You Need a Back Bone!

Eika fluttered her eyes open. She could feel someone's warmth on her cheek. She could recognize the black hair in front of her. It was Hikaru's!

She got up in alarm and held tight on his shoulders. She almost fell off of him! She couldn't tell why she was being carried off to somewhere? What happened?

"What are you doing!?" Eika blurted out. She wrapped her arms tightly on his neck. She was careful not to choke the poor guy but, Hikaru didn't seem to care. She stared down at the floor and then she could see everyone's eyes staring at them. That was another thing, but she couldn't help but be paranoid that she might fall off Hikaru from his pace. She didn't want to imagine the pain.

"I-it's okay! I'll walk on my own! Stop carrying me please!" Eika insisted and by the second her arm gets tighter around him. She closed her eyes. Her lips quivered. She hates heights, and most especially someone carrying her!

"You freaking fell off the stage! Do you think you can walk!?" Hikaru exclaimed as they reached the door of the infirmary and he slides it open. He settled Eika down on a chair and, she could finally breathe. She gripped tight on her chair and stared down at her ankle. She breathed heavily and lost in thought. What happened with the world?

One moment she was dancing with all her might and then suddenly she fell off the stage.

A nurse appeared from behind the curtains holding a first aid kit. She went toward Eika to tend to her wound.

"What happened to her?" The nurse asked as she took out a bunch of bandages and Hikaru scratched his head trying to recall what exactly went down.

"She started to feel dizzy and then suddenly fell off the platform," Hikaru informed the nurse and Eika looked up to him in disbelief. She fell off the platform!? When?!

She wanted to ask a question but, she couldn't move her legs. It was numb.

"Are you sure it's suddenly?" The nurse raised a brow and, Hikaru fell silent. He nodded his head hesitantly. He was sure that Eika fell suddenly but, something was missing.

The nurse finished tending to Eika's bruise and, she closed the kit shut. She stood up from the floor and took out her clipboard to take down today's record.

"Miss Miyamoto, if you aren't skilled in dancing, I suggest you should keep yourself in control. Accidents can happen," The nurse scolded her and Eika rubbed her hands together. She massaged her temples not knowing what to think.

"I-I was fine..." Eika said quietly, but the nurse turned her back on Eika. She opened her phone to place the medical record on Eika's profile. Hikaru, however, became suspicious.

The nurse turned to Hikaru, "Make sure that Miss Miyamoto doesn't do strenuous activities for today," She said sternly and, Hikaru nodded for Eika's stead. The nurse walked away back to her desk and, Eika was about to speak up but, she was cut off.

"Jane Eika Miyamoto!" He said quickly, and Eika blinked in surprise. She held her hands up in surrender.

"Are you alright!? Geez! When I said to break a leg to you, I didn't mean you should actually break a leg!" Hikaru ruffled his hair and Eika's lips twitched. He never actually told her to break a leg but rather good luck.

"Look. I'm fine, okay? I was just... dizzy when I started to dance, that's all," Eika placed her hands on her lap. She sighed. She didn't really want to worry anyone but, seeing how Hikaru was so affected by it made her concerned.

"That's true but, I don't think you'll actually fall off stage like that! Plus, where did that bruise come from?" Hikaru pointed at her bandaged ankle. Eika looked down and touched the bandage. It hurts to see she actually has an injury on her second day of school. This school life is scarier than she thought.

"I don't know-" Eika interrupted herself. She can feel the pain buzz on her skin. She can see herself replaying the same imagery when she fell off the stage.

Hikaru grabbed a chair and sat down beside her. He didn't expect this from a girl like her at all. He thought that Eika might have won that round. He expected she might be this badass female protagonist that crushes her enemies single-handedly! But nope!

"You don't really know? Anything at all?" He asked with expectations. Eika couldn't look at him in the eyes. She didn't have that type of courage to do so.

What was he suggesting? Did someone injure her ankle by force? Who would do that? How is that human?

"No, I don't," Eika said reassuringly, but then a part of her urged to say something different but, yet again she never had that type of confidence. She's never confident.

Hikaru sighed and placed his chin on his palm. "You know what you lack, Jane Eika?" He asked, and Eika pressed her lips. She clutched tightly on the bed sheets.

"I know, I know, I lack the skill. Right?" Eika responded and, Hikaru flicked her forehead. "Ow! What was that for!?" She hissed but then Hikaru smiled cheekily. He stood up from his chair.

"I'm trying to get your brain to work!" He declared with his fist raised up in the air in determination. "You lack the wits and a backbone!"

"Are you calling me stupid?" Eika raised a brow, offended by his words but then Hikaru shook his head to the side.

"Nope, I'm calling you mentally insufficient in sagacity," Hikaru confirmed. He folded his arms nodding his head. Eika frowned and she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"That's the same thing!" Eika exclaimed but, Hikaru raised his hand as a stop. He smirked at her.

"You can fight back when I called you an idiot but, you can't find back when someone might have injured you physically?" Hikaru remarked and she closed her mouth in defeat. She stared down at her ankle then slowly raised her head in frustration.

It was like those times she was bullied at her old school.

"I-I'm not the type of person to fight b-back," She stuttered. All of her memories in Canada started to rewind in her head like she's watching the same movie where a normal person never becomes the hero.

"That's why you need a backbone, Jane Eika." He smiled brightly. He made a peace sign to her. "Wanting to be an idol, ain't easy,"

Eika's face softened. Somehow she's reminded of her father's words. Having an idol life ain't easy, he says during the time they were in front of the music shop.

Wanting to be an idol?

When will the time come where she will think that she'll be an idol?

"Do you really think someone pushed me off the platform on purpose?" Eika asked. She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. She knew she had a taste of bad things happening to her for the past few days but to actually reach to this extent?

"Tomorrow, we'll find out and we're gonna catch 'em" Hikaru declared.