Chapter 5 – Until the Day You Tell Me
Days passed while I remained in the hospital.
Sometimes the hours were filled with playful banter, sometimes with the dull ache of pain, and sometimes… with quiet moments that left me full of questions.
But through it all — she was there.
Celestia.
An angel for me, and me alone.
She prepared my meals every day, made sure I changed into clean clothes, took care of me more than I could have ever asked for. Whenever I woke in the middle of the night, sweating from nightmares, she was always by my side, holding my hand until I drifted back to sleep.
I never knew why she was doing all of this for me. Whenever I asked, she would give the same gentle but frustrating reply:
"I'll tell you when we get to your place… or when the time comes."
And yet… I didn't push her for answers. Because every word she spoke carried warmth, every action was wrapped in sincerity.
I feared more than anything — that once I recovered, she would leave me.
I didn't know what this feeling was… only that whenever she was beside me, my heart was at peace. And whenever I imagined her gone… there was a sharp, almost physical pain in my chest.
---
That morning, I sat alone in the hospital room, waiting for her to return with breakfast.
The sunlight through the window painted long, warm beams across the floor, but I barely noticed it.
Then the door opened, and she stepped in, holding a small bag in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.
"Why are you sitting in a dark room?" she asked, walking over to open the curtains wide.
I didn't answer. I didn't have an answer. But as she worked to unpack the food, my eyes lingered on her.
The morning sun fell over her like a blessing — illuminating the golden strands of her hair, making her almost… ethereal. But something else caught my attention.
"You… changed your hairstyle," I said.
She glanced at me with a faint smile and handed me the bento. "Yeah. I thought I'd be a little stylish on the day of your discharge. So… what do you think? Is it good?"
"It suits you," I replied without hesitation. "Actually… I think you look even more beautiful like this."
Her lips curled into a small, bashful smile as I took the food from her. She sat in the chair beside my bed, crossing her legs neatly, her crimson eyes glancing my way with a curious spark.
I wanted to eat, but before that, there was something I needed to ask.
No — something I needed to say.
"Hey… Celi, I wanted to tell you something."
Her expression softened, and she rested her chin on her hand, leaning closer. "I'm listening."
I picked up the chopsticks. My fingers felt unusually heavy.
"You know what? I really like your cooking."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Really? I… never thought you'd say that out loud."
A light blush dusted her cheeks, and I almost forgot the next part.
"And…" I hesitated, "I think I've gotten kind of addicted to it. So…"
"So?" She tilted her head, still smiling.
"If I asked you to make me meals forever… would you say yes?"
The moment the words left my mouth, my courage collapsed. "I-I know it's strange. I'm sorry. I think I stepped out of my boundary—"
Silence.
Her smile faded, replaced by an unreadable look.
I lowered my gaze, convinced I'd just done something irreversibly stupid. My chest tightened, and I kept my head down, pretending to eat. My eyes stung — damn it, was I actually about to cry?
Then, without warning, the bed dipped.
I froze. She'd sat beside me.
"Give me those," she murmured, taking the chopsticks from my hands. I thought she was going to put them away — but instead, she picked up a bite of food and brought it to my mouth.
I looked up at her, hesitant. She was smiling again — this time with warmth so deep it almost hurt to look at. A tiny glimmer of moisture shone in her eyes.
"Of course, dummy," she said softly. "I can make food for you until the end of eternity."
For a moment… the world stopped.
No sound. No pain. Just that voice.
I accepted the bite she offered, unable to speak. She didn't rush me. Bite by bite, she fed me, as if the act itself carried more meaning than the words we'd exchanged.
When I was done, she didn't let me wipe my own mouth — she did it for me, her fingers trembling just slightly.
---
After that, I dressed in the clothes she'd brought and we went to thank the doctor before leaving.
"Wait here. I'll bring the car," she said.
I blinked. "You have a car?"
She just smiled and walked off. When she returned, I saw the sleek black sedan roll up in front of the hospital entrance. I got in, buckled up, and tried not to look too impressed.
"So… do you know where my apartment is, or…?" I asked.
"Of course I do," she said lightly, starting the engine.
We drove through the city in comfortable silence. My thoughts drifted to my grandmother — I hadn't seen her in a while, not since her single visit to the hospital. I was eager to get home.
But as the building came into view, an unease began to stir in my stomach.
---
We parked. I stepped out, but Celi caught my wrist.
Her grip was firm, her hand trembling ever so slightly.
"Wait. We should… go back," she whispered.
Her voice was almost… fearful.
"Go back? What are you—" I pulled my hand free. "I'm just going to see Grandma."
I headed for the door before she could stop me. The hallway inside felt… wrong. The silence wasn't peaceful — it was the kind of silence that made your heartbeat sound too loud.
I reached my grandmother's room. My fingers shook as I placed them on the door handle.
For a moment, I just stood there. Breathing in. Breathing out.
Then I opened it.
---
The room wasn't empty, but it wasn't normal either.
The air was heavy. The curtains swayed even though the windows were shut. There was a faint scent of burned incense, though no candles were lit.
The bed was made, perfectly neat. Too neat.
And on the pillow… lay a single, small object.
It wasn't something I recognized. Just a black feather — long, sleek, and unnaturally cold to the touch.
I glanced back at Celi, who had finally stepped into the room. Her expression froze the moment her eyes landed on the feather.
It was subtle, but I caught it — the smallest tightening of her jaw, the way her shoulders tensed.
She took a single step forward.
"…So," she murmured under her breath, "the 'present' has already been delivered."
"What?" I asked.
But she didn't answer. She just walked over to the window, looking out into the distance, as if she could see someone far away. Her lips moved — maybe words, maybe just a silent prayer.
When she finally turned back to me, the warm smile she usually wore was gone.
"We'll… talk later," she said. "For now, you need to leave this room."
I wanted to protest. I wanted to ask her what was going on, who had been here, what this 'present' was. But the look in her eyes — a strange mix of worry and resolve — stopped me.
Without another word, I stepped out into the hallway.
Behind me, the door closed.
And for the first time since I'd met her… I realized Celi was hiding something that might change everything I thought I knew.
To be continued…
---
- Kael Veyren
(not real name though )
Thanks for reading see you all next week