Chapter 11
"Can you see this, Kasumi? Here, grab it."
A giant, blurred figure reached out, holding something I couldn't make out. Its voice was warm, almost familiar, yet distorted, like it was coming from underwater.
"Hehe… he can't do that yet. Look at those tiny hands," another figure chimed in, their tone teasing but filled with affection.
The scene around me shifted, hazy and fragmented, as though I was peering through frosted glass. Everything felt distant, unreal. My hands—small and fragile—reached out, but they couldn't grasp whatever was being offered.
"Come on, Kasumi. You'll get there," the first voice encouraged gently, laughter laced in its words.
The warmth in their voices tugged at something deep within me, something I couldn't quite remember. Memories, or dreams, flickered just out of reach. I wanted to speak, to ask who they were, but my mouth wouldn't move.
The blurred figures began to fade, their outlines dissolving like smoke.
"No… wait…" I tried to call out, but my voice was nothing more than a whisper lost to the void.
Darkness encroached again, pulling me under.
Then I slightly opened my eyes, my vision hazy. Bandages covered almost my entire body, and a dull ache throbbed in every muscle. The sound of soft humming reached my ears, pulling me from the haze. Turning my head, I caught sight of a familiar redhead sitting beside me, slicing an apple with surprising precision.
What was his name again? Kindai? Kindaka?
Behind him stood another figure I recognized—a well-built guy with spiky hair and ears full of piercings. Hyo. His posture was casual, leaning against the wall, though his sharp gaze suggested he was anything but relaxed.
"How long have I been unconscious?" I asked, my voice raspy and weak.
The redhead blinked in surprise, pausing mid-slice. "Oh... welcome back," he said, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
"Five months," Kindaka responded bluntly, not missing a beat as he handed me a slice of the apple.
"Five months?" I repeated, my mind struggling to process the number. My chest felt heavy—not from pain but from the realization of just how much time I'd lost. "You're kidding, right? What about—"
"Your friends? They left four months ago," Kindaka interrupted, his tone calm as he resumed slicing the apple. "They didn't stick around—they weren't exposed like you were."
I blinked, trying to piece everything together. The memories were hazy—the factory, the explosion, and the unimaginable heat. "And me? What happened?"
Kindaka paused, glancing at Hyo, who still leaned silently against the wall. After a moment, he said, "You had direct contact with the source. And let's not forget you were riddled with bullets. That's why you're still here, wrapped up like a mummy."
He sliced through the apple with a sharp motion, then added, "But, surprisingly, the radiation disappeared from your body a month ago."
Kindaka turned to Hyo with an annoyed glare. "Goddammit, Hyo, this is your apprentice talk to him!"
" I have nothing to say for Someone like him " hyo said glaring at me
' Someone like me ?! '
Hyo's gaze didn't waver, but it was Kindaka who broke the silence. "...Huff. Don't mind him," he said, waving a hand dismissively.
I ignored the tension in the air and asked, "Did we fail the mission?"
Kindaka's expression shifted, a flicker of something like guilt crossing his face before he scoffed. "Mission? Boy, the whole point of you going there was to die."
Kindaka continued, his tone blunt but laced with an odd mix of curiosity and respect. "Taking care of the two targets? That was supposed to be our job the Order. You getting out alive and with no signs of radiation is a miracle in itself. And you guys even managed to take care of the targets. You will be a good addition to the order "
"Oi, don't just go inviting others like that," Hyo interjected, his sharp tone breaking through Kindaka's words.
Kindaka smirked, unbothered by the remark. "What? I'm just saying—he's fit for our criteria all his friends are. Surviving that mess , not bad for a teenagers
"So what do you sa—"
I raised a hand to stop him. "I'm not interested. Save your sales pitch. What happened to the one who changed the file?"
Kindaka blinked, then shrugged casually. "Oh, him? He got sliced to pieces by a our colleague in the order. Seems sending him to kill a few nobodies was enough to bruise his pride."
" here I got something for you " kindaka said taking something from his pocket and throwing into my face
I didn't catch and let fall to my lap
Kindaka sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "You were supposed to catch it," he muttered, clearly unimpressed.
I glanced down at my lap, where the object had landed—a medal, its surface gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"What's this for?" I asked, picking it up with as little interest as possible.
"For being a 'hero,' apparently," Kindaka replied with a smirk. "They gave it to me to pass on to you. Guess you earned it for taking out two major targets and, you know, not dying in the process."
He leaned back, a playful grin still plastered on his face. "Your friends got one too, by the way. Same shiny medal. "
I stared at the medal in my hand, its faint glint doing little to stir any sense of accomplishment. "Tell whoever sent this to shove it."
Kindaka blinked, caught off guard. "Eh?"
I leaned back against the bed, letting the medal drop carelessly onto the table. "If they want to compensate me, tell them to pay up. I won't take anything less than a trillion yen."
Kindaka let out a laugh, though it was more from disbelief than amusement. "A trillion yen?"
Hyo snorted from the corner. "They'll probably laugh in your face before you even finish saying it."
"Then they can keep their medal and their gratitude," I shot back, closing my eyes.
Ring ring ring
The shrill sound of a phone ringing broke the moment.
Kindaka pulled his phone from his pocket, glanced at the screen, and let out a low whistle. "Welp... duty calls," he said, standing up and stretching casually. "Take care of yourself, big guy."
"Mhmm," I muttered, not bothering to open my eyes.
Kindaka chuckled softly as he walked toward the door, tossing a lazy wave over his shoulder. "If you ever change your mind about joining us, you've got my number. Slipped my card into your pants."
I raised an eyebrow but didn't bother responding.
"Take care hero," he added with a smirk before stepping out.
"..." Hyo didn't say a thing, following him without a glance back.
' why did he suddenly become so distant ? Is he on his peroid ? No he's a man 'The door shut behind them, leaving me in the heavy quiet of the room, the faint hum of distant voices barely audible through the walls. I let out a breath, staring at the medal still resting in my lap... ' I wonder how much will this sell '
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand, but the moment my feet touched the floor, they buckled beneath me. A sharp, jarring weakness coursed through my legs, leaving me barely able to keep myself upright.
"Damn it…" I muttered, gripping the edge of the bed to steady myself. My muscles felt like jelly, and every step I attempted was an exhausting struggle. It was like my body had forgotten how to move.
Leaning heavily against the bedframe, I forced myself to stay upright, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Five months and this is what I have to work with?"
I clenched my fists, glaring at my unresponsive legs, but the anger didn't help. My body wasn't ready—yet.
___________
I hobbled my way out to the garden, the crutches creaking with every step. Borrowing—or stealing, depending on how you looked at it—from the sleeping old man in the next room wasn't my proudest moment, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
The garden was quiet, save for the rhythmic chirping of crickets, their song blending with the soft glow of lanterns scattered around. The crisp night air hit my face, a refreshing change from the sterile smell of the hospital. I inhaled deeply, letting the coolness fill my lungs.
"Finally," I muttered, lowering myself onto a nearby bench. The crutches rested against the side as I tilted my head back, staring at the dark sky above. The stars twinkled faintly, distant and indifferent
Crack.
Hearing the sudden sound behind me, I quickly turned, wincing as the movement sent a sharp pain through my body. My grip on the crutches tightened instinctively, ready for… well, anything.
What I saw, however, wasn't a threat.
A girl with long purple hair stood a few feet away, wearing a hospital gown that billowed slightly in the cool night breeze. She raised her hands in a placating gesture, her expression a mix of nervousness and apology. "Ah... sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that" she said, her voice soft but steady.
I exhaled, easing my grip. "It's fine," I muttered, leaning back on the bench and closing my eyes, trying to focus again. "Can I help you?"
When I opened my eyes, she was already sitting next to me, her gaze fixed on my face
Up close, I noticed her unusual star-shaped pupils. They stood out but that wasn't what drew my attention the most. Her wrists were wrapped inbandages, a sign of a failed suicide?accident? Well whatever she tried to do is not my business
"Oh... ahem, sowwy~ Your face looked a bit familiar," she said with a smile, though her expression betrayed her lie. It was clear she just wanted to start a conversation. "So, is this your first day here?"
"Mhmm." I nodded, keeping my response short. I wasn't in the mood for talking.
"Jeez " she huffed, shaking her head. "A pretty girl is talking to you, and you can't even pretend to care?"
" what with your eyes ? " I asked her with a sigh
She blinked, caught off guard by my question. For a moment, she seemed unsure how to respond, her gaze shifting slightly before returning to me.
"My eyes?" she echoed, touching her temple as if she'd forgotten they were there. "Oh, you mean the star thing? Just a little genetic quirk, I guess."
Her tone was casual, but there was something guarded about her smile. "What about you? What's with the whole 'wrapped up like a mummy' look?"
"I fought a superpowered midget," I replied flatly, fully aware of how insane it sounded to anyone normal.
She blinked in confusion, her expression teetering between disbelief and amusement, before letting out a nervous laugh. "Uh... haha, okay, sure. But seriously, how'd you end up like this?"
"I'll tell you if you tell me how you got here," I replied, my tone even.
Her eyes widened slightly at my question, and for a moment, her playful demeanor cracked. Her expression shifted to something quieter. "I tri—I fell and broke my wrist... nothing seri—"
"There's no broken bone in there," I cut her off, my gaze sharp and fixed on her. " you tried to kill yourself?"
Her eyes darted away from mine, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her hospital gown. "I... I..." Her voice wavered, barely a whisper. " I..Fell "
"You can just say you don't want to talk about it. Or stay quiet there'sno need to lie"
She flinched, her hands freezing mid-fidget. For a moment, the silence between us felt heavier than the night itself. Then, in a voice so soft it was almost lost to the air, she muttered, "Because I don't want to feel pathetic."
I leaned back, exhaling slowly as her words sank in. "Lying doesn't make you look any less pathetic," I said, my voice firm but not unkind. "Constant lying just traps you in more lies. It doesn't fix anything."
"Was it your parents?" I asked, my voice calm but direct. She looked around my age, so it made sense that they might have something to do with it.
She shook her head, her gaze dropping to the ground. "No," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
"Your boyfriend? Girlfriend?" I pressed.
This time, she managed a faint smile, shaking her head again. "Haha, no... nothing like that."
"So, wh—"
"My children," she interrupted,
I froze, her words hanging heavy in the air. "Your... children?" I repeated, unable to hide my surprise.
She nodded slowly, her smile faint and bittersweet. "Yeah... I had two. Twins."
For a moment, I didn't know what to say. My mind raced, trying to process her words. "What happened to them?"
Her smile faltered, and she looked away, her fingers gripping the edge of her gown tightly. "I lost them," she said, her voice cracking. "And I guess... I lost myself too."
Then, her voice broke entirely as tears began streaming down her face. "All of my family... just gone like that. My dad... Ruby, Aqua..." Her words dissolved into quiet sobs, each one seeming to weigh heavier than the last.
I leaned back on the bench, watching her silently.
Don't tell her you know how it feels. You don't, a voice echoed in my head, cold and firm.
Instead, I stayed quiet. Sometimes, crying is the best way to ease the heart. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her.
She raised her hand, refusing it. "No, no... sniff* I just don't know what to do next. My passion for being an idol... it's shattered."
Her voice wavered, each word carrying the weight of her despair. I studied her for a moment, unsure if anything I said could make a difference. Finally, I spoke, my tone firm but not unkind.
"So you'll just give up? Just like that?" I leaned forward slightly, meeting her gaze. "Look, I don't know you, but I'm pretty sure your family would've wanted you to follow your dreams. I'm not saying you have to stop crying for them—grieving's natural. But sometimes, it's better to dry your tears and move on."
I paused, pointing at her wrist. "They wouldn't want you to... well, that, would they?"
Her eyes dropped to the bandage around her wrist, and she clenched her fists tightly. For a moment, she didn't respond Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "No, they wouldn't."
Silence hung between us, but there was a faint glimmer of resolve in her eyes. " thank you .. " she whispered wiping at her face with the edge of her sleeve
" don't mention it.... so you said you were an idol " I glanced at her " like do people worship you ?? "
"Eh? No, no... I used to be a singer in a band. It was well-known a year ago. I'm pretty sure you've heard of it—it's called B-Komachi," she said, her voice tinged with faint hope.
I shook my head. " never heard of it."
Her expression faltered for a moment before she forced a smile. "Wow! way to bruise a girl's ego."
I shrugged, unbothered. "What can I say? I'm not really into music."
She sighed dramatically, leaning back on the bench in an exaggerated imitation of my posture. "Seriously? Not even a little? What kind of boring life are you living?"
"One where I don't have to pretend to know random bands to make celebrities feel superior" I replied flatly, glancing at her.
"Random?!" she gasped, clutching her chest as if I'd mortally wounded her. "B-Komachi was the band! We were everywhere—commercials, billboards... even some anime openings!"
I raised an eyebrow. "And yet, here I am, not knowing who you are."
Her mock indignation faded into a soft chuckle. "Guess fame doesn't last forever, huh?"
" You said we've met before ...is that true ? Or just a way to start a conversation ?"
Her chuckle faded, and she hesitated for a moment, glancing away. "Well... a little of both, I guess. I thought you looked familiar when I saw you. But maybe I was just imagining things. After all, muscular guys are a bit rare in Japan."
"Is that so?" I leaned back, my gaze steady on her. "Is that just your way of avoiding the question?"
She crossed her arms and huffed, but a smirk tugged at her lips. "Enough about me. What about you? How did you end up here?"
"I told you, I fought a superpowered albino midget," I said, a smirk tugging at my lips.
She groaned, throwing her hands up. "C'mon, you're no fun!"
"Hey, I'm being honest." I leaned back, enjoying her exaggerated frustration.
The faint chirping of birds signaled the end of the night, a quiet reminder of the world continuing to turn. She stood, brushing off her gown as if shedding some of her sadness. "Huff... Well, thanks for the chat... and for listening," she said, her voice softer this time. She turned to leave.
"Don't break your wrist again," I called after her, half-joking, half-serious.
She paused and glanced over her shoulder, a faint glimmer of determination flickering in her eyes. "I won't. Take care, bandage boy."
As her figure disappeared into the hospital, I let out a slow exhale and leaned back against the bench. The night was quiet again, save for the faint chirping of birds
I forgot to ask for her name... I'll ask her later, I thought, closing my eyes.