The sunlight filtered faintly through the hospital curtains as Axamu stirred awake. His body felt lighter than before, the pain from yesterday reduced to a dull memory.
By midmorning, he had dressed and approached the counter to finalize his discharge.
"Um…" he cleared his throat, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "How much do I need to pay for the treatment?"
The receptionist smiled gently, shaking her head. "You don't need to pay. It's already been covered."
Axamu blinked, confused. "…Eh? Covered? By who?"
The nurse from yesterday appeared from a nearby corridor, holding some papers. "By me." She walked closer, her expression calm. "Consider it my way of helping. But… in return, can I ask for your number?"
Axamu froze. His face went blank. "…Huh??"
The entire counter area seemed to quiet down. He suddenly noticed—the subtle giggles, the lingering gazes. Every female staff member in the hospital was staring at him, some whispering behind their hands.
What the hell is happening…?
Flustered, Axamu bowed quickly. "T-thank you for paying, but I really have to go!" He spun on his heel and bolted out of the hospital, his ears burning.
…
Inside a public restroom, Axamu leaned against the sink, panting. He looked at his reflection in the mirror—
And froze.
"No way…??!!"
The face staring back was nothing like the one he remembered. A boy around sixteen, with delicate features almost too perfect, his white hair flowing past his shoulders like strands of silk. His eyes—sharp, glowing yellow—stared back with a depth that felt almost unnatural.
"This… this is my face??!!"
His hands trembled as he touched his cheeks, his jawline, his hair. Everything was real, solid.
"I knew I became younger after synchronization… but seeing it like this, feeling it… it's completely different."
He slumped slightly, shoulders heavy, a sigh slipping out. "…I really became a kid again…"
For a moment, depression weighed down on him. But then another thought flickered.
"…With this face… I might actually survive here without even playing Beyblade." His lips twisted into a weak smirk. "If I can get by just like this, maybe… maybe I don't need to fight."
But as quickly as that thought came, another replaced it—his parents.
His chest tightened. His smile faded. The images of home, his family waiting for him, clawed at his heart.
Silence hung heavy in the restroom. Finally, he muttered under his breath, voice low but firm.
"…Let's go."
Straightening his back, Axamu pushed open the door and stepped back into the world outside.