2:00 AM.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnHOw3nUyi
Kimijima Kouichi received a call from the hospital.
Just one sentence:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNW17YO1bfV
—“Miss Amagi Suzuran is in critical condition.”
He didn’t ask questions.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPALGJa6kQ
Didn’t grab a coat.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDJ9BVh9bF
Just ran.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrcBdTZrrX
Straight to the hospital.
Outside the ICU, the white fluorescent lights were blindingly bright.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2gS9UXtpy
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.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxidtF7nSn
His steps accelerated, almost beyond control.
The fire in his chest surged up in a wave — of rage, of regret.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRbjLKIQey
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.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OwupN9ZZL
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.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETKnjKE666
Each step felt like it was landing on his own heart.
She lay there quietly.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmny0HgtW6
Her face paler than the sheets.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6knhrX1ksF
An oxygen mask covered her face.
Her chest rose and fell faintly — proof that she was still alive.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL12XMjiI6
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,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHJjClpPrd
the only one he had ever loved —19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvGImrXs6Z
Amagi Suzuran.
Or—Hanazono Suzuran.
He bit his lip, but couldn’t stop the tears.
"Why…"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYuh9vNvD7
His voice was barely audible.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeVZIM0tSo
"…did you always tell me you were doing fine?"
Why did you lie to me?19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJQjUSBq0D
Why did you carry it all alone?19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfjQwryTYa
Why… didn’t you come to me?
In that moment, time seemed to break.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfzidHCNff
Only the steady, cold rhythm of the heart monitor continued.
And Kimijima — had already crumbled.
4:00 AM.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DY8VOYWs8
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.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOVrY6yyTH
Sleepy, and yet burdened with exhaustion too deep to hide.
“…Tokinaga.”
“What’s up?”19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHGJP5MZck
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.”19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLSS3iJyfr
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?”19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT0jNR1vSW
He frowned and checked the time, sitting upright again.
“Kimijima, are you sick or something?”19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxwFFgajKl
“You, of all people, saying something like that?”
There was no immediate response.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lWePwOqK3
Just silence —19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3Ex1oR0OP
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.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycYxnpCpLA
This friend — always calm, always rational —19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GRqbx4fNT
this time, he was shaken. Truly shaken.
Then finally, a whisper came.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7DdtAmyyN
So low, it was almost inaudible.
“…She died.”
Tokinaga’s fingers froze.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDotZmMVCz
The pen slipped from his hand.
“…She?”
He blinked.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPwSc6s98G
His voice lost its usual indifference.
“You mean… her…”
He paused.
“…Your lady?”
Silence.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMSOHXSS9B
But that silence was the answer —19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2I10DqU7qi
heavier than any words.
Tokinaga leaned back, exhaled long and deep.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvVygQBMbm
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.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuBrXdwega
And murmured:
“…You’re insane, Kimijima.”
A quiet reply came through the line:
“I’ve always been insane for her.”
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