Haruki waited as time stretched on. The hallway seemed to slow.
An hour, then almost two.
While he moved from chair to wall to doorway, restless and anxious.
Finally, the door at the end opened.
A nurse stepped out, followed by another pushing a bed down the corridor.
Haruki froze.
It was Kyouko.
She lay propped against the pillows, hair damp at the temples, her skin pale from the effort, yet she looked beautiful. Her lips curved into a faint smile when her eyes found him, calm and reassuring even in exhaustion.
Hanako covered her mouth with her hand, tears bright in her eyes. Kitayama showed relief behind a stern frown, while Kenji and Hitomi rose quietly from their seats.
Haruki moved automatically toward her, quick but careful, meeting the bed as the nurse guided it along.
"Kyouko…" he whispered, his voice shaking.
Her smile widened, soft but steady. "Haruki… don't worry. I'm fine."
Her words steadied him.
