Chapter Text
She kept asking herself what she was thinking. She could have just taken him to a hospital, or a clinic at least—so that the man she saved could be treated. She should just leave it at that, and she'll have nothing more to do with the man.
But why didn't she?
Somehow, she knew she had to do it. Something was telling her deep inside that she needed to do this. Because earlier, looking at him unconscious with those many onlookers staring at him yet doing nothing—or fearing to be the first person to actually make the first move to help the man—she just snapped. She knew then and there that she needed to protect this man. She have too!
Natsumi rose as the door opened to reveal one of her neighbour friends walking out of it. She immediately walked up to him.
"Thanks, Hide-kun. I'm so glad that you came to help," she started to say before receiving a hard flick on the head.
"You should be glad that I did. You're lucky that he only needed some stitches to fix him up, why didn't you take him to the hospital?"
Natsumi bit her lips. "Well, I don't want to just... abandon this guy. I mean, he looked like he had nobody who could've taken care of him!"
The older man laughed. "Ah well, at least you do sincerely want to take care of the guy. Just don't forget to get him to a hospital for some actual treatment. That head injury seemed to be very bad, he might have other complications later."
"I'll remember that," she said before accompanying her old friend out.
It was sometime later that her grandfather started asking her about the man she brought home.
"How's the young man, Natsumi-chan?"
Natsumi shrugged. "He still hasn't waken up. But considering his head injuries, that shouldn't be strange."
Eijiro nodded slowly before placing a small camera on the side table. "I've fixed the little one, seems it was well cared. Your friend here must have considered it precious." Natsumi looked up to him as the old man placed several prints beside the camera.
"What are those?" she asked as the old man shrugged.
"It's the pictures the young man took. Most of them were ruined though, but a few survived. Mostly they're pictures of sceneries but I found this particular one a bit special. I was planning to make a larger copy of this one later and frame it. It would be a wonderful addition to our studio."
Natsumi took the picture from her grandfather before taking a good look at it.
"Yes, it was beautiful," she said softly. Then again, beautiful didn't actually fit the feelings she felt through this picture. It was a sweet feeling; she could sense that the man had taken this picture with love. The picture was of a door, but not just a door. There was someone leaning against it and she could see the reflection of that young man looking towards the girl with longing. That girl must have been a special person to him.
Natsumi glanced to the man in question. Wonder if that girl knew what happened to this man. Would she worry about him?
xxx
The man remained unconscious for a week. It worried her, really. There was a time or two when she was by the bedside when it looked as if the man would wake up. But the man didn't, despite the fact on some nights the man seemed to be in pain. He's also been running a high fever for some time.
Then again it surprised her as well that it took her a whole week before finding out the man's name. Kadoya Tsukasa, the name was written on the camera that the man was carrying! Why hadn't she noticed it earlier?
xxx
Regardless, all of that could not prepare her for what she now had to face. Tsukasa suddenly woke up.
Normally, she should be glad that he did. But she's not.
Because Tsukasa has lost his memories. He couldn't even remember his own name, let alone anything else about himself! Even when she showed him the picture that her grandfather printed out for him, it sparked nothing from him. No sign of recognition at all. Her heart ached to see the look Tsukasa was wearing now.
"Then, w-what... should I do with myself now?" Tsukasa finally spoke after a long silence.
"You'll stay with us, until you regain your old memory back. After that, it's okay for you to go anywhere you want."
Tsukasa didn't look that convinced. "Are you sure that I won't be burdening you guys?"
Natsumi shook her head. "No, you won't. We would certainly appreciate your company. It's been a while since we had people living with us," said Natsumi again, reassuring him. She hugged him lightly as she said again. "Don't worry about it."
xxx
Several weeks later...
"Hikari Secret Technique! Laughing Point!" Natsumi exclaimed before tackling the man she was chasing for almost an hour.
"Why did you do that, Natsumikan?" whined the man as Tsukasa started laughing uncontrollably.
A sudden warmth began to bloom on her chest over the term of endearment used. How strange. Suddenly Natsumi found herself becoming attached to this wandering stranger.