*cough Ryosuke panted and bent his knees in attempts to catch his breathe.

"RYOSUKE!!! gomene gomene!!!" after realising that Ryosuke could no longer catch her raging speed, she looked back and saw him already crouching in pain. anxiety rushed through her veins, afraid she caused his unannounced attack.

His face was buried between his knees, so much so she couldn't check his condition.

"Ryosuke, gomeneee.. please respond," she was so worried sick that tears rushed through her eyes. She tugged him in her arms, rubbing his back and crying at the same time. she could feel his body vibrating badly.

"uwahhhhaaaahaaaa!" Ryosuke raised his head and started laughing, startling Mirai greatly.

"heh?!" 

"if I don't do this, you are going to stomp aimlessly right? we have walked over many miles and your face is squished like a squid"

"you're so evil Ryo~ don't do this anymore~" she casually knocked him from his footing, falling on his . both broke down in laughter, temporarily forgetting her anger.

"so are you gonna tell me what's wrong? I'm here for you, ya'know" Ryosuke brushed her fringe from her forehead, while awaiting her answer patiently.

"i don't have experience with relationships before, but you do, many times perhaps... can I ask... if I have a boyfriend, does it mean I have to forgo my friends?" her question was so innocent that it tickles him.

"of course.... not. even if you would, I'll stop you. in fact, having a boyfriend means you should embrace your friends even more"

her face brightened up. he irresistibly cupped her face, "you're really my silliest girlfriend"

Then she pouted as it recalled her inferior complex. "but that's what make you so lovable and huggable" he continued, bringing her towards his embrace, squeezing her like a soft toy.

"oh Ryosuke, where are we supposed to go? are you gonna be late?" Mirai pulled away from his hug and asked apologetically.

"hospice" 

Mirai got nervous as soon as she heard the word. what's wrong? is something wrong? that's all that ran through her mind.

"w-what's wrong?"

he sighed "it's not that anything is wrong. well, everything on me isn't going right anyway. I'm going to receive my medical report. you wouldn't mind accompanying me right?"

She clutched his hand and trying her best to wrap her hand around his fully. He felt his whole emotional burden lifted from him, allowing him to take a breather. while she walked in the front, dragging him along, he stared at her with a smile crept up on his face, in his mind she shone like an angel.

The bus ride to the hospice was no doubt uneasy, but luckily he has her by his side. Standing on the crowded bus, Mirai tried her best not to topple over. She was never good at balancing in a moving bus, let alone there wasn't a handle in front of her.

"uwahhhhhh" when the bus jammed break, Mirai swing towards the direction of the bus, luckily Ryosuke caught her by the waist. She blushed as his fingers gripped her waist and pulled her close enough to hear his heartbeat. she found her way around his waist and enveloped around it, eventually tugging each other nicely in each other's comfort. the journey became smooth, unlikely to fall, to trip.

****
"how are you feeling?" Mirai sensed Ryosuke slowing down his footsteps as the view of the hospice became clear.

"scared~" Ryosuke was so truthful with her that she felt important yet burdened by his emotions. however, she knew what she had to say to make him feel better.

"you know what, Ryo-chan... you look rosier than the first time I met you, more lively. so I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the results"

"arigatou, Mirai..." he smiled back at her.

"ahhh. almost forgot, I've this... for you" he handed the box of strawberry shortcake. 

"yeayyyy! looks nice!" Mirai took it from him excitedly.

"go have it at the garden, I'll come find you in a bit. I'll register with the receptionist" Mirai nodded and watched as Ryosuke walked further from her before heading towards the garden.

The view of the garden never fails to evoke her memories of the mother-son in her painting. Curiosity kills, so she didnt dare ask Ryosuke about the current status of the poor mother. it's better not knowing, she thought.

One mouthful of the cake, she literally has her mind blown. "Oishiiii!" she exclaimed. she couldn't stop digging in. if Ryosuke was with her, he probably would fight with her for a second helping. she immersed herself in the delicious creamy frosting and the scenic greenery which mask the medicinal smell lingering from the hospice. but regardless how captivating or alluring this was, something interrupted her peace. She saw an old man wheeling himself towards an isolated building to the side of the main building of the hospice. She thought he was struggling so she stood up and ran after him, but he was fast, too fast. in a blink of an eye, she couldn't spot him across the garden.

"heh?" she looked around, but still there was no sign of him. "where could he have gone? that's weird~"

she suspected the isolated building was his destination. the door was half opened. she strolled towards the building and peeked in. 

"hellooo... is anyone in here?" all she heard was her own echo. part of her was worried that the old man is in some sort of trouble that he couldn't respond to her call.

"helloooo.... sir are you inside?" still there was no answer. curiosity kills, this time she held nothing back and walked right in.

 the door shut behind her and she's enclosed in a dimly lit vicinity. She was startled by the click of the door, but quickly regained her gut and strode right in, determined to locate the old man. her surroundings were so silent that she can't help but believed that the old man met a mishap and needed help here. Moving step by step across the corridor, her heartbeat quickens and her limbs started trembling, realising it was a wrong move to come in. she felt like an uninvited guest.

******
"niichannnn!!!!" Mika ran and jumped right into Ryosuke's embrace.

"I miss you Niichan!" 

tightening his grip around her small body, cradling her in his arms, he felt immensely comforting seeing the shine on her face."i miss you too, Mika!"

"how are you? obedient?" he looked into her eyes, and became worried when her face sunk.

"Erika... she's sick," the little girl cried silently. Ryosuke instantly tensed up, sincerely hoping that she is alright.

"lets go and see her, shall we?" Ryosuke scooped Mika from the ground and walked according to her guidance. At the door of the ward, he was dumbfounded by the number of tubes attached to her. He let Mika down from his arms and she dashed beside her sister.

"Erika, Niichan is here" she nudged her ill sister.

"Konnichiwa Erika... it's me Ryosuke nii" he lowered his height and spoke closer to her face. he could see she's trying to keep her heavy eyelids opened. 

"ni~ichan" she tried to speak as well, even one word sounded energy-draining for her.

he didnt need the nurse to know that Erika has a relapse and it's running a high fever. all the equipments are to bring down her fever, and looking at the face of the nurse, he knew she has a hard time trying to feed her the oral medicine. 

he totally