"You're well enough to leave now," the nurse said brightly, her voice echoing through the sterile room. "You've made remarkable progress, Lily. Your walking has improved far beyond expectations."
Ethan gave a soft nod, keeping his expression passive. On the inside, his thoughts were spiraling. The discharge papers sat folded neatly on the table beside him, like a gateway to a new life — or a trap.
I'm not ready for this, he thought. I'm not even me anymore.
He stood slowly, his legs still wobbly but functional. The mirror on the wall reflected a girl who looked almost graceful in her recovery. Long black hair. Pale skin. A lingering softness in her eyes that didn't belong to him.
He looked away.
A Bump in the Hall
Ethan stepped into the hallway with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, walking toward the exit for the first time in over a year. The air outside his room felt strangely thick, like the world had been waiting to swallow him whole.
Then — bam.
Someone bumped into him at the corner.
"Whoa—! Sorry!" a voice said, just before strong hands steadied his shoulders.
Ethan staggered slightly but didn't fall. He looked up, startled — and locked eyes with a boy, maybe a year older than Lily. Messy dark brown hair. Sharp features. Tall. A cast on one wrist, and a worn paperback tucked into his hospital hoodie pocket.
"Oh—" the boy blinked, surprised. "Didn't mean to run into you. You okay?"
Ethan nodded quickly, then realized he needed to speak like Lily. He softened his voice. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
The boy stepped back, giving a sheepish grin. "I'm always in a rush when I sneak out of physical therapy. Guess karma decided to trip me."
He laughed under his breath, then studied Ethan more closely.
"You're… Lily, right? You were in the long-term wing. You look different now. You're standing." His voice held no mockery — only awe. "It's kind of amazing."
Ethan blinked. "You… know me?"
"I passed by your room a few times. You were always asleep back then. Or maybe… not really there." The boy glanced away, then back. "I'm Itsuki. I've been here a while, too."
"Lily," Ethan said, and felt something painful twist in his chest as he said it.
Itsuki smiled again. "Yeah. I remember. It's good to see you up."
He stepped aside, giving a quick wave. "See you around, Lily. Don't fall over, yeah?"
Then he walked down the hall with a quiet, limping gait, his hands shoved in his hoodie pocket.
Ethan turned to watch him disappear around the corner. For a second, something tugged at the edge of his mind — a strange familiarity, like deja vu. He didn't know why.