It starts with a small flap
Now, inside my heart, a hurricane
Been been there never been been there
The world gets smaller and smaller
Take me there way too far, becomes new
This moment Dreams, Dreams may come true

Carefully, I pushed open the door to the infirmary and peeked inside. A small sigh of relief escaped me. Chishiya didn't seem to be back yet. Ann, however, was already there. She turned toward the door, surprised, as I stepped in.

"You're early," she said, casting a fleeting glance at the clock.

I smiled and closed the door behind me.

"Yes, I wanted to check on the patients," I said, watching her jot something down on her clipboard as she went through the medications in the cabinet one by one.

"I discharged the older gentleman earlier. He was doing well enough, though he still had a slight headache. But we need the space for incoming patients."

"And the others?" I asked, casting a worried glance at the adjacent room.

"They seem to be on the mend. Let's hope we don't get too many more tonight."

"Whatever happens, we'll do our best!" I promised with a determined expression, raising my fist in a gesture of resolve.

Ann gave me a slightly puzzled look but eventually nodded.

"Chishiya seems to have solid medical knowledge. You should stay attentive and learn as much as you can from him. While I'm away, he'll be responsible for guiding you, so I hope the two of you get along."

Her gaze hinted at concerns that this might not be the case.

"Don't worry! We'll manage just fine," I said confidently, though I couldn't deny that working with Chishiya again made me a little nervous for various reasons. "Focus entirely on your game! We'll take care of the rest."

Ann seemed somewhat surprised by my enthusiasm, though a rare smile briefly crossed her face.

"Good, then I'll get going. Chishiya should be here any moment. Knowing him, he's unlikely to attend the big assembly tonight, as Hatter won't miss the chance to update everyone at the Beach about the latest developments."

I bit my lip.

"Do you think they'll judge him for his actions?" I asked hesitantly.

Ann let out a quiet sigh.

"Some will, especially the military crew. Regardless of his reasons or the fact that Hatter pardoned him, they'll still see Chishiya as a traitor and want to hold him accountable."

I swallowed hard. Ann's words weren't particularly comforting. For the first time, I realized the risk Chishiya had taken in saving my life and surrendering himself to the Beach.

Perhaps he should've left me to die during that game in the library.

The thought of being the cause of someone else's problems didn't sit well with me, especially not when that person had saved my life. No matter what kind of person Chishiya ultimately was, I knew I'd never forgive myself for the trouble I caused him. Without him, I wouldn't be here now.

After Ann said her goodbyes and closed the door behind her, my worried gaze lingered on the shut door for a moment longer.

I hope she'll make it back safely.

Resolutely, I turned away and retrieved the pristine white uniform hanging on a hanger in the locker, slipping it over my clothes. Honestly, I was relieved to be able to ditch the swimwear while working in the infirmary without facing any consequences.

A fleeting glance at the mirror inside the locker door revealed a smile that looked a bit too strained, and my eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness. I began practicing different facial expressions: first, the determined nurse ready for action, then the caring soul tending to every patient, and finally, the stern but empathetic doctor delivering a devastating diagnosis. I tied my hair back firmly and threw it over my shoulder for dramatic effect.

Then I let out a resigned sigh.

What am I even doing?

Maybe I was just a little on edge about what awaited me today. Knowing what was coming had calmed me somewhat, but I was still anxious-mainly because of a certain someone I'd be working with. Someone who definitely wouldn't go easy on me if I made another mistake. I slapped my cheeks a few times to snap myself out of it. I had to focus today; otherwise, I'd lose this job faster than I could say "Borderland."

I turned back to the locker to close it but froze when I noticed another lab coat hanging inside that didn't belong to Ann. Curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled it out to inspect it in the light.

I wonder how Chishiya would look in this.

A burst of laughter escaped me. The thought alone triggered an immediate fit of giggles.

No, that's too absurd.

My imagination resisted picturing him in such formal attire. Then again, I was a little curious.

"What's so funny?"

I spun around in a panic. Chishiya stood there, as calm as ever, closing the door behind him. He eyed me suspiciously, his hands casually stuffed into his jacket pockets. An embarrassed laugh escaped my throat as my face grew burning hot.

"Chishiya!" I stammered, my heart pounding like a jackhammer. "Welcome back!" I added with a wide grin, hoping to mask my awkwardness.

Chishiya raised an eyebrow-a gesture I'd always found kind of attractive.

"Someone seems awfully excited about our upcoming collaboration," he said, his tone laced with amusement.

I kept smiling, half rolling my eyes, half challenging him, as I held up the lab coat.

"More like excited to see you wearing this during work. Ann insists we look professional, you know?" I teased, eagerly waiting for him to take it.

Chishiya looked at me as if I'd lost my mind, then shook his head in disbelief, snatching the garment from my hands with a quick tug.

"Fine, if it'll shut you up," he grumbled, shrugging off his jacket and slipping on the coat over the dark T-shirt he wore beneath. Satisfied, I watched as he buttoned it up and pulled an elastic band from his wrist to tie back his pale blonde hair at the nape of his neck. He did so with deliberate slowness, each motion graceful, as if ensuring I didn't miss a second.

I stood frozen, my gaze sweeping over his unfamiliar appearance, my racing heart hammering at the sight. The coat fit perfectly-it didn't look ridiculous on him at all. In fact, it looked incredible, as if it were tailor-made for him. The small ponytail he now sported only accentuated his allure, and his professional demeanor held me captivated. For the first time, I could genuinely picture Chishiya in a world outside Borderland, fulfilling his role as a budding doctor.

What kind of person had he been there?

Once he was done, he grabbed Ann's stethoscope from the wall and casually draped it around his neck. A fluttery warmth spread in my stomach, completely at odds with what I knew about him.

"Are you done staring now?" His voice snapped me back to reality.

A raspy giggle escaped me, and I cleared my throat.

"Sorry, I just need a moment to process this unfamiliar sight."

"I hope this unfamiliar sight doesn't distract you from focusing on your work."

I chuckled again, letting my gaze wander deliberately slowly over him.

"No promises."

Chishiya groaned, rolling his eyes in exasperation as he shoved his hands into the coat's pockets.

"Who'd have thought you'd be so easily impressed?"

His tone was dripping with irony.

"And who'd have thought someone's appearance could be so different from their character?" I retorted, folding my arms defiantly across my chest.

A faint, amused smile flickered across Chishiya's lips before he turned to start preparing for the night ahead.

As I watched him work, a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbled up inside me. The dynamic between us was... complicated, to put it mildly. On one hand, his arrogant way of speaking to me drove me crazy; on the other, I was strangely drawn to his presence. This bizarre combination of attraction and repulsion left me completely baffled.

He was someone I couldn't quite figure out, even after seeing and talking to him several times. But maybe that was exactly what piqued my curiosity-his inability to be read like an open book, unlike everyone else. He was the polar opposite of Makoto, whose thoughts were practically written all over his face.

I resolved to focus on the task at hand and set my thoughts about Chishiya aside for now. But that seemed easier said than done-he wouldn't leave my mind. Even just looking at him sent uncontrollable flutters through my chest, and his new, unfamiliar appearance wasn't helping. It was nearly impossible to direct my gaze anywhere else.

"Stop standing around like a rock and make yourself useful," he scolded sharply when I still hadn't moved.

"Uh, yeah... so, what should I do?" I asked nervously, straightening my back.

"Disinfect the surfaces and sterilize the instruments!"

I nodded, eager to prove myself, and mimicked Chishiya by pulling a pair of gloves from the dispenser. Grabbing the disinfectant, I got to work thoroughly cleaning the surroundings. When I'd finished that task, I paused, thinking.

"So... how exactly do you sterilize the instruments?"

Chishiya turned to look at me, his expression unreadable.

"Ann didn't show you?"

I pouted slightly, my lips curving into a soft frown.

"Not yet. I just started yesterday."

He let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head in disbelief.

"That's one of the most basic things. Come here."

With my heart pounding, I stepped closer to him. He grabbed the disinfectant and began explaining how to prepare a solution with water to soak the instruments. As he spoke, the mocking tone in his voice faded almost entirely, which oddly enough helped to calm me down a bit. I tried to commit every word to memory and internalize the process, but his close proximity made it difficult to stay focused.

It didn't take long before the first injured players started arriving. The shift was entirely different from the previous night-not only because fewer players came in but also because Chishiya seemed to have made it his mission to test my patience. He appeared to have taken up a new hobby: treating me like a servant, ordering me around constantly, nitpicking every little mistake I made, and deliberately throwing medical jargon at me that I didn't understand. Despite the manageable number of patients, I barely had a moment to breathe. And when I finally paused for just a little too long to catch my breath, his voice hit me like a whip.

"Pick up the pace! You can rest when you're dead."

A frustrated groan escaped my lips.

I wish I were.

Reluctantly, I opened the drawer to grab the requested suturing tools, but a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my chest, forcing me to lean weakly against the cabinet. One hand clung desperately to the edge, while the other pressed against my chest. My heartbeat faltered painfully, accelerating in a way that set off alarm bells. It was a familiar pain-one I'd hoped never to feel again. Earlier, I'd convinced myself it was all in my head. Just a memory, a ghost of something long past. But now it felt so real, so terrifyingly present.

This couldn't be happening, could it?

I tried to take deep breaths, willing the stabbing sensation to fade, but each inhale only intensified the agony. My hands trembled as they reached for the silver instruments in the drawer. Fear gripped every fiber of my being.

Please, not now. Not here.

An invisible weight settled on my chest as my vision began to blur.

"What's taking you so long? I could've gotten it myself five times by now."

I tried to respond, but only a pained groan escaped my lips before my consciousness was swallowed by endless darkness. Shadows gently enveloped me, pulling me deeper into an infinite void. The pain ebbed away with them. It felt as though the darkness was welcoming me with open arms. Numbness spread through me as my mind slowly detached from my physical body. I felt myself slipping out of it, like shedding a tight-fitting garment of skin and muscle.

The rest of me ascended in a formless state, floating up to a starry night sky. Below, I could see myself-the shell that once housed me, now a lifeless husk that would eventually be reclaimed by the earth to give rise to new life.

I soared high above the city until the Beach Hotel was no more than a tiny pinprick of light in the distance. I could see the red lasers crisscrossing Tokyo and the game venues, the only brightly lit spots in the city. The view from above was breathtaking, and my fear dissolved into a sense of freedom and weightlessness. I felt like a feather in the wind, carried along with no idea of my destination. I absorbed the night sky without lifting my gaze, while simultaneously perceiving everything below me. My existence was as shapeless as mist, capable of spreading everywhere. I floated above the city as if time and space held no meaning. There were no boundaries-only infinite expanse. I could see everything that had happened and everything that was yet to come. Everything was nothing, and nothing was everything.

I had no sense of how long I lingered in this seemingly eternal state-it could've been minutes or centuries. But then, something flickered faintly on the horizon. It was a dim light at first, but it grew steadily stronger. It was as if the mist that was me was beginning to lift. The brightness pierced through, flooding my consciousness with a comforting warmth like a brilliant sunbeam. I felt compelled to follow it, though I didn't know why. I was like a moth drawn instinctively to the light. The closer I got, the more intense the warmth became. It was as if I were bathing in pure energy.

And then, suddenly, I was falling. Falling endlessly, with no idea where I'd land-if I'd land at all. It felt like plunging straight down a rabbit hole or hurtling into an abyss on a never-ending roller coaster. The impact was jarring, and a sharp pain shot through my body like lightning. An overwhelming urge to return gripped me, and I fought against the darkness threatening to consume me.

With all my strength, I pushed against the shadows, while the warmth of the light continued to surround me, filling me with renewed vigor. Slowly, but resolutely, I clawed my way back to the world of the living. I felt my heart pounding energetically, my body infused with new life, and gradually, I became aware of my surroundings once more.

As the pain finally subsided, a wave of relief washed over me. Slowly, my consciousness began to fade again, overtaken by a heavy fatigue. A faint, rhythmic beeping echoed in the distance, lulling me gently into a deep, restful slumber.