By the time we reached my house, it was dark. The pain had dulled my senses. My mind

flitted in and out of consciousness. She and I stumbled inside. It was dark, quiet.

"Still with me Mitsue?" She let me down gently on my couch. "Where is your first aid kit?"

"I think in the bathroom." I answered back. My voice was hoarse, my throat dry.

"Lay on the couch, let me take a look." Her cool hands were a brief relief from the hot, dull pain.

"Mitsue-kun... this is looking really bad." "Is it deep?" I asked. "Yeah it's pretty bad. "

"I can wash it and bandage it. But it's going to hurt... a lot." I nodded. "I'm counting on you, 

Ishikawa-san." I quietly replied. She leaned in closer with a reassuring smile. "Hina."

That was all I remember as pain invaded my senses.