YURI KOI
I stared into his jet-black eyes, and he stared back into mine.
I froze. I hadn't expected him to be awake—I hadn't heard a single sound since I'd entered the room.
Then, softly, almost broken, he whispered, "Hi."
I opened my mouth to respond, but suddenly a sharp pain shot through my head. My vision blurred. The room spun. My knees trembled, and before I could hold myself steady, everything went dark.
SAI SHINU
One moment she was standing there, staring at me… the next, she clutched her head and collapsed.
My heart stopped.
I jumped out of the bed, ignoring my own weakness, and caught her in my arms before she hit the floor. Her body was limp against me, frighteningly fragile.
"Yuri!"
I lifted her gently and laid her on the bed. My hands trembled as I opened the system menu. Somewhere in it, I remembered seeing something that could help.
Items → Potions → Pain Relief Elixir.
I pulled it out—a small glass vial of glowing liquid. Without hesitation, I uncorked it and lifted her head, pressing the vial against her lips.
"Please… drink," I whispered.
I tilted it carefully, guiding the liquid down her throat. She swallowed, weakly, then went still again.
Minutes crawled by like hours. Five… maybe more. She didn't move. I should've called a doctor, but fear held me back. What if they misunderstood? What if they took her away from me?
So I stayed.
I sat in the chair by her bed, eyes fixed on her, heart pounding in my ears. My hand hovered near hers, aching to touch, to reassure, but I didn't dare.
YURI KOI
I began to feel again—slowly, faintly. My body was heavy, my senses dull, but I knew I was waking.
For a moment, I thought he was gone, that he'd run to get help. A wave of shame washed over me. Of course. If I had collapsed in front of him, what else could he do?
This wasn't how I imagined our reunion. Embarrassment burned inside me.
I forced myself to stay calm, breathing softly, and allowed my senses to return one by one.
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the window. Bright sunlight streamed through, bathing the room in gold. The sky outside was spotless, not a single cloud.
Turning left, I saw only the blank wall.
Then, finally, I turned right.
There he was. Sai. Sitting in the chair beside me, his gaze far away, lost in thought.
I wanted to call his name, to tell him how much I'd missed him. But my lips refused to move, my voice too weak to carry.
So instead, with all the energy I had left, I shifted my hand ever so slightly—just enough to brush against his.
Then, pretending it had been an accident, I closed my eyes again. My heart pounded with shame and hope at the same time.
For a moment, he didn't move. I thought… maybe he didn't want the contact. Maybe he was pulling away.
But then, quietly, without a word, his hand slipped under the blanket and found mine.
His fingers curled around mine, warm, steady, roughened from years of work yet impossibly gentle.
Tears stung my eyes, though I kept them shut. I wanted this moment to last forever.
TARO KOI
"Sir, don't you want to check on your daughter?" my assistant asked, his voice uncertain.
I shook my head.
"No. Let them be."
I folded my arms, gazing toward the corridor where their room was.
"That boy… he's grown. If he's treated with respect and trust, he may become our greatest ally. But even beyond that…" I paused, a rare softness filling my voice.
"…he's a kind soul. And that's what my daughter needs most."