Ai ~ when Love becomes Despair

Chapter 4: Ai-chan

 Rumbling a single coffee can searched its way down the vendor, being the only reason why Reiji didn't fall asleep right there. The Idol exhaustedly sat down on one of the waiting chairs, opened his can and drank the first few gulps.
Aine had closed his eyes after some time had passed, but Uramoto-Sensei had explained him, that he would just sleep to recover. The fear, Aine could not wake up again after a few hours still remained inside of Reiji. Too long had he lost his friend, to abandon his anxiety now.
As a result Reiji was still awake in the middle of the night, without being able to rest for a moment. Until recently he had watched over his friend, even though Aine had not spoken one word before he fell asleep. Uramoto-sensei on the other hand, nodded off over some documents some time ago.
Now, for the first time since he walked into the hospital, Reiji grabbed his phone, showing him six missed calls and forty-three unread messages. Sighing exhaustly he skimmed through the missed calls and messages, he rarely read the texts, answering them was near zero.
One of the limited texts was send to Haruka, so she won't have to worry all day long the next day. Reiji himself didn't even want to think about the upcoming day. Even if it was one of his rare free days, he had to make up his missed appointments and explain himself to Saotome and probably Ran-Ran, but he didn't want to leave Aine by himself.
His phone went black and Reiji leaned back, lying his head on the wall of the dark hall, not counting the Exit signs and the vendor, which exuded a slight light. Just before his tired lids could close, his phone lit up once again. Ranmaru....
After some tries to get his lock right, Reiji finally opened the new message of his group member.

What was going on with u today?

C'mon, spit it 
 I'm seeing that u'r on

Reiji was aware of the fact that he couldn't possibly get rid of Ranmaru now... even less in his condition.

Had to go visit a friend in the hospital. I'll explain later

sth serious?

Maybe

Reiji didn't want to talk about it, let alone wright about it and Ranmaru seemed to notice that.

Best of luck! R u home tomorrow?

don't know, I'll see
Y?

Ai acted weird today, kind of distracted. Not as accurate as usual. Thought u should know about it

He gazed at his phone. Ai? Rei could impossibly worry about Ai as well, not when Aine alone was enough to concern him. Yet Ai and the other members of Quartet Night had helped him overcome the despair he felt after Aines... accident. Ai was one of the reasons Reiji didn't feel like he alone tried to maintain Aines heir anymore.
During the silence on Reijis side Ranmaru wrote again.

It's surely nothing too serious, he was probably just on emergency power.

Heavy-heartedly, Rei had to redim his Display once again. Ranmaru was right, definitely. Ai just hadn't charged himself enough. After Reiji's shooting Ai looked completely normal! It had to be it, something else was out of the question.

Two more messages arrived until Ranmaru stopped sending more, but Reiji didn't read those anymore, as he was way too busy handling his whirling thoughts.
At the end, Reiji finished his drink and went back to his blue haired friend. Yet, as he sat down in one of the chairs, his tiredness finally won and let him fall asleep to get a bit of rest.

Startled, the Idol opened his eyes the next day. When did he fall asleep? What time wasit? His heart began racing as he saw that Aines sight crossed his own. Thesedark blue eyes looked at him in a soft way, maybe a bit relieved? Theexhausted, spiritless expression they had just yesterday was nearly gone.
Reiji was scared about talking to his Friends, what when Aine really could notremember him? Now that he seemed livelier and more like his former self, remainingsilence would undeniably show, that he forgot everything about Reiji.
Still, he build up all of his courage, he had to know the truth. "Ai-chan?"
Silence. A Silence remaining heavily inthe Air between them, then....
"R-Rei-chan."
It was barley a whisper and sounded more like rasp than truly speaking, but forReiji there was nothing that could have sounded any better in the entire worldat this moment.
A smirk, a smile, a grin found his way on Reijis face, unable to say anotherword.
Suddenly the door opened.
"Uramoto-sensei", Reiji started, without looking up from his friend, "Ai-chanhe remembers..."
As Reiji finally did look up, Uramoto-Sensei wasn't the only one standing atthe door. "...me."
Right next to the so sympatric Doc was a tall man with reddish-brown hair.
"We know", declared Saotome.