A Renegade of Reality

Chapter 14: Is There Still Any Hope Left?

Asuna proceed to enter the ward and saw Nurse Aki had just finished changing Kazuto into a fresh set of hospital robe. The boy's head hung low with his forelocks hiding his eyes while sitting upright on the clean white bed. Both his hands were bound together using bandages to prevent him from self-harming until he has fully calmed down. Nurse Aki turned towards the chestnut-haired girl and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder with an encouraging smile.

"He's all patched up. Talk to him, alright?" She gave a small pat to Asuna's shoulder before exiting the room, leaving the couple alone in the dimly-lit room.

Asuna walked to the black-haired teen with her face down. "Why?" She started but Kazuto gave her the silent treatment. "What were you thinking? Are you trying to break your promise to Yui? To me?" Asuna said as her voice began to quiver with various emotions. She was sad that he would hurt himself, angry that he refused to share his pain and most importantly, disappointed that he would try to break their promise.

"Am I that much of a burden to you?" She said coldly and heard his body tensed at her question. "Did I bother you for choosing to stay here with you? Do you hate being with me so much that you'd rather kill yourself?!" Kazuto shook his head from side to side, shaking with more force at each question. "THEN WHY?!" Asuna could no longer contain her tears and anger as she shouted at Kazuto.

"I...I...I...don't know...I don't know..." Kazuto helplessly uttered. He was too afraid to look her in the eyes and kept on shaking like a leaf on the bed. Asuna lowered her head once more in disappointment.

"Forget it." She muttered darkly and ran out of the ward.

"A-Asuna! W-wait! ASUNA!" Kazuto frantically called out to her as he watched her leave the room. Seeing how she refused to look back and walked away from him, he hopelessly slumped back onto the bedhead.

"W-what am I doing? Why did I do such a thing? What's wrong with me?" Kazuto muttered while staring at his bound hands with his eyes slowly being clouded with tears. He was just as confused. He remembered being upset about burdening Asuna and the next thing he knew, he was bleeding from his chest wound with his hands covered in blood. He didn't know what had caused him to resort to self-harm.

He remained on his bed looking towards the door, hoping that Asuna would return and he would apologized to her. As minutes passed, he began feeling fearful of Asuna leaving him for good. "Forget it." He remembered her dark tone when she uttered those words. Unable to bear the thought of her leaving him, he panicked. Bringing his arms to his mouth, he forcefully pulled out the IV tube from his arm using his teeth. The bind on his hand was too tight to be removed so he ignored them and stumbled out of his bed. Due to his muscles weak from being cooped up in bed for days, he stumbled and fell a few times, reaching the door with great effort.

Kazuto managed to sneak out of his room unnoticed as Nurse Aki was most likely getting the reports done on his conditions in the office. The hallway was empty and quiet as it was already midnight. Kazuto leaned his frail body against the wall for support and slowly make his way along the hallways to find Asuna. He quietly sneaked past the reception counter and into the elevator. He didn't know where Asuna went but if she was really leaving then he would have to head to the lobby and stop her before she exits the hospital. He had to try. He couldn't bear losing her in his life.

Reaching the lobby of the hospital, Kazuto limped his way towards the exit. 'Asuna...Asuna...Asuna...where are you?' His mind wondered about her whereabouts as he frantically looked around for any sign of her. He was about to make his way outside when someone grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Hey, you shouldn't be out here? You're in no condition to leave the hospital. Where's your ward?" A security guard who was standing by near the exit had noticed him.