Chapter One: Hospital Visit and Playground Games

The day was warm and sunny, a perfect day to be outside and playing in the sun. Even though the day was perfect seventeen year old Kozue Keitaro was heading to the hospital instead of spending it outside on his day off from school, that is, when he actually goes to school. His sister, Hana Keitaro, is in the hospital and has been in and out since she was a small child. It got to a point that their parents just admitted her to the hospital to save money, but to Kozue, in his eyes, that's all his parents seemed to worry about. He was the only one besides those who worked at the hospital who went to visit the sick Keitaro girl.

When his sister would get cooped up for too long in her hospital room Kozue would take her around the city for a time of fun and to get some fresh air. Kozue would often be the one to visit and take care of Hana when their parents would be overseas dou to work. Kozue just happened to be near the hospital one day and decided to go visit his younger sister.

He opened the hospital doors and stepped into the lobby to be greeted by the desk nurse.

"Good day Kozue-kun. Are you here to see Hana-chan today?" The desk nurse greeted the young boy.

"Good day to you too Juli-chan, and yes, I'm here to see Hana. Is she up for visitors today?" Kozue smiled, and slight fitted with Juli.

"Well, she had her procedure done this morning. If she's not sleeping, she should be alright for visitors today. Go on ahead to her room." Juli smiled back with a slight blush on her face.

"Thank you Juli-chan." Kozue thank Juli before making his way to Hana's room.

When he reached Hana's room he found the door open and Hana looking out the window, staring down at the city below. He gave the door a light knock to let Hana know that he was there.

"Hey Hana, are you feeling up for a walk around the park today?"

Kozue watched as Hana turned around to face him. She wore a strong smile, but Kozue could tell that she was tired. When Hana was at her weakest she would always smile the brightest so those around her wouldn't worry as much, but it only made those around her worry even more, especially him.

"Sure Kozue. I need some fresh air and need to get out of this stuffy hospital."

Hana slipped on her shoes and placed a stray lock of her black heir behind her ear before quietly followed her brother down the hall to the elevator to head down to the lobby. The nurses and doctors weren't really comfortable about letting Hana go outside, even if she was with her brother. So, each time they wanted to head out they would have to try and sneak out.

Kozue was the on to walked out into the lobby and started talking with his sister's doctors and nurses, giving Hana the opportunity to try to sneak out of the hospital. The first person Kozue went to was Juli. If he had her attention it would make it easier for Hana to escape.

"Kozue, what are you up to today? You have that look in your eye like you're up to something." One of the male nurses noticed Kozue's not unusually flirtatious attitude with Juli. He was acting like he was trying to hide something from everyone in the hospital.

"I don't know what you mean. I'm just having a nice little chat with Juli-chan. Is that so wrong?" Kozue said as he wore an innocent look on his face.

"It's not wrong, just as long as you're not trying to sneak Hana out of the hospital again."

"Wh-what?! I'm wounded. When I went up to Hana's room she was sleeping. I didn't want to disturb her. So, I came down here to talk with all of you, especially Juli-chan." With the nursing staff's attention Kozue singled Hana to make a break for the door. Unfortunately, their escape attempt didn't go so well.

"Are we sneaking off again, Miss Keitaro?"

Hana stopped to seeher main nurse, Mura Nariko standing behind her. Her arms were crossed over herchest and was tapping her foot with disappointment.

"Come on Mura. Hana's been cooped up in the hospital for three days. Can't I take her out just for a little while?" Kozue begged Mura Nariko, a family friend and was like an aunt to the two Keitaro siblings.

After a few minutes of the puppy dog eyes Mura said yes. "Alright you two, but I want Hana back up in her room before visiting hours are done. That gives a little less than two hours to do what the two of you want to do, then you get Hana back here! Alright Kozue?"

"Yes, and thank you, Mura! Come on Hana, let's get out of here before she changes her mind!" Kozue took Hana's hand and the two of them went running out the doors before Mura could change her mind. Another nurse walked up next to her, watching as the Keitaro siblings went off to have some fun.

"You sure that's a good idea Nurse Nariko, letting Hana go out I mean."

"She'll be fine, and Kozue was right. If I was in Hana's position I would need to get out after a spending three days in a hospital room. A hospital is no place for a child to be at her age or any age in that matter."

Kozue and Hana made their way to the park that was near the hospital. Their favorite place to go to since they were both young and before Hana got really sick. It looked just like the way the two of them remembered it to be. The swings, slide, even the basketball courts, tennis courts, soccer fields, and baseball fields were all the same. It's as if time stood still for them.

"So, Hana, what do you want to do first?" Kozue turned to ask his sister, but she was no longer standing next to him. Kozue frantically looked around trying to find her. When he did Hana, she was standing near the basketball courts, watching two boys and a girl playing on the courts. Kozue made his way over to Hana and placed his hands on Hana's shoulders.

"Remember when the two of us would play on these basketball courts? You were always too short to make a basket, so dad would put you on his shoulders, so you could make it."

"Yeah. You would make fun of me and say I was going to be short forever. Look at me now. I'm almost as tall as you."

Both Kozue and Hana started to laugh. The two of them did do their share of picking on each other. That is what siblings do after all. As they two of them continued to watch the basketball players Kozue started to notice something about his sister. She looked so worn out and tired.

"Hana, are you sure you're feeling alright? We can always do this some other time."

"I'm fine Kozue. It's just... I miss mom and dad..."

Kozue understood what Hana was saying. Their parents would be gone for a long period of time and when they were home they weren't always able to go visit Hana when she was in the hospital. Kozue did his best to fill the void that their parents left in Hana's heart. But Kozue also resented his parents as well. He would try and not say anything when he was with Hana, but everyone else knew who he really felt about them. Just as Kozue was about to say something to try to cheer Hana up, a basketball suddenly smashed into the fence, startling Kozue and Hana. A girl with brown hair pulled up into a bun and bangs framing her face can running up towns them. She had dark green eyes and was wearing a lime green tank top that tied around her neck and a pair of white shorts.

"Sorry about that Taiga has a mean arm when it comes to passing sometimes and I totally missed the throw. Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine. We just weren't paying any attention." Kozue said as he placed his hands tighter on Hana's shoulders.

"Hey Tsubaki! Hurry up with that ball! We're in the middle of a game!" A very tall boy with two toned deep red-and-black hair and red eyes yelled over to the girl whose name was Tsubaki.

"Yeah, yeah, just hold on a sec," Tsubaki waved Taiga off, as if saying calm down and hold on a moment. "you know, there's only three of us and it would be far if there was one more to make the teams even. Would either of you like to play, if I my ask?"

"I will!" Hana quickly accepted.

"Are you sure Hana? What if you have..."

"I'll be fine. If I feel like anything starts to happen I'll say I have to stop. It's that simple."

Hana removed Kozue's hands from her shoulders and opened the gate that led into the basketball courts. She waked back with Tsubaki to the two boys who were waiting for her.

"My name Tsubaki by the way, Tsubaki Yuto."

"Hi Yuto, my name is Hana Keitaro."

Kozue watched as his sister went off to join Tsubaki and her friends in their game of basketball. This actually gave Kozue a better view of keeping an eye on Hana. If anything were to happen and Hana not saying anything Kozue would be able to spot it right away. As the game got started Kozue noticed that Hana was really having fun. He hasn't seen his sister have this much fun with other people in a long time. From what he could tell everything that Hana knew about basketball was coming back to her. Like the flood gates had been opened.

"Looks like she's getting the hang of things. I'm happy that Hana is having fun. It's been a long time since I've seen that look on her face."

Kozue thought to himself and pulled out his cell phone and started flipping through the pictures he had. One after the other were pictures of the two of them back when they were just kids. When he came to one that had Hana, their father and himself he suddenly stopped and stared at it. A slight anger built up inside.

He tried to keep his true feeling about their parents secret from Hana, but there were times when those feelings would come out. In truth he had ill feelings about his parents. Yes, they would be overseas for work, but most of the time they were away because they don't know how to handle Hana's illness. Kozue looked up from his phone to see Hana's face was staring to get really pale and her breathing was starting to become a really serious wheezing sound.

"Hey Hana, are you alright?" Tsubaki asked and placed her hand on Hana's back who was bent over, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm...f-fine.... I just need a m-moment to...." Before Hana could finish she suddenly feel to the ground. Kozue jumped to his feet and was there by her side as quick as a flash. He flipped Hana over, so she was laying on her back, making it easier for her to breath. Quickly he took out his phone to call Mura.

"Mura, I need help...it's Hana."