The night is quiet, the air heavy with disinfectant and rain.
Hayato stands under the flickering hospital sign, hands buried in his coat pockets, cigarette between his lips.
A black sedan pulls up. The driver's window rolls down Nifumi leans out, grinning, cigarette smoke curling around his face.
Hop in, he says.
Hayato exhales a stream of smoke, flicks the butt aside, and slides into the front seat.
Who's with the girl? Nifumi asks, starting the car again.
Her parents, Hayato replies.
Glad they finally remembered their daughter, Nifumi mutters, half-smiling. He nods toward the backseat. "As you can see everyone's safe, sound, and passed out."
Hayato glances back. Two figures are slumped in sleep one a tall young man, the other a girl with bandaged hands.
"Wait," Hayato says, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't that Ken Yamazaki? So he's the 'buddy' you mentioned on the call?"
Correct.
"And the girl?"
She's Ken's sister. Those two idiots decided to play heroes stormed one of the docks trying to save her. Lucky I was there, or they'd both be dead for nothing."
Hayato lights another cigarette, inhales, then speaks through the smoke. "Don't make me laugh, Nifumi. You know I can see right through you." His gaze hardens. "What did you do before saving them?"
Nifumi keeps his grin, silent.
"I see the blood stains under Itsuki's eyes," Hayato continues. You didn't clean them properly. You forced him to do it, didn't you?"
He grabs Nifumi by the collar, voice low and sharp. "You'll die by my hands one day, Nifumi."
Nifumi chuckles, unbothered. Hey but I did save them didn't i?. I just provoked him a little. And damn, he's really something. Made me real proud.
"He's not ready," Hayato snaps. He could've died out there. He isn't a fucking toy.
Nifumi smirks. Alright, alright it's not like i will kill my own nephew I'm not heartless. You're just too soft on him, brother. But I guess that's makes sense. "Well," he says, you can't stay at your house anymore it's dangerous, and I'm not taking the other two kids in. Since you're already taking care of three what's two more, right?
Hayato lets out a dry chuckle. "Alright then. We'll move to your house."
Nifumi blinks. "What? Did I hear that right?"
Hayato smirks.
"There's no way I'm letting any of you in my house," Nifumi says, voice cracking between disbelief and irritation.
Hayato just grins wider, flicking his cigarette out the window. "Too late to back out now, brother."
Nifumi's House Morning
A luxury home on the edge of the city, sunlight glinting off marble floors and golden picture frames. The air smells faintly of fresh polish and cigarette smoke.
Itsuki, Ken, and Ken's sister lie sprawled on the wide leather sofas in the hallway half asleep, wrapped in blankets.
At the dining table nearby, Hayato and Nifumi sit across from each other, steaming cups of coffee between them.
Nifumi glares over the rim of his mug. "I still can't believe you actually brought them here."
Hayato stirs his coffee lazily. "You said it yourself you're not heartless."
Nifumi's phone buzzes on the table. He checks the screen, frowns, then stands up.
"Work call," He steps out, door clicking softly shut.
Itsuki lies on the couch, one arm dangling off the side. His fingers twitch. His lips move no sound.
Inside Itsuki's Mind :
The world swims into white. The smell of antiseptic. The hum of machines.
Miyu lies still on the bed, her chest unmoving, skin ghost-pale beneath the hospital lights.
Itsuki stands frozen, drenched in someone else's blood or maybe his own. His hands shake uncontrollably.
He whispers, voice breaking,
"Miyu… wake up. You said you'd never leave me, remember?"
No response. Only the long, flat tone of the heart monitor cutting through the silence.
He staggers closer, reaching out his bloody hands hovering inches above her face.
"No… this isn't real. It's not real.."
He clutches his head, the room spinning. His knees buckle.
"Miyu comeback he screams!!!!!"
The floor cracks beneath him, and he falls into a black ocean of sound screams, sirens, her laughter fading into static.
Nifumi's House:
Hayato notices Itsuki's body convulsing on the sofa. His face twisted, whispering through clenched teeth.
"What's wrong," Hayato says, moving closer. "Itsuki, hey wake up."
Itsuki's eyes flutter open but they're distant, terrified. "No… no, it's not real," he mutters, voice trembling.
Then, louder "It's not real!"
He starts hitting himself his fists slamming into his own chest and jaw.
Hayato grabs him, shouting his name.
But Itsuki doesn't see Hayato he sees the hospital, the blood, Miyu's hand slipping away.
He lashes out, grabs Hayato's throat, shaking. "Bring her back!" he screams, tears streaking down his face. "Bring her backkk!"
Hayato wrestles him down, voice low but urgent. "Itsuki! Listen to me breathe!"
He presses his hand over Itsuki's mouth and nose cutting the air just enough to jolt him out of the nightmare.
Itsuki gasps, eyes wide then collapses forward into Hayato's arms, shaking violently.
Hayato holds him still, murmuring,
" Everything's fine just breathe "
Itsuki's breath hitches. A single tear falls, landing on Hayato's sleeve. His hands tremble against his knees.
Hayato stays crouched beside him, one hand still steady on his shoulder.
Itsuki blinks through tears, trying to pull himself together. His voice cracks.
"I'm… I'm sorry," he says, barely above a whisper. "For the other day. I shouldn't have talked to you like that."
Hayato looks at him for a moment the apology cutting deeper than the outburst ever did.
He sighs, half a smile tugging at his lips.
"Hey, hey. It's alright," he says gently. Forget it.
He stands, disappears into the kitchen, the sound of running water echoing softly.
When he returns, he kneels again, holding out a glass.
"Here. Drink."
Itsuki takes it with shaky hands, spilling a little as he drinks. His throat tightens, the cool water grounding him back in reality.
He sets the glass down, pressing his palms to his temples.
"My head's… foggy," he murmurs. "I can't remember some of the things that happened."
Hayato studies him quietly, then says,
"That's normal. You've been through a lot. Just take it easy everything's fine now."
Itsuki leaned back on the sofa, eyes darting around. The room looked unfamiliar wide walls, a dining table cluttered with empty mugs, and sunlight spilling through the half-drawn curtains. This wasn't Hayato's place.
He blinked, still dazed.
"Where… are we and where's miri?"
Hayato exhaled a breath.
"Nifumi's place. It's safer here for now and miri went to her house when you left the hospital."
The front door creaked open.
Nifumi stepped inside, phone still in hand, the faint smell of smoke following him. His sharp eyes immediately landed on the scene Hayato kneeling beside Itsuki, who sat trembling on the couch, breath ragged from the nightmare that had just torn through him.
Nifumi walked closer, crouching beside them.
His voice came out softer than usual calm, measured.
"Let me guess seeing her in the dreams?"
Itsuki didn't answer, only stared at the floor.
Nifumi placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Think of it in a positive way. If she's still in your dreams, she's still holding on somewhere."
Itsuki's head snapped up his eyes bloodshot.
"Get the fuck away from me."
Hayato straightened:
"Itsuki"
Itsuki's words cracked as he stood, glaring down at Nifumi.
"Don't pretend like you care. You touched Miyu at the hospital. You had no right."
For a moment, Nifumi didn't move. Then, with a faint exhale, he said quietly,
"She just reminded me of someone. An old friend."
He looked at Hayato as he said it a fleeting, heavy silence passing between them. Hayato looked away, saying nothing.
Nifumi pushed himself up and stepped back.
"You don't have to like me, kid," he muttered as he started toward the hallway. "Just don't lose yourself hating me."
He disappeared into the dim corridor.
Hayato places his hand on itsuki's shoulder, voice steady but low.
"He's right, Itsuki he is with us."
Itsuki ignores hayato and his gaze shifted across the room, two figures lay fast asleep on the couches. Ken's arm hung loosely over the edge, and beside him, a girl slept curled beneath a blanket. Itsuki's brows furrowed.
"Why's Ken here too? And who's that girl?"
Hayato didn't answer immediately. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking tired older somehow in that moment.
"Don't think too much right now. You need to rest a bit, I'll explain everything later."