It's strange how one act can completely change the way you think about a person.

"Woohoo! I am home free! Free as a bird, I tell ya!"

The words were proclaimed by a dark haired young woman as she stretched her arms out toward the sky. Both hands had the first two fingers spread out in the victory sign and the pose had several of the other students wandering the lawn pausing to stare strangely at her.

"They're only midterms, Tomo. You still have half the semester to go."

Tomo glanced over at her long haired companion just in time to see the tall brunette adjust her square framed glasses further up on her face.

"Well, yeah," she replied, still grinning, "but at least I won't have to take these tests ever again."

"They say human beings only use ten percent of their brains. In your case, I think that number is a bit high."

"Jealousy does not become you, Yomi. But speaking of knuckleheads," Tomo continued, ignoring the way her friend rolled her brown eyes, "are you coming out later with us?"

"I assume by knuckleheads you mean Kagura and Osaka?"

"Yep!"

"What are you planning on doing?"

"Oh, you know. A little dancing, a little eating, a lot of drinking—"

"Is it going to involve a four hour stint at the police station like last time?"

"If we're lucky!"

"Count me out then."

"Geez Yomi, you're such a killjoy."

"Because I don't want to have a criminal record before I'm twenty five?"

"Oh, so you wouldn't mind having one after you're twenty-five?"

Yomi sighed. "Why do I talk to you?"

"I don't know. Why do you?"

"I have no idea, but I'm sure it has something to do with the amount of brain damage you've given me over the years."

"What are you talking about? I'm sure the fat cells have insulated—hey look out!"

Yomi, in the process of turning to give Tomo a piece of her mind—as well as a piece of her fist—felt herself stumbling forward from the strength of her friend's shove. As she threw her hands out in front of her to keep from doing a magnificent face plant on the pavement, she heard the ear piercing shriek of a car's breaks being applied, following by two heavy thuds, one right after the other.

Oh no she thought, feeling an icy hand squeeze her heart. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain from the scraps and cuts on her hands and knees and whipped around, praying.

She was just in time to see the white car speed off.

Tomo was sprawled on the ground, her right leg bent at an impossible angle.

"Nonononono," Yomi chanted as she hurried towards her, her own legs feeling wobbly and unresponsive. She collapsed on the ground beside her friend and reached out, her hands hovering as she tried to think of what to do. I shouldn't move her in case . . . just in case. . .

Swallowing, she twisted her hands together and called out, "Tomo? Tomo, can you hear me?"

Tomo gave no response.

"Tomo? Say something Tomo? What do I do? What am I supposed to do?" she said out loud, panic creeping over her. She reached a shaking hand out again and laid two fingers on Tomo's neck, trying to think back to gym class, trying to remember where to find the pulse while simultaneously trying to recall everything she had ever learned about first aid.

There was blood, but not as much as she would have expected. A gash on her forehead. A long scrape along the length of her arm. Neither looked particularly life-threatening, though she wasn't absolutely sure what life-threatening looked like. At least there wasn't any blood spurting out of anywhere. That she could see anyway.

"Come on, come on," she breathed as she lightly ran her finger along the length of Tomo's neck. It shouldn't be this hard to find. Unless there was no pulse. The thought sat heavy in her stomach.

And then she suddenly felt the soft beat against the skin of her fingertips. Thank God.

At the same time, Tomo gave a groan and her eyelids fluttered open.

"Ow," she whispered, almost too softly for Yomi to hear. Her eyes drifted shut again.

---

Yomi hated hospitals. Ever since the first time she could remember going to one; as a small six year-old who had caught the flu at Christmas. She could still clearly recall how cool her blanket had felt pressed to her flushed skin and how the smell of antiseptic had made her nauseous. The doctors had assumed it had been the flu but it had been the smell from their hands that had made her throw up in the waiting room.

She had been admitted two other times, both with bouts of the flu and both times she had cringed away from the doctors and that awful smell.

She sat in an uncomfortable green plastic chair in the waiting room and tried to ignore her surroundings. Tried to forget that she was there. That her best friend was there somewhere too, possibly fighting for her life.

"Yomi?"

Startled by the low voice, Yomi lifted her eyes to the tall, dark haired young woman who stood quietly in front of her; a green messenger bag slung over one shoulder. She tried to rise to her feet but found that her legs were still wobbly and wouldn't support her so she settled for a weak smile.

"Hey Sakaki. Thanks for coming," she said as the taller woman sat down in the chair beside her.

"Of course. Are you alright?" Sakaki asked, still speaking in her calm, soft voice. Yomi took a deep breath, trying to breathe in some of the serenity that always seemed to surround her friend.

"Yes, I'm fine." She noticed Sakaki's gaze had fallen to her lap, where her hands were resting, covered in bandages. "Just a little scraped," she added.

Sakaki nodded. "It's good that you're alright. And Tomo?"

"Well she—"

"Yomi! Sakaki!"

The strong voice cut through all the other noise in the hospital. It's owner, a young woman of medium stature with brown hair that fell into her face, came barreling down the hallway, looking as if anyone failed to get out of her way, she would simply march through them.

Behind her trailed a slightly shorter woman with shoulder length dark hair and eyes that seemed incapable of focusing on one thing.

"What's going on? Is she okay? What happened? When can we see her? Who do we need to beat to get some answers around here!" the brown haired girl announced, hands clenched into fists, her body practically vibrating with energy.

"This is a nice hospital. They have lines on the floor that tell ya where ta go. Wonder where they all go? Or start?" Her companion scratched at her head lightly before her expression cleared and she smiled sunnily. "Where's Tomo? You alright Yomi?"

Yomi pressed two fingers to her forehead and prayed for patience. "Yes, I'm fine, Osaka. Thank you. Kagura, they're looking at Tomo right now. She definitely broke her leg but they want to check and see if there was any internal bleeding."

The faces of her three friends paled instantly.

"Eck," Kagura voiced. She glanced around the waiting room while absently rubbing at her midsection, as if probing for internal damage. "Hey, did you call . . . uh . . . what's her name?" Kagura snapped her fingers rapidly and pointed at Sakaki. "What's the name of Tomo's girlfriend?"

Sakaki raised one eyebrow. "Asami?"

Kagura snapped her fingers again, this time in triumph. "That's it." She shifted her index finger to an annoyed Yomi, who pushed it away with one hand. "Did you call her?"

Before she could answer, Osaka cut in. "No, no. They ain't datin' anymore. They broke up two months ago."

Confusion clouded Kagura's face for a moment, and then cleared. "Oh, that's right. I forgot."

Yomi stared blankly at the three girls in front of her. "Wait a minute . . ." she said quietly, as realization began to dawn.

"Good riddance! Yanno, I never really liked her anyway," Kagura proclaimed.

Osaka scratched at her head. "But weren't ya the one that set Tomo up with her in the first place?"

"Did I? I don't remember that. Man I have lousy taste."

"Tomo met her in one of her classes last semester. You introduced her to the girl on your swim team," Sakaki supplied, gently brushing her friend's arm.

"Yeah! That's right! I knew I wouldn't stoop that low, Osaka."

"Sorry. It's hard ta keep 'em all straight."

Yomi's fingers tightened into fists. "I said wait a minute dammit!" she nearly shouted, leaping to her feet.

All three of her friends turned to her, identical looks of surprise on their faces.

"What are you saying? Are you . . . are you trying to say that Tomo is gay?"

The looks of surprise shifted into confusion.

"Well . . . yeah. I mean, you didn't know? She didn't tell you?" Kagura asked after a few moments of silence.

Shocked, Yomi slid back down into her chair. "No she didn't tell me." She glanced up. "But she told you? When?"

Kagura shrugged and pushed her hair back from her forehead. "Just after high school. Said she knew I would understand since we were in the same boat together. Little twerp," she finished with a scowl.

Osaka tilted her head slightly. "Well, aren't ya?"

"Well, yeah, but her just assuming it really pissed me off."

Yomi shifted her eyes to the shorter girl. "When did she tell you?"

"Oh, must've been the first week of freshman year."

Feeling as if something sharp were jabbing into her side, Yomi looked to Sakaki. "And you?"

"Freshman year. I came to see one of Kagura's swim meets. Tomo was there with a girlfriend."

Yomi sat back in her chair and pressed her hands to her forehead. "I can't believe this. I cannot believe it."

"Me neither. I mean, you guys are best friends. Although, I guess I can understand it, considering Tomo is completely—"

Kagura's explanation was abruptly cut off by Sakaki's elbow jamming into her stomach.

Yomi dropped her hands. "Tomo is completely what?"

Rubbing her stomach, Kagura frowned at Sakaki, whose face was unreadable. "A complete idiot," she croaked.

Osaka chuckled lightly. "Oh, I thought ya were gonna tell Yomi that Tomo—"

"Excuse me? You're waiting for the results for Ms. Tomo Takino, correct?" The doctor paused at the sight of both Kagura and Sakaki with arms outstretched towards Osaka, something akin to murder on their faces.

Yomi ignored them all, her focus suddenly pinpointed on the doctor. "Yes, that's right. How is she? Can we see her?"

The doctor smiled. "She's going to be fine. She has a broken leg that's going to give her quite a bit a pain for a while as well as difficulty moving but her other injuries are mostly superficial. She'll have to do some physical therapy but I expect her to make a full recovery."

Kagura let out a loud "whoop" while Osaka beamed and clapped her hands together. Yomi felt as if all her energy had suddenly drained out of her and could only smile weakly when she felt Sakaki's hand on her shoulder.

"You can see her if you like. She's just down the hall. I have to warn you, she'll be a little loopy because of the pain medication."

"Oh, that's just her personality," Kagura informed him.

All four girls started at the sound of a cell phone ringing. Each reached for her own, checking the tiny screen for a number.

"It's mine," Osaka stated, flipping open her phone. "Hello? Oh, hi Chiyo-chan!" Still beaming, she turned towards the others. "It's Chiyo-chan." She spoke back into the phone. "How are ya? Tomo? Oh, its okay, she ain't dead. Yeah . . it's a real shame . . ."

"Yomi?"

The young woman looked up at Sakaki, who still had one comforting hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should go see her first. See if she's up to having vistors. Especially rowdy ones."

Together they both turned. Kagura had moved to join in Osaka's phone conversation and both were talking animatedly into the device at the same time.

Yomi laughed quietly. "Alright," she agreed, getting to her feet and following behind the doctor. It was a short trip; before she could really think of what she was going to say she found herself just inside the door to the hospital room where Tomo was laying underneath a blue oft-washed blanket, her eyes closed. Yomi took in the sight of her friend motionless and covered in gauze; a stark contrast to the typical reality of Tomo Takino. Or, who Yomi hadthought Tomo was. Now she wasn't a hundred percent sure that she knew just who that person was. She never would have imagined her friend actually jumping in front of a car to save someone else. Nor had she any idea that her friend was living an alternate lifestyle. Why didn't she tell me? Did she think I would be angry? Did she think I'd be disgusted or hateful? She knows me better than that. Doesn't she?

She opened her mouth, and then closed it again, unable to think of anything to say.

Tomo made a quiet noise and shifted underneath the blanket, her eyes blinking open groggily. She stared blankly at door before her vision seemed to focus.

Yomi shuffled awkwardly, her brain telling her to step in but her body remained stuck to the door. "Hey," she began softly. "How are you—"

"HEY YOMI! IS SHE AWAKE OR WHAT? WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

Kagura's voice nearly shattered all the glass in the hospital as it roared down the hall and into the room.

"WHO COULD SLEEP WITH A KNUCKLEHEAD LIKE YOU SHOUTING HER BRAINS OUT?!" was Tomo's equally loud response.

"WHO YOU CALLING A KNUCKLEHEAD . . ." A moment later Kagura slid in through the doorway, her face split in a huge smile. "Knucklehead," she finished. Her eyes lighted on the enormous cast covering Tomo's leg and she all but dived for the bedside.

"Awesome cast! Can I sign it?"

Tomo grinned and snatched a black marker from off the table next to her. "Only if you write something dirty!"

"Can I sign it too?" Osaka asked, trailing behind Kagura.

"Of course! Gather 'round everyone! Sign the cast for a mere 1000 yen!"

"1000 yen! That's ridiculous!"

"You can't even spell ridiculous!"

"Can too! And I'll prove it. See. R . . i . . d . . .uh . ."

"So Tomo, I guess the Rollin' Defense really ain't effective, is it?"

"What? The Rolling . . . oh man! I didn't even think to use it! I let a perfectly good opportunity go to waste!"

"That's a real shame. Chances like that only come along every once 'n awhile."

"We'll just have to recreate the moment!"

Yomi sighed, shook her head, and shared a smile with Sakaki as the taller woman appeared beside her.

"Those three. What are we going to do with them?"