Oikawa POV

Do you know that feeling when you smile so much that your jaw starts to ache and your lips feel stretched, but you don't care because you know it means you've been smiling and just that thought makes you even happier?

Well, guess what.

I held my phone above my face as I lay in bed, rubbing my sore cheeks, rereading Iwa-chan's messages.

I should tell him about my cancer. I know that. But that'll make him worry about me and honestly I don't want that. As much as I'd love the attention, that's the kind of attention I don't need where he'd be continually be asking me 'are you okay?' to which I'd continually answer with 'yes. I'm good'.

And, in all honesty . . . I really was. Right now, at least, reading the messages he sent me, every word dripping with a hidden kindness I didn't know existed in him.

I buried my face in my pillows, a flowery blush spreading across my cheeks as a grin tugged at the edges of my lips. I had to contain a squeal.

Maybe things really were going to turn out okay.

No.

Maybe things really were okay, period.

A yawn escaped my throat as I trudged down the stairs, looking through all of my mother and sister's magazines for something that would entertain me. I ended up with a recent issue of Vogue, flicking through the men's clothes. I could never afford any of it, and looking at each glossed page was a tease, but I had nothing better to do. Besides, I was used to admiring from afar *cough* Iwa-chan *cough*.

It was Friday now, almost at the end of the school day, and mum wouldn't be back until Monday. Two more days of free time and relaxation. I flopped onto the couch, knocking a couple pillows off as I stretched to reach the remote. Free to air TV isn't normally something I'd watch, but I was desperate for any sort of manufactured drama, and Free to air is a cesspool of ridiculous lies, horribly delivered deceit and several unexplained plot points.

Perfect.

I hugged one of the pillows as I watched Renee get left by Brandon, the fifth rejection that week, as he instead pursued Millicent, who in tandem was chasing after Cole. Round and round in circles as white heterosexuals attempted to epitomize real life.

Oh but don't forgot the gay couple that was mentioned once in an unimportant conversation, then completely forgotten about for the rest of the series. They probably died, but hey, representation!

I checked my phone at what felt like a rate of 20 times per hour, waiting for anything from Iwa-chan. It's not like I'm obsessed with him or anything, I just want someone to talk to.

He's probably in the middle of class actually, considering it was 12:40. Just 25 more minutes until lunch break. Meaning one more episode.

Well, time to see how Renee's dealing with her heartbreak.

~Timeskip brought to you by my lack of good transitions~

Iwa-chan: What are you even doing at home?

You: watching the Bold and the Beautiful

Iwa-chan: . . .

Iwa-chan: why?

You: I'm home alone and I'm too scared to finish the Promised Neverland, what else do I have to do?

Iwa-chan: promised what?

You: Promised Neverland. An anime. That made me cry. For a strong 30 minutes. Just because of the first episode.

Iwa-chan: why tf did you watch it then?

You: because it's really good! You should watch it.

Iwa-chan: can I come over after school? We can watch it then

Iwa-chan: Oikawa?

Iwa-chan: you good?

Iwa-chan: I can see that you've read these, fucking answer me

How was I supposed to answer when my phone was on the floor, the result of me leaping to my feet with a squeal and losing it in the process?

You: yeah, sorry, sounds good. See you then.

He's been to my house before, but not since middle school. Not since we were children. Not since I fell in love.

Several dogs in the neighbourhood began howling at my siren-like squeal, their owners shouting at them to 'shut up or I'll get the goddamn gun'. What a fun suburb. I just skipped around my kitchen, any horrible thoughts I was harbouring evaporating and instead filling me up like a bottle with serotonin. I ended up tripping and falling flat on my face, but I just let out a breathy giggle.

Nothing could stop me now.

Later, when undressing to have a shower, I noticed a small lump on the inside of my armpit. Some sort of weird pimple? It was small, around the same size as a pea, and it hurt when I touched it too hard. I ignored it while washing myself. It'll go away in a couple days, right? That's where some gland or something is, isn't it? Just an infection or something. I decided to put it out of my mind.

Which I immediately contradicted when I got out of the shower, pulling out my phone and googling it.

A lymph node.

It was a swollen lymph node.

A possible symptom of . . .

Nothing could stop me – except for that.

(A/N: this one's a bit shorter, but there's kind of a lot going on next chapter so prepare for that ^-^)