Chapter 30: This situation must end, quickly.

As darkness enveloped my consciousness, a sense of profound emptiness washed over me.

Time seemed to lose all meaning as I drifted in the void, caught between the fleeting fragments of reality and the murky depths of unconsciousness.

Somewhere in the distance, I could hear faint voices calling out to me, their words muffled and distant as if echoing from the depths of a dream.

But try as I might, I couldn't grasp hold of them, couldn't find my way back to the surface of awareness.

It felt like an eternity passed before I finally began to stir, a faint sensation of warmth seeping into the cold recesses of my mind.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the darkness began to recede, replaced by a dim, hazy light that flickered at the edges of my perception.

Blinking away the fog of unconsciousness, I struggled to orient myself in the unfamiliar surroundings.

The air was heavy with the scent of antiseptic, and the steady beep of a heart monitor echoed in the silence like a metronome marking the passage of time.

I was in a hospital room, lying in a sterile white bed with crisp sheets pulled tightly around me.

Tubes and wires snaked from various machines to my body, their purpose unknown to me but serving as a stark reminder of my vulnerability.

I slowly woke up, feeling some pain my body that made me weak.

I felt a something on my hand. Something warm and soft.

I saw a hand holding mine.

"Ema… I thought." She was probably there because she was worried but i then took a better look and raised my head even more.

I saw Evangeline.

She was sitting beside me, her expression drawn with worry as she clasped my hand in hers.

The girl wasn't Ema but it was someone who barely knew me.

I felt really bad , but i was too in pain to feel any kind of emotion.

Relief flooded her features as she noticed my awakening, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Fumihiro, you're awake," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

She then took her phone and sent a message to someone, very rapidly, before putting it back in her pocket.

I tried to speak, but my throat felt dry and scratchy, the words catching in my throat like shards of broken glass.

Swallowing against the discomfort, I managed to croak out a hoarse reply.

"What... happened?" I rasped, my voice barely audible even to my own ears.

Evangeline's grip tightened on my hand, her gaze filled with a mixture of sorrow and compassion.

"You... you had a panic attack," she murmured, her voice trembling with emotion. "The doctors said... they said it was brought on by extreme stress and... and emotional trauma."

Panic attack. The words reverberated through my mind, sending a chill down my spine as the reality of what had transpired began to sink in.

The confrontation with Chiko, the overwhelming surge of anger and despair... it had all been too much for me to bear.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the hum of the machines. "I didn't mean to... to lose control like that."

Evangeline shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from my forehead.

"It's not your fault, Fumihiro," she insisted, her voice gentle but firm.

"You've been through so much... and you're only human. We all have our breaking points."

Her words offered a modicum of solace amidst the turmoil raging within me, a glimmer of hope in the darkness that threatened to consume me whole.

But even as Evangeline's presence provided a sense of comfort and reassurance, I couldn't shake the lingering sense of unease that gnawed at the edges of my consciousness.

"Ema. Where was she? What had happened to her after she ran away from me?"

The questions lingered in the back of my mind, festering like an open wound as I struggled to make sense of the chaos that had engulfed my life.

"Ema... I don't know. She's probably at home now." Evangeline replied with a strange tone.

It seemed like she didn't want to tell me.

I was too weak to feel anxiety.

Despite i had a lot of questions in my mind and despite i wanted to contact Ema, all i could do was relax in the hospital bed with Evangeline staying by my side.

She was still wearing her school clothes. 

She didn't even went to her home.

She stayed with me all the time.

Why was she attached to me?

"Evangeline... What time is it?" I asked.

"It's... 5 A.M." She replied with a glimpse of sadness in her tone.

"R-Really? I slept that much?" I said with a negatively surprised tone.

"Fumi... You passed out and the doctors said that you are lucky to be alive. Your stress levels were insane and your heart suffered a lot from it..." Evangeline replied back.

She was really worried about me.

I was shocked by her answer.

"M-Me? Dead?" My voice was actually broken.

"Yes... Fumihiro. You should be more... careful." Evangeline then grabbed my hand.

"…" i had to receive answers.

"Evangeline, can i ask you something?" I gently asked to her.

She nodded. "Yes, what is it, Fumihiro?".

"Why are you so kind to me? We barely know each other." I managed to ask, with a polite and calm tone.

Evangeline blushed and remained silent for some seconds before answering.

"So… you really don't remember, do you?" Evangeline said.

Her voice was… sad.

I shook my head.

"No… not at all. I'm sorry." I said while scratching the back of my head.

Evangeline giggled softly.

"It's okay…" she said. "You always scratched the back of your head when you used to feel sorry for something. Even if it's not your fault." Evangeline added.

"Eh? How do you know that?" I asked, in a surprised tone.

Evangeline let out a soft laugh again.

"Well… let's say that we have a past. Do you want to know everything now?" She gently asked.

I nodded my head. "Please, tell me."

Evangeline then took a deep breath and started to talk.

"Let's say that you saved my life many years ago." She said with a sweet voice, like she was remembering something very important for her.

Her voice had a glimpse of nostalgia.

"How? And why can't I remember something like that?"

Evangeline then looked down on the floor and it looked like her gaze darkened by some kind of sadness.

"Of… of course you don't remember. We… we never met each other before…" She said before raising her head up again and looking at me into my eyes.

"But-but it doesn't matter now. It's okay. We know each other now." She said, trying to fix the situation.

But her answer didn't satisfy my curiosity.

I needed to know why this girl was so attached to me, I needed to know the real reason.

Enough with misteries. I had to change.

I was tired of people telling me half truths.

"Evangeline, please, tell me more." I asked politely.

"Please… Fumihiro… don't make me do that. Otherwise… we can't be friends anymore." She said with a sad tone while playing with her fingers.

"What? What do you mean?" I asked, with a very uncertain tone.

She sighed.

"Please. Every single thing has its own time..." She replied.

"P-Plea-" My voice was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"Fumihiro!!!" "Brother!!" These were the voices of Benjiro and Suzuki.

They rushed into my room very quickly.

Me and Evangeline turned our heads towards the source of the sound.

We saw Benjiro and Suzuki standing there.

They were both panting.

Suzuki's eyes were red.

It seemed like she cried a lot.

Benjiro too. He looked very scared.

"Hey , guys." I said with a friendly but cold tone.

I was still with lots of thoughts in my mind and i was nervous and calm at the same time.

Evangeline was being mysterious, Ema... probably cheated on me but i don't think so.

"I need to talk with her as soon as possible." I thought.

All my overthinking was suddenly interrupted by Suzuki.

She rushed into me and hugged me very tightly.

She wrapped her arms around me.

I could hear her sobbing into my shoulder.

Benjiro and Evangeline looked at her in a very strange way, not expecting her to be this bold.

She was in love with me... so i felt guilty for that hug.

"Thank god you're alive..." She said, with a very sad but relieved tone.

I couldn't hug her back... i didn't have the force to.

"T-Thank you, Suzuki-San. I'm feeling better now" I replied with an embarassed voice.

Everyone was acting like i was single.

I had a girlfriend.

Suzuki then broke her hug and Benjiro got close to me.

"We were so worried, Fumi. We stayed here all this time in the hospital. Evangeline told us." He said, while sitting down on a chair near in the corner of the room.

"Oh... T-Thank you... for real. I'm so lucky to have friends like you." I said.

I was truly grateful for how much they loved me, but that wasn't time for sweet things.

I needed answers. A lot of answers.

"You're welcome, brother!!!" Benjiro said with a prideful tone.

Suzuki-San did her best to hold her tears, or maybe she finished them.

Evangeline just smiled at the whole situation.

"Does my mother know about me?" I gently asked.

"I think yes. She probably got a call by the hospital." Benjiro said. "You should ask the doctor."

"Okay… maybe i will… later." I said. "I'm still very tired.."

"It's okay, you should rest. The shock was to intense…" Suzuki said.

"Yes… but first, I need to know where's Ema." I said with a firm tone.

Benjiro and Evangeline remained silent, while Suzuki started to speak with a sorry tone.

"Well… I tried to call her, but she didn't respond to my calls or messages. Kanna is the same." She said.

"What? Are you serious?" I replied.

I was starting to get angry , but due to what happened, i had to control my feelings.

Suzuki nodded.

"Yeah. She's been caught and she's probably ashamed for what she's done… I'm so sorry for you, Fumi." She said, while looking down on the floor, but her tone was strict and direct.

Benjiro and evangeline done the same. They couldn't look me in the eyes.

As the weight of Suzuki's words settled over me like a heavy shroud, a mix of emotions surged within me, threatening to overwhelm my already fragile state of mind.

Ema's absence, coupled with the revelation of her betrayal, sent a sharp pang of hurt coursing through my heart.

It was as if the ground had been pulled from beneath me, leaving me adrift in a sea of uncertainty and pain.

"I... I need to talk to her," I murmured, the words barely audible as they escaped my lips.

Despite the turmoil raging within me, a part of me still longed for answers, for closure to this painful chapter of my life.

Suzuki's gaze softened with sympathy, her eyes reflecting the pain mirrored in my own.

"I understand, Fumihiro," she said softly, reaching out to gently squeeze my hand in a gesture of solidarity.

"But... maybe it's best to give her some time. She might need space to come to terms with everything that's happened."

Her words carried a wisdom born of empathy, but they offered little comfort to the storm brewing within me.

The desire to confront Ema, to demand an explanation for her actions, burned like a flame within my chest, refusing to be extinguished.

"I know, but... I can't just sit here and do nothing," I replied, my voice tinged with frustration. "I need to know... I need closure."

Benjiro's brow furrowed in concern, his expression a mirror of the turmoil raging within me.

"I get it, bro," he said, his voice quiet but resolute. "But rushing into things won't solve anything. Sometimes, you just have to let things unfold in their own time."

His words struck a chord within me, resonating with a truth that I couldn't deny.

Despite the overwhelming urge to act, to confront Ema and demand answers, I knew deep down that patience was the only path forward.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded slowly, the weight of Benjiro's words settling over me like a comforting blanket.

"You're right," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll... I'll give her some time."

As the tension in the room began to ease, a sense of weary resignation settled over me, mingling with the lingering pain and confusion that still gnawed at the edges of my consciousness.

But amidst the chaos of my emotions, one thing remained clear: I couldn't face this alone.

Turning to my friends, I offered them a weak smile, gratitude swelling within me for their unwavering support in my darkest hour.

"Thank you... all of you," I said, my voice trembling with emotion. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Suzuki smiled softly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she squeezed my hand gently.

"We're here for you, Fumihiro," she said, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "No matter what."

I was lucky to have friends.

This is something you should never take for granted.

*Riiiiing* *Riiiiing* 

Our talking was interrupted by my phone ringing.

I then started to look around to find it but Evangeline grabbed it from the desk for me.

"It's your mother, Fumihiro." She said before giving me the phone.

"Oh... Okay." I replied.

She gently smiled at me.

"Hello?" I said.

"FUMI!" Shouted my mother with a very scared tone. "Is everything alright?!?!" She then asked.

Hearing my mother put my soul at ease... but i also needed to talk to her.

Her behavior before she left was strange. 

She spoke about my father and then went on a trip to see my grandparents. 

And more than else, Ema cried in front of her.

I pretended not to remember and kept speaking with her in a very normal way.

"Yes, mama. Everything is alright, don't worry. I just passed out. Something happened with Ema... that's all." I said with a sigh.

"Don't worry, my little boy!!!. Mama is coming to you. Mama is coming to pick you up, okay??" She replied with a panicked but relieved tone. 

She probably didn't hear Ema's mention.

"T-Thank you, mother..." I replied back, with an embarassed voice.

She was treating me like a little baby.

She always done that but that was way too exaggerated.

"I'm coming! Just stay with your friends!!" My mother said, before hanging up the call.

With a last sigh, i put my phone in the table next to the bed.

Benjiro laughed.

" 'My little boy' Ahahahah!" He said.

I couldn't help but feeling embarassed.

*Riiiinng* The telephone rang again, but this time it did only one time.

I picked the phone again and saw a message from Ema.

My whole body shivered.

I stared at the phone for some seconds before looking at my friends.

"Guys... it's Ema. She sent me a message." I said.

Suzuki was immediately triggered by this.

"Don't answer her. Fumi. Not now. She doesn't deserve anything. She lied." She said with a firm tone.

Seeing the man she loved on a hospital bed because of a bad girlfriend probably made her anger snap.

She thought that she would've been better than her.

"At least let me read what she said." I replied.

"..." Suzuki remained silent while still not agreeing with my actions.

Evangeline looked at Benjiro. 

It seemed like she wanted to say "Don't get distracted, call for help if needed."

Benjiro nodded in agreement.

I then opened up her message and saw a very long line of text.

I started to read out loud what she wrote.

"Fumi, i'm really sorry for what i've done. 

You don't know how much i'm suffering and crying right now. 

They told me that you're in hospital. I'm truly sorry. Words cannot explain how i'm feeling right now but i'll be more than happy to talk to you and give all the explanations you need as soon as you'll leave. You're probably with your friends and i don't think that they will want to see me again anymore... That's why i didn't come yet. I've hurt you. But i'll tell you everything you need to know. I planned on doing that after our dinner at my home but... this happened. Just be sure that i didn't cheat on you and i would've never done that. Please, believe me. I love you. ~Your beloved Ema." I said.

This actually seemed like a manipulative message.

I was truly tired of believing everyone and everything.

I needed to change, i needed to stop trusting people.

"What a... witch... I can't believe she still has the courage to lie to you like this even after what she's done... that's cheating. No matter how you want to put it." Suzuki said with an angry tone.

She clearly didn't accept Ema's behavior, but i could tell that deep down her soul, she would've been happy if me and Ema broke up.

I still had too many questions without an answer.

I was too much of a good guy.

Believing every word, trusting everyone.

"Calm down, Suzuki-San... Maybe it's only a misunderstanding..." Evangeline tried to say.

"NO! She is a liar! A cheater! How could she do that to someone special and kind like Fumihiro-kun?!?" Suzuki replied.

She truly meant what she said.

But for me, it was more like "I'd never cheat or lie to him!".

"Suzuki... please, calm down." I said.

She listened to me and her tone slowly softened.

It wasn't an easy situation... 

"Sorry, Fumi. I... i just cannot accept what she has done to you. You're suffering now, aren't you? Stop denying it. Be honest with yourself just once." Suzuki said with sadness in her voice.

I couldn't reply to her. I didn't know what to say. 

I just looked at the floor.

She was right. I always buried everything into myself, accepting and denying everything that made me suffer.

I started to be like this when my father died.

"Suzuki..." Benjiro whispered. 

He knew she was right.

Evangeline remained silent.

"Do you know that people will keep lying to you? Do you know that faking everything will get you nowhere? When will you wake up from this sleep? WHEN? YOU ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF A LIAR! WAKE UP! WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE IF YOU DIED?!" Suzuki yelled.

It was the first time for me to see her like this. 

She was on the verge of crying but she tried her best to hold her tears.

"Suzuki..." I said. "I...-" My voice got interrupted by the slam of a door.

*SLAAAM* 

"F-F-Fumihiro... *pant*" A female voice came from the outside of the room.

"K-Kanna?" We all said, shocked by her presence.

"I... Please. There are a lot of things to talk about..." She said while panting, with a desperate tone of voice. The same tone of someone who wanted forgiveness.

Benjiro, Kanna and Evangeline then looked at her.

"It's better if they'll talk alone..." Evangeline said.

Suzuki and Benjiro nodded and left the room with a rapid wave at me.

They didn't want to even look at Kanna or someone who was close to Ema.

The hate for my girlfriend or ex girlfriend was too much.

"I'll also leave, okay? i'll wait outside." Evangeline said to us, before leaving the room.

There were only me and Kanna.

She was still panting.

She probably ran all the way here.

Her body was sweated and she was wearing her pajama.

"Fumihiro... I'll tell you everything, now. You deserve to know the truth." She said with a firm tone.

"Stop lying, Kanna. I hate lies. How can i trust you after all of that?!?!? HOW?" I couldn't help but feel angry after what she said.

"Please... i beg you... listen to me." Kanna replied with a tone of desperation.

"..." I stayed silent.

"Say whatever you want. I don't know if i'll believe you." I replied.

Kanna then nodded and thanked me.

"Here's everything..."