A Story About a Girl Who Took Life for Granted and Fell in Love With a Kind and Introverted Boy

…Beep, beep, beep, beep…

The weak sound of the heart monitor echoes in the room. Sitting on a small round stool, I gaze at Kenji’s face.

Kenji’s chest rises and falls slightly with each breath, gently moving the blanket.

Looking at him like this, it really seems like he’s just napping. It wouldn’t be surprising if he suddenly opened his eyes and said, “Good morning, Mom.”

But I know… that he probably won’t wake up like that.

“……………”

What am I supposed to do?

If Kenji leaves me too, I won’t be able to live anymore. The thought of being alone in a house where Kenji doesn’t return… it’s unbearable.

“…Kenji…”

I call out his name softly.

There’s no response. Only the relentless, indifferent sound of the heart monitor fills the room. Not even a finger moves.

“……………”

I reach into the paper bag at my feet and pull out a photo album. It’s an album filled with photos of Kenji as a child.

The time when he was just born. The time when he was drinking milk. His first crawl. His first steps. His first day at preschool…

This album is brimming with memories of Kenji.

Ah, even now, Kenji still carries traces of those times. His sleeping face hasn’t changed since he was a baby.

“…The red-eyed scorpion…”

Placing a hand gently on Kenji’s chest, I begin singing softly.

“…The outspread wings of the eagle. The blue-eyed puppy. The coils of the luminous snake…”

It’s a song called Star Tour’s Song that Kenji has loved since he was little. I used to sing this to him to lull him to sleep.

The images of Kenji in the album and the Kenji lying before me overlap in my mind.

“Orion sings high and… drops dew and frost…”

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

As I was lost in these old memories, the door to the hospital room opened. Turning around, I saw a blonde-haired girl—one of Kenji’s classmates—standing there.

“Hmm…”

The moment she saw me, she made a blatantly displeased face. She pursed her lips and furrowed her brows.

I didn’t like her either. We’d had a fight in this very room before.

“…What? Are you planning to do something to Kenji again?”

The blonde glared at me sharply.

“Stay away from Kenji. I don’t want to recognize someone like you as his parent.”

“…Shut up. What do you even know about me?”

We exchanged hostile glances.

The blonde let out a huff and stomped into the room, standing next to me and glaring down at me.

“If you try anything with Kenji, I won’t let it slide.”

“…What’s your relationship with Kenji, anyway?”

“……………”

“Don’t tell me… are you claiming to be Kenji’s lover?”

“I don’t want to talk about me and Kenji with you.”

She frowned, her gaze piercing.

I wasn’t about to back down either, glaring right back at her. What a rude child. I’ve always disliked this kind of person.

“…Hmm?”

Suddenly, her gaze shifted away from my face. Pointing at the album in my hand, she spoke.

“Is that… Kenji’s childhood album?”

“……………”

When she said that, I quickly closed the album and put it back into the paper bag at my feet.

“I don’t want to show you anything about my Kenji.”

I threw back a phrase similar to what she had said earlier.

Her face twisted in frustration, a mix of anger and humiliation.

“Tch.”

Clicking her tongue, she placed a round stool next to me, sat down, and stared intently at Kenji.

…Beep, beep, beep, beep…

The room grew quiet again. The only sounds were the heart monitor and Kenji’s faint breathing.

(…Could someone as flashy as this girl really be Kenji’s lover?)

Glancing at the blonde out of the corner of my eye, I pondered their relationship.

(I always thought Kenji would be with someone quieter… someone more gentle. Not someone so gaudy and shallow-looking…)

No, maybe she isn’t his lover at all. Perhaps it’s just her one-sided crush. I can’t imagine Kenji choosing someone like her.

I’ve never liked flashy types like her. I wouldn’t even want to be friends with one.

“……………”

As I mused over their relationship, something happened.

Kenji’s lips parted slightly.

“!?”

“Kenji!?”

Both the blonde and I stood up at once, thinking he might have regained consciousness.

“Kenji! It’s me, Mom!”

“Kenji! Hey, can you hear me? Can you hear my voice!?”

“……………”

…But no matter how much we called out, Kenji didn’t respond.

We both sat back down, letting out deep sighs.

“…I really thought Kenji had woken up.”

“…Maybe he opened his mouth to breathe.”

“To breathe… Yeah, maybe.”

“……………”

The blonde’s face was truly sorrowful.

She bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes.

“……………”

Though I didn’t want to admit it, seeing that face made me realize… she truly cares about Kenji.

…Beep, beep, beep, beep…

The room fell into silence once more.

Dim sunlight filtered through the windows.

“…Hey.”

The blonde suddenly spoke to me. I didn’t say anything, but I turned my gaze toward her.

Still looking at Kenji, she asked, “Were you happy when Kenji was born?”

“…What kind of question is that? Of course, I was. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“……………”

“I was born with a frail body… It was a situation where both Kenji and I might not have survived. But we both came through healthy. That made me so, so happy.”

“…Then why did you try to kill him?”

“……………”

I turned my eyes toward the window. Outside, snow was falling gently, as if in slow motion.

“Because I… want to die soon.”

“……………”

I felt her gaze on me. When I looked back at her, the anger in her eyes had softened.

“Don’t try to kill Kenji again, okay?”

“……………”

“You might want to die, but Kenji doesn’t feel the same way.”

“……………”

Looking at Kenji’s peaceful sleeping face, I murmured softly, “You’re right.”

The snow outside grew heavier.