The cold metallic room glowed beneath rows of blue neon lights.
Underneath Shan's courtyard, the steady beeping of a heart monitor echoed through the laboratory.
Michael lay unconscious on a futuristic operating bed. His chest was open, revealing a web of tubes and machinery connected deep within him.
"Alright, don't forget." Shan said calmly. "Gentle."
Mika nodded, gripping a scalpel with blood-soaked hands that trembled ever so slightly.
"Right."
She swallowed.
"Gentle."
The word became a quiet mantra as she slowly approached the wound.
Just before the scalpel touched skin, Shan gently grabbed her wrist.
Mika looked up in surprise.
"It's okay." Shan reassured her. "You've got this."
Mika took a deep breath.
Then carefully widened the opening.
Shan nodded before placing the Cadence Cell into Michael's chest.
"Leo, how are we doing?" Shan asked without looking away from the operation.
"All good. Everything's stable."
Leo turned from the monitor to answer.
SMACK.
A sharp slap landed on the back of his head.
"Eyes on the screen. Always." Rosemary commanded.
Leo rubbed the back of his skull.
"Ow..."
"Yeah, four-eyes." Mika smirked. "Can't believe you can't do such a simple task."
"I'm surprised you can even cut straight with your clumsy ass." Leo fired back.
Rosemary pinched his ear.
"Focus."
"Mr. Shan, sir, can we trade mentors?" Leo complained. "Mine's a bit aggressive."
"Nuh-uh." Mika immediately cut in. "Shan's all mine."
She pushed her glasses back into place.
"And besides, I thought you liked aggressive women."
"That's the only thing you know about me."
Leo pointed dramatically.
"But you missed one important detail."
"Oh?"
"I like aggressive women."
He cleared his throat.
"Not—"
Leo slowly turned toward Rosemary.
"No offense."
"None taken." Rosemary replied coldly.
The room fell quiet again as the operation continued.
Machines beeped.
Tools clicked.
Michael remained motionless.
"Alright." Shan finally said. "We're almost done here, Mika."
He began removing several tubes from Michael's chest.
"Just finish the stitching."
"Got it."
For a while, only the sounds of surgery filled the room.
Then Shan spoke.
"Say, young Mika."
"Hm?"
"Why medicine?"
Mika paused.
The needle stopped midway through a stitch.
"What brought you into the medical field?"
The room grew still.
Even Leo glanced away from his monitor.
Mika stared down at her hands.
For a moment, she wasn't looking at Michael anymore.
She was looking somewhere far away.
"Young Mika?"
Shan tilted his head.
"Is my question troubling you?"
"No."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Heh..."
She shook her head.
"Just remembering why."
"More like who." Leo chimed in.
Rosemary raised an eyebrow.
"Who?"
"Yep."
Leo leaned back in his chair.
"We all know and love that person."
Mika rolled her eyes.
"Shut up."
"Is that true, young Mika?" Shan asked with a smile.
Mika looked down at the needle between her fingers.
The memory returned.
A burn scar.
A screaming kid.
A stubborn idiot.
And a promise she had made long ago.
Her smile softened.
"Yeah."
The room faded.
And the memory took her.
The orphanage playground echoed with laughter.
Children ran through puddles left behind by last night's rain. Some chased each other beneath the morning sun. Others traded snacks underneath the slide, while a few hopped on one foot, then two.
Mika stayed inside.
Marker in hand, she carefully scribbled on the large whiteboard alongside two other children.
Their excitement grew louder.
Their drawings grew bigger.
Gradually, Mika's tiny corner disappeared beneath their colorful chaos.
"Oops." One of the children giggled, shoving the other.
"No worries." Mika smiled softly before continuing her drawing.
"Hey, our space ran out. Is it okay if we use yours?" the child asked.
"But—"
"Thanks!"
Before Mika could finish, the child shoved her aside.
She stumbled onto the floor.
Tears immediately gathered in her eyes.
"Geez. It's only a chalkboard. No need to cry about it," the child scoffed.
"Hey!"
Young Jax's voice cut through the room.
He hurled a tennis ball toward the kid.
It missed completely.
"Stop picking on her!" Jax shouted as he marched forward.
"Mind your business!" the child snapped back.
The two immediately began wrestling.
CRASH!
The whiteboard toppled over.
The scuffle continued down the hallway and into the kitchen.
Then—
THUD.
The other child punched Jax.
Jax pushed him away.
The boiling pot on the stove shook violently.
Time slowed.
The pot tipped.
Water spilled.
Jax screamed.
He collapsed onto the floor, clutching his neck as steam rose from his skin.
Mika froze in the doorway.
An elderly nurse rushed toward the chaos.
"Who's responsible for this?" she yelled.
Silence.
Just as Mika opened her mouth, a hand rested on her shoulder.
Young Leo shook his head.
"But... if it hadn't been for—"
"You would've gotten in trouble," Leo interrupted quietly.
"It would've defeated his sacrifice."
"Least you could do is apologize," Rhea added before following after the nurse.
Mika stood there.
Silent.
The following day, she approached the three nervously.
"Um... I wanted to say I'm sorry about yesterday. I know it was my fault, and—"
"Huh?"
Jax blinked.
"I stepped in, didn't I?"
Rhea sighed.
"At the very least, let her apologize."
"Nah."
Jax extended his hand.
"Name's Jax. That's Rhea. That's Leo."
Mika stared at his bandaged neck.
"Why?" she asked hesitantly.
Jax tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"Why help me?"
Jax smiled.
"I just like helping people out."
He shrugged.
"No matter the condition."
Mika looked down.
Then back at him.
"Then maybe someday..."
She clenched her fists.
"I'll help you too."
Jax's smile disappeared briefly.
Then returned.
"I'll be waiting."
Years later...
Morning sunlight peeked through the orphanage windows.
Mika groaned as she sat up in bed.
"Oh man... this early..."
Rubbing her eyes, she noticed the bathroom light down the hall.
Inside, Jax stood before the mirror.
Blood stained the sink.
The bandages around his neck had been torn apart.
Fresh scratches lined the scar.
His fingernails carried bits of skin beneath them.
"It won't go away."
Mika froze.
"No matter how many times I scratch it."
Jax stared blankly at his reflection.
"No matter how much I hide it."
"Mika..."
His voice cracked.
"It won't disappear."
Mika rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"It's okay."
Tears formed in her own eyes.
"It's my fault."
"No."
"I'm the reason you got hurt."
"So please..."
She tightened her embrace.
"Don't take it out on yourself."
"Scars are memories."
Rhea stood in the hallway.
"They become part of who we are."
She wiped at her eyes.
"So instead of trying to destroy them..."
"...you should connect them to something precious."
Silence settled over the bathroom.
"We all have scars," Rhea continued.
"It's about how we choose to see them."
She glanced toward Jax.
"If it wasn't for yours..."
"...we never would've met."
With that, she walked away.
Jax stared into the mirror.
"...She's right."
"Come here."
Mika grabbed the first aid kit.
"Let me fix you up."
Jax blinked.
"Just like the nurse..."
He looked at her.
"How'd you know how to do this?"
Mika carefully replaced the bandages.
"I picked up medicine."
She focused on her work.
"My way of helping you."
SLAP.
Jax yelped.
"What was that for?!"
Mika grinned.
"In my opinion..."
"The scar makes you look badass."
Jax paused.
"You really think so?"
"You think I can get a girl with it?"
"Yeah, right."
Leo scoffed as he walked past.
"Fuck off."
Jax folded his arms.
"After all, Mika's gonna be my wingman."
"Ain't that right?"
"Nah."
Mika immediately turned away.
"You're on your own there, bro."
"Wait—why?!"
"I ain't sacrificing my social life for your dumb ass."
Mika skipped away.
"Now where's my sister from another mother?!"
"Rhea!"
Jax chuckled.
Then looked back toward the mirror.
His hand rested against the fresh bandages.
Present Day.
Jax sat before Mika's grave.
His fingers brushed against the scar hidden beneath the belt of ammunition around his neck.
"Only if you knew..."
He smiled weakly.
"...how many people you saved."
"Far more than me."
"She knew."
Rhea stood behind him.
"But she never understood."
"She accomplished her dream, though."
Leo adjusted his glasses.
"She died helping someone."
"Despite the consequences."
Silence.
Then—
"And here I thought Rhea was the wise one."
Jax chuckled.
The others laughed softly.
Eventually, they turned and walked away.
Jax remained behind for a moment.
He looked back at the grave.
"Love you, sis."
Haruka watched from atop a nearby tree branch.
After the others disappeared, he jumped down.
Then—
A sob.
Haruka turned toward the sound.
He pushed through the trees.
There, sitting against the trunk of an old tree, was Alice.
Tears streamed down her face.
Her shoulders trembled with every shaky breath.
A mother in grief.
Haruka stopped.
And for a split second—
He saw someone else.
His mother.
Sitting alone.
A half-empty bottle of wine beside her.
Papers scattered across the floor.
Tears ruining her makeup.
Broken.
Haruka stared.
The image vanished.
Only Alice remained.
Crying.
Alone.