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

Chapter 44

The awakening phase had been ongoing for five days now. Another five days during which Seiya sat by her bedside, never leaving her side. They had been in the hospital for thirteen days already. Seiya lay with his head leaned against her bed. Fatigue had overwhelmed him once again, but he hadn't found deep sleep in a long time. A soft buzzing sound instantly made him jerk awake. It was already dark outside, with only the small nightlight lit. Yet even that dim light was enough for him to see Bunny's eyelids twitch.

"Darling? Can you hear me?" he whispered softly and stroked her hand.

Once again, her eyelids twitched. Seiya pressed the emergency call button. For the first time in weeks, a sense of elation washed over him as he heard another buzz.

"Is everything alright?" asked the nurse, pressing some buttons next to the door.

Seiya beamed at her. "She's waking up. Yuri, she's finally waking up."

The young woman came closer and checked the values on the monitors. "Seiya, I think you're right. I'll inform a doctor so we can extubate her. However, it might still take a few hours for her to fully come to."

She briefly placed her hand on Seiya's shoulder and smiled encouragingly. Seiya had tears welling up at the corners of his eyes from joy.

The head doctor, who by now had gotten to know Seiya well, entered the room shortly after. She conducted a few small tests and then finally removed the breathing tube from Bunny's throat. "That's looking good already. She's able to breathe on her own again. That's a significant improvement. If she becomes responsive or experiences any breathing problems, please call me immediately."

Seiya gently caressed her lips and placed a kiss on them.

"Darling, you can go ahead and open your eyes now. You've slept enough," he whispered gently into her ear and firmly held her hand again. But Bunny had already fallen asleep once more.

Bunny heard voices reaching her from a distance. Everything around her was black and peaceful. What had happened? An unbearable tiredness enveloped her, but what were those sounds? Slowly, she tried to open her eyes, but the light blinded her. Then she felt a hand holding hers tightly. She weakly reciprocated the pressure.

"Darling?" the voice reached her again and again.

She forced herself to make another attempt to open her eyes. She made out blurry outlines by her side. There stood a man at her bedside.

"Ma..." she croaked, but no proper word came out of her lips. Her throat burned like fire, and the voice that escaped her throat didn't really sound like hers.

She felt a hand stroke her forehead, closed her eyes, and drifted back into unconsciousness.

She had these phases throughout the night. Every time, Seiya thought, now's the time, she's going to wake up, but it didn't happen. The sun was starting to rise. Day number fourteen arrived, the second completed week in this room.

Seiya felt utterly exhausted and lowered his head at Bunny's side, still holding her hand tightly. There it was again: the slight pressure of her hand in his.

Bunny felt another hand holding hers. At first, she applied light pressure, then she traced her thumb over the back of the hand that held hers. With great effort, she finally managed to open her eyes. At her side, she could discern a mop of black hair. She cleared her throat. When the man lifted his head, Bunny was shocked because she hadn't expected him.

"You?" she croaked and pulled her hand back.

"Darling, it's okay. You had an accident, you're in the hospital," Seiya tried to explain.