Chapter Text
Mitsuki's life had fallen to a slow, enjoyable routine in no more than a few weeks. After the first two passed, he was allowed back on missions, simple D and a couple of C ones of course, but at least they gave him something to do. Boring or not, they were his air and fuel for now. But he was growing restless, almost giddy... he wanted, needed to do more.
Of course, mission-wise, this was all he was allowed for, they had been pretty strict about that. But Mitsuki had made his mind up on something else.
He knew he was ready to begin his training with Sakura-san.
He hadn't consulted with anyone in the house - mainly because he was afraid of their reactions - it couldn't be that everyone could be as understanding as Izumi-san, trying to protect him with their good intentions. No, he was going to talk to Sakura-san himself, and try to man up for her rejection, if it came to that.
At least he wouldn't live in continuing uncertainty.
So that was how Mitsuki found himself taking the known route to the hospital that day. The anxiety, no matter what he told himself over and over, was bubbling inside his chest, making it harder for him to concentrate.
And that was how, despite himself, he was sweating. No matter how much of a prep talk he had been giving himself, the thought of rejection, even if it wasn't permanent... still made him nervous.
Before he realized it, though... he was already in front of the hospital.
The boy stopped for a minute to take a deep breath before walking in.
He came to know and became friends with almost all of the staff by now. Everyone he passed by took a second to greet him, some even stopping long enough for a chat.
It wasn't until he ran into another pivotal figure in his treatment that Mitsuki's nerves reached their peak, though.
"Oh, hi there Mitsuki," Ino-san, Inojin's mother and his lead psychiatrist gave him a big, warm smile. "I hope everything is good? I didn't know your appointment was today..."
"It isn't," the boy clarified. "I just wanted to talk to Sakura-san..."
"Oh," Ino's brows furrowed in concentration. "Well she's not in her room... a new patient has been brought in just a few minutes ago."
Mitsuki's heart race accelerated, but through pure and unbound curiosity now. "Can I see?"
Ino looked dubious, watching him uncertainly. "I don't know Mitsuki, honestly... this is a delicate situation. Why don't you just go to her office and I'll see to it?"
And so the boy had no choice but do what he'd been told, sitting precariously in one of the comfy chairs in front of the desk in Sakura-san's office, fidgeting as more time passed. He had the feeling that it was indeed a pretty serious situation to keep the pink-haired medic this long...
And when Sakura finally entered the room, her face was indeed drawn and very serious looking. The woman didn't even notice him at first, which was definitely unusual. She actually did a double take when she turned around and saw him.
"Oh, Mitsuki..." she said, baffled, and then turned around to look at the calendar hanging on the wall behind her desk. "Was your control today...?"
"No, no it wasn't," Mitsuki said quickly. "I just came because I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Oh... okay, I mean good," the medic said, finally settling at her desk and gulping down a glass of water. A little more collected now, she glanced over at him. "How can I help you?"
Mitsuki took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Thoughts like it's now or never were really not helping...
He decided to just blurt it out, without giving it a second thought. "I want to start my medic training as soon as possible. I don't want to delay it any longer."
A pregnant silence followed his declaration. Sakura was watching him carefully, her eyes not betraying any emotion or decision.
Another minute passed before she sighed and got up on her feet. "Follow me."
Confused but curious, Mitsuki got up himself. This wasn't what he was expecting, only instant refusal or a reluctant and conditional acceptance.
They walked past a greater number of nurses and medics as they walked to their destination, and the boy couldn't help but wonder why there was such a crowding today. Was there an emergency?
A chill ran down his spine.
Sakura-san led the way to a room labeled ER. They didn't go in, just standing outside the glass panels to peek in.
The bed in the room was obviously occupied, although Mitsuki couldn't really see who was on it. He thought at first that it was because of the number of medics around it, but then some of them moved aside and he saw the reason why.
The occupant of the bed was so tiny... a baby... The boy didn't know what to say as he watched the activity in the room with slightly widened eyes, trying to imagine what could it be that brought a baby this small to the ER...
He heard Sakura-san sigh beside him.
"He was brought just a little while ago, before you came," she said, her voice a little weary... and sad. "We don't know what he's suffering from yet... only that his name is Hikaru."
The boy gulped. "He is so... small..."
"Barely five months old," the pink haired medic sighed again as she turned back to him, the look in her eyes now a little hardened. "I brought you here Mitsuki... because I wanted to show you just one of the tiny aspects of the life you want to choose."
He didn't know what to say for a moment.
"You wouldn't know what you will be facing any given day, and not each one of it will be pretty. You will face many challenges, and you will be forced to grow and adapt very rapidly. On that matter, I won't make things easy for you. This will be quite a long and demanding road for training... do you believe you're ready for this?"
When she put it that way... the commitment he was about to make suddenly sounded larger than life. Mitsuki imagined being one of the medics in the room right now, or the leading medic... Having been handed the duty to save the precious life of an infant... lives hanging on the balance of every word from his mouth... every action by his hand...
Was he ready?
But then he looked up in Sakura-san's eyes and saw something beyond the weariness and sadness. The determination... and the fierce desire to save lives, to never give up...
This determination had been the reason he could see his family and friends one more time...
Was he really terrified, facing the one thing that he owed his life to?
Mitsuki felt the same determination fill in his eyes as he came to a decision, a determination he hoped he was conveying strongly enough.
"Yes." he said in a clear, unperturbed voice. "I am ready. I want to work hard to preserve human life, to use that part of my knowledge for the general good."
A warm and sincere smile appeared on Sakura's face and she put a hand on Mitsuki's shoulder. "Well then... take tomorrow off and I will be ready for you the day after."
...
The boy was feeling like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders as he walked out of the hospital.
He came to a halt as his eyes landed on a small, budding flower, and he got closer to take a look.
He had spent enough time in and out of the Yamanaka flower shop with Himawari to get to learn about the variety of the flower species. He knew this particular one, the morning glory, because it was actually one of his favorites.
Mitsuki gave a soft smile as he turned back, taking this little budding morning glory as a positive sign for his hopes for the future...