I'm a Phoenix

CHAPTER 5.4 | Takanashi Kiara

Kiara.. I have a favor to ask of you.. I need you to—

"Ngghh..."

I woke up, in a place that I'm not familiar with.
My head still hurts for no reason.

"Wh-Where—"

I tried to stand up, but as I raised my hands, they were all connected to a tube.

"E-Eh..?"

I followed on where the tube connects and as I looked up, it appears to be connected on some kind of.. Water..?

After that, I looked around the area and as I looked down. I found a woman sleeping on the bed that I was on.
Although she's not fully lying down on the bed, she's only using her hands as pillows and sleeping on a sitting position.

I didn't know who it was at first but after further analysis, I somehow recognize the hair of the woman.

"C-Claire..?", I asked in an attempt to wake the woman up.

She didn't respond at first but after doing it 2 more times, she finally woke up.

"Hnn.. K-Kiara..?"

As soon as I saw her face, I immediately recognized that it was Claire.

"Claire..? What are you doing?", I asked.

"Hn..?", she hummed as she wiped her eyes.

She looked around for a little bit and then looked at me.
She was still half-asleep but as she focused her eyes onto me even more, she finally recognized who I am.

"K-Kiara?! You're awake!", she shouted as she hugged me.

"O-o-ow!! That hurts Claire!", I screamed in pain.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I got too excited seeing you finally awake..", she said.

"Finally..? What do you mean by that..?", I asked.

"Well.. Kiara.. You were unconscious for.. a week..", she said.

"Huh?"

I tried to understand what she just said but I couldn't. What does she mean by I was unconscious for a week??

"C-Could you please.. Say it one more time..?", I asked.

"I told you.. You were asleep.. For a week.", she said.

After some analyzing that my brain almost explode. I screamed.

"EEEEEEEHHHH????!!!! A WEEK??!! WHAT HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE I WAS UNCONSCIOUS??? WHAT DID I DO??!! TELL ME CLAIRE!!!"

I screamed my lungs out as I grabbed Claire by her arms.

"HEY HEY! CALM DOWN! FINE! I'LL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU!", she said loudly.

She explained that I got into a fight with 3 guys in the Village, and she also said that those 3 weren't those type of guys before. They were just drunk, and that's why they did those stuff last week. But unfortunately, the 3 guys were put in prison for their crimes.

"What happened to Mike..? Is he okay..?", I asked.

"Yeah, he's fine. Steven found the two of you unconscious on the market after some Villagers called for the Guards. Mike's injuries were fatal and it took him 4 days before he woke up, although yours is the strangest..", she said.

"What do you mean?", I asked.

"Mike's injuries were fatal and it was understandable that it took 4 days for him to regain consciousness again, but for you.. You had no injuries whatsoever and yet it took you a week to finally wake up."

"Hm.. That is.. Strange.."

"See? Even you said it yourself."

I kind of remember beating those guys up and seeing Mike full on blood. But after I got unconscious, I had a dream.. About someone asking me a favor.. But what was it..?

"Kiara? Are you okay?", Claire asked after she noticed that I got silent all of a sudden.

"O-Oh yeah, I'm okay.", I replied.

"You might still need more rest, after all, you just woke up right?"

"Yeah, I guess so.. But I don't really feel tired."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Like you know.. I don't feel any tiredness, but I do feel some pain though.."

Now that I think about it, I didn't get hit on that fight did I?
But why am I hurting?

"Since you feel pain, you still need more rest.", Claire said.

"Yeah.. I guess you're right.."

After our conversation, Claire prepared me some fruits to eat. I ate an apple because why not.
After she gave me an apple, she immediately excused herself to go outside and tell the others that I'm awake.

After she went outside, I decided to do some more thinking.
Even though I easily get tired from thinking, I have to know some answers even if they're just vague answers. I have to know.

First things first, last week which felt like yesterday for me, I was able to fight against 3 guys. Even though I wasn't unconsciously fighting them, I was able to dodge the big guys attacks.
Secondly, when I pushed the big guy using both of my arms to his back, he got pushed back for about 7-9 meters which is pretty far, do I have super strength?
Lastly, after I defeated all of them, I looked at their bodies and felt joy. I don't know what I felt back then, but it was really weird..
And also one more thing.. How can I feel pain when I didn't get hit back then? And how was I unconscious for a week without any injuries? That's really weird..

Time passed and my thoughts didn't stop, I kept on repeating the same questions but lead to no answer. And the feeling of you're close to your conclusion but you just can't get a hold of it..
Yeah, that's what I'm feeling right now.

Suddenly the door opened, and Claire was first to show up behind the door.

"Kiaraa~ I'm back~", she said with melody.

The 2nd one to appear was Steven who was happy to see me conscious again, and he also brought Kitty with him.
The last one to show up was Mike, and he's...

"Mike...", I said.

"Hey, Kiara.. I'm glad you're awake..", he said with a smile.

I couldn't tell if that smile is genuine or not but..
Seeing Mike's forehead wrapped up in some kind of cloth, and his one eye that's in some kind of blackish color (black eye).
It really, pains me..

I tried to stand up and get close to him, but the tube was in my way and Steven and Claire tried to stop me.

I, eventually took off the tube from my arm and tried to go towards Mike.
But, I didn't realize that my feet was still weak and I fell..
Luckily, Mike caught me.

"Take it easy, Kiara..", he said.

His voice, I don't want to hear his voice in this tone. He feels sad, but also happy.

"I'm okay now, see?", he said.

I looked up and saw his face again, but the more I look at his face, the more I feel the pain in my chest..

"I— I'm sorry.. Mike..", I apologized.

"Why are you apologizing..?", he asked.

"Because, you got hurt because of me.."

"Don't say that, you protected me remember..?", he said.

"But.. Still... I.. I—", as I was about to finish my sentence, he hugged me.

"It's okay Kiara, everything is fine now.. You don't have to worry about anything..", he said.

After hearing his voice in that tone, my tears started to drop and it eventually ended up with me crying.

I don't know what I could've done better at that situation, if I just knew that I had that kind of strength, then I would've been able to protect Mike before he got beaten up..