238 Chapter three, 2017, old and new: 8 (1/2)
”They're on their way here,” Sato-sensei said.
Yukio looked at her from his bed. By now he had recovered enough to walk around, but the nurse wanted him lying down as much as possible.
”They?” Yukio wondered.
Sato-sensei looked at him. ”The Wakayama twins, and the girlfriend.”
'Girlfriend? Ai-chan?'
”OK, this is it. Up you go, kiddie.”
Yukio gave her a tired smile. With some luck he didn't look like a monster grinning at her, but with the bruises covering his face that was rather unlikely. At least they didn't hurt any more.
He shifted in his bed, moved his legs outside and stood. He was still a little wobbly, but both legs were comparatively undamaged. A fractured rib and another fracture that kept his left arm in a sling were all the lingering results from the attack. Sato-sensei said they hadn't really tried to inflict damage on him, just to scare the living daylight out of both of them. Then something went horribly wrong.
”Kyoko?” he croaked.
”Yes. Now or never.”
The two of them left the room and entered the corridor. Urufu and Kuri stood waiting for him there, and Yukio nodded his thanks to them.
Two days they had spent here. Two days for him and Kyoko. Who could wish for better friends?
”The doctor should be here soon,” Sato-sensei said.
Yukio could see how both Urufu and Kuri flinched at those words. He had been warned. Kyoko wasn't safe yet, and after her parent received the final verdict he and his friends had been promised to be told as well.
A tall man in a white coat came walking down the corridor towards them. He looked anything but Japanese.
'The doctor is a foreigner?'
He was, and he approached Yukio. ”She'll live.”
Days of fear ran off him in a moment. Yukio sank to his knees. 'Let me look like a girl. I don't care. She'll live. Kyoko, Kyoko!'
”But she'll never bear children. I'm sorry.”
”Who cares, she'll live!”
”Yukio! That's awful!” Kuri rushed to the doctor. ”Does she know? Ko-chan I mean.”
The doctor shook his head. Yukio still didn't understand what all the drama was about. Kyoko was saved. Who cared about anything else?
Urufu grabbed his arms. ”We're going to have a conversation about what you're allowed to say about women and childbearing.”
Yukio didn't understand what was happening, but both the doctor and Kuri inclined their heads to Urufu. A sure sign of approval.
”For every item you fail to grasp I'll personally use my fist and slug one tooth out of that grinning mouth of yours,” Urufu continued.
Yukio looked around himself for help. It didn't seem to be coming.