato tried to ignore the feeling and go back to searching through the shelves to find the books he needed.

As he finally found it and was about to pull it off of the shelf, he heard the deep growl of a man. "I told you this wasn't over."

Before Masato could react, there was a sharp pain coming from his back. He fell on to the floor, unaware that he was bleeding out. He wanted to get up and move, but the pain was excruciating.

His vision became hazy as he tried to see who it was that attacked him. His eyes began to shut as he felt the floor shake from the man quickly trying to disappear from the scene of the crime. Masato tried to call for help, but it all just became black.

Masato's eyes gently fluttered open as bright lights infiltrated his sight. He blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the brightness.

"Masato!" He heard the sweet voice of the one he loved. He turned to the direction of where the voice came from to see Suno sitting by his side.

She had tears running down her face from her red, strained eyes as she clutched Masato's hand. "Suno?" He questioned. "What's going on?"

Suno took her hand to Masato's head, gently running her fingers through his hair. "You're in the hospital, baby." When she said that, her tears began to flow faster.

"Hospital? Why, for what? Where's my family?" Unable to remember what happened, Masato became very confused. He tried to sit up in the bed, but immediately regretted the decision as a sharp pain shot through his body, starting from a point on his back. He groaned in pain, earning a startled reaction from Suno.

"No, please. Don't get up." Suno pleaded, "You're hurt and you need to rest."

"Suno, what happened? Where are my parents?" Masato asked once again.

"Your mom and dad and Michiko went to go get something to eat. I couldn't bring myself to leave you, I felt too guilty..." Suno looked down to her lap as tears dripped down from her face.

"Guilty about what? Suno, what happened?!" Masato shouted as he began to get more and more frustrated. However the shout caused another surge of pain. He groaned once again, pressing a hand over the point where the pain stemmed from.