2:00 AM.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHWeQ3wpzo
Kimijima Kouichi received a call from the hospital.
Just one sentence:30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouG22IqMhV
—“Miss Amagi Suzuran is in critical condition.”
He didn’t ask questions.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNBIdP6stW
Didn’t grab a coat.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufaU472er8
Just ran.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmGdThNH8A
Straight to the hospital.
Outside the ICU, the white fluorescent lights were blindingly bright.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRRMuHkZdF
One end of the hallway was deserted, the bench completely empty.
In the corner on the other side, a lone figure stood — Amagi Yuuji.
Yuuji had his head down, hands in his pockets, shoulders trembling faintly.
Kimijima recognized that silhouette instantly.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1Dzrr3qn8
His steps accelerated, almost beyond control.
The fire in his chest surged up in a wave — of rage, of regret.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5w0hNRJlM
He stormed forward, grabbed the other man by the collar, and shouted with a voice torn open:
"Why didn’t you take care of her?! You knew how fragile she was—!"
His throat was dry, but the words came out like blades, slicing the air.
Yuuji lifted his head. His face was pale, eyes rimmed red.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxRumZvmX4
Dark circles sunken under his eyes made him look nothing like the usual golden boy.
“…I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely, his voice cracked. “I… I didn’t think it would…”
“Move.” Kimijima cut him off coldly, his tone low, like the air before a storm.
“I want to see her.”
Yuuji silently stepped aside.
Kimijima entered the room, approaching the bed one step at a time.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreYBrlTrxJ
Each step felt like it was landing on his own heart.
She lay there quietly.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2O2uetjTJ
Her face paler than the sheets.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlYdZZjqRi
An oxygen mask covered her face.
Her chest rose and fell faintly — proof that she was still alive.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSALJ2pCCX1
At least, the machines said she was still alive.
Kimijima sank to his knees, trembling hands reaching for her cold fingers.
This was the girl he had cherished more than anyone,30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjYp2Q4tqV
the only one he had ever loved —30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAhdrMyxjk
Amagi Suzuran.
Or—Hanazono Suzuran.
He bit his lip, but couldn’t stop the tears.
"Why…"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cuPDeYvMk
His voice was barely audible.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQewIK7PQOD
"…did you always tell me you were doing fine?"
Why did you lie to me?30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RlCKDemj3
Why did you carry it all alone?30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSnUDGWkkZ
Why… didn’t you come to me?
In that moment, time seemed to break.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNC7Q0blmqx
Only the steady, cold rhythm of the heart monitor continued.
And Kimijima — had already crumbled.
4:00 AM.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7koleLjJwI
Tokinaga Tomohisa’s phone lit up.
He frowned and reached through the pile of documents on his desk to grab it.
“…Kimijima?”
He squinted at the name glowing on the screen, lips curling faintly.
“Kimijima, calling this late? That’s rare.”
He answered the call. On the other end came a voice — hoarse, low, like it had been scraped raw.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wjpQASHCJ
Sleepy, and yet burdened with exhaustion too deep to hide.
“…Tokinaga.”
“What’s up?”30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSyxdDcaMd
Tokinaga leaned back in his chair, voice casual, like he was still mid-data analysis.
“…Didn’t you say that human trial you were working on still needed a volunteer?”
“Yeah.”30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHt37dPq6SI
He pulled open a drawer and took out a form.
“But I submitted it to the government. They’re worried about butterfly effects or whatever — still haven’t approved it.”
A pause on the other end.
“…Then do it off the record. Can you send me back?”
Tokinaga’s pen stopped mid-air.
“…Huh?”30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3ohJQ5gyS
He frowned and checked the time, sitting upright again.
“Kimijima, are you sick or something?”30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJGf53wID8
“You, of all people, saying something like that?”
There was no immediate response.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE4MCC0mDh
Just silence —30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPkFW3Hvai
and the sound of someone breathing unevenly, like trying hard to hold back something.
“…What happened?”
As soon as he asked, a chill of foreboding passed through him.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBvBGzNrPo
This friend — always calm, always rational —30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Tw64Xt4Rp
this time, he was shaken. Truly shaken.
Then finally, a whisper came.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBnyA0rhm1
So low, it was almost inaudible.
“…She died.”
Tokinaga’s fingers froze.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAawXFXT5y
The pen slipped from his hand.
“…She?”
He blinked.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XMbA2nKvH
His voice lost its usual indifference.
“You mean… her…”
He paused.
“…Your lady?”
Silence.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0KICNGNXE
But that silence was the answer —30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGLKmtPcvP
heavier than any words.
Tokinaga leaned back, exhaled long and deep.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5P5EucDofi
Pressed his thumb against his brow, as if to hold back a wave of emotion.
“…You realize activating the system could create thousands of new variables?”
“I know.”
“You might not be able to save her, even if you go back.”
“…Then I’ll go back again.”
“There’s no guarantee you’ll retain all your memories either.”
“…Then I’ll fall in love with her again, every time.”
Tokinaga opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFS6tZ95JJX
And murmured:
“…You’re insane, Kimijima.”
A quiet reply came through the line:
“I’ve always been insane for her.”
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