Get Well Soon [Open]

[Yume]

This was day two after that harrowing assassination attempt.

After the operation and spending the night in the intensive care unit, Yume was finally moved last evening to the cardiothoracic ward. She woke up today in an uncomfortable position, nor very well rested. The beeping of the heart monitor connected to the telemetry wires on her chest frequently went off during the night and even now at times, preventing her from reaching any point of deep sleep.

She groaned under her breath, relieved to feel a cool, damp sheet mask drape over her face. "Thanks, Oppa," Yume mumbled. Her bloodline luckily slowed down the signs of ageing, but it was not going to be foolproof forever. Plus, if anyone was going to visit her today, she didn't want them to see that she was tired with eyebags or anything like that. She pulled the sheet off her face fifteen minutes later.

Speaking of, they were pretty sure that the entertainment world had caught onto the incident. If they tabloids have gotten hold of the news, then sure enough the rest of the village (whoever cared to read gossip magazines anyway) will catch on too. Of course, it would be an inconvenience for the hospital to have god knows how many visitors waltzing around the floor. The manager sure had his hands full filtering out the insane fans from the genuine ones and Yume's personal and business associates. Luckily, there were a few security guards helping out down at the reception floor. You honestly can't miss a person that's there as a fan.

Those fans that were genuine had sent up a myriad of flowers and teddy bears, wishing for Yume's speedy recovery. Business associates dropped by for a quick check-in and hello, but that was about the extent of her day, luckily. There was no way she could recover if she had to socialise as well.

In a quiet moment of the early afternoon, Yume looked over to her manager, who was sitting by her bedside with his planner in one hand and pen in the other. On his lap was a document--the contract for the Sennin role. Yume's lips turned up into a grimace, but she said nothing about it. There was nothing else she could do after all.

She finally spoke up. "Oppa?"

"Hm?"

"Have you heard anything?"

"I'm still looking into it."

Yume paused, gingerly clutching onto her chest as her heart made a skip and let the monitor off beeping. The wires on her body annoyed her, the beeping annoyed her. It took half a minute for it to settle down and for her to get used to the telemetry wires again.

"Do you have any ideas on who would do this?"

"I have a few hunches, but again. I'll need to look into it."

Was it the family? She wanted to ask, but it sounded like unsubstantiated nonsense in her head. Instead Yume tried to settle back into her bed, and started reading all of the get well soon cards she had received this morning.

 

[Megumi Tanigawa]

Hearing of Yume’s recovery, Megumi decided that it was about time she made a visit to her friend and collect information on a possible motive and perptraitortor. She would rather not discuss it with Yume as she would not doubt tell her to not worry about and make looking into it more difficult.

Donning a simple pink and white floral embroidery. Fixing her hair to how she liked it, now that it had finally grew back to her prefered length. Looking at her attire before she left, perhaps her normal everyday clothes would be better, as Yume might be throw off by her abnormal appearance. In truth Megumi did not want to see her friend again as the puppeteer felt guilty about the idol’s hospitalization. If possible she would prefer to simply talk with the manager and get what she needed from him. He was a straightforward person who would not stop her from investigating unless he believed that it would hurt Yume’s career or harm the investigation. The two of them had no connection, therefor he would not hinder or get in her way to protect her unlike the idol.

Sighing as she knew that she would have to face her friend. At least she could perhaps, evade talking about anything to arouse suspicion of the young puppeteer’s investigation. Before she made her way to the hospital, Megumi would pick up a gift basket of an assortment of high grade pocky and a lovey arrangement of flowers with a get well soon card embedded into the flower bed.

As she made her way to the hospital Megumi would think of what she would say to Yume. “ How are you feeling seems pointless. I’m glad you're not dead. Noooo…. Do you know who might of done this”? Letting out a sigh, her thoughts and action were always jumbled around the idol. Hiding her feelings and concerns around Yume was always a challenge. Luckily she always make sure to get it out of her system and act rational around the irrational idol.

Entering the hospital and asking the receptionist for the room Yume was staying in. Having to prove and show her that she was not just some fan, but in fact her friend the young girl painfully acquired the room number. As she made her way to her friend's room security was high, you could not turn a corner without seeing an Anbu. It must of been due to the Hokage being treated at the hospital currently, Megumi did not know much about what had occurred as she was still a student at the time. However if the Hokage got injured then it must of been a real threat.

Reaching the Idols hall see felt and saw many masks looking in her direction, trying to not let it bother her, Megumi would press onto her friends door. Before she went to knock, she heard Yume and the manager speaking to one another. However they said nothing that lead to anything even though they were talking about the perpetrator.

Knocking on the door, “ Yume-san are you awake, it’s Megumi i came to visit”. Ciding herself, at her words, why did she speak so formal around her and why did she state that she was visiting, they gathered that from her arrival. Gathering herself before they gave a response, she would focus and try her best not to bring up the shooting around Yume.

 

[Yume]

They glanced at each other, curious of the uncharacteristic politeness Megumi voiced from the other side. Manager slid the door open slowly, peering down at the young girl in his regular deadpan. He stepped to the side, letting her through to see Yume. The idol sat up in her bed, arms opened wide as if she was expecting a hug.

"Gumi! Yay, you came! I... honestly thought you wouldn't. Wow! A visitor that isn't work related!"

"Yume..." the man in the room sighed.

She merely grinned in response, cheerful as if she didn't have bunches of wires in her skin and in her heart. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that the other day, but you pulled through like a professional. And had a hand in saving my life as a bonus! If I could promote you to chuunin instead, I woulda!"

Well, technically as Head Jounin, she could. But that would just be some really suspicious looking nepotism. Plus, she was half-sure that Megumi would preserve her own honour by keeping the genin rank. And then kick her ass.

The cheerfulness perhaps looked unusual, but what good did it do to be all depressed and paranoid? Especially with Megumi here, Yume had no reason to be any kind of upset. Her bright blue eyes trailed down to the arrangement of flowers and widened at the confectionery within the basket. She pointed to them. "What brand is that? I've never seen those before!"

 

[Megumi Tanigawa]

As the Manager opened the door, Megumi fired off her own blank uncaring stare back at the butler cosplayer. It was good that he was here as she wanted to question him. However Yume was in earshot, and she did not want the idol to know about her investigation.

As the pink haired penguin let her pass, Megumi approached an opened armed Yume. She was oddly chipper for someone who narrowly escaped death, and Megumi was unsure about the gesture she made. Was she welcoming her or did she want a hug? Looking a the wires protruding from her chest, Megumi decided against hugging the patient. Looking at the manic idol as she stated that she did not expect her to visit. “ Why would i not visit, we’re friends after all”. Hearing her caretaker call out her name to calm the idol down. As the duo exchanged their words or expressions in Yume’s case. Megumi arranged the flowers she had purchased to lighten up the room. Looking around she noticed a lack of gifts and cards, you would think the idol would be surrounded by get well cards and flowers from her adoring fans. “ I guess the news about your hospitalization has not gone public yet”. Megumi did not mean to ask a question, she only mistaking voiced her thoughts, as she was trying not to speak of the attack, but every time she thought of something to say, it went to the attack or her investigation.

Turning to look back at  Yume’s as she apologised about the attack, and joked about a promotion. Shaking her head and denying her apology and the promotion while looking at her giddy friend with a small smile. “ It was nothing, and i am a genin now, i should expect danger and possible loss. You have nothing to apologise for as you can not control your enemies”. Letting out a small chuckle as she thought about the promotion, “ How about i keep my rank for at least more than a say, before you think about promoting me”. Even though her face and tone of voice was positive, her eyes told a different tale. The Puppeteer was use to lose and death, to her it was nothing new. In her opinion it was much easier to deal with than conversing.

With the flowers out of the gift basket it was only a matter of time till, the sapphire eyed idol spotted the treats. The Manger was no doubt giving Megumi dirty looks as it was filled to the brim with different types of pocky all wrapped in coloured wax paper and tied with a bow. As the idol pointed and mentioned the confectionary with rabid interest, Megumi fidgeted and nervously answered the idol’s question. “ Their not store bought, i made them as homemade is always better. The company's use low grade ingredients making it less flavorful and healthy, but i guess these are not health anyway. Getting off topic about her being a food snob, Megumi looked at the basket and pointed out all of the flavors. “ I wrapped them in colored wax paper to signify their flavor. I made all of the regular flavors, but i also made a few others. Point at the light brown package with a white swirl running through the middle. This one is milk chocolate with a white chocolate and vanilla accent”. Pointing at more she would list off the flavors and give away how concerned she was about her friend, as she must've been cooking all day. “ Raspberry, mochi, tapioca, Ichijiku dates, momo peach, melon, ume plums, sakuranbo cherries and ringo apple”. As she finished she did not want to look up as the embarrassment of her obvious and somewhat insane effort into pocky would no doubt surprise and show of Megumi’s more feminine side that she kept out of the public eye.

 

[Yume]

She left Yume hanging. Dropping her arms to her side, the girl pouted, bringing her legs up to her chest has she hugged her knees instead.

"Fwine, don't hug me then," she mumbled, half-jokingly. The mini-sulk was short lived, however, as her ears perked up more and more with the flavours Megumi listed off. Milk chocolate with white choc and vanilla accent? Yum. Mochi?! Tapioca?! Ichijiku dates, what even is that?! Her mouth watered, hungering for food other than the hospital's grub.

"You made so much! It must have taken ages, girl!" Yume exclaimed, taking the basket in her hands. "Can I try one now?" The card within the arrangement, she left it to read when Megumi left, more as a courtesy for her than anything. Unless she wanted Yume to read the card in front of her.

Meanwhile, the manager looked at his wristwatch, perhaps waiting for an incoming meeting with a business associate. Or it was almost time for Yume's check-up. One of the two. While the idol laughed with a brave face and conversed with Megumi, it wouldn't be surprising for the latter to panic a little when the monitor started beeping incessantly. Yume glanced over to the screen by the bed and turned back to the genin with a smile.

"Don't worry, my heart rate is just a little bit too fast. It happens."

The door knocked not long after, and slid open to reveal Yuri, looking rather deadpan and possibly annoyed.

Medic NPC: Yuri​

Yume didn't dare ask what was up. In an understaffed hospital like this, there were bound to be a multitude of things that were going wrong in Yuri's head.

"Alright, hotshot, leave pleas-" The blonde stopped herself and blinked. First at the manager, then at Megumi--with kinder eyes upon looking at her. "Oh, I didn't realise there was a visitor. I'm sorry, doll, it's time for Yume's check-up. I'll only be a short while, if you're happy to step outside for a few minutes."

The manager had already stepped outside, and Yuri picked up Yume's bedside chart to look through it.

 

[Megumi Tanigawa]

“Oh, sorry”. Megumi’s confused and embarrassed apology torn down all of the revising she did before she met with the idol. The puppeteer was not skilled in social activities and is still working on not being as awkward and learning how to act around Yume.

Pausing as she thought about asking her if she still wanted the hug, but it seemed as if the moment was already ruined. Breaking the awkward moment, by birbing Yume in the form of explaining the diverse list of flavored pocky she had made for her.

Seeing and hear the excitement and craving off of the hospital food filled idol, made all the time she took to make it worthwhile. “ It did not take that long, it’s a simple thing to make”. While the last part was truth, Megumi would not delve into perfecting the recipe and making the grocer a tidy sum in the process.

Snapping back to reality making sure to not betray her words with her expression. Asking if she can try some, Megumi was unsure if she was allowed. Glancing over at her manager, who was looking at his watch. Perhaps he had a business to attend to. Megumi could only imagine how much effort went into keeping the idol’s attack a secret.

Looking back to Yume, “ I did not hear any objections”. As Megumi waited for a response on the taste, Yume’s excitement got the better of her. Hearing a rapid increase of beeps from the machine keeping taps on the idol’s heart rate. The sudden change in Yume’s behavior as she quickly checked the machine just to be safe, caused Megumi to give a look of concern and maybe a small amount of pity. The near death experience has no doubt affected Yume, the puppeteer hoped that the hospital was not only focusing of the physical damages, but also the mental trauma that she received from it.

Quickly chancing back to her previous face, to not cause Yume concern, Megumi did wonder if this would affect her ability as a shinobi. Trying not to focus on the negative,, a knock on the door would interrupt Megumi’s visit. Looking over she the puppeteer would see a soured nurse in pink scrubs. The gold haired nurse stopped herself as she spoke about a hotshot. Think about anyone she new associated with Yume that would be considered a hot shot, but nothing came to mind. However she quickly changed her tune as her eyes met upon the puppeteer. Saving the question about a hot shot for later, and momentarily leaving the room. Though someone should have a talk with that nurse about professionalism. Letting one of the most insulting things one could ever say to a Tanigawa slip, Megumi did not want to make a scene and she wanted to pull some information out of the idol’s manager.

As the door to Yume’s room closed and the Manager and herself were out of earshot from the idol. Megumi would change back to her normal persuasion and work towards her real reason for coming. Looking at the man who should really find another set of clothing with a inquisitive look in her eye. “ About the shooting. It seems odd that someone would want to kill a beloved idol. While i’m sure i could think of a few reasons about why someone would want to immortalise or take down an idol but i have a feeling it has nothing to do with her day job”. Looking at the man as if she was ordering him to explain everything about Yume. “ I need to know everything about her, i need something to go on a unmarked bullet casing and a medical report gives me the weapon and a little bit about the shooter, but he is just a proxy for the real perpetrator”. Waiting on something anything, Megumi wonder about what the idol’s past held, as she knew that everyone has part of their past they wish they could erase. Megumi was no different, but she might have a few more skeletons in her closet than the average Leaf.

 

[Yume]

Inside of the room, Yume happily munched on the homemade Pocky Megumi made for her. They were definitely more flavourful than storebought ones--Megumi might have opened up a can of worms with this. Don't be surprised when she comes around more frequently to order in some Megu-pocky.

Yuri, on the other hand, was unimpressed. "Yun, put that down! Stop pigging out, you fatso, I can't check up on you while you're chewing food."

"But Yuri-chan, this is--"

"Shut up, sit up straight, give me a deep breath in."

From outside of the room, the manager ignored the childish exchange and glanced down at the inquisitive girl instead as she immediately went straight to business. He refrained from letting out a sigh. "Well, as you can probably tell by now, she's not only an idol, she has shinobi duties too. You'll probably earn yourself some enemies when you progress in your career, Miss Tanigawa."

His hand was in one of his pants pockets, subtly fiddling around with the contents within for a while, until he pulled it out. It was his planner; he flipped it open to the front page and took out a business card. He handed it to her, a dark grey business card with white embossed writing for a company. Tsuba Security Services.

"If you're so adamant in investigating this case, then I won't stop you. It's on you if you get hurt by putting yourself into unnecessary situations. In the meantime, could you give these people a visit? A gentleman came by yesterday offering private security services for Yume, in light of this incident. I don't have time to do it myself, but you appear to be a good judge of character."

One of the girls screeched from inside, most likely Yume, while the other scolded her. "Arms around your chest and roll out! Of course it'll hurt if you use your arms to get out of bed! If you break those wires securing your ribcage together, I'm not stitching you back up!"

Marked for training - 339

 

[Megumi Tanigawa]

Yume and the Nurse seemed to be getting along well enough, at least the check up and conversation between the two of them would block out Megumi’s questions.

The Manager did not seem to keen on answering her questions. Starting with with something that the puppeteer was already clearly aware of, but Megumi would let the man continue to see if he had anything of note to add.

Trying not to stop her investigation, as he most likely knew that it would be pointless to try and stop her. The man would hand her a card to a security company and state that they offered their services to Yume after the incident. The Manager’s comment on her being a good judge of character, made he think that the shooter and the company might be one in the same. However the would have to be quiet desperate for customers if they were willing to break the law for a job. Leaving her hypnosis on the back burning until she looked into the company further. Megumi was not pleased with the lack of information she was giving.

Looking at the prim and proper man with a blank expression. “ I need more than this to go on. Does Yume have any known enemies, any kind of background that could possibly warrant an assassination. I need to know more about Yume and her past, and who she is to look into everything that could lead me to the one who wanted her dead”. Getting more impatient as she spoke to him. “ If you're not going to impede my investigation, then why not offer all the help you can. Having Yume safe benefits you as well”.

Hearing the nurse loudly order the Idol around at least kept Yume occupied and blocked out the conversation just outside of her door. Waiting from the Manger to either give her an answer or not, they would have to hurry as the check up would not last forever, and if Megumi wanted to keep this from the idol they would have to work under short time constraints.

 

[Yume]

Of course she wouldn't just take what she was given. Megumi just had to press on further for that elusive information. Manager had half the mind to tell her all she needed to know--partly to have her get off his back, and the other part was in morbid curiosity on whether she would fall into the near same amount of danger for nosing around.

"Oh, Yume has many rivals in the industry. I can't say all the idols in the world are sound of mind," he replied to one question half-jokingly. He was still half-serious. The latter half of her question was unanswered for a while, almost to the point that it wouldn't surprise him that Megumi thought he was actively ignoring her. That was, until-

"Besides," he finally spoke up in his deadpan. "She would kill me if I told you anything about her without her permission. So perhaps it's better for both our sakes... that if you're still determined to play detective, that you ask her yourself."

He turned towards the door, knocking on it before giving a pause. Through his glasses, the manager peered intently at Megumi, as if he was examining her as he did when they first met. He turned back to the door and slid it open.

"Or you can check the Hokage. That yields about the same result."

Which Hokage was he talking about?

Yume was sitting there on the edge of her bed, tilting her head inquisitively at the pair. Yuri had her arms crossed haughtily over her chest, sending a glower herself towards the pink haired man.

"Hokage? What were you two talking about?" Yume asked.

The lie came about easily, after some quick thinking. "Miss Tanigawa wanted to know how she could procure a passport."

"Oh..." the girl sounded in knowing. A grin plastered across her face and she leaned forward enthusiastically. "I can get you a passport, Gumi! Of course they're only for touring purposes when I go on my comeback, but it'll be totally fun!"

 

[Megumi Tanigawa]

Again her questions would go unanswered. The information that the man joking gave, did reveal something about Yume past. Megumi knew that may of the villagers and ninja of her village had secrets, including herself. However the lack of an answer only made her more curious about what secrets did the idol not wish to be publicly known. Yume did not even give her name and no one seems to call her by her real name.

Megumi was too busy pondering to bother with the manager, if he was not going to help the rest of his words held no value, plus she did not rule him out of being a suspect as well.

Hearing the door slid open, Megumi would end her questioning and thoughts for the moment as she be not want to let her know about her looking into her past and the shooting, but she might have to tell her as she is the only one that could tell her about herself at this time.

Yume seemed to have caught the tail end of the conversation and was curious about what the two were up to. Without any hesitation the manager weaved a lie about her asking about a passport. While it was not a very convincing one, as she already had one and acquiring a passport would be a simple matter for her, made her wonder about all of the lies he has told Yume as he fibbed in front of the idol effortlessly.

Giving a small nod at Yume as she still looked at the floor in thought, about if she should ask the idol or not about her past. Weighing the options and thinking about Yume’s reaction, her foolish friends words reached he and quickly changed the subject on the puppeteers mind temporarily.

“ When you go on tour? You make it sound as if it is happening in the very near future”. Megumi’s focus now squarely on her friends postion, and her low monotone voice grew slightly at her new findings. “ Isn’t there something that should be solved first, before you stand out in the open in front of large groups”? Lifting her hand slightly off of her jaw as her thoughts would have to wait, as being friends with an idol is taxing. Thinking about how selfish Yume is to endanger herself just for her career. It’s as if she does not care about how her concerned her and other are about her.

 

[Yume]

Somehow, she expected a reaction like that. It wouldn't be Megumi otherwise if she hadn't questioned her sanity in going forth with a world tour. Yuri glanced in between the trio before briskly edging herself out of the room with an "excuse me," totally uninterested in getting involved in this exchange. Yume responded to Megumi with a smile, with a hint of both sheepishness and understanding.

"Well sure, looking into something like this is important. But I wouldn't be looking into it, the shinobi assigned to the case would. I know, I know, being out in the open can be a super duper bad idea, but everyone worked so hard in preparation for the tour. It's not just me, Gumi! Everyone put their time and effort into their work..."

She shot her arm up to point to the ceiling, in a ridiculous pose that, in reality, would have no bearing or impact on her reasoning.

"... AND they gotta get paid too!"

Well more like the concert must go on, otherwise they're going to suffer some big losses.

Manager promptly pushed the girl's arm down onto her lap. Didn't stop Yume though, as she used her other hand to wave to and fro in attempt to be reassuring. "I gotta get some paperwork sorted first though, so don't worry. I also still have a bit of physical rehab to do anyways. Don't worry so much, Gumiiii."

The way she smiled had never changed, as if this whole ordeal was just a bad case of appendicitis. Yume understood, somehow. People tend to worry about things and other people. The sense of fear was something a little foreign to her, but in her experience and observations, that was completely normal. So she got it, somewhat. Yume hoped Megumi understood her point of view too, whatever it was. Hey, if she even joined her on travelling, what a bonus that would be!

 

[Yume]

Visiting hours are over. Inactivity topic leave.