The sky outside Kana's window still wore that washed gray after-rain softness. Inside, two damp, exhausted teenagers lay half-propped on the narrow hospital bed like they were trying to occupy the same square foot of existence. Kana's head rested on John's shoulder; John's arm was draped around her.
Which is, of course, the exact moment the door burst open.
Dr. Kennedy: Kana, I wanted to check your… (stops dead) …vitals.
Behind him was Jane and behind her was Misa, who had come back to check on her friend. She had been sipping juice from a juice box before entering and the scene her eyes
All three froze.
Kana and John froze.
It felt like for a moment, time had stopped.
Misa choked on her drink, dropped it, stormed across the room, and in full cartoon dramatics latched both hands around John's throat, not actually squeezing, more like aggressively holding his collar.
Misa: YOU!!
The sudden event caught everyone off guard especially John because of how fast Misa she ran to "strangle" him.
Misa: You!! What did you do to my best friend?!
Dr. Kennedy strode forward, eyebrows high, clipboard held like a citation pad.
Dr. Kennedy: Mr. Wellman, am I to understand what you conducted… unscheduled cardiology interventions without supervision?
John: (puzzled) I don't even know what that means.
Kana sat bolt upright, face immediately pink and then Jane who still remained calm walked to the bed and sat beside her.
Jane: (whispering with a teasing smile) So… did you do it?
Kana's face turned scarlet red. She slapped her hands over her cheeks and waved furiously.
Kana: NO! I mean—no, no! We just—he was wet, and I was wet—NO, NOT LIKE THAT—I mean the rain—
Kana then used her hands to cover her face and fan herself to calm down and then tried to speak again while Jane stood there and tried her best to not laugh.
Kana: We didn't.... There was rain and towels and talking and Misa, please stop strangling him!
Misa then sighed and then let go of John's throat and John began to rub where Misa's hand had held his throat.
Jane: So nothing happened?
Kana: NO! Nothing happened.
However Jane wasn't convinced by that response.
Jane: Uh huh. So what did happen?
Kana's face immediately turned more red as Jane asked that question.
Kana: We just talked… and kissed. A lot.
All eyes fell on John who began to look outside the window and scratch the back of his head and then at Kana who looked down trying to hide her red face with her long hair.
Suddenly Jane had a sinister smile on her face.
Jane: Define 'a lot.'
Kana: Jane!
Then Misa added...
Misa: So if nothing happened, why is his shirt inside out?
John immediately went into panic mode.
John: It's... that's because... I changed in the dark?
Kana: You didn't change! I dried you! I— oh my God.
Misa, Jane, and Dr. Kennedy looked at each other and then… they all burst out laughing which made Kana and John feel more embarrassed than ever.
Jane: You two are so painfully adorable I can't even be mad.
Misa: Well, I can...
All eyes turned to Misa who suddenly wore a down look on her face.
Misa: Why would you say that to her John? Do you know how much you hurt her with those words? She couldn't stop crying...
John: Yeah... I know...
Misa: So then why did you say it?
There was a bit of silence before John spoke after staring out the window for a while.
John: I was trying to pass a message across but... with all the tension and stress that had built in me after I found out I was partly responsible for Kana's online bullying just spilled out... I didn't realize how much I was carrying until it all came out at once. And I hate that she was the one I ended up hurting. I said something I didn't mean, something I'll regret for the rest of my life.
John paused as the memory flickered faintly in his mind briefly before fading away.
John: But I'm not here to make excuses. I'm here because I love her… and because I'm going to spend whatever time I have left with her making sure she knows that. Every second.
Misa saw the assurance and sincerity in John's eyes and the words he said and then looked at Kana who was blushing and hiding her face.
Misa: (sighs) You're such an idiot, you know that?
She crossd her arms, but her tone is no longer angry.
Misa: But… if you're really going to stay, then don't just say things like that to her ever again... (turns to Kana) And if he messes up again, I'm throwing him out the window and stapling his hoodie to his skin.
Kana: (chuckles) Fair.
Jane beamed with a smile on her face while Dr Kennedy smirked as the room was now filled with lightness for the first time in weeks.
Then Dr. Kennedy cleared his throat, the mood sobering slightly.
Dr. Kennedy: Well, I'm glad to see you two patched things up. I apologize for not being here yesterday and whille thie whole bullying scandal… But it was for a reason.
Kana: It's fine Dr Kennedy.... And what are you talking about?
Everyone turned toward him. His expression softened into something hopeful.
Dr. Kennedy: Kana, I may have found a surgical option that could slow down, or even stabilize, the progression of your Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
Kana & John's eyes widened, Jane instinctively took her hand, Misa looked between them, jaw slightly open.
Dr. Kennedy: We've been consulting with the transplant team from another hospital and cross-referencing national registry data. Based on your latest imaging, EKG trends, medication tolerance, and progression rate… we believe you're a viable candidate for heart transplantation.
Kana: A… heart transplant…?
Dr. Kennedy: (nods) It's not a guarantee. There's a process; evaluation, listing status, donor match timing, surgical risks, lifelong immunosuppression. It's big. Life-changing big. But it's also...(softens) a chance.
Kana's hand flew to her chest, more reflex than logic. She looked at Jane, Misa and finally at John.
Kana: A new heart…? Someone else's heart… inside me?
She glances down at her chest again, as if trying to imagine it. Her fingers curl slightly, trembling. Jane saw this and softly squeezed her hand.
Jane: It's scary, I know. But it's a chance, Kana. That's more than we've had in a long time.
However Kana's facial expressions still held concern and fear in them.
John: Hey… this could mean more time. Real time. Maybe even a full life. (pauses) I want that for you, we all want that for you.
Kana: But... I don't know if I'm strong enough for all of that… the waiting, the risk, the surgery...
Misa: You're the strongest person I know, Kana. You've survived everything life's thrown at you, and now? Now you can fight for this chance.
Jane: And you're not doing it alone. You've got all of us, every step of the way.
Kana sat and began to remember all the memories she had made from June 14th the past year and everything leading to where she was right now. And then she began to feel a bit confident and motivated.
Dr. Kennedy: So, do you think you're ready?
Kana looked at her hands. Then she looked at John, whose eyes were still locked on her like she was the most important thing in the world. Then at Misa and Jane, whose faces were glowing with hope and support.
And finally, back at Dr. Kennedy.
Kana: (softly but firmly) If it means living… really living… then yes. I want to try.
Everyone smiled.
Dr. Kennedy: Then let's get to work. We'll begin evaluations next week, starting June 1st. If all goes well, we could aim for a surgery window in a few weeks… possibly right after your birthday, on June 15th.
Hearing this both Misa and John groaned in shock and annoyance and fell to their knees which surprised everyone else in the room.
Kana: What's wrong with the two of you?
Jane: You both have a stomach ache?
John: No, it's just… June 1st is when our finals start.