A Vocaloid Fanfiction: White Feathers - Haku - P17

Meiko and Kaito had gasped but Haku only stared at Neru, numb and confused. Her blonde friend could not look her in the eyes and she kept them to the floor.

"So…I did know him from…before?"

Neru nods her head, solemnly. She swallows.

"When…when you were in hospital, Dell came to me and I explained your situation on how you had temporarily lost your memory and would have needed help remembering people. After I told him he just stood there for a long moment before asking me for a favour…" Neru trailed off and she finally looked up at Haku, who looked pale and stunned, but kept quiet.

"…he asked me if when you woke up that I make sure you didn't remember him. That he didn't want you to remember him and that he would stay out of your life. I tried to tell him that I wouldn't but he begged me. I…" Neru clasped a hand over her mouth and tears sprang to her eyes,

"I didn't know what to do. Dell was everything to you and you were everything to Dell. I didn't want you to forget. I wanted you to be happy…I..I'm so sorry…" Neru now had trails of hot, salty tears running down her red cheeks.

Haku's face remained emotionless as she saw Neru's pained expression as she continued to talk,

"It was painful…knowing that you would probably never know how much he loved you…I…I told the others to not tell you anything about him. I thought I was doing the right thing…"
Neru pressed her lips together, lowering her head and quietly spoke behind her hair,
"I'll understand if you hate me. If you never forgive me, I'll understand. To…try and keep you from such an important part of your life for so long. It hurt me so much…I'm sorry Haku. I truly am sor―"

Neru was interrupted by her silver-haired friend leaning forward and holding her tight, arms wrapped around her shoulders. Haku buried her face into the back of Neru's shoulder.

"I…could never hate you, Neru. You are my best friend and you have always, always looked after me. Keeping Dell from me was a way of protecting me and you were only doing what you thought was right. I forgive you, Neru. I love you too much to hate you,"

Neru felt more tears in her eyes as she clutched her friend and the two embraced.
Kaito looked onto Meiko who was rubbing the side of her forehead with the palm of her hand, eyes wide open as if she had just discovered something huge. Haku and Neru broke apart to look at the brunette as she stood with a dazed expression on her face.

"Now…now I know where I remember that guy from. I had barely known Haku around the time of her accident and I only saw Honne Dell the once. I stopped by the hospital to visit Haku as soon as I heard of her accident and I saw him leave from your room where you were staying. I thought it was weird and wondered how he was related to you but I didn't question it. All I saw was you, Neru, sitting beside Haku and I forgot all about him until I saw him again when he saved Haku on that night at the bar…"

Meiko finished shakily as she slumped into a chair, her mind racing at learning a whole new side of her friend. Kaito gave her shoulder a squeeze with his cold hand in support and she thanked the gesture by putting her own hand on his.

Neru nodded at the two and turned back to Haku.

"I saw Honne Dell again a little while after you had been discharged from hospital and you were currently with…" Neru bit her lip, her heart began to beat fast, "..Akaito,"
Neru took a peak at her friend to see any signs of grief or sadness or regret but all she saw was her large, red eyes urging her to continue. It seemed that Haku no longer felt anything for the red haired male. Neru guiltily felt a moment of relief.

"Apparently he saw you and Akaito on a date  and he realised what had happened. He said to me that he was happy for you because he thought you were happy. He said he would be leaving town for a long time to clear his head and start a new life without you, Haku. But…"

Neru caught Haku's eye,

"…then he found you again."

The conversation had ended. Haku did not need to hear any more. She was so lost in her old, forgotten memories that she snapped back to reality with a jump.

"Dell!" she cried, suddenly shaken, worried, "Where is he? Is he…?" Haku couldn't bear to finish her words. She felt cold and empty inside, fear clouding her vision.
This time, Kaito spoke; moving away from Meiko and kneeling on the other side of Haku's hospital bed:

"I spoke with the doctors earlier and he said that Dell is in critical condition. He took almost the entire hit of the truck, trying to protect you. He's been in a coma for days and it seems that no matter what he doesn't seem to want to wake upand the doctor's don't know what to do. They say it's…like he's stuck in a dream."

Haku felt her stomach drop with dread and her throat go dry. There were no words to say. She went over Kaito's statement again and again in her mind. She felt so useless, just sitting there unable to do anything. She looked at each of her friends in turn. Each looked as sad and as lost and as helpless as she did. It was agony knowing that the man she loved was dying because of her and she had no way to stop it.