"So ugly..."
Smack.
Shouko's teasing earned her a light slap on the head from Akira. It didn't hurt, but the warm, quiet atmosphere of the hospital room fractured instantly.
"Move over. There's no space on my side," she mumbled, pressing closer into his chest.
"If I move back any more, I'm going to fall off the bed," Akira said helplessly, reaching behind himself to check — there was barely a palm's width of space left.
Apparently, Shouko had completely forgotten who the actual patient was here.
But she ignored him entirely, wriggling into his arms until her cheek was pressed flat against his chest.
"Shouko, is this really necessary?" he asked, half amused.
She rubbed her face against him, once, twice, like a cat marking her spot, before muttering in a muffled voice, "It's your fault there's no space over there. If I don't squeeze toward you, I'll be the one falling off."
Akira glanced at the completely empty space behind her — honestly, there was enough room for Yuzuru to lie down comfortably — but he didn't bother pointing it out. After what she'd been through today, her nerves were probably just as frayed as Mom and Dad's. Letting her sleep in his arms for one night wasn't going to kill him.
"Shift back a little?" he suggested.
She tilted her head up at him, then slowly slid into the empty space. Akira scooted over as well — and before she could retreat any further, he wrapped his arms around her.
He felt her body tense in surprise, then gradually relax.
"Sleep, Shouko..." His hand patted her back gently, just like when they were little.
"Mm." Her voice was soft, drowsy.
After a while, just when he thought she'd fallen asleep, her voice came again. "Akira, help me put this away."
He glanced down in the moonlight and saw two hearing aids in her hand. She must have just taken them out. Without hesitation, he placed them carefully on the bedside table.
"Alright. Now sleep. It's late, and you have school tomorrow," he said, patting her back again.
She snuggled into him, her tone turning almost playful. "Auntie already asked for leave. I'm not going."
"Then at least go to bed early. If you keep staying up, you'll turn into a haggard old lady before you know it."
She didn't quite catch the words, but she got the gist — he was nagging her to sleep.
"Goodnight, Akira."
"Mm. Goodnight."
Five minutes later, he still wasn't sleepy. His mind drifted back to the question of who had attacked him—
"Akira...?"
He blinked. "Hm? You're still awake?"
There was hesitation in her voice. Before he could ask, she moved in his arms, brushing away the hand on her back.
Then, from under the blanket, she pulled out a piece of clothing and held it out to him.
It was close enough for him to catch a faint, distinctly feminine scent.
"Can you... put this aside? It's uncomfortable to wear while sleeping," she murmured, her voice flustered.
Even in the dark, he was sure her face was red.
"O-oh. Right." He cleared his throat and took it, feeling the lingering warmth of the fabric in his hand before placing it by her pillow.
"Goodnight, Akira." She hugged him again, eyes closed.
"...Goodnight."
For a dangerous second, the ridiculous urge to smell his own hand flashed through his mind. He quickly crushed the thought.
Her sudden action had his heart rattled enough that drowsiness finally crept over him. Soon, he was asleep, still holding her close.
Shouko, however, stayed awake. She debated whether to slip out and buy him something to eat, but in the end... she decided she couldn't waste this rare chance to stay like this.
After all, Akira said he wasn't hungry. He wouldn't have lied.
That's right. That's how it was.
Comforting herself with that excuse, she inched even closer, as if trying to disappear into him entirely.
Early in the morning, Miyamura Shizuka quietly pushed open the hospital room door, two bento boxes in hand.
"These two kids..." she muttered, spotting them tangled together on the same bed.
Her gaze flicked to the small, pink item of clothing near the pillow — one she vaguely remembered picking out with Nishimiya Yaeko while shopping.
Yesterday, she'd told Shouko to just rent a folding bed if she got tired. Shouko had even reminded her of it on the phone after Akira woke up.
And yet here they were.
Click.
She snapped a few photos, set the bento boxes on the table, and took a seat in the empty chair.
Pulling out her phone, she resumed a drama she'd been watching. A news notification briefly popped up:
"On the morning of April 7th, an unidentified floating corpse was found in Futaba Bay."
Without hesitation, she swiped it away and kept watching.
"Mom, who watches TV with the sound on next to a patient first thing in the morning?" came a sleepy complaint from the bed.
Shizuka paused the show and looked over. "So you remember you're a patient? What kind of patient sleeps like this — two people crammed onto one bed, hugging?"
"Hey, I was just making sure your future daughter-in-law didn't have to sleep in a chair," Akira said, rubbing his eyes.
Shizuka smirked faintly. Clearly, Shouko hadn't told him the truth. She ignored him and turned back to her phone.
"Mom," he began, eyes on the ceiling, "how was I brought here? And who was the culprit?"
"Hachiko tracked you down by scent. If you recognize him as your godfather, even your dad wouldn't dare object," she said without looking up.
Akira gave a dry chuckle. "So who was it?"
"You read too many detective comics."
"Then where was I found?"
"A small alley just above the new commercial street," she answered promptly.
He fell silent, knowing she wouldn't say more — Dad would probably be the same.
As for Shouko, still sleeping peacefully in his arms... he doubted she knew anything at all.
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