The mind can forget... but the heart never!

Chapter 40

Mamoru noticed Seiya darting past him in his peripheral vision, followed by Angel throwing two knives in his direction. Mamoru hesitated for a moment, and Angel nodded, then sprinted towards him. As Angel ran, Mamoru caught her gaze, and she nodded in acknowledgment. They were a well-coordinated team, and time hadn't changed that. With swift steps, he followed Seiya, knowing exactly what Angel meant. They had worked together for too long for their understanding to waver.

Shin's teams in the grand hall were nearly eliminated. Angel and her team would take care of the remaining ones. Mamoru's priority was to get Seiya and Bunny out of there. Afterward, he would put an end to Shin and Shiori. Just as Mamoru glanced around the corner, he spotted two men standing near a door. One of them had his weapon aimed at Seiya. In a quick motion, Mamoru gave Seiya a firm push, causing him to fall to the ground. At the same instant, Mamoru fired back, and the attacker fell. A sharp burning sensation spread across Mamoru's upper arm. A quick glance relieved him—it was just a graze. The second man turned, but before he could comprehend the situation, Mamoru fired again.

"Get up and keep searching!" Mamoru roared as he caught Seiya's gaze. Since he couldn't identify any more of Shin's men around, he rushed back to the main hall. Angel approached him; sweat dripped down her forehead, indicating she had taken her fair share of hits too. "The hall is mostly clear. I just haven't found that bastard and his sister yet."

Out of frustration, Mamoru kicked one of the pillars. "Keep searching. He has to be somewhere here."

"All clear, the Bunny is in the burrow. I repeat, the Bunny is in the burrow," Saphir's voice echoed through Mamoru's earpiece. In that moment, a huge weight was lifted from his chest. How had that wannabe singer managed to get them out of here? Were there more exits than what was marked on the map?

"I want everyone available to hunt down Shin immediately. Injured personnel to the quarters, Celeste has set up a medical station. I'll be there soon. The rest of you, keep moving! No breaks until he's caught!" Mamoru yelled. Angel placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Stay calm, Chiba. We're on his tail. Take a breather and tend to your shoulder; you're bleeding."

Seiya sat in the waiting room of the emergency room with his brothers. It had been a while since they arrived, and there was still no news about Bunny's condition. The waiting was driving him crazy. Taiki had been on the phone with Amy, updating her on the situation. Yaten sat beside Seiya, nervously picking at his nails. Seiya stared blankly at a spot on the wall, feeling paralyzed. The image of Bunny, helpless and battered on the ground, was still vivid in his mind. Her tender face had been swollen and bruised. Her clothes were stained with blood. She looked utterly devastated. Uncontrollable tears streamed down Seiya's face. He couldn't protect her; that thought echoed over and over in his mind.

Finally, a nurse entered the waiting room. "Family members of Ms. Tsukino?" Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki all lifted their heads simultaneously. "Yes," Seiya jumped up, and Taiki quickly intervened, "My brother is Ms. Tsukino's fiancé." Yaten frowned in confusion, receiving a kick from Taiki in response. The nurse scrutinized the three of them skeptically. "Then you can go to consultation room Four for a discussion with the doctor. The doctor will be there shortly." As soon as they were alone, Yaten complained, "Ouch, Taiki, that hurt. And by the way, since when are they engaged?" "Only family members are allowed to get information, now be quiet before you accidentally spill the beans."

Seiya hadn't really processed everything. Like a puppet, he walked towards Room Four, accompanied by an uneasy, dull feeling. Taiki and Yaten hurried after him. A short, stout doctor with glasses burst into the room. "So, you're connected to Ms. Tsukino. Can you tell me how these injuries occurred? I mean, there are quite a few, and not many of them are severe." The doctor paused briefly. Tears welled up in Seiya's eyes once again, and he shook his head. "What's wrong with her?" he croaked hoarsely. "Better ask what's not wrong with her. Alright, let's start from the top. Ms. Tsukino has a mild brain hemorrhage, a left cheekbone fracture, as well as several rib fractures that have affected her lungs. She has a femur fracture, and her spleen is significantly swollen, on the verge of rupturing. She suffered significant blood loss. We've already administered five blood transfusions just to keep her somewhat stable. She's in emergency surgery now. I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you at the moment, and her condition is critical."