Heart Breaking News

With rushing steps, Takeshi walks through the hospital aisle. He approaches Goro that sits head down on a bench. Takeshi's loud steps attract Goro's attention to turn his head to Takeshi. "Take.."

"What did you do to her ??!!" Takeshi barks at Goro while pulling his brother until he stands up. "No.. Nothing ! I did nothing !" Goro immediately rejects Takeshi's accusation. "I just came out of the bathroom then saw her laid unconsciously on the floor," Goro continues. He then sets himself free from Takeshi's grip that suddenly weakens to hear what Goro said. "You didn't argue with her before it ?" Takeshi asks to make sure. "No, I didn't," Goro answers with pale confused face. "We just had dinner, just talked about random stuff. Then I went to take a bath. When I came out, she just.. just.." Goro can't finish his words. His face now becomes red as he cries hard, muffling his sob by biting his fist. Takeshi's heart immediately sinks. His legs feel weak. He sits on the bench. Goro sits next to him, still crying. "She'll be okay, Bro.. she will be okay," Takeshi calms him down while petting his brother's shoulder. He hopes he sounded convincing enough, al though he himself is not sure about it.

----------------

Even after five hours later, they both still don't have a clue about their mother's condition. The woman they love very much is still in the operation room, fighting for her life. Takeshi just sits on the bench, head propped by his hands, blankly stares at his brother who walks restlessly back and forth along the aisle. Takeshi tries hard to not being emotional. His mother is still fighting, he must be tough.

He tries hard not to let memories with his mother slip in his mind, but he fails miserably. All those memories are taking turn entering his mind. His mother is the only parent he knows right from his birth. She raised him and Goro alone, working couple even sometimes triple jobs to fulfill their needs. Yet, she has always been there for them. Giving them all her love and attention. He remembers how she always be there on his soccer matches and how she would be the first person to congratulate him and hugged him tight after each match, no matter whether he won or lost. He also remembers how she supported him when he decided to pursue in entertainment industry, instead of going to college, how she embraced him tightly when he broke up with Ayumi. He knew at that moment it broke her heart more than it broke his. Please, fight, Mom... I don't want to lose you. He whispers sincerely in his heart. A sob slips from his mouth. That escape breaks his defense as another sob follows the first one. Takeshi muffles himself by putting his fist in his mouth while covering his face with his other hand. His shoulders shakes hard. Soon his hand is in total wet.

-------------

"How is she, Doc ?"

"Is she survived ?"

Both Takeshi and Goro ask questions to a doctor that just came out of the operating room. "You both need to calm down first," the doctor says then pats both of the brothers's shoulders. "Let's talk in my office," the doctor invites them to walk along with him. Takeshi and Goro obediently follow the doctor's tired steps. It is understandable since the doctor just finished an 8 hours operation on their mother. They go to a room on the same floor. Once the doctor sits on his chair he asks them to sit on chairs across him.

"So ... ?" Goro makes a sound first. The doctor gives him a gentle smile. "The good news is I was able to keep her alive, for now," the doctor says with a calm tone. "For now ?" Takeshi frowns his forehead to hear those words. The doctor nods. "Your mother has a heart failure. Her heart valve is so stiff that it can no longer work." The doctor stops his explanation to see the blank faces in front of him. He patiently awaits for both brothers to finish digesting his words. Takeshi is the first to react with teary eyes and red face. "No.. Noo!" he exclaims in desperation, covers his face with both hands. "Can she be saved, Doc.. Please.. do everything to save her.. pleaseee...," Goro pleads to the doctor before cries hard. The doctor sighs. "If it was still in mild state, it can be cured by medicine. But it is already in it severe state. The valve is already dysfunction completely. The only possible moves is doing valvotomy.. a heart transplantation," The doctor explains. "Then do it right away.. why are you still here ?" Goro rebukes the doctor. "Goro, calm your self," Takeshi reminds his brother in weak voice.

"It is not easy to have a heart transplantation, especially here at Japan. It is barely a year that it is being legitimated. So, it is very tight. The patient must pass all the health requirements. One failure case can cause a great impact to the whole nation. And even if your mother passed the requirement, the demands are queueing like python while the eligible donors are not many. So she needs to wait for.. I don't know how long. For now we are installing a pace maker in her, but we don't know how much it will help. I also have to tell you that we will deliberately put your mother on sleeping condition since it will ease the work of her heart," the doctor explains in a very calm and unemotional voice. Still, Takeshi feels like his own heart breaks into pieces hearing the explanation.