Chapter 34: Return to the Family

"Hinata." Akira weakly called out to Hinata through a loving smile.

Hinata returned his smile, holding back his tears and gripping the man's limp hand tight.

The truck had been driving non-stop throughout the night, down country roads towards Nagano's main city. Ryōsuke had been patching up, monitoring vitals and ensuring injured patients like Akira were comfortable as can be.

Hinata took over basic duties to allow the good doctor to sleep in the corner of the truck.

"Kominato-sensei is a good man," Akira whispered through gulps.

"Ssh. You don't need to speak." Hinata tenderly wiped Akira's brow with a clean cloth.

He checked in Akira's stomach wound beneath his bandage. It had stopped bleeding, but was still forming pus. He sighed at the sight of some of the wound forming a scab. It was healing, but slowly. The good doctor was able to give him some painkillers.

However, that was another problem to deal with. The medicine box, that Ryōsuke had hastily grabbed when they were escaping had only enough medicine to last a few days.

Hinata hoped that where they were being driven to a hospital, where Akira could be properly treated.

"I love you," Akira whispered.

Hinata answered his love declaration with a weak smile.

"You're awake. Good." Ryōsuke yawned as he rolled his shoulders and shuffled out of his napping spot to check on Akira's vitals.

He took notes in his pocket book and attended to the young boy, elderly couple and older woman who were also being treated for injuries that left them immobile.

Hinata followed Ryōsuke's instructions, helping him with the re-bandaging, wiping down and checks.

Eventually the drive slowed to a stop. Hinata helped Ryōsuke and their driver unlatch the back door. Pulling it down into a ramp, so they could amble out.

Hinata and Ryōsuke helped everyone into an old school hall that was recently repurposed as a medical ward. It was part of a small town, which was not far from Mimaki. A lot of locals from nearby villages were being treated at the makeshift hospital.

They returned to the truck to carry Akira, by stretcher, into the main ward.

His heart skipped beats at the rows of cots with so many ill and wounded.

Wasn't the war over? Why were there so many people hurt?

"Over there." Ryōsuke pointed to a free cot at the far end near a display wall of names.

Hinata sighed. They were probably former student graduates who had left for the war and never returned. Although, in his heart, he hoped a lot of them did as Yuri and Kou had.

Ryōsuke did his rounds on other patience after he saw to Akira being settled. Hinata stayed by Akira's side, tending to his wound to keep it dry and clean.

Akira forced himself to stay awake, so he could be with Hinata as long as possible. Hinata never left him.

"Are you okay?" Akira whispered. His voice was crackly because of his dry throat. "Those bruises."

"You're more important right now." Hinata finger flicked Akira's forehead then eased the pain with a tender kiss.

"I'm serious Hinata. That man didn't hurt you." Akira persisted and cursed when he tried to sit up and couldn't.

"I'm fine. Please rest." Hinata brushed off Akira's concerns.

He continued his duty as Akira's nurse aid until Akira had finally closed his eyes to sleep.

"Honda-san." He sighed as he tenderly kissed his cheek.

He rose from the man's bedside and went to help tend to others.

"Hina-chan?" A young voice trembled with tones of hope to his voice.

Tears welled in Hinata's eyes when he saw Shouta enter the far end of ward with Kei.

"Hina-chan!" Shouta bellowed, which startled some of the patients and scored him angry reactions from others.

Shouta didn't care. He ran for Hinata and slammed into him with a hug.

"Hina-chan!" He cried happily into Hinata's kimono.

"Shouta-kun." Hinata gently patted the boy's head. A happy tear slipped his eye.

"Chikafuji-san." Aiyama-san smiled with relief upon seeing Hinata.

Hinata coolly approached her with relief and happiness on his face. "Is the others here too?"

"Yes. Everyone, except Honda-san." Aiyama-san sighed.

Hinata drew her attention to the cot at the back wall.

"Honda-san!" Aiyama-san gasped.

She hurried to Akira's side.

"He's healing, thanks to Kominato-sensei."

"The others are in the kitchen ward. Go see them. I'll tend to Honda-san after I help Shouta-kun take some medicine." Aiyama-san volunteered to give Hinata a chance to find and catch up with the others.

Shouta wasn't willing to let go of Hinata's kimono, so Aiyama-san suggested Hinata take him with him.

Hinata helped Shouta take his spoonful of cold medicine, which was being spread out across many people in the ward. It seems a spoonful was also only given to kid's Shouta's age and the very sick.

They walked down an old school corridor of white walls and dark floors, and turned into a large kitchen hall where many people were gathered to recuperate from having to tend to their ill or catch up on light gossip.

Huddled in a group, at the far corner of the room, was his family.

"Hina-chan," Shouta said to draw Hinata out of his thoughts.

Hinata smiled when he went to see his family.

Kei and Rei glanced at each other. Nodded their heads. Rose to their feet and bowed respectfully to Hinata when he stood before the group.

"Good to see you back." Rei soberly greeted Hinata, holding back his relief at seeing the man standing before them.

Hinata nodded. He chuckled with happiness when the younger kids rushed at him with hugs and happiness at seeing him back. He laughed when he tumbled to the ground with the kids climbing all over him.

"You're here." Mei-san noted Hinata's presence with a happy tear to her eye. "Great."

Yuri nodded his head at the sight of Hinata, who was still on the ground accepting the younger kids' cuddles.

"Thank God." Kou let out with a heavy sigh of relief. "Welcome back Hinata."

Hinata managed to sit up and properly acknowledge the adults.

Aiyama-san entered the room, hugging a small sack to her bosom. She discreetly opened the sack, away from the prying eyes of strangers. She had the children grab some fruit and dried fish. There wasn't much, but it was enough to stop the children's bellies from grumbling for the time being.

"Here." Aiyama-san said as she handed a piece of dried fish to him.

Hinata looked at the dried fish, to the others who were slowly savouring their piece and back to Aiyama-san.

She gave him a stern look. Hinata nodded and thanked her for the food.

A smile brightened Hinata's face at sharing a brief meal with his family and friends.

If felt good to be together again.