2:00 AM.
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Kimijima Kouichi received a call from the hospital.
Just one sentence:565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EbFtCJfUd
—“Miss Amagi Suzuran is in critical condition.”
He didn’t ask questions.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuiA13g0aJ
Didn’t grab a coat.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHUNBKiFzj
Just ran.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtga5jML2G
Straight to the hospital.
Outside the ICU, the white fluorescent lights were blindingly bright.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTRjAtqORD
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.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfJzfVcJrz
His steps accelerated, almost beyond control.
The fire in his chest surged up in a wave — of rage, of regret.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0WUGj2OcK
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.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaNUNZERAA
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.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvRtv6nAUb
Each step felt like it was landing on his own heart.
She lay there quietly.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrW7vkv8qt
Her face paler than the sheets.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKaK7UBu8Y
An oxygen mask covered her face.
Her chest rose and fell faintly — proof that she was still alive.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oIxqXBg6a
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,565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ylFVPrwjB
the only one he had ever loved —565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJ3ia7ENRo
Amagi Suzuran.
Or—Hanazono Suzuran.
He bit his lip, but couldn’t stop the tears.
"Why…"565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNDLlRizgk
His voice was barely audible.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYVyB2oDdg
"…did you always tell me you were doing fine?"
Why did you lie to me?565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZNx3lDQK4
Why did you carry it all alone?565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FuXccHt13
Why… didn’t you come to me?
In that moment, time seemed to break.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZL49H41a4
Only the steady, cold rhythm of the heart monitor continued.
And Kimijima — had already crumbled.
4:00 AM.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8N8kZCt7M
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.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTdVaqnbxi
Sleepy, and yet burdened with exhaustion too deep to hide.
“…Tokinaga.”
“What’s up?”565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkuXJMpaUS
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.”565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApd2YMcqZP
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?”565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSdKq87T18
He frowned and checked the time, sitting upright again.
“Kimijima, are you sick or something?”565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrZt4HqZpL
“You, of all people, saying something like that?”
There was no immediate response.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgfZeTyTtB
Just silence —565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03QwNMeiuH
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.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO8BTHPcp1
This friend — always calm, always rational —565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfZgWA8Wz3
this time, he was shaken. Truly shaken.
Then finally, a whisper came.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsmXnFH08A
So low, it was almost inaudible.
“…She died.”
Tokinaga’s fingers froze.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXUcGTb7uY
The pen slipped from his hand.
“…She?”
He blinked.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2dBYiwqDh
His voice lost its usual indifference.
“You mean… her…”
He paused.
“…Your lady?”
Silence.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONkX3kMfQ0
But that silence was the answer —565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwIzM9087t
heavier than any words.
Tokinaga leaned back, exhaled long and deep.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9FSNgmV9t
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.565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFWck6M4b6
And murmured:
“…You’re insane, Kimijima.”
A quiet reply came through the line:
“I’ve always been insane for her.”565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4u3isIA5cI
565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8KEaudGlT
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepa7GnPsJa
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED7ZvJcEXP
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭565Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJFFUKi7Pg
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