Chapter 2
“He survived the surgery.” A collective sigh of relief was heard in the waiting room. “He’s a very strong young man, a real fighter. We moved him to recovery. There isn’t a lot we can tell right now. It will be at least 24 hours until he can have visitors and we can run some tests. I suggest that until then you all go home and get some rest. He’s going to need as much support as possible for the road ahead.”
Mrs. Shindou bowed several times and Mr. Shindou shook his hand heartily, while the others offered their thanks. Eiri felt a bit of the fugue of the last few hours lift as he arranged for a hotel room near the hospital. Suddenly, Tohma appeared to explain he’d already arranged for it, as well as transportation for them all.
Eiri thanked his brother-in-law on the way over to the hotel. Tohma tried to talk him, but Eiri was simply numb. Concerned about him, Tohma kept pushing.
“It’s not good to keep it bottled up inside Eiri-san.” Tohma continued.
“Have you ever wished you could go back in time?”
“What do you mean?”
“I made a lot of mistakes with Shuichi. From the moment I met him all I did was hurt him.”
“Eiri…”
“No, really, I always hurt him. But he never stopped loving me, not once. No matter what I did, he never stopped believing in me, even when I told him he was a zero talent. He really loved me. I…”
Tohma pulled Eiri into his arms as he began to cry.
“I don’t know if I can be there for him like he was for me. Shuichi is everything to me. I can’t lose him now, not like this.”
It was late at night when Tohma returned to his room. He fell exhausted into his wife’s arms. “How is he?” She asked stroking his hair.
Tohma sighed. “If Shuichi doesn’t pull through, we will lose them both.”
*
Eiri, though usually one to sleep in, was the first one at Shuichi’s side the next morning. Mrs. Shindou was next. She sat quietly beside the novelist.
“I realized these past few hours that I can’t turn back time. Shuichi put up with so much from me. I think he had a vision of what he wanted me to be, but I was too busy protecting myself from the world.”
“My son has always loved freely. You shouldn’t blame yourself for that. He told me about what happened to you. No one should have to go through what you did. But you’ve risen above that and made many people very happy with your writing.”
“It’s just a job.” Eiri assured her.
“No, it’s more than that. Shuichi read all of your books once you started seeing him. Did you know that?”
Eiri’s open-mouthed gape was her answer. She almost laughed, but instantly sobered at the thought of her son. “Why?”
She smiled sadly at him. “Because he knew that in those books was the real Eiri-san. Deep down you know that. You’ve hidden your softer side within those pages. That’s why you have so many readers. And that’s why so many love you, just like he does.”
A doctor came in and started to examine Shuichi. Though normally stoic, Eiri found he was holding on to Mrs. Shindou almost as hard as she was holding him. They held their breath as the doctor removed the sheet from Shuichi’s feet. He looked at them both, then ran a needle up Shuichi’s bare foot. There was no reaction. Taking a deep breath, the doctor did it a bit harder. This time the toes twitched. He repeated it on the other side as Shuichi’s mother cried with joy. The toes moved on the first try.
The doctor smiled happily at them. “I think he’ll be dancing in no time.”
“That’s good. I’m tired of dancing alone.” Eiri snapped but a huge smile was on his face. He kissed Mrs. Shindou’s head as she wrapped her arms around him. There were no other news that day, but it was enough to renew their hope.
*
By the end of the first week, Shuichi was taken off the respirator. After the second week, the doctors announced the swelling around his brain had gone down. Nervously, the waiting for Shuichi to regain consciousness continued.
The hospital room was flooded with flowers, cards and gifts from fans. Swarms of fans waited patiently outside of N-G for news, as well as at the hospital. Eiri’s editors were trying to be patient, but the author knew he’d soon have to return to work. Both of Shuichi’s band mates had been sent back to the studio to lay down tracks. Just when the world was started to suffocate them, something happened.
Eiri had fallen asleep holding Shuichi’s hand. He’d been trying to spend as much time as possible with him before he’d have to get back to writing. Eiri woke to a sound he couldn’t place. He woke groggily, running a hand through his unkempt hair and tried to discern what had woken him.
Then he realized Shuichi was making the sounds. He was moaning! Eiri kissed his forehead and ran into the hall for a nurse. When he came back in the room Shuichi was starting to open his eyes. Eiri could taste the saline in his smile but didn’t care. The medical staff ran in and within a few hours Shuichi was moved to a regular room, having regained full consciousness.
Eiri walked in with the Shindou family, having bonded with them over the weeks of waiting and praying. Shuichi was propped up on several pillows and smiled at them all. His mother ran forward cradling him in her arms; his sister was next then his father. They fussed and fawned all over him.
Then Eiri stepped forward and Shuichi looked up at him. Eiri leaned down and kissed his forehead before he noticed the Shindou family had quietly and discretely left the room. With a smile, he leaned over once more and gently kissed his lover for the first time in weeks.
Accidentally in Love by Keikokin [ - ]
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