The mind can forget... but the heart never!

Chapter 41

Seiya still sat with Bunny's parents in the emergency room waiting area. Several hours had passed, and they hadn't received any further updates. Their nerves were on edge, and emotions were running high. Ikuko had occasional sobs left, but her tears had mostly dried up. Kenji and Seiya stared at the door, waiting anxiously.It wasn't until the sun had risen again that a young doctor approached them, and both Kenji and Seiya stood up simultaneously. 

"The family of Mrs. Tsukino?"

 "Yes, that's my daughter. How is she? Can we see her?" Kenji asked with concern. 

"I'd like to ask you to come to the consultation room first. I'll inform you about everything there, and afterward, you can visit her briefly," the doctor said kindly, holding the door open with her arm. Ikuko rose from her seat and followed at a slight distance. Her legs felt like lead. She feared what the doctor might tell them.Ikuko and Kenji took seats in front of a small desk, and Seiya stood tensely behind them. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, I won't sugarcoat anything. Your daughter was in critical condition. She had a minor brain hemorrhage. To relieve pressure on her brain, a section of her skull was removed, which will be reinserted once the swelling subsides. Her cheekbone was shattered. We've already done a minor reconstruction using plates. Her spleen had to be removed as it was on the brink of rupturing. Her lung lining on the left side was torn, caused by the rib fractures. We've also stabilized a fracture in her right thigh bone using two plates. She's now in the intensive care unit in an induced coma. I can't tell you yet how long we'll maintain this state, but it's going to be a tough journey for her." 

Ikuko covered her face with her hands and broke into tears once again. Kenji comfortingly put an arm around his wife. Seiya struggled to maintain his composure; these pieces of news were difficult for him to digest as well. The doctor allowed them a moment to gather themselves before leading them upstairs to Bunny's room. They all donned protective gowns before entering. Ikuko hurried directly to Bunny's side and clasped her daughter's hand. Kenji stood right behind her, placing his hands on Ikuko's shoulders. Seiya remained frozen in shock by the door.There she lay, his treasure. He could hardly recognize her. Her face was swollen and covered in bruised, blue marks. Hair on one side was shaved off, and a thick bandage encircled her head. A large breathing tube was inserted in her throat. Three drainage bags for wound secretions and a urine bag hung beside her bed. A monitor stood behind her bed, emitting a steady beeping sound, and on the other side, there were infusion pumps delivering her medications regularly.

It didn't matter where Seiya looked, all he saw were tubes and medical equipment. He couldn't bear the sight. Tears welled up, and he dashed out of the room. As he ran, he tore off the protective gown and just kept running until his legs eventually gave out. He hadn't been paying attention to where he was running. His breath burned from exertion. Leaning against a tree, he realized he had run all the way to Juban Park. He sank down onto a tree root and buried his face in his hands. Everything still seemed so unreal to him. She had finally chosen him. They were supposed to be happy now. Thinking back to all the wonderful moments with her, he couldn't hold back anymore. Seiya let his tears flow freely. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there like that. Eventually, he heard the sound of heels clicking towards him. Slowly, he lifted his gaze. 

Rei was crouched in front of him, offering him a tissue. "Here, take this," she said gently but firmly. "What happened?" "Bunny is in the hospital. She looks terrible, and it's all because I came back here." Rei furrowed her brow and became attentive. "What do you mean?" "If I hadn't come back, Mamoru would never have contacted that Black Moon group, Bunny wouldn't have been kidnapped, and she would be fine." Rei tried to piece together the puzzle in her head, but too many pieces were missing. "What does Mamoru have to do with the Black Moon?" Rei asked.