A few days later

As time goes by, the usual hot, sunny June weather hasn't changed much, and so has a certain guy's routine. Right now, a familiar young man, with the bowl haircut, is dashing into a hospital, hoping about something. He prays that this time, he will be able to get in, will be able to visit a certain friend, someone he has missed for a long time.

He hopes that girl is still fine, with nothing bad about her. He hopes that after that accident, she is recovered and ready to meet him.

The girl he is trying to find is unlucky. Within one night, she has lost everything, and that "everything" was her family. She lost the other four sisters, she lost her dad, but how cruel reality was, she didn't know about it. She almost ended up like her family, but with seconds left, she was saved. However, until she's out of conscious, she still knows nothing about it. It's like a flashing dream to her.

Back to the young man, he is now trying to find her hospital room, something he has done many times before, but they just kept refusing his request.

"Nurse, remember me?!" He slammed his hands on the receptionist table, got the attention from the nurses. "I need to find my friend's room! Please help me this time!"

"Ah, Fuutarou Uesugi-san. I do remember you." The nurse said with a smile, but quickly turned into a frown. "You were the one who kept dashing in here, annoying other patients, and just kept asking for your friend's room every time! Can't you just ignore this place just one day? You're becoming our nightmare!"

"I-It's not like I just came here every-"

"You came here every single day! Thanks to you, we even know what day it was without looking at the calendar!" The nurse shouted at him angrily, made Fuutarou flinch. But sooner or later, he can predict what the result is, even without asking. It's just so usual to him.

"... I still can't visit her, can I?" Fuutarou said sadly, with a frown on his face. Then the nurse types something on her computer, seems like she is searching for a name.

"Fuutarou Uesugi-san... still the same patient as last time, am I right?" The nurse asked again to make sure she had picked the right one, so Fuutarou nodded as an answer. Then she takes another glance at the computer screen and turns to him after that.

"Go upstairs, take the corridor on the left. Itsuki Nakano's room is at the end of the corridor." The nurse said, made Fuutarou smile brightly, full of relief. "Just make sure not to bother her. Lately, she's been very... strange..."

"I understand, nurse! Thank you!" Fuutarou bowed down, and headed straight upstairs, exciting and hoping to actually meet Itsuki, someone he has long missed, someone he's relieved to be alive, out of that horrific tragedy.

'Wait for me, Itsuki! I'm coming!'

O0O

Fuutarou's POV

I run straight upstairs, turn left as the nurse told me and head to the end of the corridor, but when I finally reach her room, something bothers me quite a bit. Different from the corridor, which is colored with neon green from the light, and also the rooms, which light has turned on, Itsuki's room, or at least I believe so, is very dark. There is almost nothing can be seen inside, except a sitting figure on the hospital bed, so I think it's probably her.

Still a little unsure about my prediction, I try to find someone trusty to ask and get a nearby doctor. "Hey, this is Itsuki Nakano's room, right?" I asked the doctor.

"First time at the hospital? Just look at the board hanging on the door! I'm on a rush! You're welcome!" The doctor said loudly and left straight away. Rude. But I have to agree that this is my first time at here, or actually get closer inside, so I'm not very used to board-hanging-on-door thing. Speaking about it, every other doors also have signs hanging on, like these rooms are the zoo cages, with animal's name and its habit on it. Weird.

Following the doctor's order, I take some step to the door and hold up the hanging sign.

'Patient: Itsuki Nakano.'

Bingo! That has to be her. But wait, there are actually something else written underneath.

'Status: Having some problems with mental. Lost almost all senses, cannot hear, see or talk. Muscles is paralyzed, unable to move her legs and just a bit movement on her arms. More treatment is needed.'

Problems with mental? What is all this?! Is this the reason that I've been kept away from her the entire time? No, no way! I've waited so long for this day to come! I'll come in and visit her, and we'll have a chat like good old days!

"Itsuki! Itsuki! Are you awake?" I knocked on the doors several times, but there was no response, which was bizarre to me. I even look inside again to make sure that she is still awake, and she actually is, still sitting on the bed. Did she fall asleep while sitting? That can't be, right? So I try to knock on the doors again before thinking about coming in. "Itsuki, it's me, Fuutarou! You know, your face-I-don't-want-to-see-for-being-a-jerk-and-showing-up-his-high-scores-but-somehow-I-found-him-quite-attractive friend of yours!"

Goodness sake what was I saying?!

"... Itsuki, I'm coming in, okay?" I called out one last time and came in myself, without getting any permission from her, but maybe she just fell asleep. I shriek open the doors and silently walk inside, before closing them, not to make any sound to wake her up, if she is actually sleeping.

Her hospital room is filled with silence, with nothing to be heard, except the blowing sound of the air conditioner. The darkness adds something to it, making the scene quite mysterious and trigger my curiosity, wanting to know the full view. In front of me is still that sitting figure, with messy hair and her hospital pyjamas, but thanks to that ahoge sticking out her head, I know that's definitely her.

"Hey... Itsuki, are you sleeping?" I whispered just to check for myself, but there is no snoring sound coming from her, which I had to come closer to hear that. "Itsuki, are you there? I brought some hamburgers for you..." I whispered to her again, although I came here empty-handed. However, just like last time, there is no response, and I also pump myself into some kind of tray. Looking around the room, I find a switcher, which I can go and switch on the light, to find out what is happening inside.

"Itsuki, you there? I'm switching on the light." I gave her an "announcement", or a "warning", depending on her case and went for the switch. I flick it up as the same neon green light starts flickering and shining, but that is also when I fully see her, a scene I was not expected at all.

I was right about her sitting on the bed, but there is something strange about her. She keeps looking blankly in one direction, her eyes are soulless and her mouth stays shut. Her arms and legs just loosen freely, without gripping on anything. She is still breathing, but she doesn't even look at me or the switched-on light.

"Um... Itsuki...?" I nervously asked, approaching her slowly. "Itsuki, can you hear me...?" I asked her, but the result was the same. I try to wave my hand in front of her, but her eyes aren't twitching, they just keep looking at the same blank space. In front of her, there is a tray of food, just bread and omelet, probably for her breakfast, but there is no sign of eating or chewing on it. She hasn't had her breakfast, but why? Eating is actually her specialty, but seeing that is just so weird.

Suddenly, behind me, someone opens the door, appears to be a nurse. "Oh, young man, you are Nakano-san's visitor, right?" The nurse asked.

"... Yes, I am." I answered her, with some hesitation for seeing Itsuki like that. "What is happening to her? Why isn't she having her breakfast? Why does she... look like a human-sized mannequin?" I asked the nurse, even I couldn't believe I would use that word to call her.

"Well... you see... Nakano-san..." The nurse stammered, trying to find the right words, probably not to make me feel worried. "She is... having some problem with her brain, or at least that's what our doctors thought. As you can see written on the sign, she can't feel or listen to anything right now. We might need more times to treat her."

"I see..." I said quietly, enough for the nurse to hear and turned my sight to Itsuki, who was keeping the same position. Then I see the nurse collects her breakfast without asking, which I think I have to stop her. "Hey, don't just collect her breakfast like that! She can still have it, right?" However, with a sad expression, the nurse shakes her head, denying what I said.

"I am sorry, young one, but this is just the same with days before. She didn't have her breakfast, or her lunch, or even her dinner. We had to transfer some nutrition inside her, just to make sure that she had enough food and drink, but..." The nurse said, then stopped for a moment.

"That is not a good choice, is it?" I continued her sentence and knew I was right when she nodded. Looking back at Itsuki, according to the nurse, I notice that she is very out of health, and she might be skinnier, too. It is so bizarre seeing her like that, the one who used to chuck in any kind of food in her mouth, without caring about gaining weight, now she is just... there...

"Hey, is staying overnight allowed at this hospital?" I asked the nurse.

"Yes, but why?"

"Well... I'm thinking about staying here for the night, with my friend. Maybe I can help getting back her sense, just a little..." I answered while scratching my forehead, made the nurse let out a smile.

"Oh, are you guys 'a thing'? It must be heartbreaking seeing your girlfriend like that, right?'

"No! No, we're just... normal..." I shouted out of a sudden, but after noticed that, my voice became smaller. Talking about being "a thing" makes me almost drop my heart, thinking about my times with the Nakano quintuplets, which was indescribable, and how they are... not here.

I really think I feel somewhat heartbreaking seeing Itsuki now...

"Anyway, young one, just make sure to leave the room when the doctors need to check on her, alright?"

"... Understood." I answered the nurse as she started leaving the room, letting me and Itsuki inside. Even that, she just keeps the same look as before, starring at nothing, blank expression.

So I find myself a stool and place it next to her bed, so I can sit next to her and have a talk, hopefully it will bring back something to her.

"Yo, Itsuki, remember me? Fuutarou Uesugi? The one you first met at our school? Well probably not but at least I'm one of them, right?"

Still no response.

"Hey, have you noticed that you're sitting in a paradise of ice cream? If you can say something, I'll get you one immediately! A big one!"

Still no response.

"Hey Meat Bun! How long are you staying there?! That's right, I've just called you that! So wake up and hit me if you feel that you want to!"

Even saying that, the result is the same, and I notice that my hands are shaking a bit. I'm just a friend, trying to kick some sense back to my close one, so what the emotion I'm feeling? The feeling of guilt? Or something people feel when things are hopeless? Without anything and controlling myself, I start grabbing her shoulder and shaking her.

"Itsuki Nakan, I'm talking to you! Don't be like that and wake up! I'm tired of seeing you like this! All your sisters, your father, they're... gone, so... please, wake up and... at least talk to me a little..." I shouted at her, but soon my voice became smaller, almost like I was whispering. So I lower my head and grit my teeth, by the fact that all my effort so far is still hopeless.

*buzz* *buzz*

Out of a sudden, my phone starts ringing, so I take it out of my pocket and find out Raiha's name on it. She must be worried about me. Then I decide to leave the room and leave Itsuki behind. "Just wait here, I'll be right back." I told her, knowing that she wouldn't hear me, then I took my leave, letting out a sigh of disappointment.

"Hey Raiha, what's up?" I answered her call, while leaning my back against the wall.

"I should be the one saying 'what's up'! What's taking you so long, big brother?" Raiha shouted at me through the phone.

"Well... I..." I tried to think of some words to answer her, but I couldn't

"... Did you... see Itsuki-san?" Raiha asked concernedly.

"... Yes- Wait! No, I-"

"I know it! I'll go see her right away-"

"No, Raiha! Stay home! I'll see her by myself!" I told her, so she wouldn't find out about Itsuki's case. I'm not saying that she can't help, but how will she react if she finds out her "best friend" is having some mental problem?

"Just why, brother? Why can't I see her? I just want to meet her, so be relieved a bit..." Raiha answered shakenly, which I knew what she was about to do, made me feel regretful hearing her like that. So I have to change the topic, to make sure that this conversation will over soon.

"Hey... Raiha..."

"... Yes, brother?" Raiha asked, with some sniffles in her voice.

"Can you tell dad I'll be staying at the hospital for the night?"

"What, so you can be alone with her? That's so selfish, big brother!" Raiha retorted at me.

"No! It's just..." I tried telling her, but I couldn't utter any word. "You know... coming out from such an accident... losing all of the family members... she just wants to have someone by her side..."

"Then I will be by her side! She can trust me!" Raiha answered stubbornly.

"No, she's scared of having too many people visit. Just... let me carry this..."

"... Okay, I got it. But if she has any more trouble, I won't forgive you, big brother!" Raiha said, after a long while of thinking.

"Alright, good. See you then."

"Send my hello to Itsuki-san!" My sister cheerfully said, which was a relief to me, then she ended the call. As soon as the call ended, a group of doctors start walking in Itsuki's room.

"You guys are about to transfer nutrition to her, right?" I asked one of them, and he nodded.

"That's right, so make sure to be out of the room when we are working." He warned me and joined the others. All the doctors here are just so rude, huh?

Looking at a now empty corridor, with no one walking outside, I can hear sound from the other hospital room, which is lively and sometimes a bit noisy. But I just wish that Itsuki's room was the same, instead of that shivering silence with air of hopelessness, like what I felt from it. I slide my back on the wall and sit on the floor, cover my knees and lean my head on it, begin some hate speech on myself, with the feeling of guilt and regret inside. I lied to Raiha. I can't be that good "someone" by her side, I can't help her with anything, and I can't be the one that make her forget the pain of losing someone she loves.

I start digging my head further and begin weeping, feeling hopeless after all the thing.

"Itsuki, Raiha... I'm sorry..."

I'm sure a selfish person, aren't I...?

O0O

Night starts to fall, as the corridor is still the same, with no one outside and a bad smell of medicine and medical alcohol. I'm having a sandwich from a local store, but looking at it, I can imagine her trying to reach her mouth on this thing. I try telling myself everything will be fine, as there will be a way to cure her, though that hope is slowly draining out.

In my memory, Ichika is the oldest and the closest one to her, so she should know a way to solve this problem. But she isn't here anymore, so I guess I have to take her role and find something else, a useful one.

While I am thinking, a group of doctors comes out the room, perhaps talking about her health condition. "Young man, you're still waiting here? That's quite a patience!" One of them impressively asked me, which I didn't know why he was so impressed.

"Yeah, I'm thinking about staying her overnight."

"So you're that patient's boyfriend? It must be hurt seeing her-"

"No, I'm not! Stop asking me that! I'm getting really annoyed by it!" I scolded the doctor.

"Alright, fine then. Just don't disturb her or doing some... 'things' to her. She is sleeping."

"Yeah, I know. You don't have to teach me something like that." I told him, annoyed by that "things" he thought I would do to her. But although being angry of him, I still have something to ask. "By the way, excuse me, but..."

"What's wrong, young one?" The doctor asked, seeing how I couldn't utter something out of my mouth.

"Just a theory, but... what if we couldn't find any solution for her?"

"Hmm... I guess she would have to stay like that for the rest of her life?" The doctor said, which shocked me.

"The rest of her life?! I'm sorry, but are you really doing your job?!"

"Sorry, young man, we've tried all that we could. All we can do now is wait and hope." The doctor said coldly, like he didn't care about his patient and joined his group. Hearing that just make me sick, so without controlling myself, I slam my fist on the wall, becoming more hopeless, thinking about her staying like that.

"Damn it!" I gritted my teeth while saying that all by myself. After a short while, I stand up from the cold floor and go inside the room again, facing the truth that Itsuki might not be able to be cured. Inside, the light is switched off, but still the same spine-shivering silence. I can't see it clearly, but looks like Itsuki is sleeping, seems peacefully but it's actually not. Since it's already late, I throw the sandwich wrapper inside the nearby bin, go inside the restroom, located conveniently in the room, wash my face quickly and get out of it, looking at Itsuki one more time.

"Good night, Itsuki..." I whispered to her, knowing that she wouldn't hear me, then looked around, trying to find any hospital bed or at least any place to sleep, but I can't find anything comfortable. So I take out the stool I sat on earlier and place it next her bed, with a bedside table next to it. I lean my head on the table, trying to find if it's actually comfortable to sleep on, which it surprisingly is, so I decide to sleep like that for the night.

Looking out the windows with opened curtains, there are stars shining everywhere, but coincidentally, there are actually five most shiny stars, like they're the quintuplets, which make me sadly smile. Looking back at Itsuki, I notice that her usual star-shaped hairclips have gone, must be because of the accident. I don't think that she changed her hairclips, considering they're her favorite accessories.

"What are you dreaming, Itsuki?" I whispered to her, as a question that would receive no answer, but I wouldn't mind. Letting out a yawn, I slowly lean my head on the bedside table, sitting on the same stool and start falling into a deep slumber.

O0O

Writer's POV

"Itsuki, come here! We'll leave you if you're not hurry!"

"W-Wait for me!"

There is a certain little girl, running on the hill, heading to her family. On the hill, there is a settled picnic blanket, with a picnic basket, filled with food inside, and a family awaiting her. Her sisters are annoyed by how slow she is, while her parents are chuckling and shaking her head for her daughter. What unique about their children is all five of them are the same. Same face, same hair, same clothes...

When the youngest one, which is her, reaches the hill, she starts opening the basket without thinking, and receives a slap on the hand from her oldest sister.

"Ichika, why did you do that to me? It hurts..." The youngest one started rubbing her soring red hand and cried.

"Control yourself, Itsuki. At least wait for our parents to sit down." The oldest one scolded her little sister. Seeing the situation, the mother crouches down and holds the crying sister's hand.

"Ichika, don't be too serious to your sister. Come on, Itsuki, let me flow the pain away for you." The mother said and shook her hand slightly, time after time. "Pain, pain, be gone! Say it with me, Itsuki." She said the magic words and asked the youngest one to do the same.

"Pain... pain... be gone..." The girl said between sniffles, and soon her pain was vanished, so she stopped crying, but she didn't want to look at her sister's face again. "I hate you, Ichika!" She retorted at her oldest sister and pouted, but her sister didn't turn her sight to her.

"Now, now, Itsuki. Ichika had her reason for doing that. Everything is settled now. Can we sit down and begin our picnic, Ichika?" The father tried to solve things between his daughters and asked the oldest one. But then, something strange happened.

The oldest one turns her sight to Itsuki, but her face is cracking into pieces, and most significant, her head is bleeding some kind of red liquid.

"Oh, you hate me, Itsuki?! Well, that's fine! I hate you, too!" The oldest one shouted at her youngest, made her flinch.

"Ichika-nee-san...?" Itsuki murmured, gave up to the ground and fell down. But without thinking, the oldest sister grabs her sister's dress collar and picks her up with it.

"Do you remember this, Itsuki?!" Ichika shouted, pointed at her bleeding spot, letting out an unnatural smile. "YOU DID THIS TO ME! IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, WE WOULD HAVE SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT!"

"Ichika-nee-san... I'm sorry... I-" The youngest one started apologizing, but the other sisters started joining in with their oldest.

'Useless little one...'

'How can you survive out of all of us?'

'She will live the rest of her life not remembering us, won't she? How a little bastard!'

"Guys, I- I will remember you. I promise not to forget you! Please forgive me! Please!" The youngest one started crying, as the sky had turned from blue to deep red, the grass and flowers beneath her feet were rotting away. Suddenly, the ground beneath her starts cracking and collapsing, bringing her down to nothingness.

"FATHER! MOTHER! ICHIKA! NINO! MIKU! YOTSUBA! ANYONE! SAVE ME!"

...

"Itsuki! Itsuki! Wake up! Hey!" Fuutarou shouted while shaking Itsuki, who was screaming in her sleep. Thanks to his strong shaking, Itsuki awakes and sits up immediately. She is breathing heavily, thinking about her previous nightmare.

"You're okay, Itsuki? Can you hear me? Oi!" Fuutarou asked her, but just like usual, she just stood there, saying nothing, but her eyes were filled with terror. "Wait for me, I'll get some water. Maybe it will help you calm down." Fuutarou told her and left the bed, tried to find some water around the room. However, suddenly, Itsuki starts crying, screaming her sisters' names, without knowing they're not here.

"I... chi... ka... Ni... no... Mi... ku... Yot... suba... Where... are... you?!" She shouted to nothing, tears streaming out her eyes like a waterfall. Her hands are touching everywhere, without knowing that there is nothing beside her, since her sight is blurry and she can't see anything but darkness.

Fuutarou hears her crying and looks at her, his heart is throbbing and he can feel his chest hurts for seeing his friend. However, he doesn't know what to do except looking at her dumbstruck, or in the other words, he has never met such a situation, so he can't find any solution. All he does is dashing to her bed and crouches next to it, facing her soring red eyes.

"Itsuki... what's wrong? Why are you crying? Please, answer me! I'm here to-" He knew that Itsuki wouldn't be able to hear him, but he still tried his best to ask her, to let her know that he was still with her, when suddenly Itsuki started grabbing his shirts, gripping on it weakly. Then she leans her head on it and sobs, damping his shirts.

Surprised and confused by her sudden action, Fuutarou just doesn't know what to do next, when in a flash, he remembers the time when he was young, when Raiha was crying and he was trying to comfort her. Thinking that could work, he pulls Itsuki closer and wraps his arms around her, patting her back.

"It's okay... it's okay... I'm here... I'm here for you... You've been bearing a lot of pain, right? Then just cry, let them all out..." He comforted her, like how he comforted Raiha back then, while rubbing his broken friend's back and whispered to her, trying to calm her down.

"U... e... su... gi... kun... Ue... sugi... kun..." Itsuki murmured, and started crying more, digging her face into Fuutarou's hug. "Don't... leave... me... Ue... sugi... Don't... leave... me... I'm... sorry..." She starts gripping on his shirts more as she is saying those words. Her grip is still really weak, with a slight shake is enough to escape from it, but Fuutarou doesn't do it. He lets her pouring out all her tears and emotion, staying like that with her, making sure that she has someone by her side.

While her crying is echoing across the room, the bowl haircut young man remembers the sign hanging outside the doors, and realizes how wrong it is. 'Unable to talk, unable to feel? So this is what you called unable?!' He cursed it and pulled his friend closer, stayed like that in a long time. The usual silence of the dark hospital room, now is filled with the weeping of a young girl, who has lost everything, but now she has luckily found something, or someone who is by her side.

"Itsuki..." That was all Fuutarou could say. Seeing his friend like that makes him shed some tears as well, so he rests his chin on her head, slightly twisting her ahoge, letting her sobbing for hours.

After all the hopelessness, after a heavy rain, Fuutarou finds out that he was wrong. Things won't be hopeless, as in the end... there will soon be... a rainbow...

Chapter 2:

Hopeless and a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel