Jason woke up and found himself lying in a hospital bed.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCbx6PUpU8
The bed was dim, the sheets looked… grayish—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRD1EvL5rf
he wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or if they simply hadn’t been washed.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0dintmkmn
Everything felt faded and dull.
He moved a little.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyoKv8o1wy
The frame creaked,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lGolRmxDT
like the bones of an old house.
He raised a hand and touched the top of his head.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTchUesym2
His hair and forehead were wrapped in bandages—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnonKL230iI
tight, damp, and sore.
Then the memories started coming back.
Last night,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5PLiyksbP
the drunk had come home.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTrsGLer0j
Jason had been doing homework under the sliver of light that came through the window.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzAT0flbqp
He was using the charity notebook from social services,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOMRpFSF6A
and his pencil was worn down to just two fingers long.
He remembered how the light hit the page,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FxHKide2a
like that one little square of the world was still clean.
The drunk came in muttering,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxb1ww6j2A7
repeating curses like a broken record.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbezUxVLhUg
He shouted about Jason’s “whore mother,”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PYcw7iX6O
how she had used her body to escape the slums and go to medical school,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7GDtAWs5c
and never sent a cent back.
His voice was thick,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLYdID79e7
like spit phlegm—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvXwqza4QV
sticky, sour,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPk2aYjvg7R
and heavy enough to make your chest ache.
Jason had tried to ignore it.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEXiQ5W14I
But that night,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6m8eNz0Id
for some reason,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LjlGfEAZf
he talked back.
Maybe he was tired.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rFWOHkH7W
Maybe the light had been too gentle,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDTTbuQlqj
and for a second,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPo7DZWDm20
he thought he could be a normal kid—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0e4GFRlnQZ
do homework,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVLYxFJSVU
eat dinner,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDVMTOYuaX
not get hit.
The man snapped.
That wasn’t unusual.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwQI6rIDbT
Violence was always close by in this house.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJM5NbM8mH
But that night,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqc1rx0b9Vj
he found something under Jason’s books.
It was a paper batarang.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui7bONTMPx
Nana had made it for his birthday.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfi8PMsUv7
She’d dug through junk piles to find the right paper—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJ57PBBTdY
just the right shine,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJ5fG9w52B
strong enough to fold without tearing.
Jason loved it.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpwuiYhtMp
He carried it with him everywhere.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMlxzK1ST4
Sometimes he’d hold it up to the sunlight just to watch.
The old man picked it up.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFz7HK1LKo9
Jason shouted.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxFVOwLL4x
Told him to give it back.
The man didn’t.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4gPHRDJxe
Instead, he gave that gap-toothed smile—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp38K2lbUfH
and, right in front of Jason,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYlB745VQ7
crumpled the batarang in his hand.
The sound was soft—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB56r6DLKo
just paper crunching.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Hxw3ZmSTY
But to Jason,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18dR3R9wQX
it felt like bones breaking.
He lost it.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3HehFBb52
Threw himself at the man,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhflIVpwd4x
bit his hand.
The man roared.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GxHUe6Eru
The bottle came down.
Then—nothing.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgn39KQ5J4f
When Jason came back to himself,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGgyfKW6Dl
a doctor walked in.
He recognized the man.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleoZPOOZgr
The unlicensed doctor from down the street.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gPTqfpIpD
Rumor was he used to be decent at medicine67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBgRC7lpf9
until he crossed the wrong gang and disappeared into this neighborhood.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP42rtvFPbl
He wore layers of torn coats,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6L3ZiN6j6Z
his hair matted,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpRRXItRA6
his smell a strange mix of chemicals and old collars.
“Oh, you’re up!” the doctor said, grinning casually.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6DQDXIZxG
“Looks like you’re recovering pretty well.”
He walked closer, flipping through a small stack of papers,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsL53zwNHrk
his tone almost lazy.
“School’s almost out.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgG7ePeRqc
That little girl will be here soon.”
Jason turned.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFYNOPG7Li
“You mean… Nana?”
The doctor laughed,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3scXouT0P
a weird little giggle.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlsP3RaWG5
“Your little girlfriend came by this morning, you know.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIXyvueyD9
Then she went to class.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EhXXWh0cc
Sweet kid—”
Before he could finish,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeVL4m0o4S
a small figure ran into the room.
The girl froze the second she saw Jason awake in bed.
She stood there,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8Eat3HsYQ
like her thoughts hadn’t caught up yet.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsudmVuZfh4
Her eyes were wide and round,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wmUkW6Gek
her face flushed red.
Then she rushed to the bed in two quick steps.
She stared down at him,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawyLB1kFuz
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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRlP18AfDG
He opened his mouth,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTMjsBCZ35
was about to say something—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyC9AZoMq5t
when her tears fell.
One after another,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVezv2VtKm
like someone had cut a string of pearls loose.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlFXI6DoPC
Plink. Plink.
Jason jumped in shock.
“Hey—hey, don’t cry…”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFjrXXWZ9V
His voice was softer than usual,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iL9ABSBt8
dry and hoarse.
He looked around frantically for something to wipe her tears.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgyeEQlu7E
Nothing.
So he pulled up his own sleeve—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVhQsf3CGQ
his wrist still wrapped in bandages—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRCgnZWzhh
and carefully reached out67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAFB6znqtY
to wipe the wet trails on her cheek.
But her tears didn’t stop.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97edAKpVB0
They only fell faster.
“Please don’t cry… I’m fine.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhFKWrU25w
Really, I’m fine…”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1alxp8OjRS
His voice got even lower,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTT7nNHcCnp
like he was afraid to scare her more.
His eyes darted sideways,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0h5kzVkWRZ
toward the doctor snickering in the corner.
The doctor clucked his tongue,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1rCaFd183
turned around,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppmVi54XBP
and pushed the door open.
“Your girl, your problem.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rFtTiyecG
I’m not getting involved—”
The door closed.
And just like that,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRuMwLTl7O
it was only the two of them in the room.
Jason looked down at Nana,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUSrNWxm5Q
still crying silently.
His breath caught in his throat.
He had never seen her cry like this before.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGi7Bv1khk
Finally, her tears began to slow.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWimYMtB3rx
Her eyes were still red.
Jason looked at her,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhu4DXUYrA
and the weight on his chest finally lifted.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAvLHj8JMF
A little.
He had never seen Nana this emotional before.
“What… what happened yesterday?” he asked.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXDBOztDxS
His voice was tired,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAnHyYFWqG
but he was clearly trying not to shake.
Nana raised her hands,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeCkGPOfJu
started signing.
Her fingers trembled a bit,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmZhZAXX9w
but the signs were clear.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElYjn38MmW
When she signed “Robin,”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iFOoKCzFD
Jason’s breath hitched.
“What did you just say?67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFbT6JIoUs
Sign it again!”
She nodded,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUnkLbjTpF
repeated the signs.
“Robin.”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCso7IJ1g4
“Came with me.”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFp8N59z3B
“Went upstairs.”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleYBB6hzAS
“Saw you.”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTaFRvcEEa
“Took you to doctor.”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6XSzLi3az
“Guaranteed you’d recover.”67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmtQcVz97X
“I’ll pay the cost.”
Jason’s blue eyes widened,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6smfCgnzZc
bright with something fierce,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCJk7e94Ds
almost wild.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLKmn1atBd
It was like flames had started to flicker inside them,67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTIpOcv2m3
catching light with each word.
He was replaying every sign in his head.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79h0wl77E2
Double-checking the meaning.
Nana nodded again.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnbSXcbs4a
As if to say: You got it right.
Robin really had come.
He had really come here—67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGrpPmhDhf
to this place with cracked walls and broken doors.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVDpne7Bq3
Like a storybook hero stepping into the real world.
He saw Jason.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzlyVc59SX
Saved him.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65zsGWuIFL
And left.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqMepuIvmY
