Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Riddles of Water Volume 1: Patterns in the Snow ❯ 00: Prologue - Oxymoron ( Prologue )

Track Zero:

Oxymoron

 

//Life is good. Life is bright. But is just, so not right…\\

 

 

"Takamori-san, Matako-sama will see you now," a nurse said, bowing slightly to a young girl sitting in a chair, staring blankly into space. The girl looked up at the nurse's words, nodded, and stood up. She followed the nurse through a pair of double doors and into the office of a well dressed man, sitting behind a table with a cordial smile on his face and his hands neatly folded on his desk.

 

"Thank you, Satori-kun [1] .You may leave now," the doctor said, gesturing for the nurse to leave. She did, and he turned his warm gaze upon the 14 year old girl. He gestured for her to take a seat. She nodded and sat down with her hands in her lap.

 

"Now, I trust you know your current situation, Takamori-san?" he asked, shuffling through a pile of papers until he found her files and sat them down on the table in between them. The girl nodded, lowering her eyes onto the papers.

 

"I know it must be hard, but I promise that-" the doctor's words were cut off as the girl lifted her head.

 

"How long do I have?" she asked in an expressionless voice that was slightly cracked, as if she'd forgotten how to use it. The doctor sighed and took her papers back. He put them neatly into a file, closed his drawer and looked back up at the girl.

 

"About a year," he answered, sadness weighing his voice down to almost a whisper. The girl only nodded once more and stood up.

 

"Arigatou gozaimasu… that's all I needed to know," she said. She cleared her throat and walked out of the door. The doctor watched the door swing shut behind her. He shook his head and sighed.

 

"Poor girl…"

 

"Takamori-san, would you like to go back to your ward now?" asked the nurse, smiling sweetly. The girl just nodded and followed without saying another word.

 

 

Let me explain. My name is Takamori Minako, and I'm 15. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with a deadly disease. I knew it would eventually kill me. My doctor told me I only had a year left to live, and now, my time is almost up. I was banned from leaving my ward around a month ago, and my parents and brother come to visit me daily. They bring me flowers and cake and all sorts of presents, hoping that I could live my life to the fullest before I go. I'll be sad to go, I don't want to leave, but I don't think I have much of a choice…

 

 

Spring was such a beautiful time… the birds were all busy building their nests and the bees and butterflies fluttering around, collecting nectar. New leaves sprouting on the thin branches that had been bare for the winter and delicate flowers were all beginning to bloom. Little children were clustered on the sidewalks, playing double-dutch or hop-scotch. Middle Schoolers were congregating in small groups of 5's and 6's, chatting merrily about the upcoming Spring Vacation.

 

But all I could do was watch, as all this went on. Watch, from my window on the 4th floor of the hospital, at the happy, carefree people and the blooming spring.

 

I sighed and looked up as a quiet knock echoed through the empty ward.

 

"Douzo," I said, smiling as I realized that it was a few of my friends from school. 4 girls and 3 guys came in. All of them smiling widely, and holding a very large bouquet of flowers.

 

"Ohanyou Mina-chan!" one of the girls, Hanako, said, bringing the bouquet to the vase at the foot of my bed. I smiled at all of them as they crowded around my bedside. Daisuke, who had his hands hidden behind his back, suddenly whipped out a fruit basket and offered it to me.

 

"We knew you liked peaches, so we got you lots!" Kimina said before Daisuke could even open his mouth.

 

"We hope you're feeling better," Kaede said, sitting down by my feet.

 

"Yeah, Yami-sensei wanted to say 'Hi' too," Daisuke added, setting the fruits on my bedside table.

 

"Arigatou, but aren't you guys going anywhere for the Spring Vacation?" I asked, frowning at my friends.

 

"Iei, my parents are too busy," Katsuo said, shaking his head, his messy golden-brown hair flying up.

 

"I've got a viola competition," Takashi said, pushing his glasses up further up the bridge of his nose.

 

"You know Takashi-kun and his music," Kimina said, rolling her eyes.

 

"Me and the girls are going to the Theme Park for a day, but that's it. We really wanted you to come, but you're parents said that you couldn't, what with…" Kaede said, her voice trailing off, not wanting to point out the fact that one of her best friends was dying.

 

I shook my head.

 

"Iei, iei! You guys go and have fun, alright? Forget about me, I'll be fine," I said. 'It's not like I'll be around for much longer anyways. Better forget sooner then have to go through the pain later…at my funeral' I thought dryly.

 

"We'll bring you lots of souvenirs though! I heard that there were giant teddy bears there too! We'll surely win you one of those!" Hanako said brightly. Everyone laughed, including me.

 

It was moments like these that I treasured the most. Maybe it's because I only had a few days, or weeks, left to live, but I've started really noticing how wonderful life was. The little moments that make people smile…I've never really noticed them before. But now, they're the times that I strive for and long for, because soon, I won't have any of that anymore.