Sᴘʟᴀsʜᴇs & Sᴛʀɪᴋᴇs | Nagi Seishiro √

08: 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦

Reo covered his face with trembling hands as Chigiri recounted the series of events. "I shouldn't have drunk; she's paying the price now."

"Dude, it's not your fault," Chigiri assured, placing a consoling hand on Reo's shoulder. "Nobody anticipated a truck careening out of control. The cops were called; the driver was drunk."

"But if I hadn't been drunk, you guys wouldn't have had to drop me," Reo lamented, reclining against the bedrest, unable to face the distress welling up within. "Day after tomorrow is her swimming national heats. She won't be able to compete because of me. I've ruined my little sister's dream."

"Reo, listen." Chigiri attempted to comfort him. "Nagi and your mom are with Rea. Nagi thought it would be best to stay by her side, and he hoped you'd understand."

"That's okay. I'm glad he chose her. How's Mom?" Reo inquired, concern etched across his features. "Is she okay now? And where's Dad?"

"Your dad stepped out. Your mom is resting in Rea's room," Chigiri explained softly. "She hasn't eaten since she got here. She won't until Rea wakes up. She's devastated."

Reo sighed heavily, his gaze drifting downward to his hands. The scene felt surreal—awakening in a hospital bed with a broken leg after a night of revelry. His memories were fragmented, filled with alcohol-fueled bravado and boasting. Now, his sister lay seriously injured, fought through surgery, hovering on the precipice between life and death.

The door to Reo's hospital room creaked open, revealing Kaiser with a bandaged head, followed closely by Bachira. "Hey, how're you doing?"

"Same to you," Reo replied, his frustration evident. Kaiser turned to Chigiri for an explanation but received only a subtle shake of the head.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know how to react when that truck appeared," Kaiser muttered, grappling with a sense of guilt. "All I wanted was to avoid it hitting us, never anticipating another collision."

"You can't blame yourself," Bachira interjected, settling onto a small couch across from the bed. "Kaiser's quick decision to veer away saved all of you. Everyone handled the situation the best they could. Even Rea is going to be fine. I don't think she'd want to see her brother like this when she wakes up."

An air of unease lingered in the room, the weight of Reo's self-imposed responsibility palpable. His friends were at a loss for words, grappling with the difficulty of trying to ease his heavy-hearted thoughts.

A gentle knock on the door heralded the arrival of a nurse, her presence breaking the solemnity in the room. "Your other friend has woken up. The patient is still in a critical state, so I suggest only two visitors at a time."

"Thank you," Kaiser acknowledged as the nurse departed, leaving them to decide who should go next. "Reo, let Chigiri and Bachira go in. You're still not fit for it."

"Yeah, Nagi is probably still there anyway," Bachira added, rising from his seat and heading towards the door. "Chigiri and I will give you an update."

Reo nodded solemnly, resting his head against the supportive bedrest. His longing to see his sister, to apologize for the turmoil, weighed heavily on his mind.

In Rea's hospital room, Mrs. Mikage sat by her daughter's bedside, tears streaming down her cheeks. "My dear, I'm so sorry. I should have taken better care of you."

"Mum, please don't cry. It's not your fault," Rea managed slowly, helped by the nurse to adjust her position against the bed. "I'm okay, just a little hurt."

Mrs. Mikage kissed Rea's hand, trying to restrain her emotions. Knowing her daughter was alive brought immeasurable relief, more so than Reo's recovery.