The Promise
Chapter 25 — I Want to Go Home
Morning arrived quietly.
Soft sunlight entered the hospital room through the narrow gap between the curtains. The machines beside Aiman's bed continued their steady rhythm, unchanged from the night before.
Aiman opened his eyes slowly.
For a moment, he simply stared at the ceiling.
Then he turned his head slightly.
Aina was asleep beside his bed.
Her hand was still holding his.
He watched her silently.
Carefully.
As if memorizing her face.
Then he spoke softly.
"Aina."
She woke immediately.
"Abang?"
"You didn't sleep."
"I did."
He smiled weakly.
"You're not good at lying."
She sat up straighter.
"How are you feeling?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked toward the window.
"I want to go home."
Aina blinked.
"What?"
"I want to go home."
Her expression changed instantly.
"We'll ask the doctor first."
---
A few minutes later, the doctor entered the room.
He checked Aiman's condition carefully before speaking.
"You should continue your treatment here."
Aiman looked at him calmly.
"I want to go home."
The doctor paused.
"This is not the right time."
"I understand."
His voice remained gentle.
"But I still want to go home."
The doctor looked at Aina.
Then back at Aiman.
"You need close monitoring."
"I know."
"And your condition is still unstable."
Aiman nodded slowly.
"I understand."
"But I want to go home."
The room became quiet.
Aina looked at him, confused and worried.
"Abang…"
He turned toward her and smiled.
"I just want to be home."
There was something in his voice that made her heart tighten.
Something deeper than the sentence itself.
---
Later that morning, the doctor returned again.
This time, he asked Aina and Pakcik Malik to step outside for a moment.
Farid was already waiting in the corridor.
The doctor spoke carefully.
"He requested to be discharged."
Aina nodded slowly.
"Yes."
The doctor took a breath before continuing.
"His condition is still very serious."
The word serious returned again.
"He should remain here."
"Then why did you call us?" Pakcik Malik asked quietly.
The doctor looked at him.
"Because sometimes… patients have things they want to complete."
Aina felt her chest tighten.
"What do you mean?"
The doctor didn't answer directly.
Instead, he continued gently.
"If he insists again, we can allow him to go home."
Aina looked at him quickly.
"But that's dangerous."
"Yes."
Silence filled the corridor.
"But there will be conditions," the doctor added.
---
They returned to the room together.
The doctor stood beside Aiman's bed.
"If you still want to go home," he said carefully,
"there are rules you must follow."
Aiman listened quietly.
"You must rest."
"No physical activity."
"Someone must stay with you at all times."
"And if your condition changes even slightly, you must return immediately."
Aina looked at him.
"Abang… maybe you should stay here."
Aiman turned toward her.
Just for a moment.
Then he smiled again.
"I want to go home."
The doctor studied him silently.
Then finally—
he nodded.
"Alright."
Aina's fingers tightened around the blanket.
The doctor continued softly,
"We will prepare your discharge later today."
Aiman closed his eyes briefly.
Relief passed across his face.
Not relief from pain.
But relief from something else.
Something only he understood.
---
When the doctor left the room, Aina moved closer to him.
"Why do you want to go home so badly?"
He looked at her.
His expression calm.
"It's almost Hari Raya."
Her heart stopped for a second.
"I just want to be home with you."
Aina didn't reply.
She only held his hand tighter.
Still not knowing—
why those words sounded so much like goodbye.