2:00 AM.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSb1Atm8ymz
Kimijima Kouichi received a call from the hospital.
Just one sentence:131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuP3PUYWNI
—“Miss Amagi Suzuran is in critical condition.”
He didn’t ask questions.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGlHEgXhw9
Didn’t grab a coat.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQCb4NJ0Na
Just ran.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9p92DrxSz
Straight to the hospital.
Outside the ICU, the white fluorescent lights were blindingly bright.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifVaeCcQgx
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.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRCitacWvn
His steps accelerated, almost beyond control.
The fire in his chest surged up in a wave — of rage, of regret.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzz10gT8bh
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.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwHHiV6ID5
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.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKZisnAIV6
Each step felt like it was landing on his own heart.
She lay there quietly.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8tnnYfbG5
Her face paler than the sheets.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCfKGDYoMG
An oxygen mask covered her face.
Her chest rose and fell faintly — proof that she was still alive.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVAouuxEJC
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,131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO9wUcGdA5
the only one he had ever loved —131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDlit1I2Iw
Amagi Suzuran.
Or—Hanazono Suzuran.
He bit his lip, but couldn’t stop the tears.
"Why…"131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZdQP0Hgaa
His voice was barely audible.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2650GjjUK
"…did you always tell me you were doing fine?"
Why did you lie to me?131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn4tYefhK6
Why did you carry it all alone?131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5POoQnjTw
Why… didn’t you come to me?
In that moment, time seemed to break.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiFAFmtyD5
Only the steady, cold rhythm of the heart monitor continued.
And Kimijima — had already crumbled.
4:00 AM.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuziOIxP8N
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.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OnXYwkbor
Sleepy, and yet burdened with exhaustion too deep to hide.
“…Tokinaga.”
“What’s up?”131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5Itmjjr8W
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.”131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVuROXD0vM
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?”131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3Tx3UvM1m
He frowned and checked the time, sitting upright again.
“Kimijima, are you sick or something?”131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEZpTU9tgH
“You, of all people, saying something like that?”
There was no immediate response.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorzUewEHMe
Just silence —131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7yGZQQRFC
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.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSGBNmJjh4
This friend — always calm, always rational —131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwxSyeTxut
this time, he was shaken. Truly shaken.
Then finally, a whisper came.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQiBIjNlex
So low, it was almost inaudible.
“…She died.”
Tokinaga’s fingers froze.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJIq9fwDbO
The pen slipped from his hand.
“…She?”
He blinked.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1sYLxsCMc
His voice lost its usual indifference.
“You mean… her…”
He paused.
“…Your lady?”
Silence.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp7QniqL72
But that silence was the answer —131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsrGZiItpP
heavier than any words.
Tokinaga leaned back, exhaled long and deep.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWtoWFMsmi
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.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKVrvb3U16
And murmured:
“…You’re insane, Kimijima.”
A quiet reply came through the line:
“I’ve always been insane for her.”131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oYTOFxZDm
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtSEqPGXVj
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnUjXSMxJV
You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjS06O8GZ6S
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtFRX3eodi
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrP7HQFZGn
