Chapter 44 Change [OLD]
[Gundam Nova]
March 11th, I.J.C 200, Metalica's Hospital.
Beep…beep…beep…
The familiar beeping sound from the heart monitor, the scent of Medicine that was reeking in the air, the weird feeling in my arm.
Somehow…It felt like a deja vu, slowly, my eyes were slowly opened and quickly shot by the blinding light. Groaning at the sudden flash, I move my arm a little, feeling it a bit…stiff and like something heavy…weird…
I use the little strength I have left to push my body up slowly, and just like I thought, I was in a hospital, arm hooked to a heart monitor and getting IV fluid. Yeah, this scene is very familiar, every time I collapse I find myself here, looking like this.
I tried to move my arm again and it was still heavy so I turned to look why it was that way, and what greeted me was a patch of green hair flowing down like a river, the slow breathing which sounded so soothing, the little movement she made when sleeping.
Klara was there, she was there and didn’t go anywhere, she was with me, sleeping here. She was still here…
For the first time in 5 years, I feel…truly happy and grateful, I knew I was being selfish, I know I should be mature and I should be able to handle it on my own but…deep down, I just want someone to be with me, I was lonely, Maybe that why I yearn so much for my mother but now…I can let it go, I will still find her and I will succeed but I won’t let it weigh my mind to the point that I become obsessed anymore…after all…I have someone by my side now.
Slowly, I moved my free arm toward Klara's face, brushing the hair that was sticking to her face to the side, revealing the peacefully sleeping Klara to me.
“Klara…Thank you for being with me.” I spoke those words to the sleeping girl, and I could feel the weight in my chest, it was still heavy but slowly and surely…it was being lifted. Maybe, I could change after all.
March 11th, I.J.C 200, Metalica's Hospital, Klara’s Pov.
“Mhmm…” The soft feeling…is quite warm, slowly, my eyes start to open, and adjusting to the light, I see her, the girl who collapsed in my arm was looking out of the windows, smiling absently as her focus was nowhere to be seen…but the smile, it was one of serene, full of peace as if she managed to lift up the mountain of worry and throw it away.
“Hm, Sorry, did I wake you up?” Yoha suddenly noticed me as she turned around, her hand was moving, brushing the hair that stuck in my eyes away…that action…made me frost in my spot. I feel my cheek heat up at the sound of my heartbeat repeatedly beating itself and pumping blood to my face.
“...Are you ok? Your face is a bit red.”
“Y-yeah!? Yeah, I’m ok! Also, have we had this conversation before?!” I quickly change the subject and turn my face around, seriously…why now? Why her? Yoha didn’t notice anything, I know it was not that she didn’t care, she was just…surprisingly dense for someone who was so observative.
But that's ok, I think I can just keep it to myself…and just let her enjoy herself and maybe, maybe I could understand if my feelings were really that…or just an adoration I had for her, right now it's too hard to tell anyway.
I turned my face toward her, observing her, and seeing numerous machines that were connected to her. It was disheartening but it was for her own good.
“Yoha, how are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere? Is your fist still hurt?” At the reminder of my word, Yoha slowly turned to look at her hand, moving it around and clenching it.
“Don’t worry, I Don’t feel any pain at all.” She replied with a smile. It made me feel relieved, but I was still worried so I slowly reached my hand out. Yoha seemed surprised by my sudden movement but she didn’t do anything.
My hand wrapped around hers, slowly caressing the skin…there was a scar, her skin was too soft so when she used her strength without any restraint, it broke her skin, normally this would be no problem but the hospital here is…bad, they don’t even have a healing gel.
“I’m sorry, You have a scar because of me,” I said, holding her hand tighter than before, squeezing them.
Yoha was silent, and I was too embarrassed to look at her face, then, suddenly I felt a force pull me in. I hear a heartbeat, a slow and warm breath down my neck.
“Don’t say that, You are more important to me than any skin, besides, it's just a little scar, nothing that can’t be hidden with makeup or gloves. Well, the human hand really isn’t built for hitting things, y’know?” she said in a light tone as she let out a little giggle.
…Is she joking?
“Yoha…Did you make a joke just now?” I ask in disbelief, the girl who was normally composed, graceful, and never opened up to anyone…just make a joke.
“Joke? No, that was not a joke, It was just basic anatomy…Now that I think about it…It may sound like a joke?” She tilted her head cutely before slowly blinking her eyes.
The mole under her neck was exposed to me and I started to think about whether that was a joke or not. And I just started there, at her neck, the hospital gown was somehow…Nope!
“...13 bones in the area of the hand, so if I didn’t apply good techniques then I would surely break it, thankfully Hemston drilled those into me…” Then Yoha started talking to herself, something I didn’t expect, the fact that she had just suddenly gone into her own world…
“Y-yoha? Are you ok?” I ask, a bit worried at the new sign of her, or should I say, a new side?
“Hm? No, I’m ok, sorry, did I trail off the topic?” She just smiled at me, innocently, as if she was a different person…she changed…so much…or is it that she simply reverted to herself? I don’t know…but…is it a good thing? probably? I mean she could smile innocently after all, she could make jokes, she would trail off into her thoughts but she was still there.
Right, she is still here. I didn’t lose her.
“Yoha, are you hungry? I could call the nurse?” I ask, my hand slowly retracts but she grips it.
“No, it's ok. I’m not really hungry. Instead, could you stay with me for a bit longer? I think I’m going to fall back to sleep very soon.” While her tone was still a bit respectful, it was quite normal. I thought she would drop the respectful tone but I think habit dies hard, just like my stealing or lockpicking tendency.
“Of course, I will stay with you, I can’t go back right now anyway, I still need a bit of check-up.” It was a lie, I just wanted to stay with her, my checkup was already done the moment I got into the car, cause they just disregarded me in favor of Yoha, Well, being the next Heir to the Commander of Earth military’s force is important after all.
“Then…ah…I forgot Haro…” Yoha suddenly said and her face quickly turned to panic. “Ah! Haro is still in the charging port in my backpack!”
Oh…right, we actually forgot about him and the daily observation of Yohai too…
I picked up my phone and dialed a number, it was quickly picked up before I could even wait a second. “This is Odis speaking.”
“Ah, Mr.Odis, Yoha is awake, also can you go through her bags? Haro is stuck in there, oh also, please bring us her Laptop, here too.”
“Is she awake?! When! And-ow!” The voice quickly cut out, I think I heard Miss Hanya screaming in the background…? “I understand, I will arrive there in a few moments.”
Odis said before he hung up the phone. Wow, those two really get along…
“Yoha, Mr.Odis will release Haro and will bring the laptop over so we can continue the observation,” I said to the panicked Yoha as she tried to find her phone. She stopped moving around and stared at me.
“ok…Thank and sorry, I was a bit panicky there.” She drops her respectful tone.
“Heh…Ehehe…I didn’t know you were this…weird.” I said as I tried to hold my laugh but it was to no avail as I burst out laughing, and Yoha just stared at me while her head was tilting cutely and with a very confused face.
“Don’t worry, It’s nothing. I think it suits you better than the stiff you.” I said as I wiped my tears. “Thank you, Yoha. For saving me.” I finally say it, the word I want to say.
Yoha was stunned at my words but before long she just smiled at me. “I will save you as much time as you want, so please…stay by my side.”
“Of course! We are friends, aren’t we? I will stay with you till you get bored of me!” I said with a smile, and Yoha just giggled.
March 12th, I.J.C 200, Metalica's Restrict Zone, Klara’s Pov.
Yoha was released from the hospital yesterday, and when she was released, we went back to the House, only to find the kids running after Haro as he rolled around in the circle.
“Yoha! Yoha!” That was what he said when he saw Yoha, and quickly rolled toward her while releasing a burst of Air lifting him upward into her arm and Yoha caught him quite easily.
“Sorry, Haro! I completely forgot about you, please forgive me!’ She said as she buried her face into the Round surface of Haro, rubbing her face against the cold surface.
“Forgive! Forgive!” That is what he said in reply, and then the children surrounded Yoha again, welcoming her back and asking about Haro. She quickly introduces Haro to them while she lets them play with Haro.
Honestly, It was very nice to come home after a long stay in the hospital with nothing to do other than talk to each other, which is good I’m not gonna lie about that, but I want to move!
But once I got back, the first thing I did was just lay down on my bed and sleep, I didn’t know how tired I was, and slept through the night to the day. When I woke up, Yoha was already out of bed and was very refreshed as she prepared breakfast with Mother Claire.
“Ah, Did you get up? Go wash your face first, breakfast will be ready in a minute.” She said with a smile as she moved swiftly toward each plate under the guidance of Mother Claire.
…Am I dreaming? No no, I was still in reality…it was just…unexpected? The fact that she would move so enthusiastically, and happily…like a new person just possessed her of something.
“Oh…ok…?” I was confused, I mean can someone change that much in just a day? Yesterday was just a simple change that could just be explained by her feeling better about her feelings but this…
“Why are you still standing around? Go go, Breakfast is going to be ready by the time you come back.” She shook me away with her hand and then went back to talk with Mother Claire, smiling as bright as the sun…
Well…I will be damn, she changes? No more like she reverted back to her real self, I think that happened yesterday too. With the forgetting Haro?
… Let's think about this later. When I reached the bathroom it was already full of the children, waiting to get their faces clean. Big sis Anna was there to help with the child who was still too young to reach the sink while Yougi was with her, still not close but just enough to not let her out of his eyes.
I walk toward the sink and lift Ouro up since she was too little even to reach it and wash her face with water, she smiles and thanks me. After I finished with her, there were still two boys waiting so I let them go first, and after they finished I finally got to wash my face.
With the feeling of refreshing cold water waking me up, I wipe them away with a towel before making my way back to the dining room where the plate is already set in there. I sit down at the end of the table and soon everyone starts to join sitting where they want.
“Alright, food ready!” “My lady, please be careful! Ow! Why?!” “You get in the way.” All noise across the kitchen, and from there emerges Yoha in an apron, holding a big pot full of stew. She was wearing an Oven mitt that matched the apron and both of them were the theme of a bear…because that apron was the one Anna used…
It is surprisingly cute, in contrast to her normally neat personality…
“OK, everybody! Time to eat!’ She then proceeded to walk around, pouring soup into each bowl before standing next to me. “Here, hold your bowl out.” I did as she said, feeling the hot stew steaming.
I put the bowl down then Ms.Hanya came next putting rice on my plate along with a fried egg, then Mr.Odis placed a bowl of fruit next to it, it was an apple cut in rabbit shape…he was that good with a knife?
Then suddenly Mother Claire sat on the opposite side of me, with a serene smile on her face. “My, it has been a long time since I didn’t have to do anything at all. Thank you, Ms. Ottoman,”
“What are you talking about? Without your guidance, I wouldn’t be able to make this Stew.” Yoha replied politely while pouring the soup into Mother Claire's bowl, then proceeded to pour it on for herself as she sat next to me.
She didn’t take out her apron and Anna didn’t seem to mind it, instead, she was marveling at the Stew in front of her…
“Alright, Let us pray, and don’t forget to say thank you to Ms.Ottoman too.” The children all said thanks in unison and Yoha just smiled as she accepted their thanks. Then, she turns toward me, with eyes full of expectation…
“W-what?” She didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at me. D-did she…want me to thank her too? “T-thanks.” She gave me a satisfied smile before turning back and then started praying just like everyone else…
W-what is wrong with her!?
Weird, this girl just turned weird!? What?! Is there something wrong at the hospital?! Did she hit her head!? Did I do something that made her turn weird!?
I was speechless for the rest of the day, as she was beginning to show me a side of her I didn’t know existed in the first place…
First…Yoha was… surprisingly clumsy. She would often forget what she was about to do then process to remember them and forget about it again, then she would often step on her own shoes as if she wasn’t used to it.
Second…she was…a very enthusiastic girl, I know she likes machines and Code but I never thought she was interested in everything…? It was like she was finally interested in them all of a sudden.
Maybe it's just that…she finally relaxed and got time to actually think about other things other than her…mother.
Thirdly…she talks to herself a lot, like a lot when she is often alone, she goes on and mumbles about anything that she finds interesting, like a mobile suit or code…those are the quirk of the girl named Yoha, a quirky side I didn’t know before.
And these are just the ones that appear to me in the short day…I was surprised, to say the least…but did it make me dislike her? No, I think it makes her more human…than the doll she confines herself into…
This suits her more, and I would love for her…to continue like this. Yeah, Let’s try my best, to get rid of her burden or share it…so I could see her smile more often. No, I will make her smile forever. That's right, that should be a good goal.