Fumiko's hand fell to her side, her tears falling faster. "I'll leave…" She turned toward the door, her steps heavy, her shoulders slumped. "But Kasumi…" She paused, her voice trembling. "Please… forgive me… someday…"
Kasumi didn't answer. She couldn't. Her gaze was fixed on me, her fingers tracing the lines of my palm, her voice a broken whisper. "Jack… please wake up…" Her forehead pressed against my hand, her tears soaking into the sheets.
"Please… I need to see you. I need to yell at you. I need to hug you…" Kasumi's voice cracked, her body wracked with sobs, her fingers trembling as they clung to my hand. The warmth of her skin seeped into mine, her tears dripping onto the white hospital sheets, turning them translucent in spots. "I need to tell you… that I love you too…"
Her confession hung in the air, a fragile, trembling thing. And in that moment, I couldn't bear it any longer.
