A Childhood Friend, Reunited After 10 Years Acts Deredere With Me - Chapter 19 - Despair and Hope

Sora was then taken to the hospital by ambulance. The doctor in charge and I accompanied Sora to the hospital, where he was operated on first. In the waiting room, we were waiting for the moment.

“Hah… hah… hah…”

Sora’s Okaa-san came in gasping for breath and made eye contact with me. I couldn’t help but look away.

(I must apologize…I must apologize. ……)

But…I’m scared.

It’s my fault this happened.

“Alice…”

“S… Sorry… it’s my fault… it’s my fault… that this…”

I was so afraid of what might happen to me.

“I’ve heard the story. You must have been scared. It was never Alice’s fault, and I’m proud of Sora for defending you. And who do you think is operating on him? Trust that man.”

The man operating on Sora is Sora’s father. I was surprised when I first got to hear about it, but he is a surgeon. I heard he is very skilled.

“…Yes.”

When I said that, the light in the operating room went out. Sora was being carried out of there, and Sora’s father was drenched in sweat.

“Sora…what happened to Sora!?

I would not feel better if I heard it first, so I bit the bullet and asked. Sora’s father’s complexion was not good and his mood was getting worse and worse. He smiled to hide it and said.

“… As expected of my son. He’s as stubborn as a cockroach. First of all, there is no defect in the brain. The shrapnel didn’t stick in the brain either, so there shouldn’t be any aftereffects. But even if the shrapnel didn’t stick in his brain, it left some huge damage on his brain. I can’t do anything about this. All I can do is wait for him to recover…”

Through the second half, the smile faded from his face and he clicked his tongue.

“No way…”

Well…I heard he was moving in that state. I couldn’t believe my ears. The fact that he was able to regain consciousness on his own and move around in that state is clearly beyond the level of what a human being can do. So I’m sure he’ll manage again with such monstrous power.”

“…Is there… anything I can do?”

“…Not at the moment. But keep coming back every day. I’m sure he’ll be at peace with the fact that the first person he’s loved is close to him.”

“…Okay!”

………

……

…

As usual, I open the hospital room door and replace the flowers. The flowers are eleven roses, which is a little embarrassing. This way, he would know immediately that I had come.

Then the door is forcefully opened and an out-of-breath Shunya enters.

“Hah… hah… hah… Alice-chan huh…

“Yes…”

“I’m sorry to barge in on you so suddenly. I’m sorry to barge in on you so suddenly, but Sora was being carried away in an ambulance. I’m not sure if this is the right time to ask this, but… what is his condition?”

I turned my face down unconsciously as I came into the hospital room and looked at Sora. By the time I realized this, Shunya had already spoken.

“Isn’t it good…?”

“Yeah…”

Shunya walked towards the sleeping Sora and shouted out.

“I told Akira to come, but he said, “There’s no way Sora is going to die from a smashed head.””

“Haha… that’s just like Akira.”

“He looked like he was about to close the gap while he was in the hospital, so he probably trusts Sora.”

He seemed to trust Akira’s words very much. But why did he have a nostalgic look?

“Why… do you look so nostalgic?”

“…No, actually, I was at the championships when this guy was in eighth grade, watching the games.”

I wanted to hear about Sora’s junior high school days from Sora’s mouth, but my desire to care about Sora won out over that.

“Sora, what kind of person was he in junior high school?”

“…I was very impressed with him, playing center forward in his second year. He was a center forward in his sophomore year. He could make you think he was an insatiable beast who could score a goal by himself, and then he would be the go-between and the leader who would pass the ball to his teammates. The team revolves around him perfectly, and he’s so pleased with himself when someone else scores a goal.”

I can picture that scene in my mind, though it is a fantasy. I can imagine Sora playing soccer because he looked so happy.

“That’s just like Sora, isn’t it?”

“Aah… my bad, It looks like I was in the way. You can enjoy the rest of the day with your loved one.”

Shunya jokingly opened the door to the hospital room and walked out. It was then that I finally realized that the person I am now is not the one I always show in front Sora. The real me is much brighter, and I like, like, really like Sora…

“…Hey Sora! Wake up! Come on, come on! I’ll kiss you if you don’t wake up! I wonder if it’s okay?”

Usually he wakes up right away. But… why…

“Wake up, Sora! I can do whatever I want to Sora now! Sora seems to like me too, so it’s legal for me to attack you now!”

“…”

“Hey! Don’t pretend to be asleep for this long… please… please.”

I tried to make myself look strong, that’s what I thought, but… it was still impossible.

“Please…Sora… wake up… without Sora… I…”

………

……

…

“Nn…nn.”

I seemed to have fallen asleep before I knew it, with my head resting on the bed in the chair.

…Oh no…it’s nighttime already…”

I was looking out the opposite window and the moonlight was shining on me. I chuckled at that and was about to get ready to leave.

“Yes, it is. But since it’s this late, why don’t you stay here for the night?”

“…Eh?”

My brain couldn’t process it all. My mind went blank for a moment and what hit me at the same time was joy and delight.

As I look forward, I cross familiar eyes. They are the kind eyes that encourage me.

“So… ra…”

“I’m back, Alice.”

“Ugh…uaah… wel… come back… Sora…”