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I SLOWLY OPENED MY EYES as I sensed a tight grip on my hand. I blinked a few times and found myself in a hospital room. The walls were completely white, and the same thing goes for my long patient dress.
I felt pain surge throughout my body. I tilted my head to my left, realizing that my mom kept on holding my hand the whole time. She was sleeping, and I didn't want to wake her up.
I rose to sit down, but thanks to that, my mom had awakened. She rubbed her gem eyes and glanced back at me. Her pearly blue eyes, colored with crystalline droplets.
It was like a scene out of a movie. I felt like I was watching an anime protagonist. At the moment, I knew what she felt. It wasn't sadness. It wasn't frustration. But relief.
Before I can even say anything, she crossed her arms over my sick body. She looked like she was about to crumble, and I didn't know how to respond. I caressed her pink hair lightly as each strand played on my fingertips.
I replied to her sudden warm hug by saying, "Tadaima." She pulled back, an inch away from me. With a gentle smile, she said.
"Okaerinasai." ⁽ᴵⁿˢᵉʳᵗ ᵀᵒʰʳᵘ'ˢ ᵛᵒᶦᶜᵉ⁾
I embraced her back to make her tears disappear. She was weeping nonstop, so I thought it'd be a good idea to comfort her until she was back to her usual optimistic self.
But for some reason, I felt something was missing. I sensed that something was wrong in the situation. I ran a few steps in my mind in search of an answer. Then finally, I found it.
"Mom, where's Kusuo?" I asked.
She looked hesitant in telling me the truth. She pulled her body away and let go of me. She pushed both palms together as she looked down, her dawn-tinted bangs masking her azure irises. She was slightly trembling as she processed her way of satisfying my question.
Her white hand pointed towards a room opposite mine. I leaned forward, trying to see why she specifically darted the place. I saw a blonde man sitting patiently inside. His body covered who he was with, but I was confident of who it was.
Without thinking, I walked to the door. Even if I can't stroll properly, I knew I had to see it. I had to see what was happening. I opened the doorknob, intruding inside.
I found my dad sitting in a plastic chair next to Kusuo. He had his head lowered, his hands shaking. His skin became drained out of distress. But what struck me the most was the brother I have cared for so much.
My heart sunk into the middle of the deep ocean. My mind wandered endlessly into the unknown.
I couldn't believe it. Why did this happen? How did this happen?
My brother, who was the strongest person I know, is lying unconscious in a hospital bed. I knew he was human. I knew he wasn't a god. But looking at his current state is still unbelievable.
I knew that this could've happened in the future. And yet...
