Chapter Nine

Yatsu closed the front door behind him.

Immediately his sister's fist slammed into his shoulder, jolting his elbow into his fragile ribs. He bit his lip, preventing himself from screaming.

“Yo, bro. You going to- hey are you-?” Rika walked around to his front. “Y-you're bleeding! -you okay?”

Yatsu’s tasted iron, he bit his lip harder than he thought he did.

“I got into a fight,” he said and attempted to kick off his shoe.

“A fight? You? Again!” Rika moved to his side, placed her hand around his waist for support.

Another jolt of pain shot through Yatsu as she applied pressure to his waist. Tears fell from his eyes, it was more pain than a simple bruise would cause.

He gave up on taking his shoes off. “Let go, please,” he growled.

Rika let him go. “Fine, if you don't want my help, I'll-”

Yatsu breathed slowly, “My ribs took a beating. Hold my arm."

"Oh," she carefully took hold of his arm.

"I think I need to go to the hospital."

"Ermm..." Rika glanced around hesitantly. "Mom isn't here..."

Yatsu rolled his eyes. “You have something better to do than to bring your brother to the hospital?”

“Tsh, fine, I'll take you."

"Thanks Ri-OW!"

Rika opened the door. "Man up," she said, but then looked at him with more concern. "Or do you think you can make it to the hospital without an ambulance?"

"I can make it," Yatsu responded through his teeth.

“I'm not carrying you.”

“I know.”

Yatsu toughened up as Rika helped him out of the house, down the porch steps and into Rika's car. Rika climbed into the driver’s seat, started the car and put it in reverse.

Bouncing out of the lane-way and into the street caused Yatsu more pain. He tolerated stopping at streetlights and stop-signs, but when Rika braked abruptly for an ass-hole, Yatsu pouted and tears fell from his eyes.

Rika pulled into the hospital’s visitor parking lot, bouncing the car yet again, before parking the vehicle. She climbed out and circled around the car.

Yatsu attempted to sit up and regretted it, he held up his hand when Rika opened the passenger door.

“Climbing out of here is going to hurt like hell,” he said.

“Well, Mr. Tough Guy, you got three options,” Rika said. “You either get it done yourself, I help you, or I tear you out of the car because I don’t want to be here all night. It’s like ripping off a Band-Aid.”

Yatsu glared at her.

Rika smirked back at him.

“Fine.”

With effort, Yatsu pulled himself out of the car. Rika provided support as he whimpered with every step.

“SUCH a baby!” Rika laughed. “My wittle baby bwother-”

Yatsu ignored her as she dragged him into the building and up to the reception desk.

Mentioning Yatsu’s inability to walk on his own earned him a room and a bed to himself and an order to take it easy. Rika sat on the far side of his bed, waiting.

Shortly afterward, a nurse took Yatsu for x-rays, and he returned with a doctor who gave a prognosis.

“Bruised ribs,” he said. “You’ll be hurting for at least three weeks. I’ll prescribe some pain medication and give you a doctor’s note.”

“Awe, that’s no fair,” Rika said.

Yatsu couldn’t fathom why Rika would be jealous over taking pain medication.

“Can I have a doctor’s note?” Rika asked the doctor.

Clearly the doctor sensed the playfulness in her voice and left the room without responding.

“Hmgh, he’s no fun,” said Rika, eyeing Yatsu with interest.

Oh no. Yatsu knew that look. Whenever Rika got bored at family gatherings and situations like this she would find something, or someone, to entertain her. This time Yatsu was the only option.

“So how’s your cute little pink-haired girly friend doing?”

And of course this conversation is about Sasha.

“Sasha’s her name, right?” Rika continued. “You know, mom says that she can't wait to have grandchildren because they'll be so cute!”

Yatsu paled.

Rika laughed.

“I told mom not to tell you anything,” Yatsu grumbled.

“She didn't,” Rika countered. “-but she does like to talk to herself when she's excited.”

Mom is THAT excited? “When-”

The doctor entered the room again, interrupting the conversation. He handed Yatsu a piece of paper and a bottle of painkillers.

“Regular dose is three pills a day, once every eight hours, after meals,” he said and then pointed to the paper. “That note says you are liable to stay at home for a week and explains your condition. You may leave the hospital when you are ready,” he left the room again.

“Well, that was quick for a change,” Rika stood up.

“Hold on,” Yatsu unscrewed the child-proof pill container, popped one in his mouth and swallowed. “Wait for this thing to start working first.”

“Psh,” Rika sat back down. “Ten minutes and I'm gone.”

Yatsu nodded.

The silence welcomed the sound of sirens, growing louder and louder.

Hospital staff mobilized.

“What happened?” A nurse asked.

“Kid was hit by a truck,” a passing doctor answered.

A moment later a crowd of people passed by the room. Yatsu caught a glimpse of Braxton lying down with his eyes closed, a breathing apparatus on his face.

“Poor kid,” Rika said. “He looked your age.”

“He is,” Yatsu said.

“You know him?”

“Ya, he was the guy that beat me up.”