-HOKKAIDO CENTRAL HOSPITAL, ICU WAITING AREA-
-12:06 AM, JANUARY 23, 2017-
The hospital had grown quieter.
Night staff moved calmly through dimmer corridors.
The waiting room lights hummed faintly overhead.
Rikuu sat with his elbows on his knees, hands loosely clasped together.
Masayoshi leaned back in the chair beside him, staring at the ceiling.
Neither of them had spoken for several minutes.
Then—
Two men in dark coats entered the waiting area.
Not doctors.
Not family.
Their posture was different.
One approached the front desk.
The other scanned the room briefly.
Masayoshi noticed first.
"…Rikuu."
He didn't look up.
"…Yeah."
"I think we have a problem."
Rikuu followed his gaze.
Police.
Not aggressively moving.
But clearly asking questions.
The receptionist pointed down the hallway.
Toward the ICU.
Masayoshi exhaled slowly.
"Someone reported it."
"They always do."
One of the officers eventually walked toward them.
Polite.
Professional.
"Evening."
Rikuu stood calmly.
"Yes, sir."
"Are you two here for Tanaka Hiroshi?"
Masayoshi answered first.
"…We know him."
The officer nodded.
"We're just gathering information about how he was injured."
His eyes shifted to Rikuu's bruised knuckles.
And the fading marks on his jaw.
"Were you present when it happened?"
Silence.
Not long.
Just long enough to feel heavy.
Then Rikuu answered.
"…Yes."
Masayoshi looked at him sharply.
The officer waited patiently.
"Where?" he asked.
Rikuu held his gaze.
"…An argument outside a parking structure."
The officer wrote something in his notebook.
"And it became physical?"
"Yes."
"Did he attack first?"
Rikuu didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Masayoshi blinked.
The officer nodded slowly.
"Did you intend to cause serious harm?"
"No."
The answer was immediate.
Honest.
The officer studied him carefully.
"You're a student, right?"
"Yes."
"School?"
"…Aurora Academy."
That seemed to surprise him slightly.
But he simply wrote it down.
"Alright."
He closed the notebook.
"If he wakes up, we'll confirm details."
Masayoshi finally spoke again.
"…Are we in trouble?"
The officer shook his head.
"Not unless this turns into something worse."
Then he gave them a long look.
"You boys should avoid places where arguments become fights."
With that—
He walked away.
Masayoshi slumped back in his chair.
"…You just admitted it."
"I didn't lie."
"You could've."
Rikuu shook his head slightly.
"…Doesn't change what happened."
Masayoshi stared at him.
"…You're insane."
Maybe.
But the tension in the room eased slightly.
At least for now.
-AURORA ACADEMY, MORNING HALLWAY-
-8:09 AM-
Students moved through the corridor with their usual quiet energy.
Lockers opening.
Shoes echoing against polished floors.
Ichika stood near the theatre club notice board.
She had barely slept.
Something still felt wrong.
Then—
She saw him.
Rikuu walked down the hallway slowly.
His posture was stiff.
Eyes tired.
But what caught her attention immediately—
Was the bruise along his collarbone that hadn't been there yesterday.
"Arakawa."
He stopped.
Turned.
"…Morning."
She stepped closer.
"You didn't sleep."
"…A little."
"That wasn't my question."
His shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Hospital."
Her chest tightened.
"Your grandmother?"
"No."
"Then who?"
He hesitated.
Only briefly.
"…Someone from before."
The vague answer didn't satisfy her.
But she understood enough.
Something serious had happened.
"Are they okay?" she asked quietly.
"…Maybe."
That word again.
Maybe.
She studied his face carefully.
"You're carrying something."
"I usually am."
She stepped closer.
"Then let me carry some of it."
He looked at her.
Really looked.
And for a moment—
He almost told her everything.
About the fight.
The police.
The ICU.
But instead—
"…It's almost over."
Her expression softened.
"Then I'll wait."
Simple.
Uncomplicated.
She didn't need details to stay beside him.
And somehow—
That made it harder for him to speak.
-INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT STREET CORNER-
-3:47 PM-
Across the street from Aurora Academy—
A black car remained parked quietly.
Inside sat the same alley organizer from two nights ago.
He watched the school gate carefully.
Students exited in groups.
Laughing.
Talking.
Then—
He spotted Rikuu walking beside Ichika.
The man smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
A second man in the driver's seat glanced over.
"That the kid?"
"Yeah."
"And the girl?"
"The Komori daughter."
The driver whistled softly.
"…Rich."
"Very."
The organizer leaned back in his seat.
"See why people don't like losing him?"
Snow continued falling across the quiet street.
"Should we worry?" the driver asked.
The organizer shook his head slowly.
"Not yet."
He watched Rikuu and Ichika walk away together.
"But if the boy thinks he's free…"
His faint smile returned.
"…he's going to learn something."
The car engine started.
And slowly drove off into the winter streets.