CHAPTER 12

"No, no, no, no, there's too much blood!" Yuzu tried to keep pressure on the two gunshot wounds. Her tears fell non-stop.

"Damn it!"

She yelled out as she leaned her face against the side of her arm in a attempt to wipe the tears away. They were blurring her vision but she knew if she moved her hands now, it would be the end of Ren.

"It's ok...my...love."

A hand reached up and gently stroked Yuzu's cheeks, wiping the tears away for her. She looked down into those vibrant blue eyes before she spoke with a shaky voice.

"Don't t.....talk, save y...your energy."

Mei's eyes were locked on the couple before her. She was still trying to process exactly what happened. It all occurred so quickly that she didn't have time to react.

5 MINUTES EARLIER....

"YUZU!" Mei screamed as she was pushed to the ground. The sound of the gun being fired filled the air, then Mei felt a body fall upon her.

"Yuzu?" She saw Yuzu on the ground next to her. Then, she looked up to see Ren standing in front of them both with his hand over his chest.

"Are you crazy!? I just shot y-" The gunman didn't get to finish his sentence as Ren leapt forward and gave him a right hook when suddenly.....

-BANG!-

A second shot was fired.

"REN!" Yuzu went to move towards her fiancé but Mei quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"No, Yuzu you could get hurt!"

"I don't care!"

Mei's eyes widened at Yuzu's exclamation. She looked into Yuzu's tear filled eyes and saw that the blonde was definitely in love with this man.

-THUD-

Ren had knocked the gunman out cold.

"Ren?"

Yuzu looked as if the world was about to end, as she waited for him to turn around. Even with one hand on his chest and his other hand on his stomach, Ren still managed to warmly smile at his fiancée before falling to his knees, down to the ground.

Security heard the commotion, called an ambulance and were already taking the gunman into custody. Meanwhile, Yuzu remained at Ren's side trying to provide emergency first aid.

BACK TO THE PRESENT....

"What is taking so long?!"

Yuzu's cry brought Mei out of her trance.

"I will check the location of the ambulance now ma'am." One man stumbled with his phone before he quickly dialed a number.

After a few more minutes the ambulance finally arrived and rushed the handsome young man to the hospital.

"Yuzu?"

No answer

"Yuzu?"

Nothing, not even a single sound. A hand went on her shoulder before repeating her name again.

"Yuzu."

Yuzu looked up into Mei's eyes, she was holding a cup of coffee out for her.

"Thank you Mei."

Mei sat down next to her step-sister. She felt awkward as they sat in a deafening silence. Yuzu was always the talkative one out of the two. But since they sat down in the waiting room the blonde hadn't spoken one word. She only stared at the same spot on the wall.

Everyone arrived at the hospital and awaited any news from a doctor.

"Family for Hatichi?" A tall woman wearing a doctor's coat appeared at the waiting room entrance.

"Yes! How is he?" Yuzu jumped forward as she waited for the doctor's explanation.

"He's stable at the moment. One bullet just missed his heart but the other one is proving to be more difficult."

She flipped through a few pages on her clipboard before she continued.

"The second one pierced straight through the pyloric region of his stomach and has wedged itself in his spine. We will need next of kin's approval to conduct the surgery."

"Can't you wait until he is awake?" Ume grabbed ahold of Yuzu's hand as she spoke.

"We can, but the longer we delay the procedure, the more damage the bullet could cause. We really need an answer as soon as possible."

"May I see him?" Yuzu had a serious expression on her face as she pleaded with the doctor.

The doctor gave a warm smile before she led Yuzu to Ren's room.

Yuzu stood at the doorway as she just stared at Ren laying on the hospital bed. She froze in place, shocked to see her strong man looking so fragile. She wanted to rewind time and change things.

'Why do you have to be the hero all the time?!' Yuzu scolded Ren in her mind.

She felt herself slowly take one step and then another until she was finally by his side.

She instantly grabbed his hand and rubbed it against her cheek as she begged softly.

"Don't leave us...please."

Hours passed and Yuzu hadn't moved from her spot. All her shared memories with Ren flashed through her mind.

The door opened, four nurses and the doctor entered and started to prep Ren for transport out of the room.

"What's going on?" Yuzu questioned as she watched them making adjustments to his IV and heart monitor.

The doctor replied, "We are preparing him for surgery."

Yuzu stood confused, not knowing what to say. Thankfully, her Mama always had her back, and spoke on her behalf.

"But Yuzu hasn't given any approval for the operation."

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry Miss Okogi but-"

The doctor was cut off as another voice interjected, "We approved it and have signed the appropriate papers."

A tall, intimidating man stepped forward. He looked like a much older version of Ren with a stern face.

"How could you wait that long Yuzuko?!" asked a woman holding on to his arm. She was around Mei's height with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

Ume went to defend her daughter but Yuzu shook her head as she stepped forward and continued to take the blunt criticism.

"And why is my son in a general room? You should have had him immediately transferred to a private room." The woman shook her head in disappointment after she spoke.

"I knew that you were too simple for him, why wouldn't you approve the operation straight away?Are you after our money?"

Ren's father looked down at Yuzu with condescending eyes as he berated her.

Ume went to say something but Yuzu turned to her mother, no words had to be spoken as Ume looked into those beautiful emerald eyes. Sheer determination was all she could see. So with a simple nod Ume stepped back, grabbed onto Sho's arm and observed her daughter's firm resolve.

Mei on the other hand was ready to give the older couple a piece of her mind.

'Who do these two think they are!? How dare they speak to Yuzu like that?!'

Mei wanted to speak up, but something caught her eye. She took in the sight of Yuzu again, her eyes widened, Yuzu had her fists clenched tightly and her hands were trembling.

"You old fart how dare-"

Matsuri was cut off as Yuzu spoke.

"Matsuri, it's ok."

Turning her complete attention to the judgmental couple before her, Yuzu continued, "Is that all you have to say?"

Ren's mother stepped forward as she stared at Yuzu.

"No, actually we have A LOT more to say than that."

Yuzu looked the woman in the eye and simply declared, "The survival rate for the operation that he will be undergoing is only 10% and the chances of him walking after it is only 5%."

"Stupid girl, if he doesn't have the operation then he will definitely never walk again an-"

Yuzu interrupted the old man and corrected him by saying, "You're the stupid ones. I know Ren better than anyone and he wouldn't want the operation, not with those risks."

"He needs to walk, he just has to..." Ren's mother pleaded in a tone that trailed off into a whisper. She sounded more desperate than earlier.

Yuzu headed toward the door but stopped in her tracks as Mr. Hatichi asserted in his authoritative voice, "We are not done here Yuzuko."

Turning her head, Yuzu glared at Ren's parents. Her defiant stare shook them a bit.

"You think you need your son to walk for him to be an acceptable son. You have an amazing, intelligent daughter that you tell the world is dead because she is gay. I pity you both."

Yuzu turned back toward the exit and continued to leave them the room.

As she stepped through the doorway, she spoke one last time with her back to them.

"I have no time for your selfishness. Don't ever talk to me again."

Her friends and family followed the blonde out into the waiting area, still stunned by the interaction they'd witnessed.

Silence filled the air once again and for the next few hours they waited. Finally, Gina also arrived to find the somber group. They seemed lost in their own thoughts, sadly awaiting any news in the waiting room.

"She said WHAT to my parents!?" Gina couldn't believe what she was told. A smile spread across her face as she asked, "Where are they? I wish I was there to see it."

"I have no idea, they just left after Yuzu-onee chastised them." Matsuri looked in Yuzu's direction as she spoke. Yuzu's current expression seemed so distant, as if she were somewhere else, instead of where she actually was right now.

The worried blonde's eyelids were getting heavier. 'No stay awake' She tried to will herself to stay alert, when a gentle hand touched her shoulder.

"Yuzu you must be exhausted, go to sleep, I'll wake you if we hear anything."

Mei looked straight into Yuzu's now fragile eyes. She knew that Yuzu was stubborn and more than likely to brush her off. Yet, to her surprise Yuzu gave a soft thank you and leaned on her shoulder as she let her eyelids slowly close.

Slowly, one by one, everyone was falling asleep, until it was just Gina and Mei who remained awake.

"How you holding up?" Gina asked in a concerned voice.

"I should be asking you that, it's your brother in there, fighting for his life." Mei simply stated.

Gina looked to Mei's shoulder at the sleeping blonde, then back into the raven haired beauty's eyes.

Mei knew exactly what Gina was asking her and so she let out a small sigh and shook her head before she admitted, "I have no idea what I'm doing. Yuzu's engaged, happy, and -"

Gina interjected, "AND still in love with YOU."

Mei looked down at the woman she loved, sleeping peacefully against her shoulder, and caressed her cheek as she softly whispered, "She's in l-love with Ren too, I would never make her choose."

Gina could hear the cracks in her voice. With a sad expression on her face she spoke softly to the ex student council president.

"So, you're gonna give up on the love you two have?"

Mei returned her attention to Gina and paused before she answered.

"Is it really giving up if I'm choosing her happiness over mine?"

"But you-" Gina went to speak but was interrupted by the doctor.

"Hatichi?"

TO BE CONTINUED....

AHHH ANOTHER CHAPTER DOWN :)

SORRY FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS ONE OF MY OTHER STORIES UPDATED, I JUST KIND OF GO WITH WHAT IDEAS COME INTO MY HEAD AND AT THE MOMENT IT SEEMS THAT MENAT TO BE? IS WINNING THE RACE HAHAHAHA

ANYWAY I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND HAPPY READING :)