In the hospital room, Giyuu lies unconscious, hooked up to various machines. Sanemi sits in the chair beside his bed, his face showing rare concern.
"Damn it, Giyuu... why didn't you call for help?"
He mutters, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. Sanemi stays there through the night, occasionally reaching out to adjust Giyuu's hospital blanket or check his temperature.
"You better wake up soon, or I'll kill you myself when you do."
His voice is rough with emotion, masking his worry with threats. The next morning, a doctor enters to check on Giyuu's condition. "He's stable, but the head injury is concerning. We need to wait for him to regain consciousness."
Sanemi nods curtly, his eyes never leaving Giyuu's face. Sanemi leans forward, speaking directly to Giyuu as if he can hear him.
"You're not allowed to die from something this stupid. I won't let you."
His voice is softer now, almost pleading despite his harsh words. Sanemi's expression darkens further as he thinks about how the kids will react to Giyuu's condition.
"I should call Genya... and those brats."
He pulls out his phone reluctantly, knowing he needs to inform their family about the accident. The phone rings several times before Genya answers, his voice filled with concern.
" Nemi? What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
Sanemi can hear the sound of the kids playing in the background.
"Giyuu's in the hospital. There was an
accident on the trip. He's in a coma."
His voice cracks slightly, betraying his worry despite his attempt to sound calm.
"What?! Is he... is he going to be alright? We'll come right away!"
"Just hurry. And tell the kids to behave themselves when they get here."
He hangs up quickly, running a hand through his white hair in frustration. Soon after, the hospital room door bursts open as Genya, Muichiro, Nezuko, Tanjiro, and Inosuke rush in. Genya immediately rushes to Giyuu's side, tears in his eyes.
"Nemi... he looks so pale..."
The younger ones gather around, their faces a mix of fear and confusion as they see Giyuu's state.
Inosuke, ever the loud one, speaks up first.
"Oi, Mr. Bomikota! Wake up! I challenge
you to a fight when you do!"
Nezuko gently tugs at Inosuke's sleeve, shaking her head while Muichiro clings to Genya. Tanjiro steps forward, his voice shaky but determined.
"He'll wake up, right? He has to. Giyuu-san is strong."
Sanemi places a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder, trying to comfort him while struggling with his own emotions.
"Yeah... he's strong. Just needs time."
The atmosphere in the room is heavy with tension and worry. The beeping of the heart monitor fills the silence as everyone watches Giyuu's unconscious form. Sanemi clenches his jaw, fighting back tears as he watches the love of his life lying there. His knuckles turn white from gripping the chair so tightly.
"Damn it, Giyuu... don't make me cry in front of these brats."
Muichiro notices Sanemi's struggle and quietly moves to stand beside him, offering silent support. The younger boy understands his pain better than most.
"We're here, Giyuu."
He whispers, his voice barely audible as he looks at Giyuu with hopeful eyes. Genya wraps an arm around Muichiro protectively, his own eyes red from holding back tears.
"Let's stay strong for him. He needs us to be strong."
The other children nod in agreement, forming a protective circle around Giyuu's bed. Tanjiro pulls up a chair and sits next to Giyuu, taking his hand gently.
"We'll talk to you every day, Giyuu-san. About school, about cooking, about anything."
Inosuke crosses his arms, nodding vigorously despite his tough exterior.
"Yeah! And I'll tell you all about my victories!"
Nezuko smiles softly at Tanjiro's words, then looks at Sanemi with a knowing expression. "He'll hear us, right?"
Sanemi swallows hard, managing a small nod.
"Yeah... he better be listening."
The room falls into a comfortable silence as the group settles in. They take turns holding Giyuu's hand, talking to him softly about their day. Sanemi stays close, occasionally reaching out to brush Giyuu's hair away from his face, his expression a mix of love and worry.
After several hours, the visiting time comes to an end. The children reluctantly begin to say their goodbyes.
"We'll come back tomorrow, Giyuu. Get better soon."
He squeezes Giyuu's hand one last time before leading the others out. Once everyone leaves, Sanemi collapses into the chair, his facade finally crumbling.
"Please wake up... I can't do this without you."
He buries his face in his hands, shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs. The hospital room feels emptier now, the machines beeping the only sound as Sanemi allows himself to cry.
"I should have been there... I should have protected you."
His voice breaks as he reaches for Giyuu's hand, holding it tightly against his forehead. Sanemi's grip tightens as he remembers how Giyuu always looked at him with those calm eyes, even when he was being difficult.
"You always see through me, don't you? Even now... you're just sleeping."
He lets out a bitter laugh through his tears. The door creaks open again, but Sanemi doesn't notice, too lost in his grief. It's late at night, and the hospital is mostly quiet. He wipes his tears roughly, trying to compose himself as he whispers.
"I love you, idiot. So wake up already." Aweek later. Sanemi has barely left Giyuu's side in the past week.
He is surviving on coffee and energy drinks. His eyes are bloodshot from lack of sleep. The doctor enters the room, checking Giyuu's vitals with a concerned expression.
"Mr. Shinazugawa, there's been some improvement in his brain activity. It's faint, but it's there."
Sanemi perks up immediately, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
"What does that mean? Is he...?"
"It means he's fighting. It's a good sign, but he's still in critical condition."
The doctor adjusts Giyuu's IV, then turns to Sanemi with a sympathetic look.
"You should get some rest. He wouldn't want to see you like this."
Shinobu has been stepping in to help the kids at home, keeping them distracted while Sanemi focuses on Giyuu's recovery. The children seem to have grown closer to her during this time, finding comfort in her presence as they worry about their teacher. Shinobu visits the hospital after school hours, bringing food for Sanemi and updates on the kids.
"They miss him a lot. Especially the younger ones."
She sets down a bento box on the table next to Giyuu's bed.
"How are you holding up, Sanemi?"
"I'm fine. I just need him to wake up."
He stares at the untouched food, then looks back at Giyuu with a tired expression.
"The kids... they're doing alright?"
"They're managing. But they ask about him every day. Inosuke keeps trying to fight the doctors."
She chuckles softly, trying to lighten the mood.
"He thinks it will make Giyuu wake up faster."
"That brat... I should have expected that."
A small smile appears on his face for the first time in days, though it quickly fades.
"Tell them... tell them he's getting better. That's all they need to know for now."
"I will. But Sanemi, you really should eat something."
She gestures to the bento again, her tone firm but gentle.
"You can't help him if you collapse from exhaustion."
"I said I'm fine!"
He snaps, then immediately regrets it when he sees Shinobu's unimpressed look.
"Sorry... I just can't think about anything else right now."
"That's exactly why you need to take care of yourself. Giyuu wouldn't want to see you neglecting your health."
She sits down beside him, her voice softer now.
"You're no good to him if you're not strong enough to stay by his side."
Sanemi clenches his fists, knowing she's right but hating it. He looks at Giyuu's face, then back at Shinobu.
"I just want to hold him... even if he can't
hold me back."
His voice cracks with vulnerability, a rare moment of weakness.