Daniel continued to stare at her—Kira—his eyes locked on her face as though it was the sole anchor to his reality.
Because, in a way, it was.
For as long as he could remember, faces had been a blur, indistinct shapes he couldn't decipher. Prosopagnosia. The term had been his unwanted companion since childhood, reducing the people around him to shadows with voices. He had learned to navigate the world by memorizing details—hairstyles, clothing choices, posture, mannerisms—but faces? Faces were mysteries, no more distinguishable than smudges on a fogged mirror.
At school, his condition set him apart. It was what made him an easy target. He never knew if the person approaching him was friend or foe until they spoke or gestured in a way he could recognize.
His condition was a constant reminder that something was fundamentally broken within him.
But now, for the first time, he could see.
Her face wasn't a blur. It was vivid, sharp, every curve and edge perfectly defined. The way her long eyelashes fluttered over her eyes as she blinked. The way her soft, pink lips parted slightly, as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Her moist emerald eyes seemed to glimmer in the sterile hospital lighting, betraying her uncertainty.
She was the first real person he'd ever seen.
Everyone else in the room—the world, even—faded into irrelevance. They were shadows, mere background noise to her luminous presence.
[She's beautiful,] the other voice murmured in his mind, the reverence in its tone mirroring Daniel's own awe.
The word didn't even seem adequate. She wasn't just beautiful—she was transcendent, otherworldly. A goddess.
Her voice broke the spell, soft and hesitant, like she was still unsure if she was doing the right thing by speaking.
"H–hey… Um… It's been a while."
Daniel's lips parted, but no sound emerged.
Her words echoed in his ears like the notes of a symphony. Her voice was the most beautiful melody he had ever heard, more harmonious than anything he could imagine.
[What would it sound like if she sang?] the other voice mused.
Daniel's senses were overwhelmed. Her voice still rang in his ears, but now his nostrils flared as he caught her scent. The faint aroma of blooming jasmine mixed with something subtler, earthier, entirely her own. It wasn't just pleasant—it was intoxicating, setting his pulse racing and his skin prickling with heat.
"I… I hope you're not… um… uncomfortable with me being here," Kira said, her voice dropping to a near whisper.
Her words tugged at his heart, though he didn't understand why.
She seemed flustered, glancing at Ethan and Maxuel as though pleading for their help.
"H–hey," Ethan said finally, scratching his cheek with an awkward laugh. "I know my sister's pretty, but aren't you staring a bit too much?"
Daniel blinked, his trance broken. "Oh… uh…" He turned briefly to Ethan, then back to Kira. "I'm…"
But he couldn't finish. He had no idea what he wanted to say.
A touch on his shoulder startled him. He turned to find Maxuel's concerned eyes searching his face.
"Are you okay?" Maxuel asked carefully. His gaze went to Kira briefly before returning to Daniel. "Should we get the nurses?"
"N–no," Daniel replied, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm fine…"
Maxuel hesitated, unconvinced. "Maybe we should call someone anyway." Without waiting for a response, he glanced toward Kira. "Kira, can you—"
"DON'T LEAVE!"
The shout exploded from Daniel before he realized it, the force of his voice startling everyone in the room.
Kira froze mid-step, her hand hovering near the door handle. Ethan's mouth dropped open, and Maxuel stared at his brother in wide-eyed shock.
Daniel blinked, his own outburst shocking him into silence. Slowly, he lowered his outstretched hand, his fingers trembling.
"I… I mean…" His voice dropped to a quieter tone, laced with uncertainty. "I'm fine. You don't need to call anyone."
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, the tension so thick it felt like a physical weight pressing on them.
Finally, Ethan broke it with an exaggerated laugh. "Whew, man! You've still got that dramatic flair, huh?" He rubbed the back of his neck, his grin forced but genuine in its attempt to lighten the mood.
Kira hesitated, then took a cautious step back toward the group, her movements uncertain.
Ethan plopped into a chair near the bed, leaning back casually, his usual lively demeanor returning. "So, Danny, how's it going? You feeling any better? Or do the nurses still run for cover when you sneeze?"
Daniel managed a faint smile, though his mind remained scattered.
Maxuel sighed, taking the seat next to Ethan. "Don't listen to him, Danny. He's just trying to irritate you."
"I'm trying to make him laugh," Ethan corrected, grinning. "You remember laughing, right? You show your teeth and make weird sounds while breathing."
"Yeah," Maxuel scowled. "Real funny."
As Ethan launched into a series of jokes, mostly about their teachers and subjects Daniel had missed, Maxuel began to chime in, his usual serious demeanor softening in the process.
Kira remained quiet at first, standing off to the side, simply watching her brother's antics. But as the conversation shifted to shared anecdotes about classes, she cautiously joined in.
"You're right, though," she said, glancing at her brother with a smirk. "You'd fail chemistry faster than Daniel, even if you sat through every lesson."
"Ha!" Ethan shot back, his grin widening. "You underestimate me."
Maxuel shook his head. "You're being compared to someone who has missed school for weeks. Have some shame dude."
Daniel listened quietly, his gaze flickering to Kira every so often. His thoughts were a chaotic mess.
She was familiar in a way he couldn't explain, yet she was a stranger—a stranger he couldn't stop focusing on.
When Kira finally turned to him, her gentle voice threw him off. "Are you feeling okay? Is everything… alright?"
"I…" Daniel hesitated, his tone betraying his tension. "I'm managing."
She smiled softly, her expression warm yet cautious, and Daniel felt his stomach churn with unfamiliar emotions.
The conversation continued around him, but Daniel's mind remained fixated on one thought:
She's the only one I can see.