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Sounds of a piano soared through the Tenma household as the Tenma siblings played piano together.
"'Kasa! Look, I can do the hard part easily now!" Saki smiled as she played said part now with ease.
"Good job! Soon you'll be able to do the other ones with me!" Tsukasa smiled as he continued the part she finished.
Their mother walked up behind them and put each of her hands on one of their shoulders.
"I'm proud of you both," she smiled as she took her hands off their shoulders and played a more complex version of what they just had.
Instead of sounds of a piano soaring through the household it was now screeching sirens. Tsukasa stood back knowing this situation all too well. He knew they wouldn't let him go in the ambulance with her, as their parents rode instead.
"Tsukasa!" His mom called for him and snapped him out of his trance.
"Oh y-yeah Mom?" He stuttered out as he steadied himself on the wall. Even if he knows the situation all too well doesn't mean it hurts less and doesn't mean the sick sick feeling in his stomach goes away.
He doesn't think it ever will
"Saki wants you to ride with her," His mom answered with a sad smile on her face, "She wants you there this time."
Tsukasa was shocked but nodded and hurried to the ambulance. He got in and grabbed her hand.
"Everything hurts 'Kasa," she cried softly as the paramedics started doing the usual. Tsukasa has basically memorized how these go at this point. IVs, pain meds, check oxygen levels, and more.
"It's okay Saki you'll feel better again soon," Tsukasa looked at her and smiled as his grip on her hand tightened. She couldn't help but believe him. Even if there was a feeling in her gut saying it would be her time to go soon. Well it's not like that feeling isn't there. But that feeling is especially strong right now. That doesn't matter though cause she knows her brother will be here now.
She usually asked her parents to come with her instead of Tsukasa. That was because he didn't want Tsukasa to have to see her with a dozen machines connected to her small frame. But when he recently forced himself to open up to his family about how his whole life he's felt like he was being pushed to the side Saki knew that next time something happened she wanted him to be there. He's always been there for her. Now it was her turn to return the favor in a different way.
Tsukasa sat at Saki's bedside. She had a flare up again. He was acutely aware of his leg bouncing up and down anxiously. Hospitals never brought good memories for either of the Tenma siblings. Well Tsukasa had one but that was when Saki was born. He looks at the machines. Then looks at Saki's chest moving up and down. She's breathing slowly but she's breathing. That's all Tsukasa could ever ask for. He only wishes her to be alive and happy.
That's when he notices her breathing stopping. Sometimes this happens so he just holds his breath hoping she takes another.
Then he hears it. A flatline.
Everything blurs together for him after that.
Yelling for a doctor.
Being ushered out of the room.
His parents asking what happened.
Explaining.
His knees buckling and his parents having to guide him to a chair
A few minutes of painful waiting just hoping she'll be okay this time.
Tsukasa knows she'll be okay! She always is! Yet his tears won't stop. He knows they won't. His parents are at his side, his mom hugging him and his dad with his hand on Tsukasa's shoulder.
Then Saki's doctor walks up to them. Tsukasa's mind noticed but he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge it.
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Tenma," she turned to Tsukasa and waved before looking back at his parents.
He didn't realize his world would collapse right then and there.
"I'm sorry for your loss…" The doctor said with tears in his own eyes. She has been Saki's doctor since she was around 4-5 years old. When she had started treating her Saki had grown attached and never let anyone else treat her.
Tsukasa then realized it was getting harder to breathe. He could feel his throat was tightening. As well as him now shaking and actually hyperventilating.
His mom immediately turned towards him and hugged him as tight as he could while whispering words of comfort knowing full well she was also crying. His dad was covering his face but everyone knew he was also crying while trying to appear strong for his own family.
"Don't worry my dove, we'll get through this," His mother whispered to him again. He grabbed onto her like a lifeline just crying and shaking knowing he'd never get to be the big brother he always wanted to be.
The evil it spread like a fever ahead
It was night when you died, my firefly
What could I have said to raise you from the dead?
Oh could I be the sky on the Fourth of July?
The Tenma home was filled with laughter and giggles as Saki and Tsukasa were bombarding their mother with questions.
"Mommy, do I talk too much?" Saki asked, giggling.
"Well you do enough talk my little hawk," Their mother laughed as she scooped up a giggling Saki and Tsukasa.
Why do you cry?
Tell me what did you learn from the Tillamook Burn?
Or the fourth of July?
We're all gonna die
Sitting at the bed with the halo at your head
Was it all a disguise, like Junior High
Where everything was fiction, future, and prediction
Now, where am I?
My fading supply
Tsukasa knew he lost himself when Saki left. He devoted his life and soul to making her happy. But she's gone now. And Tsukasa didn't know what to do with himself. He knew that he was going to try to keep doing shows in Saki's memory. Yet it didn't feel the same. It didn't give him the same happiness.
And at the same time everything felt dull. And he didn't know what he was feeling. He was angry. Angry at life and fate for giving him and his sister this terrible fate. He just wished that death took him instead. He just didn't want to do anything anymore and everything felt dull.
Saki stared at Tsukasa standing in his room. She knew she died. And watching her family hurt because of her death pained her. What especially hurt though was how Tsukasa just broke down because of it. She hated how much he was hurting. And she felt it was because of her.
"Did you get enough love, my little dove? Why do you cry?" Saki sang as she hugged her brother knowing full well he couldn't feel it. That's what he would sing to her when she was in the hospital with her when their parents had to work. He made the hospital feel a little less lonely when he was there. But even then him being there in itself was rare.
"And I'm sorry I left, but it was for the best," she mumbled. She could feel him still crying but he didn't move. She didn't know why he didn't but she continued hugging him.
"Though it never felt right," she finished as she disappeared once more.
My little Versailles
The hospital asked should the body be cast
Before I say goodbye, my star in the sky
Tsukasa and his parents were discussing funeral plans. His parents decided to make him a part of it as they knew Saki was closest to him. And they knew he probably knew what she would've wanted.
"The hospital asked if they should immediately send it to a funeral home or send it to a crematorium. Which one should we do?" Their mother asked as she clicked the pen she was signing the forms with.
"I feel like we should send it to a funeral home first," Tsukasa spoke up softly.
"I agree," his father answered as he put his hand on his son's shoulder.
"Well that's settled then," She wrote it down on the paper.
Such a funny thought to wrap you up in cloth
Do you find it all right, my dragonfly?
"Shall we look at the moon, my little loon?" His mother asked as she and him were on the roof of their home staring at the stars.
He nodded as tears started falling from his eyes. He remembers how Saki would brag about knowing the stars because of Honami yet constantly forgetting those said facts. And how she would look at the stars whenever they were outside at night.
"Why do you cry?," His mother softly asked another question as he leaned into her touch.
"I'm sorry I was just remembering how Saki would look at the stars a lot," he mumbled as his mom started drawing circles on his back.
"I remember that too, and Honami would constantly remind her of the star facts," she chuckled to herself.
"Make the most of your life, while it is rife. While it is light," Saki basically plead to Tsukasa as she noticed he stopped taking care of himself.
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die
"We're all gonna die," Tsukasa mumbled to himself as he sat at Saki's grave, tears falling from his eyes. "I'm sorry life hated you," he mumbled as he placed a flower next to the tombstone and walked off.