2:00 AM.
137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat2ZXVsmgE
Kimijima Kouichi received a call from the hospital.
Just one sentence:137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC87i8HIhzw
—“Miss Amagi Suzuran is in critical condition.”
He didn’t ask questions.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUgDCfDmaJ
Didn’t grab a coat.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6MWCO1cFb
Just ran.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vIGRRQQF3
Straight to the hospital.
Outside the ICU, the white fluorescent lights were blindingly bright.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ67v1S2ybN
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.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2KhOu4HQn
His steps accelerated, almost beyond control.
The fire in his chest surged up in a wave — of rage, of regret.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zEcfYJegr
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.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvROZ45hF8B
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.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡua8epDRulo
Each step felt like it was landing on his own heart.
She lay there quietly.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6y3PkgZjSG
Her face paler than the sheets.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkeh4dloXm
An oxygen mask covered her face.
Her chest rose and fell faintly — proof that she was still alive.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGqxokkfPF
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,137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6w9oywaQn
the only one he had ever loved —137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXZqAdvQDC
Amagi Suzuran.
Or—Hanazono Suzuran.
He bit his lip, but couldn’t stop the tears.
"Why…"137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBCsNLRtR5
His voice was barely audible.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wxeMps5ut
"…did you always tell me you were doing fine?"
Why did you lie to me?137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuf9zmYRlD
Why did you carry it all alone?137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsizaaEfia
Why… didn’t you come to me?
In that moment, time seemed to break.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv63gXwViCk
Only the steady, cold rhythm of the heart monitor continued.
And Kimijima — had already crumbled.
4:00 AM.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5qjtzWZns
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.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoOEHRomXW
Sleepy, and yet burdened with exhaustion too deep to hide.
“…Tokinaga.”
“What’s up?”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cGI8QBL3x
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.”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEClyR2qSI
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?”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnRFUlCg2t
He frowned and checked the time, sitting upright again.
“Kimijima, are you sick or something?”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvjDqkETir
“You, of all people, saying something like that?”
There was no immediate response.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4utSWq1ty
Just silence —137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0wzQfLyfy
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.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNX1uNu4S8
This friend — always calm, always rational —137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRoyoSwA5u
this time, he was shaken. Truly shaken.
Then finally, a whisper came.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lanmGsCPx
So low, it was almost inaudible.
“…She died.”
Tokinaga’s fingers froze.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1cDNDw835
The pen slipped from his hand.
“…She?”
He blinked.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZkbDQfLRy
His voice lost its usual indifference.
“You mean… her…”
He paused.
“…Your lady?”
Silence.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJqxkYTFaM
But that silence was the answer —137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoHih9WUaD
heavier than any words.
Tokinaga leaned back, exhaled long and deep.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshWXx7e6Xe
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.137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSO0Nn1UIA
And murmured:
“…You’re insane, Kimijima.”
A quiet reply came through the line:
“I’ve always been insane for her.”137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmZvxOncYm
137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhrQOmOh7S
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfBHKyyb1C
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAQJDF7DMz
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PKydLeSDc
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