63 3.20- Taming the Tiger, Unleashing the Dragon... R.A Part 1 (1/2)
Days turned to weeks and thus turned to months as Akira's condition had neither shown any progress or regress at this point. The crowdfunding for Akira's medical expenses had trickled down but managed to garner about more than ¥10 million from the time my ¥23,000 prize money snowballed including the monthly cash injection from my parents as well as from the general public.
The hospital's committee also helped to alleviate the daily hospitalisation and medical expenses from a daily ¥12,000 down to ¥7,500 and with the funds available, they were to withdraw them on a weekly basis.
I was, as usual, sitting at the side of the bed and holding on to Akira's hands as I slowly thumbed the paperback novel that she always carried it around with her since I bought it. The paperback novel was a bit shabby looking especially when it got run over the bus on that fateful incident.
The laminated photo of us was wedged somewhere in the last few chapters of the novel and I put it together and mended the heart-shaped origami together, making it as if it was like before.
The relationship that was between me and Ayumi I kept it as a secret between anyone in particular. Every time I came daily to visit after school, the nurses on duty bowed deeply as I passed them and I bowed back. They were surprised at my tenacity to stay on to visit without fail after school and stayed beyond the visiting hours at 11 pm.
The well-wishers' balloons had long deflated and had been disposed of. The Ikebanas had wilted after a week since it first arrived and it too became food for the garbage monster. The only thing left was some 50 to 60 well wishes cards that can never expire and the lone miniature bonsai that I cared for, still surviving at the window sill.
The cards were arranged just like the prayer flags in the prayer room. It strung across the wall at the front of the bed it represents how many people are concerned about this little girl in a coma.
Someone had left a Yamaha Classical Guitar at the corner of the bed and somehow over the weeks, I had managed to awfully striking some chords and strum on it while hitting the sides of the guitar to represent beats. I was tapping away at my feet as I took the guitar and slowly plucked at it.
If I am not plucking the guitar, I would sing to her songs from our past memories, hoping that it will trigger her to wake up and shut me up for the awful singing!! I would also expect her to rise from her coma and pour water in my head to shut me off from playing the awful guitar.
I managed to crack a smile thinking of all these silly things that might happen when she suddenly wakes up. Akira's aunt came to know about me visiting before leaving for school without fail and coming in from school directly. Her heart had softened after learning that I had somehow stayed true to my words about Akira after all.
Except when I am unable to make it and after making up an excuse that I had to be with parents at some particularly long-distance train ride, I would inform the nurses at the counter I would not be able to make it and to update me when there is progress on Akira's condition.
In fact, during the time I was not with Akira, is was the time I had to submit to Ayumi instead but this took place in another town where we won't happen to meet with our teachers or students alike. Our relationship had to be taken outside town in some seedy 3-star hotel.
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I remembered the first time Ayumi had taken her car and picked me up at Kasugai Station that was 1 train stop away from where I stayed. We were circling the town and ended at Yuzu-an Kasugai Shabu Shabu Restaurant somewhere in Umegatsubocho Prefecture. We had a quick bite and drove again and ended up in a small and obscure hotel named Hotel Petit in Jojocho.