A delicious fragrance tugged me from the depths of slumber. It wasn't the sweet scent of flowers that greeted me, but something far more comforting—food. My eyelids fluttered open as I shifted on the soft, fluffy bed beneath me, feeling the weight of the IV drip tugging at my arm. Slowly, I realized that I could move again, though my body still felt heavy and sore from exhaustion.
I turned my head in the direction of the enticing aroma, my neck stiff but obedient. There, gathered around the ventilator beside mine, was everyone—Astrid, Damian, Aiden, and Liam —huddled together. And if my memory served me right, the one on the ventilator must be Karun.
Summoning all the strength I had, I tried to call out. "Karun…" My voice was barely a whisper, drowned out by the conversations and the beeping of the machines. But then, almost as if on instinct, I saw a hand—his hand—shift slightly, moving the IV line aside. He turned toward me, eyes wide with realization.
"Karun!" I whispered again, louder this time.
Karun bolted upright, stumbling toward me with a mix of urgency and exhaustion. He wriggled awkwardly until he was right at my bedside, collapsing onto the edge with tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Kathy, you're awake," he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. His trembling hand found mine, and I squeezed it weakly, barely able to return the gesture.
"Yes… I am," I muttered, my throat dry, my voice shaky. I was too weak to cry properly, but the overwhelming relief of being alive, of being safe, made my eyes sting with unshed tears. The fact that we had made it out alive—both of us—was enough to drown me in a flood of emotions I wasn't prepared for.
Around me, everyone's faces mirrored that same relief, even though some tried to hide it. Ryan wiped his face discreetly, and Aiden stood back, watching quietly but with a soft expression. Damian, ever the stoic, merely sniffled, his eyes betraying the emotions he wouldn't dare show.
It was the first time in a long while that we all allowed ourselves to feel. We cried together, a collective release of the tension and fear that had gripped us for so long. The realization that we were finally safe—that we had survived—washed over us all.
After what felt like hours, the tears stopped, and the room fell into a peaceful quiet. Karun, wiping his face, gave me a small smile. "So, what's that delicious smell?" I asked, my curiosity finally catching up to me.
Karun chuckled. "Hemma sent me some food—she's been keeping me fed since I started eating again, two days ago."
"Two days?" I echoed. "Wait, how long have I been asleep?"
Kaile, who had been sitting on the other side of my bed, smiled warmly. "Two Weeks."
"Two Weeks?!" I exclaimed, shocked. The idea that I had been out for so long felt surreal.
After a brief chat, the haziness of my dreams faded, and reality set in. This wasn't a dream—we had really made it out alive. Both Karun and I had survived, and soon enough, we'd be going back home, back to the people we loved.
We were interrupted as the research team rushed into the room. Daisy and Ryan came forward with urgency, their concern palpable. Ryan nearly flew to my bedside, his face lined with worry.
After a flurry of check-ups, ensuring I was truly okay, the tension in the room slowly dissipated. Daisy gave me an emotional hug, her usual calm demeanor momentarily replaced with something far more vulnerable. It was a touching moment—one that made me feel more connected to everyone here. They had all been through so much, and I was just beginning to understand the depth of that.
As the evening wore on, Liam popped in occasionally to check on me, and Astrid, Damian, and Aiden stayed close, constantly looking after both Karun and me. When night finally fell, I insisted that they rest. I knew they needed it just as much as we did. After all, who likes being watched 24/7? It was tiring just to think about, and they had already done more than enough. Eventually, they all retired to their rooms, leaving Karun and me alone.
Dinner that night was simple—a warm, smooth soup, easy on my still-recovering body. I wasn't ready for anything solid yet, but it felt good to have real food again. Karun and I talked for a while, discussing the mission and reflecting on everything that had happened.
I asked him if he had mentioned anything about Kris. Karun shook his head. "I was mostly unconscious when the NPC was around, so I deliberately skipped those parts. I didn't want to jump to conclusions until I knew the whole truth from you."
So, I told him everything. I told him about Kris, about the memories of my past life—how I had been an orphan, and how the same scientist who built the game had once cared for me. As I spoke, those memories of being alone as a child welled up inside me, the pain of that time still fresh.
Karun listened quietly, patiently taking in the whole story. When I got to the part about being an orphan, I felt my throat tighten, but before I could say anything, Karun placed a hand on my shoulder.
"It's okay, Kathy. You have us in this life. You have me," he said softly. "You're my little sister, and I'll stand by you, even if it's against the world. Heck, even if you turn out to be an evil scientist, I'll still have your back."
I couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, like some kind of sidekick, right?"
Karun grinned. "Exactly. Every evil genius needs a sidekick who's slightly less evil. I'll make sure your world domination plan has no loopholes."
I laughed. "Thanks, Karun. I'll need that."
Soon, though, fatigue caught up with us both. As we drifted off to sleep, the tension from earlier had lifted, replaced with a sense of peace. We were still healing, but at least we had each other—and the world, evil plans or not, could wait