New Beginnings - Chapter 1. (Hisao+Emi Fanfic)

[njdeatheater]

Hi! I'm new here, but after binging on various fanfics for the past week, I've decided to start my own!
This story takes place as if Hisao failed to stop Lilly from leaving Japan, ending up in the hospital, but with.. no Lilly.
I hope you enjoy, as it's my first real attempt at writing anything substantial, and I hope to continue it to a lengthy story!

PS: Any kind of feedback.. good or bad, would be very much appreciated!!
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New Beginnings - Chapter 1:
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“Lil...ly...”

My vision starts to blacken out. Her head... with her beautiful blonde hair blowing in the breeze and one of her entrancing cloudy blue eyes narrowed in a blind focus, turned aside to listen as she thought she heard something. That's the last thing I see before falling down to my knees, gripping at my chest, grimacing in pain as my heart beats its off rhythm beat faster, and harder. The feeling of my extremities dulls, to where I can't even feel them in my panic.

“...Li..”

I collapse completely now, this damn heart of mine having given up on my pursuit to stop the love of my life from leaving. I messed up. I always mess up. I finally had something special in my life, something that made me feel good. Something that gave me a purpose. And of course, as stupid as I am, I gave it up. And now, I'm dying. Pitiful, Hisao Nakai.. Just pitiful. My vision fades completely to black.


Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

My eyelids flutter open for a brief second, before I instantly shut them when the overly bright white fluorescent lights combined with the sunshine coming through the window, sting my sensitive eyes. Grimacing for a moment, I slowly open them now, letting them get acclimated to the light, the drop-tiled ceiling coming into focus as my eyes adjust.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I know that sound all to well. It brings back unwanted memories of those months spent in the hospital, not that long ago. Those long, painful days and nights spent in the hospital after... after my first heart attack. I try to shake my head, to block out those memories as they're the last thing I want to think about now, but I now feel the dull pain coming from my chest as I move.

'Oh yea. That's right...' My mind now flies forward from those days long ago, to more recent unwanted memories of how I ended up in the hospital now. I almost had her stopped. If only I could run a little faster.. a little further. If I had a bit more air in my lungs to yell her name that much louder. She heard me.. I knew she did. But my voice wasn't strong enough for her to know if she heard me for sure, or if her mind was just playing a trick on her.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I wish that thing would just shut up, I think. And I'm not sure right now if I mean that figuratively or not. Do I even want to live like this? What's the point? I'm useless... I'm.. broken. I'll never be able to live a full life. It's not like that run to try and stop Lilly from leaving was the first time my heart had given me trouble since I was diagnosed with my Arrhythmia. Even the small walks to town from Yamaku had given me trouble.

The door to my room suddenly opens, drawing me out of my thoughts, a much welcomed reprieve, as the doctor walks in.

“Ah, Mr. Nakai. It is good to see you awake. You gave everyone quite a scare there for awhile!” He said, his lips forming into a smile. I know it's a fake one though. Every doctor is the same. I'm just another file in a folder to him. I'm sure he'll go show that smile to the next room as well after me.

“It looks like all your readings are well.. How do you feel?” He asks, now standing by my bedside.

“...F..Fine.” I answer him, my voice coming out with a harsh rasp, my mouth dry from not having anything to drink... for however long I've been unconscious. The doctor nods his head as he takes a glass of water from my bedside table and hands it to me. After quickly downing the liquid, I nod my head in thanks and hand him the empty glass.

“Well, now that you're awake, I'll have to go tell the desk nurse to give your parents a call. They... unfortunately are not here now. They stayed for awhile when they first came after you were brought in.. but they said they had very important work obligations and couldn't remain here...” He sounded kind of sad when he said all of this. I just looked straight ahead, nodding my head ever slightly. It didn't shock me, really.

“How long have I been here, Doctor..?” I turned my gaze up to him now.

“Just over 2 days now.. But let me go talk to those nurses, and I'll be back sometime soon to check on you again. Your cellphone is right on the table next to you.. along with the T.V. Remote if you wish to watch something...” He bowed slightly, and made his way out of the room.

I just laid there, closing my eyes and wallowing in my own self-pity. I'm not sure how much time had passed before I opened my eyes again, but when I do, my room is more dark than before, the lights turned down. Glancing to the window, I also see that the sun is quickly setting, the sky darkening as well. I must have dozed off. I reach for the bed remote, and move the bed up into a sitting position, grunting as my stiffened body moves with the bed.

I reach over to the table beside me, going for my phone, when I notice that the glass of water has been refilled. Deciding my quench my thirst first, I do so, before then grabbing my phone as I put the glass back. I hold the power button, and the screen flashes on as it boots up. New text messages, and missed phone call notifications start to pop up as it finally turns completely on. It's a somewhat nice sentiment as the names of all my new friends from Yamaku take turns popping up as the senders of those messages and phonecalls.

A large number of those messages are from Hanako, and I instantly feel a pang of guilt run through me. I couldn't even begin to imagine what she is going through right now. She must be an absolute mess.. having lost her best friend, and then just as soon losing the only other true friend she had in me, for these last few days. I exit out of all the notifications on my phone, and go to my contacts, where I scroll down to Hanakos name, and press the call button.

It only rings for a few seconds before the call connects, and I put the phone to my ear.

“H..H..Hisao?!” A worried, soft voice, with just a bare hint of excitement, answers my call. “I..I..I was so wor..worried!”

“I'm sorry Hanako... I'm so sorry.. I couldn't stop her.. and I made you worry in the proce--”

“N..No! No! St..stop Hisao! It's... okay... I'm just... h-happy you're awake.. and okay..” Hanako interupts, and I think it sounds like shes trying to hold back tears. “I... I miss you..I've been alone..since.. Li..Li..” her voice trails off, and she becomes quiet.

“I know, Hanako.. I'll be back soon.. I promise. I feel better now than I did the last time I had to... be in a hospital. I don't think they'll keep me that long.” I'm not quite sure if I wholly believe that, or if that's just what I'm hoping, when I reply to her. “I'll let you know as soon as I find out.. I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm okay as of now.. so hopefully you'd worry a little less.”

“T..Thank you, Hisao... I'll let you go now.. so.. r-rest up, and get back here soon... okay?”

“I will. Goodnight Hanako.” I hit the end button, and let my head fall back into the pillow, my gaze moving up to the ceiling, as I close my eyes once more.

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I'm almost there. Just a little further now. I can see her tall, lithe frame. Her flowing blonde hair swaying with each step she takes. I can almost hear the 'tap tap tap' from her cane as she sweeps it back and forth against the ground. Keep going Hisao. Just a little further. I call for her, as loud as I can. She's turning now. She hears me. I'm going to stop her and she's going to stay here. With me.

And then I stumble. And I'm falling. And falling. And failing.

I jolt up from my laying position then, suddenly awake, with a grimace and groan from the pain in my chest. It seemed so real. It's a sullen reminder of how much I've screwed things up. I sigh, and look out the window, as the sun is just starting to go up, and the sky is a soft orange. A flashing light from the bedside table catches my eye, and I notice it's the new message indicator on my phone. Upon grabbing it and looking at the screen, I've got quite a few missed calls, not that that's surprising. Word must be spreading around Yamaku that I'm awake.

What is surprising though, is when I check the call log. Emi Ibarazaki. Almost all of the calls are from Emi, most all of them from last night, and a single one from earlier this morning. I never really got close to Emi, and her rather obvious concern over me is something I didn't exactly expect. Sure, she had invited me to lunches, and I even let her try and coach me in some morning runs to get my health up. Not that I stuck with it. In hindsight, I guess I should have. Things would probably be different now. Lilly may even still be here.

After ringing a nurse to bring me some food for breakfast, and having eaten it, I now sit in bed. If there's anything I'm good at, it's sitting in hospital beds. My blank stare is focused up at the T.V., some news program is on, but I'm not really paying attention. I'm in my head again, thinking, and thinking, and thinking.

I hear some commotion and yelling from outside of my door, but it isn't really registering to me. Whatever goes on out there, is a whole different world from the secluded dungeon I'm stuck in now.

That ignorance to those outside happenings is quickly broken though, as my door crashes open. I jump slightly in that sudden shock, as a short, firely blonde bulls her way in, her pigtails cutting through the air behind her, a rapid tapping from her prostheses as she rushes across the tiled floor. She's yelling loudly at the nurses trailing behind her. “YOU CAN'T KEEP ME FROM MY FRIEND!!”

My mouth hangs open for a bit, as Emi Ibarazaki, wearing a pale green tank top with low-cut tan shorts, and thigh high socks pulled up to make her legs look more natural, now stands at the end of my bed, her hands on her hips as she lets out an annoyed huff.

“Its okay nurse.. I know her.” I tell the nurse who stands there with an incredulous look upon her face, before she then leaves, closing the door behind her. I turn my attention back to Emi, “Emi.. What.. are you doing here?”

“Hisao..” she says, obviously cooling down now, “I had to come..even though I absolutely hate hospitals.. I tried calling and you wouldn't answer and I felt so bad because this is all my fault and I shouldn't have given up on you and if I didn't then you would have kept running with me and your heart would be stronger and you wouldn't have had another attack and everything would be okay right now!” She lets out in one quick, continous flow, before taking a deep breath. “I'm sorry!”

I blink a few times, trying to slow down what she says in my head, to a more comprehensible rate so I can process it and respond. “Emi.. This isn't your fault.. I'm the one who failed. I gave up running with you, yes.. But how is that on you?” She opens her mouth to interrupt, but I shake my head and continue on before she can. “It was my choice to push away from you. I felt so bad letting you down, when I know you had such high hopes for me. I failed you there. Just like I failed Lilly, which is why I'm here in the first place.. and not just that, but I've failed Hanako as well! She has nobody at school now, and here I am.. A failure to everyone.. myself included.”

Emi walks over to the side of my bed now, glaring down at me. “Don't you dare keep talking Hisao Nakai! You shut up right now!” She raises her hand, fist clenched, as if to punch me, but thankfully has second thoughts and lowers it. “Maybe part of it was your fault.. but it's not just your fault! It's mine too, then! If thats how you're going to think, mister! Nurse gave me the responsibility to make sure that you stay healthy! And when I have a responsibility I like to see it through! I thought I was doing you a favor by not pushing our morning runs, so you could slowly ease into your new life.. but I guess I was wrong!” She puts her hands back on her hips now, rocking back and forth on her feet.

“But I'm not going to let you go this time, Hisao! I don't care if I have to come to your room and drag you out of bed every morning! I don't care if you lock your doors and hide.. I'll find a way inside!” She huffs, staring my straight in the eyes. “Don'cha see Hisao..? Not many people get second chances... and now you're getting a third! This can finally be your new beginning! You can make up for how lazy you've been!”

“I don't know Emi..”

“It doesn't matter if you don't know. I don't care and whats decided is decided! I'll be there bright and early once you return!”

I sigh, giving up. There's no going against her once she's got her mind set on something. Maybe she's right, after all.. If I had been in some kind of shape, I could have changed things. Instead of being laid up inside a hospital right now, I could be in the tea room.. having some lunch with Lilly and Hanako. I mentally slap myself, 'damnit Hisao.. she isn't maybe right.. she is right. Maybe it isn't such a bad idea to try again..'

Emi opens her mouth to talk, but then gets a sudden look of shock upon her face, “Oh crap! I brought Rin with me but I kind of just ran off when I got here.. I have to go find her! See ya Hisao!!” And with that she bolted to the door, and was gone in the blink of an eye.

I laid there in bed then, mulling everything over. She had a point.. even with my heart as it is, I've been very lucky to not die after all the incidents I've had. A third chance, she said. And I mean, it wouldn't exactly be a bad thing after all, running every morning with a girl who is undeniably cute. I shake my head, surprised at my own thoughts, and make a quick mental apology to Lilly.. which led to a whole new track of thoughts.. And not soon after that, my mind was drawn blank as I drifted back into another sleep.

[HoneyBakedHam]

Feels like Emi's emotions came on a little too strong, but I bet there's a story behind it that happened during Lilly's route that we didn't see in the VN, hmm?

[njdeatheater]

Thanks for your input. Things will definitely flesh out as the story progresses! I chose to start from the point of Lilly leaving because it leaves a lot of time to progress, while not having a whole lot of time pass where the girls who were all interested in Hisao would lose those feelings completely. I hope you continue to read.

[HoneyBakedHam]

Ah ok, gotcha gotcha. Can't wait to see what happens next.

[Mirage_GSM]

An Emi route going off Lilly's bad end?
You do realize this is going to draw comparisons to Developments, do you?

Well, if that doesn't faze you, I will certainly continue reading, since the first chapter was promising.
Yes, Emi did overreact a bit, but... Well... It's Emi, and she's been known to do that.^^°

As for what happens next... Probably the summer holidays

[HoneyBakedHam]

An Emi route going off Lilly's bad end?
You do realize this is going to draw comparisons to Developments, do you?

Well, if that doesn't faze you, I will certainly continue reading, since the first chapter was promising.
Yes, Emi did overreact a bit, but... Well... It's Emi, and she's been known to do that.^^°

As for what happens next... Probably the summer holidays

I was thinking the same thing, but I did notice that this beginning at least uses the heart attack from the good ending and turns it into a bad ending (instead of just letting Lilly go without even trying in the neutral ending). And at this point, with all the fanfics we have, there's gonna be comparisons and similarities in some shape or form.

And you do have a good point about our Loveliest Girl On No Legs

[njdeatheater]

I know it'll be compared to Developments. It's kind of hard not to with that being such a great story! I intend on it being a more pure Emi/Hisao, though, without the third wheel (sorry!) of Hanako, and the bouncing back and forth of Hisao between the two.

Im going to try my hardest to make my own story one that stands on its own though.

Thank you for the support!

[swampie2]

Interesting! I'm looking forward to where you go with this.

There are a couple places where you swapped tense or mis-typed/spelled, but I don't feel it really detracted from the story that hard. Still, I'd recommend finding a proofreader or editor to help out.

Welcome to the forums!

[njdeatheater]

Interesting! I'm looking forward to where you go with this.

There are a couple places where you swapped tense or mis-typed/spelled, but I don't feel it really detracted from the story that hard. Still, I'd recommend finding a proofreader or editor to help out.

Welcome to the forums!

Hey! Thank you for that feedback. The tense thing was something that I totally wasn't thinking of as I was typing. I kind of just start flowing and just go, go, go. Even with reading it a few times, I didn't notice. But reading it now, after seeing your remarks, I can totally see some spots of that. I'll have to be more careful about that, and my typos, in the next chapters!