Jason woke up and found himself lying in a hospital bed.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBzEHBzgQK
The bed was dim, the sheets looked… grayish—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1u7ZGc0KE
he wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or if they simply hadn’t been washed.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOmOicIToq
Everything felt faded and dull.
He moved a little.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRjoXemGJy
The frame creaked,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NTxLsY1Sq
like the bones of an old house.
He raised a hand and touched the top of his head.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQcoaTtGQI
His hair and forehead were wrapped in bandages—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xIkI2Ulsd
tight, damp, and sore.
Then the memories started coming back.
Last night,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7o1a0JJV2
the drunk had come home.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6o7oABUoch
Jason had been doing homework under the sliver of light that came through the window.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglCSulHIoZ
He was using the charity notebook from social services,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMaEEV001x
and his pencil was worn down to just two fingers long.
He remembered how the light hit the page,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBaC8wRYUA
like that one little square of the world was still clean.
The drunk came in muttering,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡon4UDU09J9
repeating curses like a broken record.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46QmEbXbjy
He shouted about Jason’s “whore mother,”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VMMJqXnHA
how she had used her body to escape the slums and go to medical school,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8KeDLiQMH
and never sent a cent back.
His voice was thick,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FGL1PvzF0
like spit phlegm—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgVG7ypzS8
sticky, sour,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3GLXjQD7a
and heavy enough to make your chest ache.
Jason had tried to ignore it.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJ6rNdnji5
But that night,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq9vuy30IK
for some reason,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxtp07r7MF
he talked back.
Maybe he was tired.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYLHuEmKDL
Maybe the light had been too gentle,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXrv7v9ism
and for a second,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DHrtPsG3i
he thought he could be a normal kid—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHnosozJTZ
do homework,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdn2cUwxWr
eat dinner,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcv8mAwo08
not get hit.
The man snapped.
That wasn’t unusual.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb7tXGHQfU
Violence was always close by in this house.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrfKrcNAiY
But that night,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnciJ49JkpK
he found something under Jason’s books.
It was a paper batarang.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IO6ny2SQw
Nana had made it for his birthday.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAinLP3ia6N
She’d dug through junk piles to find the right paper—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqrSEBZ9GL
just the right shine,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscI28zq2hq
strong enough to fold without tearing.
Jason loved it.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghzh2DfEz5
He carried it with him everywhere.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1HlZU14jr
Sometimes he’d hold it up to the sunlight just to watch.
The old man picked it up.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkosznfPDs
Jason shouted.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa7JRPFkFp
Told him to give it back.
The man didn’t.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXWkv6Q8Wa
Instead, he gave that gap-toothed smile—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM464seqyAc
and, right in front of Jason,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdos3GWqJri
crumpled the batarang in his hand.
The sound was soft—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4w4Sa6Ql9
just paper crunching.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHMIYCvXcP
But to Jason,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNi3I0dD38
it felt like bones breaking.
He lost it.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY4UZFMGjk
Threw himself at the man,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezOgQWnmtR
bit his hand.
The man roared.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPNYM1UMNX
The bottle came down.
Then—nothing.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyZEYL9m61
When Jason came back to himself,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbKn2gBOu0
a doctor walked in.
He recognized the man.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ11jLY4J8P
The unlicensed doctor from down the street.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkOGWkSA97
Rumor was he used to be decent at medicine31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZjFXefjVr
until he crossed the wrong gang and disappeared into this neighborhood.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPjusSfy45
He wore layers of torn coats,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDvUEPW3HF
his hair matted,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtLPszubUh
his smell a strange mix of chemicals and old collars.
“Oh, you’re up!” the doctor said, grinning casually.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRR3LpFZvn
“Looks like you’re recovering pretty well.”
He walked closer, flipping through a small stack of papers,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5s6MyFOuXo
his tone almost lazy.
“School’s almost out.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkb55Y0LRHA
That little girl will be here soon.”
Jason turned.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ijjdirBnp
“You mean… Nana?”
The doctor laughed,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjjIyXK3E9
a weird little giggle.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oHetkrKer
“Your little girlfriend came by this morning, you know.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZtsFOnPnx
Then she went to class.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hCc0AGTIB
Sweet kid—”
Before he could finish,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hEcAiH2XP
a small figure ran into the room.
The girl froze the second she saw Jason awake in bed.
She stood there,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgZ4CjMc2Q
like her thoughts hadn’t caught up yet.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxDizsiaWz
Her eyes were wide and round,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSBAVgbApY
her face flushed red.
Then she rushed to the bed in two quick steps.
She stared down at him,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOethjnweh
like she was trying to make sure this wasn’t a dream.
Jason, under her gaze, suddenly didn’t know where to put his hands.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WUqm7B7bZ
He opened his mouth,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡov3u5k8IxR
was about to say something—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR86LVZbo7
when her tears fell.
One after another,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5ZvxgZU9C
like someone had cut a string of pearls loose.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOdvveI8Oc
Plink. Plink.
Jason jumped in shock.
“Hey—hey, don’t cry…”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfbVC48kDj
His voice was softer than usual,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmjY50qGHX
dry and hoarse.
He looked around frantically for something to wipe her tears.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFW9d3meZA
Nothing.
So he pulled up his own sleeve—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GnrAIF4Z2
his wrist still wrapped in bandages—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrihKMdrI25
and carefully reached out31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylGsR3AJOi
to wipe the wet trails on her cheek.
But her tears didn’t stop.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZOM0I2jbV
They only fell faster.
“Please don’t cry… I’m fine.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKNFDS24zg
Really, I’m fine…”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmMfiyZ3xV
His voice got even lower,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1a0OVKrtQT
like he was afraid to scare her more.
His eyes darted sideways,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzyOAhL3Ze
toward the doctor snickering in the corner.
The doctor clucked his tongue,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FrhBncc5B
turned around,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjc4o6ZdWZ
and pushed the door open.
“Your girl, your problem.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGPSz5n7SC
I’m not getting involved—”
The door closed.
And just like that,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2J2IHysaoi
it was only the two of them in the room.
Jason looked down at Nana,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHO8g15BQZ
still crying silently.
His breath caught in his throat.
He had never seen her cry like this before.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkp9PVKoaIu
Finally, her tears began to slow.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69ocPBhlNV
Her eyes were still red.
Jason looked at her,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejc6Nt1Lwg
and the weight on his chest finally lifted.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6J0k6LXtzV
A little.
He had never seen Nana this emotional before.
“What… what happened yesterday?” he asked.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDQraLQ05t
His voice was tired,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSx0vNJ3AR1
but he was clearly trying not to shake.
Nana raised her hands,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8JYOoRJvt
started signing.
Her fingers trembled a bit,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS9MbTOWA1
but the signs were clear.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkjv3Sh80f
When she signed “Robin,”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6GC54euej
Jason’s breath hitched.
“What did you just say?31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvv6AbREfv
Sign it again!”
She nodded,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1jKdjCBzC
repeated the signs.
“Robin.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1FpvtBWYT
“Came with me.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Fg4DuBS0N
“Went upstairs.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3kif3wuDj
“Saw you.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLq46ag84c
“Took you to doctor.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcaZVfpAnO
“Guaranteed you’d recover.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ka0ZDuOqp
“I’ll pay the cost.”
Jason’s blue eyes widened,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHMzawPp5g
bright with something fierce,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIHTEynHuN
almost wild.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8MaWpoCJw
It was like flames had started to flicker inside them,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiG9XLHfHRr
catching light with each word.
He was replaying every sign in his head.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQD34aphpY0
Double-checking the meaning.
Nana nodded again.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOhh0pT9MY
As if to say: You got it right.
Robin really had come.
He had really come here—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYhIPXvADV
to this place with cracked walls and broken doors.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiE9O1jkbEF
Like a storybook hero stepping into the real world.
He saw Jason.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdg8vl4xiPi
Saved him.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsImwHup9M
And left.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡap8IHOluye
然後按「加至主畫面」