Space and Time

Everything Tastes Bittersweet Inside Sterilized Rooms

The hospital's quiet. Too quiet. Even with Lev and Dad in the same room. They're not saying much this time around; Dad keeps pacing around in circles and Lev looks torn between keeping me company and checking his phone.

"If you have something more important, you can go," I tell him. He's giving me a face and scrambling to put his phone away. Maybe that came out too harsh? "No, I'm serious, I know you have school."

"You visited me when I was at the hospital," he says.

"You almost died; this is just a broken wrist."

"But you're stuck here on your birthday. Come on, Aika, I wouldn't just leave you staring at the wall on your birthday."

It's true. I'm turning 19 today. And I'm stuck in a hospital the whole day because the medical team who tended to me recognized me and were convinced that I would immediately begin training again. So I'm in quarantine until they can get a hold of Nevaeh.

I can't complain too much, honestly, because they were completely right on their assumption, but they can't keep me here forever. A broken wrist does not require prolonged hospital stay. I might start punching people here if they don't let me out of this boredom box soon. Where is Nevaeh? I thought she followed us here.

Dad's just looked at his watch. Time's-a-passin', Dad, you and I both know it. "I think we should hold a little celebration here, then," he says cheerily. Are you serious?

Of course Lev's latched onto the idea immediately. "And Takumi and I can go grab our gifts, and a cake!"

"When Takumi returns, we should ask him!" Dad replies. I know I can't stop them when they're like this. Not that I want to anyway. I can feel a smile creeping up onto my face already; they're sweet and I'm glad they're my family.

"I'll call Nevaeh," Lev says.

"Where in the hell did you get her number?" I ask. He just winks at me. "Oh, come on!"

"Is everything OK in here?" Oh, a nurse has just walked in.

"Yes, of course. I hope we haven't been too loud," Dad says.

"No, not at all! Just checking in. I've brought up Aika's brother as well."

In strolls Takumi. He actually looks... worried? Damn, is a broken wrist really that bad? I can still fight with that. And the concussion... Oh. Can I?

"Hey, Tak!" Lev says immediately. He has never once in his life called Takumi that. Is he tired? On something? Caffeine, maybe?

Takumi's giving Lev a weird look and the both of us exchange a 'What the fuck?' glance before Takumi takes a seat beside Dad and thanks the nurse for letting him in.

"What are you doing?" he asks me. He's suddenly completely serious and it's caught me off guard. What does he mean? "You know what I mean."

...The hospital quarantine?

"The recklessness," he says before I can even get a word out. "You already had a concussion, Aika. Why are you taking unnecessary risks?"

Uhh, excuse you. "Not unnecessary," I retort. "Matt was aiming for my head and I had to block it. I was protecting it."

"Then Matt's an asshole for trying to give you brain damage."

"No, he's not. If I had blocked closer to my head he probably would have missed. It looked more like he was faking me out."

"Then it is you being reckless that's gotten you here."

Hey, what the hell, Takumi?!

I'm this close to jumping off this goddamn bed and tackling him.