[Evil Tink]

Keiko tensed a bit, looking down slightly and fidgeting. "Yeah, I'm fine..just a bit..surprised about all this..." She glanced up at his face, vaguely noting the worry in his eyes. She didn't like people, yet alone strangers, worrying about her. She hated being seen as 'weak' and 'helpless'. As she glanced out to the street, she jumped, moving to hide behind him as she peered out. "Crap! I-I'm sorry but..I have to get going."

'Don't you dare run!' came her mother's voice in her head; as those words were always the first uttered to her for weeks on end. She bit her lip, then darted out from behind the man, running down the sidewalk and around the corner; which wasn't far..maybe half a block. She was never supposed to run, due to a rare condition in which the endocardial wall is unusually thick. Usually, the disease results in a young age from the heart eventually failing from the increased thickness in the tissue wall; but luckily enough for her, she had a milder form of the disease, so to say. She was way over due for her transplant, but the damn Committee keeps booting her down the list since she's still 'rather healthy' yet.

Just before she rounded the corner, she felt something rather painful in her chest. She hurried past the corner of the first building and pressed herself up against the wall, praying her mother didn't see her while she worked to keep herself calm. She had no idea if she triggered a heart attack, or was really pushing it, or was just experiencing a bit of pain like always. This thought worried her, but she had to push her worry back to relax. Everything will be alright...if worst comes to worst, maybe she will finally get her transplant. Right? Yeah. Wouldn't that be nice?