2009, June 27th
It was a fine morning on the last Saturday of the month when a loud shout echoed through the hospital corridor outside a particular room. An orange head burst out, joy lighting up his face as he raced toward the nearest person in white.
"Doctor! Doctor! My cousin! S-she's finally awake!" Hinata Shoyo exclaimed, pulling at the person he met, eager to lead them to her room for a check-up.
However, the man he approached resisted being tugged along. "Wait! Wait! Slow down, I'll trip! I'm not a doctor—I'm a patient too!" he replied, nearly stumbling as the energetic youth tugged him along.
The old man's thoughts raced. 'Can't I enjoy the fresh air in peace? Are kids these days this strong? Even that gutless brat wasn't this lively,' he mused, watching as shock spread across Hinata's face when he finally stopped. Hinata blinked, momentarily taken aback by the realization that he had been pulling along a fellow patient instead of a doctor.
Before the old man's words fully registered in Shoyo's mind, Natsu, Shoyo's younger sister, arrived just in time. Although she was late, her poke to Shoyo's side struck true, causing him to comically collapse on the floor, retching in distress.
"Will he be okay?" the old man asked, sweat trickling down his forehead as he watched the scene unfold.
"Please don't mind him, Grandpa. He'll be fine," Natsu said, brushing off Shoyo's antics. "I'm sorry for my brother's foolishness."
As the old man listened, he couldn't help but hear Shoyo's muffled plea: "Doc—doctor, I'm dying! Help!" followed by Natsu's frustrated retort: "Nii-chan, stop being a baby!"
He chuckled softly to himself, bemused by the playful sibling dynamic. It was hard not to smile at their antics, a little warmth spreading through the otherwise sterile atmosphere of the hospital.
"Nii-chan, did you forget there's a button inside to call for help anytime? Now you've even bothered Grandpa!" Natsu chided.
Shoyo quickly scrambled to his feet and bowed to the old man, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as he struggled to find the right words.
Seeing this, the old man smiled warmly. "You'd best head back to your cousin, Chibi-suke. She finally woke up, right? Go and keep her company."
"Chibi—" Shoyo was thunderstruck by the nickname.
"Yes, Grandpa," Natsu replied for both of them, nudging Shoyo forward. "Let's go, Nii-chan. Nee-sama is waiting!"
The old man watched as the two made their way back down the corridor. He chuckled at Shoyo's bewilderment, the little guy still repeating "Chibi—" as if trying to comprehend it. He grinned, pleased at having potentially traumatized another brat.
"Nii-chan, with you acting like this, I'm the only one who can take care of Nee-sama. You'll just be a bother!" Natsu said, pushing him along.
"Huh? You're too young and small to do that!" Shoyo shot back.
"Nii-chan, you're small too!" Natsu retorted.
"Ack!" Shoyo clutched his chest, stunned. He had taken two critical hits in a single day!
The old man, overhearing their playful bickering, nearly burst out laughing, especially at the incredulous expression on Shoyo's face. "Cheeky brats," he muttered, shaking his head with a grin.
"Gramps! I was looking everywhere for you! Why did you end up here?" a young man with blonde hair called out, approaching from the other direction.
"Oh, Himawari, it's you," the old man grunted, turning back to the window he had been leaning against earlier. " Gutless, as always."
"Hi-Himawari?!"
"Such a weakling and ridiculous clown. Can't you see for yourself?" the old man rubbed his stubbled chin in deep thought as he faced his grandson. "With that burnt mug of yours and that awful hair color, the resemblance is uncanny."
At the side, the young man couldn't help but retort quietly, "Nekomata-sensei always said how much we look alike, so if I'm a sunflower in full bloom, you're either dried up or rotten."
"Keishin."
Ukai Keishin, realizing that the old man had heard him, braced himself as visions of his life flashed before his eyes. "Y-yes, Gramps?"
"Twenty laps before dinner," the old man stated with a smile.
Keishin felt deflated but still managed to salute. "Yes, Coach Ukai!"
The old man harrumphed, closing the window he had opened earlier when he spotted a cat darting around outside. The air had turned putrid for some reason, and he lost the desire to linger. He glared at his gutless grandson, who hurriedly scurried away first, proving his point before following him back to his room.
---
Several minutes earlier, before the commotion began, Akari's nose twitched at the unfamiliar scent of disinfectant. She slowly fluttered her black lashes, interspersed with platinum blonde, as her teal-green eyes adjusted to the morning sunlight streaming through the window beside her.
Where am I this time? she thought.
She was overwhelmed by the weight of her memories. The flood of information was too much to handle all at once, causing a slight migraine to throb at her temples.
As she turned her head, her gaze wandered around the room, taking in the sterile surroundings. Then, her eyes landed on two tangerine-haired figures snuggled together on the couch a short distance away. A messy blanket lay discarded on the floor, likely kicked off in their slumber.
Their peaceful, comical appearance—complete with drool trickling from their mouths—made her chuckle softly. It was a heartwarming sight, and it filled her with a sense of comfort amid the uncertainty.
With renewed determination, she pushed herself up to a sitting position, the sheets rustling around her.
She could control her own body now, confirming where she was, which explained the strange sensations she had been feeling. Finally, she sighed, realizing she could no longer avoid it.
Turning her gaze to her bandaged leg, she murmured, "I hope I didn't break any bones at least..."
Her thoughts lingered on what she still had rather than what she might have lost due to this injury.
Just then, the door to the room swung open, revealing a young woman with a bob of short black hair. She entered, carrying several containers and a basket of fruit, her eyes fixed intently on her load as if afraid she might drop something.
"Yumi-obasan..." Akari called out, her voice raspy from dehydration.
Upon hearing her name, the woman looked up, a warm smile spreading across her face as her eyes lit up. "You're finally awake, Akari-chan! Thank goodness! How are you feeling?"
A wave of relief washed over Akari at her aunt's concern. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Besides my leg... and other things... she thought, the weight of her situation settling heavily in her chest.
But Yumi's presence was comforting, reminding her again that she wasn't alone in this.
Yumi quickly settled beside Akari's bed, placing the containers and basket of fruit on the side table. She then handed Akari a bottle of water, her eyes filled with concern.
Caught off guard by the gesture, Akari forgot to say thanks as she took a long, refreshing sip. The cool water felt soothing against her dry throat. She heard Yumi chuckle softly, which made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Just as she set the bottle down, Yumi reached out, gently cupping Akari's face with both hands.
"Good thing your pretty face wasn't hurt. Just..." Yumi said, brushing her fingers lightly over a patch of platinum blonde hair among the sea of black on Akari's left temple. "This lucky patch of yours got singed a little."
Akari couldn't help but chuckle at her aunt's description. The word "lucky" felt oddly comforting amid the chaos.
"Maybe it is lucky," she replied, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry, Obasan, it'll grow back like usual."
Yumi's expression softened, her warmth enveloping Akari like a cozy blanket. "You've always had a way of bouncing back, haven't you?" she said, her voice filled with affection. "I just want you to take it easy for now. You've been through so much."
"I will, I promise," Akari reassured her, appreciating the care and love in Yumi's eyes. "Just give me some time to heal."
Yumi smiled and released her hold on Akari's face, turning to arrange the items she had brought. As she did, she began to babble about all the happenings while Akari was asleep.
"I know how unappetizing hospital food can be, so I went home for a bit to cook breakfast. I really should have brought these two home last night," she said, gesturing to the sleeping duo on the couch. "But they were so adamant about not leaving you alone. Even the hospital staff tried to persuade them, but I didn't expect them to be that stubborn. They actually won the argument!"
Akari heard her aunt giggle at the thought of the previous night's fiasco. "I missed such a funny event, then," she quipped.
It wasn't hard to imagine how things unfolded with those two when they got riled up. The older one, especially, had a knack for creating chaos, and Akari now had a 'clearer understanding' of her quirky cousin's antics.
"Kaa-san! What breakfast did you bring?!"
A sudden shout startled both women.
"Yo-kun, ohayou~" Akari greeted her finally awake cousin, eager to use the nickname she had been waiting to call him. She still couldn't quite believe that she was related to Hinata Shōyō—the Hinata Shōyō.
"Oh!!! Riiiiiiiii-chan?! Rii-chan, you're finally awake!" he exclaimed, leaping toward the bed.
His loudness made Akari flinch, instinctively bracing herself for the impact of this orange wrecking ball barreling toward her. But despite the worry, she couldn't help but admire his energy so early in the morning.
"Shōyō, shut it!" Yumi scolded, slapping Shōyō's head just in time to save Akari from impending doom. "You're in the hospital, you know? Tone it down a little. You're disturbing the other patients. At least apologize to Akari-chan—what if you injure her when you jump around like that?"
The realization hit him, and he quickly dropped to the floor, bowing his head. "Rii-chan, gomenasai!"
"Y-Yo-kun, get up. I'm okay," Akari urged, almost standing to help him up. She couldn't help but smile at his sincerity, feeling a warm sense of family surrounding her.
But Shōyō just curled up even more. "Ahhhhh! T-Thank God, you're okay. You're okay... I-I was so worried... Thank God..." He sniffled, revealing that he had been trying to hold back tears.
"Shōyō..." Yumi's voice trembled as tears filled her eyes.
At that moment, Akari understood the unspoken words between them:
Thank God, you're still here.
She realized that despite everything she had learned to keep her from lingering in the shadows of despair, the presence of this small circle of family filled her heart with warmth, encouraging her to move forward.
"Yes," Akari replied, her own tears beginning to fall as she smiled through the emotion. This time, there was no disconnection; she felt fully present and connected now.