FOUR - INTERNAL DAMAGE

The sun rised as the sky turned into a reddish color, replacing the dark purple color the night owned. Hushed chirps from the bird outside her window can be heard as the sun rised fully on its glory. Funny, how nature can be so darn poetic.

Mai was awake; periwinkle eyes stared right into the cream colored ceiling, her gaze never faltered for a second. It was one of those days where all you wanted to do was to space out and think. Think, think, think.

Thinking about her future plans, about Haruki, about school works and how her study is going, and thinking about Fuuto Asakura.

That darn arrogant boy had stolen the spotlight inside her mind in a heartbeat. She scrunched her nose, she was confused.

Mostly about Fuuto. He appears cold, but warm. Evil and cocky, yeat so kind and full of empathy. Which is the real him and which is the fake? She couldn't tell. At least, yet.

Suddenly, she jolted up, grabbing the brown leather book on her nightstand before picking her pen - which is red and black in color and has this amazing colorful inks - and scribbles something in the paper.

After double-checking what she wrote, she smiled. Closing the book and leaving it inside her drawer, locked. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

"Mai-chan," a knock came on her door. A blonde haired young woman stood upon the entrance, clad in a neat nurse uniform. Her bob-styled hair falling perfectly. "Are you awake?"

"Morning Arisa." She greeted simply, shifting her focus to the periwinkle-eyed woman. "Is it breakfast?"

"Yes and something else." Arisa pushed a silver wheeled crate with many trays on top of it - meals for other patients - before placing one of the trays to Mai's desk. "This breakfast."

Arisa pulled a large bouquet of red roses and daisies from below the crate. She placed it on Mai's desk before a note fell onto the floor. Arisa crouched to take it and gave it to Mai.

"I'm guessing it's addressed to you,"

Arisa gave her a flash of smile before waltzing out of the room, carrying the silver crate and plates of breakfast. Mai caressed the note with her hand, feeling the smooth material of the expensive envelope by her fingertips. By the block, small but neat handwriting on the front, she knew who is it from.

Dear Mai,

I've talked to the doctors, you can go out today. It's been a while since we last talked and since my trip ended a few days back, let's grab some coffee and talk. Will you? But not like I'll take no as an answer.

Your ever-worrying oh-so-handsome friend,

Itou Haruki.

Mai giggled to herself at the lines of praises the boy gave to himself, either desperately or cockily. Haruki will never change, even if time decided to stop and freeze, even if her time came.

She winced.

Shaking the depressing thought off, she rose from the hospital bed, walking to where the drawer full of her clothes is.

After ten minutes of choosing, organizing, and having self-doubt and crazy self-arguments inside her head she decided on an outfit. A white crop top with flowers design on it, a soft pink skirt with white laces on the end, a brown leather vest Haruki gave her om her last birthday, and a pair of brown ankle boots.

After twirling in front of her window for desperate reflections and double checking everything inside her purse, a knock came on her door. She hurried to the door, thinking it was Haruki.

But then someone else showed up.

"Morning Mai, brought you breakfa--" The auburn haired boy stopped his greeting after seeing Mai dressed up in other than her usual ugly hospital gown. "What's the occasion?"

Mai ran a hand through her loose hair, she haven't tied it into its usual ponytail yet. Grabbing the hair tie from her nightstand, she struggled to answer him, "Hey! Coffee, with a friend of mine."

"And here I thought you were dressing up for me," A smirk dawned his features before he feigned hurt. "How disappointing."

Mai grinned a loop-sided grin, "You are a thousand years to early."

"So, I guess the little bucket list thingy shall wait?" Fuuto suggested still smirking his camera-worthy smirk.

Mai gave out a nod before securing her ponytail tightly and smiling to her own small achievement. "Yep."

Fuuto tapped his hand together, leaning against the door frame. "Catch you later then, apple."

"Don't call me apple!" Mai huffed and pouted. "And shoo shoo, bye-bye annoying stalker!"

Hearing her yell, several nurses turned their head toward the scene. And even some kept their guard up.

"Hey!" Fuuto hissed.

"Kidding, and goodbye." Mai smiled softly.

"Oh, and one thing to boost up your lack in appearance." Fuuto mocked, earning a glare from the offended girl. He stepped forward before putting a hand on her cheek, keeping the girl still.

"W-what?!"

In one swift motion, he pulled the hairtie holding her luscious red hair up, as they fell to below her waist in natural curled-end locks. "If you want to impress him, keep your hair down."

"Who told you it was a 'he'?" Mai protested, still blushing scarlet red at his sudden invasion of distance. The girl pushed him back with both hands as he chuckled. "And back off!"

"Now, don't go falling for me like the rest of the female population did." He announced smugly, saluting her with twi fingers before waltzing out of her room. "Jaa ne*, apple~"

At his departure, Mai could only slap both of her hands to her cheeks, in attempt to cool them down and erase those red color before Haruki came. And of course, failing. As her thoughts still dancing around on one name.

Fuuto Asakura.

■○■

Ring. Ring.

The small bell dingled when the blue haired man walks in, he walks into his favorite table; at the corner of the shop, cosy and privacy guaranteed. A waiter clad in black and white uniform politely offered him the menu before waltzing out into the back again.

The smell of fresh coffee and warm pastries filled his nostrils in a pleasant way, creating a nostalgia of where his mother used to bake small cookies and bread for him. Well, before his father took him to the agency anyways.

He still remembers vividly the kind smile his mother has, her taste in clothing, and her signature sweets and goodies he and Mai used to enjoy together after kindergarten ends. He and Mai had been friends since diapers era, but they lost contact for a while for five to six months; when he was taken away by his father.

"Haruki!"

He glanced upward, noticing a warm smile evident on her ever-glowing face. "Hey."

"Have you ordered yet?" Mai took a seat while grinning, snatching the leather covered menu book from his grasp and proceeding to flip the pages, scanning the possible food and drinks to enter he growling stomach. "Haruki, did you get thinner? And are those eyebags!?"

Haruki smiled, she'll never change even if pigs do fly. He swatted her worried hands away from clasping his cheeks. "I'm okay, work has been tough these days. Didn't get enough time to sleep and eat, same ol' same ol'."

Mai huffed, "I'm gonna order now, are you done?"

"Yep." He replied simply, popping the 'p'.

The waiter came, holding a pen in one hand and an order sheet in the other. "Good morning, what shall you have today?"

"I'll have a glass of cafe au lait and a croissant, please." Haruki closed the menu and hand it to the waiter before gesturing Mai to continue.

"I'll have caramel macchiato with blueberry cheesecake." Mai added. "Oh, and add an espresso brownie to his plate please."

"Certainly." The waiter smiled. "Your order will be up in a moment."

Mai grinned at Haruki who flashed her a warning glare. Mai knew that his strict diet never allows him to eat sweet food or sugar; the things that Mai lived eating of. That's why they always clashed in food, but secretly, Haruki loves sweets too even a little bit more than Mai.

"What's up?" Haruki began. "And before you could ask back, it's all the same for me."

"And you're asking me?" She scoffed. "You know, the room is still as empty, the walls are still white, Arisa is doing fine, and the food is horrible."

"Make sense since they're hospital food, it's not like you could order a five-star cuisine," Haruki waved his hands. "And has anyone bothered you after the shoot?"

Mai realized he was talking about his new album cover which is her. She shrugged as he took it as a 'no'. "They wouldn't expect a sheltered hospital girl to be a model."

"Rianna loves it too," Mai glared as he sighed. "Yes, I showed it to her. She forced me to!" Haruki defended himself.

"She can be quite a pusher, but still!" Mai huffed and shook her head. "Did she mention anything else?"

Now it's Haruki's turn to shake his head, "Nope."

Their order soon arrived, the waiter balancing their order in a brown melamin tray. Mai sipped on her caramel macchiato as Haruki drank on his. They ate silently, with Haruki constantly stealing a few bits of her cheesecake.

"Oh, and." The image of her and Fuuto's plan formed in her head, still chewing she continues. But then she remembered the little competition Haruki and Fuuto have, then she shuts her lips tight. "Nothing."

"Do you know that Fuuto Asakura took a break from the showbiz?" Haruki asked. "It was suprising that I heard a few of his fangirls fainted."

"Wow, is that jerk really popular?" She laughed, remembering their few moments together. "Who would've thought he really did that for me?"

Haruki widen his eyes, slamming the cup down abruptly. Mai gasps, oops.

"Could you repeat that?"

"R-Repeat what?"

"The last thing you said." Haruki raised a perfect brow, "What have you been doing with Asakura?"

"I don't know!" Mai protests, because well, it's not entirely a lie. She doesn't know what's going on with her life recently, from being a cover for an album to a secret rendezvous with a pop star. Everything is messy but exciting. 

"Please tell me you aren't doing anything wild and pass your limits," Haruki sighed. "Your condition isn't getting better, and we can't make it worse. Please just, stop doing what you do." 

Mai chewed on her inner cheeks. Limitations, rules, and her condition have one thing in common - she hates them with a burning passion. And when Haruki mentioned them, it got worse. Her fingers curled, gripping the hem of her skirt tightly. She puts her cup down as Haruki seems to realize that he had brought an unnecessary topic. 

"Mai," He starts. "I--"

"Stop! Just stop," She answers back with a weak whisper, but Haruki still hears it and it pains him like tiny needles were jabbed into his chest. "I promise you, I promise that I won't overwork myself. It's just that, I found something to look forward to everyday and Fuuto helps - in a way." 

"I see," He sighs. "I would be really glad if it wasn't him but if you're happy then it's fine to me." 

Mai smiles, "Thank you." 

And it only took them two cups of coffee, two plates of sweets, twenty minutes of conversation, and a very strong smell of coffee for Haruki to realize that maybe, maybe, someone could make Mai happy other than him - or maybe even happier. But the person entering the cafe with a huge door slam the next minute surprise them both...he's...

**End of Chapter Four**