"What ?! What do you mean ?" Finally, Takeshi is able to retreat from his surprise after few seconds while Hiroshi punches his chest and coughs hard to subside his choke.
Mr. Waseda sighs. "You know what I mean. Money means nothing to me when it comes to my daughter's happiness. I barely can recall when was the last time she was as happy as the last few months. Maybe once before her mother's passed away. And I realized it was because she met you, her first and only love. She .."
"The answer is still a No, Waseda-sama," Takeshi cuts him in cold. Mr. Waseda nods then sighs again.
"Forgive me, I know you have a girlfriend. I'm not a cunning man, but I'm also not a saint. I am a businessman. All I see is an opportunity. You need the heart so badly but you can not afford it, and I want my daughter's happiness that may be fulfilled by you," Mr. Waseda explains in apologetic voice.
Takeshi gives him a stiff nod, "I understand. Thank you for your information. I will find my own way to solve my problem," he says it then turns to Hiroshi. "Have you finished ?" He asks his friend. Hiroshi hesitantly nods, looking pity at couple skewers of aburimochi on his plate.
"If you don't mind, Sir, we would like to have an early leave," Takeshi asks politely though in cold tone. It is obvious he suppresses his anger. Mr. Waseda nods. "Just.. think about it once again," he says. Takeshi doesn't respond anything. After bowing to the middle-aged man, he and Hiroshi leave the restaurant.
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Takeshi decides to go to an onsen, public hot bath, on their way back to the hospital. The two men just sit in the hot bath tub without a sound. Takeshi closes his eyes and rests his head on the wall of his back, both hands rest on the narrow edge of the tub.
Hiroshi still keeps his mouth shut. He knows Takeshi is really upset on Mr. Waseda's offer also on how helplessly he is for not able to have a heart donor for his mother. But Hiroshi doesn't have an alternative solution of Takeshi's problem, so he decides to keep his mouth shut and just accompanies him. Soon he hears an even breaths come in and out of Takeshi's mouth. Hiroshi turns his head to his friend. Apparently exhausted and emotion take Takeshi to asleep. Al though asleep, frown and tense still linger on his face. Hiroshi wryly smiles at him before he himself closes his eyes.
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It is 9 PM. Takeshi and Hiroshi are back at the hospital. Takeshi seems calming down al though still doesn't talk much. His only words are to tell Hiroshi to go to hotel to have a rest while he decides to take another sleeping over at the bench in front of his mother's room. Hiroshi insists to accompany him tonight. To show his sincerity, Hiroshi takes Takeshi's blanket then curls himself on the bench. Takeshi can only sigh but doesn't say anything against Hiroshi's will. He then sits on another long bench beside one that is took over by Hiroshi. He just sits and blankly stares at his mother's room, chin propped by two thumbs while his other fingers cover his nose area.
"You better chat her. It has been few days, she must be worry," Hiroshi reminds him with his sleepy voice before saying good night. Takeshi grabs his cellular. He really did totally forgot about informing Xiao Ping. He opens his chat apps. Some messages from his girl fly to him immediately
"Love.."
"What happens ? Why were you suddenly went off ?"
"Are you okay ?"
Takeshi types to reply her message, "Hi. I'm sorry. I had an emergency." He sends it. Xiao Ping is offline. She might still on her way home, Takeshi thinks. He sighs then continues to type, "My mom.. she has a heart failure." Only to write that, his heart is breaking again. A tear drops from his eyes, followed by another tear.
"I am so sorry to hear that," Xiao Ping replies after sometimes. Takeshi immediately wipes dry his tears. "How is she now ?" Xiao Ping asks. "Not good. She had another flat line this morning. Now she is constantly put in sleeping state," Takeshi answers with much struggle as his fingers are trembling so bad. "Can I hug you ?" Xiao Ping asks. "Yes, please," Takeshi answers. It is only a virtual hug. Usually it is enough for him. But now. he wishes that she can physically be there to hug him. He knows he would ask too much of her about it, so he just pretends that he can feel her hug.
"Thank you," he types after a while. "I did nothing," she replies. "I can do nothing neither at the moment," Takeshi utters, a stream of tears following since it hurt when he said it. He drops his head between his arms and cries. He cries in silent for about five minutes until his cellular vibrates. He raises his head to see the chat.
"You can do something actually, Love. You can accept Mr. Waseda's offer."
"What do you mean ? How can you know about it ?"
"I contacted Hiroshi and asked him to update me info about you and your mother. Love.. "
"I won't accept the offer"
"Love, listen to me.."
"No! You listen to me !! I won't let my self losing you ! Not by any cause."
"Love, it's your mother's life"
"I will find another way."
"Where would you get 200 millions yen ? Bank loan ?"
"They will reject for sure.."
"So.. ?"
"I don't care ! I won't lose you!"
"Love, you have no choice"
"Why are you insisting this ? Do you know the consequence of it ?
"Yes, I know.."
"Then stop telling me to accept the offer! Do you want us to break up ? Do you have enough of me ?"
"No, Love. I don't want to, but I HAVE TO !!"
"Have to WHAAT ?!!"
"Break up with you"
"NO!!!"
"Yes, Love. We have to.. It's the only way to save your mother."
"No!! NOO!!!"
"You said it yourself you can't live without her"
"I can't live without you!!"
"You can.. you lived without me once, so.. you can live without me again."
"NO ! NO !! NO !!!"
"Love.."
"TIMES OUT!! TIMES OUT!!"