"Excuse me," an authoritative voice said from behind Kei and Sakura.
They both turned to see a middle-aged man in a white coat, a stethoscope draped around his neck—a doctor. His face was calm yet unreadable, the kind of expression that made Sakura's stomach twist with dread.
"Yes?" Kei answered immediately.
"Are you friends or family of this patient?"
"I'm his friend, and she's his girlfriend," Kei replied, his voice steady, but Sakura barely heard him. Her eyes were locked onto Haru's unconscious form through the small window of his hospital room, her fingers clutching the hem of her jacket so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
The doctor gave a small nod. "Thank you. Would you please provide the patient's name and age?"
"Haru Soma, age nineteen." Kei handled the conversation while Sakura remained silent, silently praying for good news.
"Thank you," the doctor said, jotting down notes on his clipboard. "Can you please—"
"Doctor Hannoi." Sakura interrupted, her voice sharper than intended as she read his name badge. "Is he alright?"
The doctor sighed, setting his clipboard down. "Based on the tests we performed, your boyfriend appears to be in good health. We conducted a CT scan to rule out any head trauma from the collapse, and there are no signs of injury or neurological abnormalities."
A breath of relief escaped Sakura's lips, but it was short-lived. If he was fine, then why had he collapsed in the first place?
"At the moment," Doctor Hannoi continued, "we cannot determine the exact cause. It could be related to sleep deprivation, stress, anxiety, dehydration, alcohol or drug use, or even a combination of these factors. Do either of you know if he has a history of any of these issues? Or any pre-existing medical conditions?"
Kei was quick to answer. "We were drinking beer together when Haru collapsed, but he barely drank. It wasn't the alcohol—he collapsed after he saw a bright light."
Doctor Hannoi scribbled on his notepad.
"Does your friend have epilepsy or any other conditions that could cause a reaction to flashing lights?"
"No, he doesn't," Sakura said, finally finding her voice. "But… he's been dealing with a lot of stress, especially because of his older brother. Maybe that had something to do with it?"
The doctor nodded. "I see. Can I have his brother's name and contact information?"
"Aoi Soma," Kei responded without hesitation. He pulled out his phone and quickly recited Aoi's number, watching as the doctor jotted it down.
Doctor Hannoi tucked his pen into his coat pocket. "I will contact his brother to confirm if there are any additional health concerns. For now, we'll monitor him here overnight. He should regain consciousness before morning, but if anything changes, I will inform you immediately."
Sakura swallowed hard and nodded. She wanted to thank him, but the words stuck in her throat.
Kei, however, managed to say, "Thank you, doctor."
…
Aoi was seated at his desk, a neat stack of paperwork spread before him. His focus had been unwavering—until his phone buzzed. Without checking the caller ID, he answered in a clipped, professional tone.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this Aoi Soma?"
"Speaking."
"Mr. Aoi Soma, this is Dr. Hannoi from Tokyo General Hospital. I'm calling regarding your younger brother, Haru Soma."
Aoi's body stiffened, the pen slipping from his fingers. "Is everything alright, doctor?"
There was a slight pause before the doctor continued, his voice calm but firm.
"I'm afraid to inform you that your younger brother collapsed earlier this evening. He is currently stable but unconscious. We have conducted a CT scan and several other tests. So far, we have not found any injuries or underlying medical conditions, but we need to determine what caused the collapse."
Aoi felt his heart hammer against his ribcage. His grip tightened around the phone.
"Is he awake now?"
"I'm afraid not."
Aoi took a deep breath. "Do you have any idea why this happened?"
"That's what we're trying to determine. His friends reported that he collapsed after seeing a bright light. They also ruled out alcohol as a possible cause. Would you happen to know if he has any medical conditions, history of fainting, or anything else that could explain this?"
Aoi ran a hand through his hair, frustration creeping into his voice. "No, he's in perfect health. But… he has been under a lot of stress lately."
"The same was mentioned by his girlfriend. Stress and anxiety can lead to fainting episodes, but we want to rule out anything serious before making assumptions."
Aoi exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples.
"Thank you for letting me know, Doctor. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Understood. Just ask for me when you arrive."
Aoi ended the call and sat in silence for a moment, staring at the papers in front of him, as if they had suddenly become insignificant.
Then, without another second of hesitation, he grabbed his coat and rushed out the door.
…
Sakura and Kei stepped out of the hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling their lungs. The waiting room was dimly lit, the occasional beep of a heart monitor from down the hall the only sound breaking the silence.
Kei glanced at her. "Sakura, want me to drive you home?"
Sakura barely heard him. Her gaze remained fixed on the closed door behind them, her mind clouded with worry.
"The doctor said he'll wake up soon," Kei reminded her gently. "There's nothing to worry about."
Sakura turned to him, arms crossed. "The last time I texted Haru, I asked if he talked to Aoi, and he said 'sort of.' Did things not go as planned?"
Kei hesitated. He debated whether to keep quiet, but when he saw the determination in her eyes, he sighed and decided to be honest.
"The thing is… when Haru was about to talk to Aoi, Mia showed up."
Sakura's entire posture stiffened. Her nails dug into her palms. "Mia? Why?"
Kei exhaled.
"Apparently, her parents kicked her out. She's got no money, no place to stay, so she asked Aoi if she could move in."
Sakura's stomach churned with disgust.
"And?"
"Haru refused. He told Aoi that since he also owns the apartment, he has a say in who stays there. And he made it clear that Mia wasn't welcome."
Sakura felt a small flicker of satisfaction at that.
"But then," Kei continued, "money entered the problem. You see, their parents send money to Aoi every month to help support Haru, but Aoi's been dipping into it for himself. Haru knew but didn't care… until he realised Aoi was willing to spend it on Mia."
Sakura's jaw clenched. "Aoi was going to use Haru's money?"
Kei nodded grimly. "So Haru called his dad and had him transfer all his money into his own account instead. He also gave Mia enough to stay at a hotel for a week, told her to get a job, and that was it."
Sakura let out a sharp breath. "Did Mia say why her parents kicked her out?"
"No," Kei admitted. "I asked Haru the same thing, but she refused to say."
Sakura scoffed. "I practically grew up with Mia's parents, and I know for a fact they'd never throw her out unless she did something unforgivable. Do you think she was lying just to get Haru's sympathy?"
"It's possible."
Sakura shook her head, anger burning in her veins. "No wonder Haru's so stressed. Aoi's relationship with Mia is taking a toll on him more than anyone else."
Just then, a familiar voice cut through the waiting room.
"I'm looking for Doctor Hannoi. I'm Aoi Soma, Haru Soma's older brother."
Sakura snapped her head toward him.
Aoi stood at the receptionist's desk, his expression composed, as if nothing had happened. As if Haru wasn't lying unconscious in a hospital bed because of him.
Sakura saw red.
Before Kei could stop her, she lunged forward and smacked Aoi hard across the face.
A sharp gasp echoed through the waiting room. The receptionist froze. Patients and visitors turned to stare.
Aoi barely reacted. He touched his stinging cheek, his lips pressed in a thin line.
"Are you happy now?!" Sakura seethed, her voice trembling with rage. "Haru—your own brother—collapsed because of you! Because you're so blinded by Mia that you don't see what it's doing to him!"
Aoi remained silent.
Sakura's nails dug into her palms, her heart pounding. "Do you even realise that Mia's still in love with Haru? Or do you like being walked all over?"
Kei's hand clamped down on her shoulder.
"Sakura. Enough."
She ignored him.
Aoi's lack of reaction only infuriated her more.
Did he even care? Did he realise how much he was hurting Haru?
"Miss," the receptionist spoke up hesitantly. "Please leave or I will call security."
Kei sighed.
Sakura still wasn't moving, so without another word, Kei threw her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
"Put me down, Kei!" she yelled, thrashing against him.
Kei ignored her completely, walking straight past Aoi without even sparing him a glance.
Only when they were outside by his car did he finally set her down.
Sakura whirled on him, furious. "I wasn't done talking to him!"
Kei rolled his eyes. "You weren't talking, Sakura. You were about to cause a scene and get yourself thrown out of the hospital."
Sakura crossed her arms, breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling.
"I seriously don't get what you see in Mia, Kei."
Kei sighed, rubbing his temples. "Neither do I. I'll take you home."