Chapter 10

"Why would you say something like that?" Mitsuki stepped back, her eyes never leaving Takuto's. "Of course it's not too late. I mean, there's surgery, and-."

"I'm not getting surgery!" Takuto turned away from her and gritted his teeth. "There's no way in hell I'm getting surgery, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki swallowed hard. "I don't want to get it either, but if... if you're really dying..." She trailed off, not sure what to say next. "Look, Takuto, you mean a lot to me. I don't want you to die."

Takuto punched his fist against a tall tree, making Mitsuki flinch in surprise. "I told you, it's too late to say something like that. I have throat cancer and I don't want to get surgery for it. I'm going to die."

"If you're going to keep talking like that, I don't really want to be around you." Mitsuki looked down sadly as she said this. "Takuto, when I first met you, you weren't like this. You gave me hope. I thought I was never going to be a singer, but you showed me that it's possible."

"Well, then leave." Takuto turned around and looked at her sharply. "No one's asking you to stay, you annoying kid!" he shouted.

Mitsuki's lips parted, but no sound came out. What could she possibly say to that? It felt as if he had just slapped her across the face. "Fine," she finally whispered. "It was nice knowing you, Takuto." She turned around and walked back to the camp that they had set up.

Mitsuki took one last look at her surroundings and began making her way back to her house.

a.a.a.

Takuto slid to the wet ground, coughing. He clutched his throat in pain, wheezing repeatedly. It was a good thing that Mitsuki had left, he decided. He didn't want her to him like this.

Mitsuki... she was probably already back to her house by now, which was for the best. He couldn't have her die, even if it meant that she had to get the surgery. It looked like neither of them would become a singer.

He slowly lifted himself up onto his feet until he was walking back to the camp. Would this be the last place he would ever be in? Was he going to die here with only the memory of Mitsuki? Not wanting to think about it anymore, he lied down and fell asleep.

a.a.a.

"Mitsuki!"

Mitsuki turned around to see her grandmother running towards her. "Mitsuki, where have you been?" She now seemed angry, and Mitsuki didn't blame her; she had ran away without saying anything.

A soft "I'm sorry" was all Mitsuki could force out of her mouth. She could help but worry about Takuto and all the things he had said. After all, he was right. If he stayed out there in the woods and never got any kind of surgery, he would die for sure. But she couldn't think about him anymore.

"Go to your room right now," her grandmother ordered. Mitsuki nodded and made her way towards her bedroom.

After a few moments, she heard a soft knock. "Come in," she whispered.

Her grandmother walked in, sitting down on the other side of her small table. "Yes, Grandma?"

She cleared her throat, seeming uncomfortable. "Well, Mitsuki..."

Mitsuki looked down, understanding where this was going. "I have to get the surgery, don't I?"

"It's the only way to get rid of the tumor. " Her grandma paused. "There's a definite chance you could lose your voice, Mitsuki."

"I don't want to lose my voice," Mitsuki whispered sadly. "My voice is the one thing I can't give up, Grandma. I'm sorry." If Takuto wasn't going to get the surgery, neither was she. They were in this together now.