Morning sunlight quietly poured through the hospital window.
A steady beeping echoed throughout the silent room.
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
Akira slowly opened his eyes.
His vision remained blurry for a few seconds.
A dull pain spread across his forehead.
“…”
He slowly looked around.
White ceiling.
White walls.
Hospital.
He tried to sit up.
A sharp pain shot through his wrist.
Akira looked down.
A white cast covered his left wrist.
His forehead was wrapped in clean bandages.
He quietly sighed.
The accident…
It wasn’t a dream.
A soft voice broke the silence.
Hanoka (sleepy): “Akira…?”
Akira turned his head.
Hanoka was asleep in the chair beside his bed.
One of her hands was still gently holding his.
She slowly opened her eyes.
For a brief second…
Neither of them spoke.
Then relief flooded her face.
Hanoka: “Idiot…”
She lightly smacked his shoulder.
Hanoka: “Don’t scare me like that again.”
Akira gave a small guilty smile.
Akira: “…Sorry.”
A few minutes later…
The doctor entered the room.
Doctor: “You’re very fortunate.”
Doctor: “A concussion, several bruises, a fractured wrist…”
He looked at Akira.
Doctor: “But nothing life-threatening.”
Akira nodded quietly.
Doctor: “We’ll discharge you today.”
Hanoka looked surprised.
Doctor: “However…”
“You are absolutely forbidden from driving.”
“No heavy lifting.”
“And plenty of rest.”
“If your headaches become worse, return immediately.”
Akira nodded.
Akira: “Understood.”
Around noon…
Hanoka and Akira returned home.
Akira slowly walked inside.
Every step reminded him of the accident.
Hanoka looked towards him.
Hanoka: “Go upstairs.”
Akira blinked.
Akira: “…What?”
Hanoka: “Rest.”
Akira smiled weakly.
“…Yes, ma’am.”
Hanoka folded her arms.
Hanoka: “Good.”
Akira quietly walked upstairs.
Far away…
In a quiet countryside town…
An elderly woman carefully watered the flowers outside her home.
She smiled gently.
Mother: “I wonder when Nitagawa will visit again.”
Inside the house…
His father folded the newspaper.
Father: “He’s probably busy.”
“He always was.”
The two of them smiled.
Neither of them knew…
Would never return.
Thousands of kilometres away…
Hanoka’s parents sat together after another long day of work overseas.
Hanoka’s phone call arrived.
Her mother answered happily.
Mother: “Hanoka!”
“How are you?”
Hanoka forced a smile.
“…I’m okay.”
There was a brief pause.
Then…
Hanoka: “Akira…
was in a car accident.”
Silence.
Her father’s expression immediately changed.
Father: “Is he alive?”
Hanoka: “Yes.”
“He’ll recover.”
Both parents quietly sighed in relief.
Mother: “Stay with him.”
Father: “Nothing is more important than someone’s life.”
Hanoka nodded.
“…I will.”
After saying goodbye…
She slowly lowered her phone.
Outside the hospital…
Outside the city…
Outside their own homes…
Life continued moving forward.
Some people waited.
Some people worried.
Some people hoped.
None of them realised…
What lied ahead.
I apologize for the delay in releasing this chapter, as I have been dealing with some personal issues.
Please note that the next chapter will be released on Wednesday, as a relative of mine was recently involved in an accident.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.