Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Hejira ❯ Solitude ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long for this chapter, I've been busy, even though it's summer. Yes, unfair, I know. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy chapter 2!

&&&

Hejira

Solitude

&&&

Fuji yawned, fighting himself to stay awake as he unrolled the bandages from the girl's head. It had been four days since Fuji had found her, so her bleeding had already pretty much stopped. But Fuji, being the neat freak he was, changed the bandages daily anyway.

After unwrapping the strips of white gauze, he turned and tossed them into the trashcan. He then picked up the cloth he had wet with warm water, and began washing the blood from her hair and face. As he pulled up her hair up to wipe her neck, his eyes fell on the mark on the back of her neck. He had noticed it a few days ago, when he first changed her bandages. There, emblazoned on her skin, were the kanji characters for Aiko. When Fuji ran his fingers over the characters, he could feel the grooves of the elegant strokes under his fingertips. The mark was a coal black and set deeply in her smooth skin. He didn't really believe it at first, but he had realized that the tattoo wasn't really a tattoo at all, but a burn. It was as if somebody had taken a hot iron shaped in the symbol and pressed it onto her neck. Fuji winced at the thought. But in the meantime, he had come to call her the name he found on the back of her neck, Aiko.

After finishing up, he lay her back down, and headed towards the bathroom to wash his hands. As he squeezed some toothpaste onto his toothbrush, his mind began to wander. What exactly was he supposed to do with her? She couldn't really live with him, could she? He was a little lonely, living in this house by himself, but she probably had a family, a home to return to. It wasn't likely that she would want to stay with him. “Her family must be worried sick about her…” Fuji thought as he brushed his teeth.

According to Sakuno, Aiko would be unconscious for another week or so. Fuji sighed. He really wanted her to wake up. He couldn't wait to see what she was like. He had a feeling that he'd get along well with her. “You can't judge a book by its cover.” The saying that his mother used to repeat immediately popped into his head, but he ignored it. With such a pretty, peaceful face, how bad could she be?

At that moment, the object of his thoughts lay in bed, the fog blocking her consciousness slowly beginning to clear. She winced as her hazy mind began registering pain. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of her surroundings. She could hear running water from somewhere to her left, and she smelt a clean, soapy smell, like freshly washed laundry. She felt a soft, cushioned texture underneath, and could feel the soreness of her injuries. She clenched and unclenched her fingers, making sure they worked, and was about to move her head but the pain stopped her. She took a deep breath through her nose, enjoying the clean smell around her, and slowly ran her tongue over her lips. She was conscious all right. But as she opened her eyes, the world remained pitch black. She blinked a few times, but nothing changed. She frowned

She lay here, unmoving, trying not to think too much. Thinking hurt. It was easy to keep her mind free from thoughts and memories…too easy actually. As she lay there, her mind completely blank, panic began washing over her. Why was her brain so empty? For some reason, nothing at all was registering. Ignoring the pain, she began searching for some answers, but resulted to nothing. She couldn't remember what had happened, where she was, or even who she was. That couldn't be a good sign. The only thought that reverberated strongly in her mind was that she had to escape. Not that she knew where she was supposed to escape from but nevertheless, something told her that she had to leave. Fast.

She grit her teeth as she propped her arm up, pushing herself into a sitting position. “Ow ow ow…” She muttered quietly as pain ran up and down her arm. She felt around for a few moments, cursing the darkness, before carefully moving her legs to hang over the edge of the bed. She inched herself forward until her toes touched soft carpet. Painstakingly slowly, she stood up. She gasped as her legs gave out, and crumpled painfully to the floor.

Before her mind was given a chance to clear from the pain, she could feel a presence next to her. “Are you okay?” The male voice. Aiko turned her head towards the direction of the voice, but saw nothing. A cool hand reached out to rest on her arm, and she jerked away instinctively. “Who are you?” She said through gritted teeth.

“I'm Fuji.” He replied, slightly surprised that she was already out of bed and talking.

Aiko shook her head, as if telling him to leave her alone.

“Are you okay?” Fuji repeated, reaching out his hand again but pulling it back this time.

Aiko felt around with her good arm until she touched the edge of the nightstand. She grabbed it firmly and hoisted herself up, a strange sense of déjà vu coming over her. She limped forward, both hands on the wall, feeling her way around the room.

Fuji stood there, at a loss for what to do. Should he help her? She didn't seem like she wanted it. And what exactly was she trying to do? He couldn't just let her wander around his room aimlessly could he? “Where are you going?” Fuji asked carefully, following behind her as she felt her way around, just in case she fell.

She ignored him. She needed to get out. Into the light. She couldn't think of anything else at the moment.

“Um, well wherever you're trying to go, you can't go.” Fuji said, trying to sound firm. He couldn't let an injured girl wander around alone out there at this time of night.

She turned to face him, eyes boring into him. Fuji gasped inwardly as he looked into them for the first time. They were a brilliant emerald green, lined on the edge with a deep, royal blue. They would've have been beautiful, if they held any expression. Instead, they were empty, hollow, and devoid of emotion. And when she looked at him, it was as if she was looking through him, not at him, but at something behind him. Her gaze sent shivers down her spine.

Her voice shook him out of her thoughts. "Why?" Her voice was melodic, although it was underlined with a cold bitterness, as if she had spent her whole life talking to people she despised.

“B-Because…” Fuji hesitated, slightly shaken by her frosty demeanor. “Because, you're hurt.” He finally said, stating the obvious.

“I don't see how that's gonna stop me.” Aiko turned back around, continuing to limp around the room. Fuji followed. “You're really badly injured though. If I let you out there, you'll get hurt even more.”

“Oh well.” She said bluntly, trying to find the door.

“Well, where's your home?” The least he could do was drive her there and let her family members take care of her. But he silently hoped that she wouldn't answer. He had been waiting to get to know her a little, and didn't want her to leave so soon.

She paused, turning to look at him again. "Home?" She repeated. Fuji remained silent, confused at why she was confused. "I'm not going home." She stated. As if she had one to return to.

"Oh." Fuji said quietly. "Then where are you going?"

“Away.” She said simply.

Fuji watched anxiously as her fingers reach the door frame. “Why?”

“Because.”

“Because what?”

She sighed. “Because,” she began. “First of all, I don't know who the hell you are. Second of all, I don't know who the hell I am. Third of all, I just have to.” She knew she wasn't making any sense.

Fuji stood patiently, waiting for more.

“And fourth…it's really dark.” She said quietly, mostly to herself. But Fuji caught the whisper.

Fuji frowned, thoughts running wildly through his head. Dark? What was she talking about? Sure, it was eleven o'clock at night, but all the lights were on. Was she blind maybe? It was possible, considering the accident she had been through. “Is it because-“ Fuji stopped himself mid-sentence, deciding that if he told her she was blind, she'd probably go crazy on him.

She looked at him, hand now clenching the doorknob, waiting expectantly for him to finish.

“It's because you've got bandages over your eyes.” Fuji said quickly. She would have to think that for now, until Sakuno could get here.

Aiko frowned, reaching a hand up to feel her eyes for the said bandages, but Fuji stopped her. She jerked her arm away again, and his hand pulled back.

“Can you please, just stay for a little while?” Fuji asked impatiently, giving up on trying to trick her into staying.

Aiko narrowed her eyes at him, trying to decide whether or not to trust to him. Finally, she sighed, her hand dropping from the doorknob. Fuji sighed as well, letting go of a breath that he didn't know he had been holding.

“Okay, I'll stay for a while.” She said tightly.

Fuji nodded. “Is it okay if I call my friend Sakuno to come over? She's a doctor.”

Aiko visibly tensed up at the word. “Why?” She demanded.

“Well, she told me to call her once you woke up. So she could see how you're doing.”

Aiko narrowed her eyes. “She's not one of those doctors who report everything they find to the police is she?” Her extinct was warning her away from doctors.

Fuji frowned at her odd question. “Um…not if you don't want her to…”

“Fine then. Call her.” She turned and began feeling her way back the way she came.

Fuji picked up the telephone, quickly dialing Sakuno's number as Aiko sat down carefully onto his bed.

About twenty minutes later, Sakuno arrived, fully dressed in her white uniform. Fuji let her in graciously, pointing her to his room. Once Sakuno walked into the room, her eyes widened in surprise to see Aiko sitting upright on the bed, arms crossed with a scowl on her face. “Well, she looks pretty good, considering the accident she'd been in. When did she wake up?” Sakuno asked Fuji.

“About an hour ago.” Fuji replied.

Sakuno nodded, still surprised. “That's awfully soon.” She turned to Aiko. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“Um…” Sakuno glanced over in Fuji's direction, and then back to Aiko. “Will you let me examine you?”

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Aiko sighed, uncrossing her arms. “Fine.”

Sakuno set her medical case down onto the bed beside her, pulling out a stethoscope. After checking her heartbeat for a few minutes, Sakuno seemed satisfied with the result, and put the stethoscope away. “Anything in particular that you've been feeling?” Sakuno asked, pulling out a thermometer and taking Aiko's temperature.

Aiko shook her head.

Sakuno looked over at Fuji. He nodded fervently, pointing to his eyes, and then shaking his head.

Sakuno looked puzzled. "…She has no eyes?"

Fuji quickly shook his head, wincing as Aiko's face took on a look of panic. This time, he drew X's over his eyes.

Sakuno frowned, even more confused. "She died?"

Fuji groaned. Sakuno had obviously been watching too much anime. "She can't see!" He said finally. He glanced in Aiko's direction, but it looked like she hadn't heard..

“Ooooh…” Sakuno said in realization. She pulled out her little flashlight, and gently placed her fingers over Aiko's eyelids. Aiko stiffened at the touch, but remained still as Sakuno examined her eyes for swelling. She then took her light and shone it suddenly into Aiko's eyes. She didn't even flinch.

“Can you see the light?” Sakuno asked, moving the flashlight from left to right.

“What light?”

“Can you see anything at all?”

“Just blackness. Are the bandages off already?”

Sakuno hesitated. “Yes.” Fuji said quickly. “You still can't see?”

“No.”

Sakuno started moving the flashlight around again. After a few minutes, she put it down, sighing. “Bad news. It looks like your retinas are damaged.”

Aiko frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It means you're blind. I can't tell if they're just damaged or completely destroyed. Depending on which one it is, they might heal in a few weeks.”

Aiko's shoulders drooped, her head dipping slightly.

Fuji bit his lip from where he was watching the examination. The three of them were silent for a few minutes, before Sakuno stood up, gathering her supplies. “Well, is that all?”

Fuji looked up. “Oh. Yeah, thanks Sakuno.”

She smiled. “No problem. Call me if anything goes wrong okay?”

Fuji nodded and waved goodbye as Sakuno exited the room. He came to sit down beside Aiko. “How are you doing?” He asked softly.

She kept her gaze downward. "Well, I just woke up with my whole body hurting. Then I found out I was in the house of some guy I don't even know. And now I was just told that I'm blind. And to top it all off, I don't know who I am. So, I can't really answer that question.”

Fuji blinked. "Sarcastic." He thought.

She turned to face him. “Fuji was your name wasn't it? Do you know who I am?” She asked anxiously.

Fuji looked surprised, before shaking his head. “No, I had been hoping you would tell me. Do you not remember anything?”

Aiko shook her head.

“Do you have amnesia?”

“I don't remember.”

“Well, how about your name?”

“No clue.”

Fuji smiled. “Well I've been calling you Aiko. It's the character on the back of your neck.”

Immediately, her hand shot up to feel her neck, and her eyes widened in realization. It felt oddly familiar. “Aiko? Is that my name?” She trailed off. “Well I guess it's my name now.” She sighed, rubbing her arms. “This sucks.” She muttered. “Can I go now?” Now that she had gotten over her initial shock of being blind, her original plan was coming back to her. All she knew was that if she didn't leave, something might happen to this guy, whoever he was.

Fuji looked surprised. “Go?”

“Yeah. I need to go. I agreed to stay until the doctor came remember?”

“But you can't go.” Fuji said quickly. A strange sense of protectiveness came over him. “You're blind, and it's the middle of the night.”

“I know but…” She stood up, deciding that it would be easier if she just left than if she tried to explain exactly why she had to go.

“Why don't you stay until you can see again?” Fuji suggested, standing up as well.

“Because I might be blind for life. I can't exactly live with you.” She said, repeating the same exact thing Fuji had been thinking earlier.

“Yes you can.” Fuji said after a few moments. Her eyes widened.

“At least, for now you can.” He said. She couldn't leave so soon. He was expecting her to argue back, but was surprised when he saw her shoulders sag in defeat.

“Fine.” She said quietly, laying down on the bed and feeling around for the covers. Fuji pulled them up for her. “I'll stay. But only until I recover.” She turned to lie on her side, facing away from him. She was too tired to argue. Her brain was shutting down, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She might as well listen to this guy…He was a stranger, but then again, so was she. She didn't know her self any better than she knew him. The very thought of that made her want to curl up in a little ball and cry, but she couldn't. And besides, who cared if he was hurt in the process? She barely knew him so she didn't particularly care about him. It sounded cold, but it was the truth.

"But if that's true…" She thought to herself, pulling the blanket up. "Then I shouldn't care about myself either." Maybe I don't.

Fuji watched as she lay there quietly, not moving. He sighed, switching off the light and laying down himself. She was so far from what he expected her to be. He had wanted to get to know her, possibly become her friend. But it looked like that was pretty much one-sided. Maybe he should've just let her go after all. He lay on his side, watching her chest rise up and down slowly. He thought about what it must be like to know nothing at all of whom you were. To wake up to a blank mind, with no memories of the past to keep you company. How it must feel so alone…He shuddered, closing his eyes, understanding a little better where her cold demeanor came from now.

&&&

Author's Note: Wow, thanks so much to the reviewers! I can't believe I have so many already. You guys are awesome 3

I hope everyone liked this chapter. I'll try to be faster with the next one!