3 days later.

3 days of watching her life flashing before her eyes. But now instead of allowing her emotions to be audible, she leads her silent tears to fall.

Her brother still lying on the hospital bed. Ever so peacefully.

At least that's what it looks like.

"Hirai saw everything through shimmering steam. Kumi had smiled when she heard that Hirai would keep her promise." She reads out.

She regrets silently choosing this book to read out loud to his unconscious brother. Because the tales about a magical seat can take you back to the past and future, certainly convinces her mind to wonder if she ever had the chance to do that.

If her brother never wakes up, then she would obviously like to leave a note or perhaps give a little hearty speech beforehand.

Just like Hirai had, to Kumi in that book.

Her voice cracks before she attempts to read out the next sentence. Being aware of the feeling that she wouldn't be able to read anymore because of the overwhelming emotions taking over.

She puts on a hearty smile through teary eyes.

"That's all for today. I would be here again tomorrow again. Till then-"

She chokes on her now new tears.

"Keep fighting !" She yelps out before reluctantly leaving her seat. But while leaving the doorway, a nurse tries to stop her.

"Miss-" The nurse calls hesitantly. Her eyebrows crease up in tension as if she's herself not believing the words she's about to say.

"Yes," Hanabi replies gulping down. The background from her perspective already blurring out. The tension seems to take over Hanabi as well as she bits on her lip. Thoughts ran wild, reminding her that she needs a few more days of hope before again losing it all.

"Actually I-" The nurse takes a quick glimpse of her surroundings.

Now that looks like something else. Hanabi lets out a sigh of relief, engaging all her focus on the nurse.

"I want to ask you for a favor." The nurse lets out as if something heavy is lifted up from her mind. But still, the second thoughts seem to hang up on her.

" Yes ?" Hanabi speaks in an assuring way.

"There's this patient that is related to the accident your brother had gone through. And that patient's identity is not yet found. So seeing you always visiting your brother-" she continues, but a wave of hesitation again washes over her.

"It makes me a little sad that there's no one to visit her." She ends, keeping her gaze down. Hanabi gets a jest at what she's trying to say.

"I would like to visit her every day too. Can u show me her room?" Hanabi offers.

"Yes." The nurse's face lights up, as she scurries over the slippery tiles.

Before reaching the room, the nurse remains in the doorway. Is it the right thing to do for a stranger to visit another stranger? It's definitely out of the hospital rules. But showing a little humanity might not hurt, the nurse thinks.

And with that, she pushes the doorway open, allowing Hanabi to enter.

The same old bland white walls and lack of light through the window. The same old crusty metallic hospital bed. The same old beeping noise.

Except there lies a girl. Her short curls beautifully decorate the white boring sheets of the hospital bed. Her pale skin glistens in the light from the lamp beside her. Her fingers lie ever so softly over the sheets, nails bare and clean. Her lips slightly parted as she breathes through the container of oxygen.

Hanabi looks at her and a smile finds its way up to her lips. The only thing she's regretting now is being deprived of observing her eyes.

" From now onwards, I would read to you every day." The smile never leaves as Hanabi promises that to a completely unknown yet beautiful woman.