It's been two days since Mikan was hospitalized, she has been doing some practices to make sure that her health is completely stabilized, to ensure that something like this won't happen once again to her. Her mother was such a worry-wart, she wouldn't let her daughter go to school until Mikan is done with all of her practices.

"Mom, I still can't go to school? I have lots of things missing out and stuffs needed to do." the orange haired girl told her mother.

"No, not yet, Sweetie. Just bare it for awhile, okay?" her mother replied.

"Okay..." she sighed, completely upset that she can't go to school.

Strangely, Mikan wasn't the type that actually likes going to school, the things that she likes about in school was her friends, break time, and going home. Just that. But strangely, that isn't really the case now. Lately, she has been looking forward in going to school everyday, probably because she met tons of kind people and befriended them. That's what makes her school days special.

I wish I can go to school tomorrow, I wonder how are the others doing? I feel bad for leaving Satsuki-san with all the work...I hope the boys are practicing. How are they?

"Mikan, I'll be discussing something with your doctor about your medicines. Just rest for awhile." her mother said as the younger girl nodded in reply, then Mikan's mother exited the room.

The orange haired girl was all alone in the room as she begun thinking of Akashi, in why he was acting so distant to her. He was also cold to her lately, did she do something wrong? She doesn't have a clue, none at all.

I'm so thirsty. she thought as she stood up from the bed. "I guess I'll just buy something to drink..."

Mikan walked out of the room and headed towards the hospital's canteen, she reached the vending machine and slot a coin inside and pressed the orange juice box. Then she grabbed her purchased item and left.

Pushing the straw in, she began sipping the orange juice as she was walking through the hallways. Her throat was no longer parched as she was satisfied in how good the drink was, normally, hospital foods / drinks taste like shit. Strangely, this drink was slightly different.

While walking, she accidentally bumped into someone as she was out of balance and was about to fall on the floor when someone grabbed her back and pulled her up, preventing her to have a hard fall.

"Watch where you're going—Sakura?!"

"Eh? Nijimura-senpai? What are you doing here?!"

"That's my line, idiot!"

Then Mikan noticed how close they're faces was to each other, her cheeks suddenly turned red which made Nijimura confused of her sudden reaction.

"What? Why are you blushing?" he bluntly asked as he leaned closer.

"Um...your face...it's so close." she squeaked as she backed away, feeling so uncomfortable.

Then it was his turn to blush, he realized his own actions as he leaned back and lets go of Mikan.

"Sorry." Nijimura muttered as he shyly scratches the back of his head, blushing slightly.

"No, it's fine." she replied back.

He faked cough as the younger girl turned to him. "So...what are you doing here? It's fancy meeting someone I know here..." he says, trying to change the topic.

"As you see how I dressed, I'm a patient here. I've been hospitalized since the first day of the sport's festival, I collapsed during the mid-game and ended up here..." she told him her situation.

"You didn't know?" Mikan asked.

"No, that's why I asked you." he nonchalantly replied while folding his arms across his chest. "I was absent during the first day of the sport's festival because my father is in the hospital."

"Oh...is he also a patient here in this hospital?" she asked again.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course. That's why I'm here."

Mikan flinched from that. "Is that so, I'm sorry..."

Nijimura noticed his mistake, it was rude of him to say something harsh like that. He scoffed. "No, it's my fault. I was too harsh."

She shook her head in disapproval. "It's my fault. I've been asking the obvious too much, I'm sorry..."

He heaved out a sigh. "Sorry for speaking so harshly like that, Sakura."

"You don't have to say sorry, Senpai. Your stressed aren't you?"

Nijimura flinched as he can't deny that she was right. "Being the basketball team's captain is hard and having your father hospitalized must be taking a toll on you...I'm sorry for being so insensitive."

Mikan finished drinking her juice box as she threw it in the trashcan, then she flashed a small smile to her upperclassman.

"I have to go now, Nijimura-senpai. I hope your father gets well soon." she says, sending him her regards for his father's speedy recovery. She was about to go when he stopped her.

"Sakura. Do you have some time?" he suddenly says.

"Eh?" she asked, but then nodded in reply. "Yes, I have. Why?"

"Can you come with me?" he says as she smiled and nodded. "Okay."

    ♛♛♛

    They reached a certain room in the hospital as Nijimura twisted the door opened and they entered inside, Mikan saw an old man in his early 40's laying down on the bed, taking a rest.

    "I'm back, Father." Nijimura informed his father of his return, the man sat up from the bed which made him restless. "Don't force yourself, father. It's fine, just...lay down."

    So, this is Nijimura-senpai's father, huh...? Mikan thought as there were lots of equipments used in this room, in one glance, she knew that his father's condition wasn't really good. In fact, he was in a bad shape.

    "Who's this lovely visitor that you've brought here today, Shuzo? Is she your girlfriend?"

    What Nijimura's father said suddenly made the two teenagers blushed from his words. The black haired teen scoffed and denied.

    "No, Father, she's not my girlfriend. Her name is Sakura Mikan, my kouhai and the basketball team's manager."

    "My?"

    "It's not like that, Father, really."

    Mikan initiated to introduce herself to his father. "My name is Sakura Mikan, it's a pleasure to meet you."

    "Oh, I know you. You're the first year girl that Shuzo has been talking about." Nijimura's father blurted as his son blushed furiously from his sudden comment.

    "Father! What are you saying?! The girl that I was talking about the other day isn't her! It's another girl!"

    "Oh, I see...my bad." His father replied after Nijimura stated his absolute words of denial.

    I don't get what they're talking about...not at all... Mikan thought as she was lost and confused.

    "Thank you for taking care of Shuzo, please continue doing so in the near future." Nijimura's father says.

    "Yes." She replied with a nod.

    They began talking about some things as Mikan and Nijimura's father seem to get a long well, to the fact that Nijimura was getting completely ignored by his father and kouhai.

"Say, how is Shuzo? I mean at school? Is he still prickly?"

"I don't really know much since we aren't in the same year, but he is getting along with the guys in the team, though he could really be violent sometimes."

"Ah, I see...he's also prickly in school, too?"

Nijimura scoffed. "Please be reminded that I'm sitting near you two, I can hear everything you say."

The two laughed which made the raven haired teen even more annoyed and it irked him a lot.

    "But Sakura-san, what are you doing here? Judging from your clothes, your also a patient?" Nijimura's father asked.

    "Yes, I am. It's been two days since I was hospitalized." She replied.

    "Are you sick too?"

    "Hmm, I can't really say for sure that I'm sick...but I came here to find out if I really am. Though personally, I don't really think I'm sick, my Mom's a worry-wart."

    The older man chuckled. "Is that so? Hope you get discharged soon. School is going to get rough when you got back."

    Mikan suddenly felt bumped. "Yes, that is true...sometimes I don't want to go back when I think of the lessons that I have to catch up with..."

    Then she felt her phone vibrated in her pockets as she fished it out and saw an incoming call from Mom.

    "Um, can I take the call?" she asked them as Nijimura nodded. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

    Mikan nodded before standing up and walked out of the room, once she was out, she hit the accept button and answered the incoming call.

    "Hello?"

[Mikan! Where are you now? You're not in your room?]

"Oh, sorry, Mom. I'm with a friend right now that I met earlier. Are you mad?"

[No, sweetie. Of course not. It's your friend, but you should return to your room now, I've brought you the prescribed medicines.]

"Oh, okay. Then later."

[Goodbye.]

Call ended.

She went back in the hospital room as the father and son turned to her. "Who's that from?" Nijimura asked.

"It was from my Mom. She told me to go back now." Mikan replied.

"Okay." The raven teen stood up from his seat. "I'll walk you to your room."

"No, it's fine, Senpai. I can walk by myself." she replied but he was more stubborn than that.

"Just come on." he stated as she just heaved out a sigh and nodded. "Father, I'll just walk her back to her room."

"Alright." Nijimura's father agreed as they walked out of the room.

    ♛♛♛

"Sorry about that." the older boy apologized to his underclassmen. "I must've had taken your time."

"Eh? Uh, no, it's alright. I don't really mind." Mikan waved her hand frankly. "Your father is indeed nice."

"I see...I'm glad you're not bothered." he said with relief.

"Nijimura-san, the truth is, I'm kind of jealous of you..." she suddenly stated which made him confused. "Jealous of me? Why?"

"Despite your father in a condition like that, he's kind and you're able to spend lots of time with him...unlike my father..."

Nijimura raised an eyebrow. "What about your father?"

"We don't really get to spend time with each other..." she replied rather sadly. "It's because he's far away..."

"Is he dead?"

"No, he's not, Senpai!"

"Oh...but you said far away?"

Mikan heaved out a sigh. "What I mean about that is—he's in another country! He's not dead!"

"Sorry. In what country is he in?" he asked again as she also doesn't have a clue. "He went abroad to America to continue his job there."

"Is that so? I hope he'll go back here in Japan so you two could spend time with each other." Nijimura said.

She smiled. "Yes, I hope so too."

They stopped in front of Mikan's room as she turned around and faced him. "This is my room, I'm going in now. I'll see you later, Senpai."

"Yeah." he nodded as she twisted the door opened and entered the room, there was another woman with orange hair that gave her a big hug.

"Mikan!!!" the woman stated as Mikan was being crushed in her iron tight grip. "I...can't...breathe..."

"Oh, sorry, sweetie." she lets go of her rather instantly as she turned around to see a young man standing behind her. "My, who's this fine good looking man? Are you Mikan's boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend!!! / She's not my girlfriend!!!" both of them simultaneously screeched in denial.

"Oh...so he's the friend your talking about earlier?" Mikan's mother asked as her daughter nodded. "My name is Sakura Akari, you can just call me Mrs. Sakura."

    "I'm Nijimura Shuzo, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Sakura." he replied as they had a friendly handshake.

    "Likewise." her mother replied as they soon let go of their hands.

    "Well, I have to go back now, since my father is all alone there. I'll see you two later." Nijimura said, bidding her farewells to the mother and daughter.

    "Okay, please send my regards to your father!" Mikan said as he nodded before walking towards to his father's room, after he left, the two woman also went in their room.

    Nijimura reached his father's room as he entered inside and closed the door from behind, he walked towards the chair beside his bed and take a seat. He looked up to his father's eyes.

    "She's definitely the girl you're talking about the other day." his father suddenly said, making the young lad blush furiously.

    "Like I said, father—she's not that girl!" he replied. "I can't believe you're still bringing this up."

    "But you said the girl's name is Sakura Mikan, is there another girl with the exactly same name?"

     Nijimura froze as his feet suddenly turned cold, his father realized this as he cracked a laugh. "I knew it, the girl that you like is her."

    "She's not..." he muttered as the blush on his cheeks never left because of his father's continuous teasing.