The nurse had given you a chair once she realized you weren't going to be leaving his bedside anytime soon. The Main Course infirmary now held its first Reserve Course patient, a notion that now seemed like an insult.
You were the only conscious person in the room. Some of your classmates were bedridden as well, but they were still silently resting. Hajime was peacefully asleep against the pile of pillows, somehow looking even more content than he did in the glass pod. You hadn't left his side for hours and had rarely taken your gaze off him. He stirred occasionally, but you didn't force him awake. He probably needed the rest.
"How's he doing?" Chisa opened the door to the infirmary.
"He's fine. Just recovering." You gave the hopeful news.
"You should get some sleep. It's almost 1 AM."
"Is it?" You looked at the clock against the back wall. "I guess so. I'll be okay, though. I don't want to leave until I can talk to him again."
"There won't be class again tomorrow, after all this. Mr. Kirigiri is launching an investigation into the Steering Committee. While that happens, we're tightening security for the kiddos and re-evaluating the Reserve Course."
"Re-evaluating? What's happening to it?"
"Kirigiri said the Steering Committee only set it up for funding, no other purpose. They spent every penny on the Kamakura Project."
"Kamakura..." You hadn't heard the official name of the scheme before.
"We'll have to see if it's worth it to keep it up. Jin will implement his own ideals again, and if they don't align..."
"You'll liquify the Reserve Course?"
"Maybe." Chisa sighed. "I don't know what that spells for everyone, but it's a possibility."
"I see."
"I'll leave you alone. Do try to get to sleep tonight."
"Okay. Have a good night, Ms. Yukizome."
She left, shutting the door and returning the silence. You took Hajime's hand, holding it tenderly as you watched him.
Either seconds or minutes or hours passed, you weren't sure. Your daze was only broken by your friend rousing, slowly opening his eyelids and blinking.
"Hajime," you said softly.
"(Y/n)." Conscious and comfortable, he turned his head to you. The hand you held squeezed yours gently.
"Are you doing okay?"
"Yes." He smiled. "I'm fine."
"That's good."
Telepathic emotions flooded the room as you took in the presence of each other, having finally reconvened in a secure and intimate environment. He was rescued, and safe, and back in your reach.
"Uh, Hajime?" You considered waiting longer to bring it up, but your heart wasn't patient enough.
"Yes?" He adjusted his position.
"You, um...you said you liked me." The mere thought caused a rush of adrenaline, one you attributed to fear previously.
"I did." His smile grew, his eyes full of tenderness and joy. "And I mean it. I like you, (y/n)."
"I..." You felt tears welling up again and attempted to restrain the increasingly common occurrence. "I like you too, Hajime. I really do."
His hand held yours tighter, apparently struggling to fight back tears as well. "I'm so happy I can see you again." His arms reached around your back and pulled you in, burying you in his chest. His grip was tight but full of passion as he held you warmly. You wrapped yours around his neck, returning the embrace. "I'm so happy," he repeated.
"Me too," was all you could get out before the lump in your throat increased.
"I want to be with you," he whispered. "(Y/n)..."
"Yes?" You withdrew, allowing your eyes to meet.
"(Y/n), will you be my partner? Can we...be partners?"
"Of course," you replied, your face a confusing mess of tears and laughter.
"Thank you." He looked downwards, embarrassed. You felt the same way, like you two were little preschoolers confessing your love. You kept running confirmations of the moment through your head. We're dating, right? He's my boyfriend? We're in a relationship? Is this really happening?
"It's pretty late, huh." Hajime now noticed the clock. "Unless I slept longer than I thought and it's actually 1 PM right now."
"No," you replied. "Just 1 AM. No need to worry."
"I already am worrying. You should get to sleep."
"I'm not leaving you." You shook your head.
"I probably can't convince you, can I?" He sighed. "Well, I'm strong enough. Come on, I'll take you to your dorm."
"Oh, no way. You're not getting up from that bed, mister," you ordered.
"Watch me." Defiantly, he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the gurney, successfully hopping to his feet with ease. "See? I'm fine. All I needed was a little nap."
"You're ridiculous."
"Don't worry. Let's go." He held your hand, interlacing his fingers with yours and tightly gripping it.
He led you out of the infirmary and through the quiet halls of the academy, lit with dim night lighting. You both easily found the way to your dorm and you unlocked it, allowing both of you in.
"Here you are. Get to sleep," Hajime urged.
"Where are you going to go?"
"I don't know yet. I'll probably stay at the infirmary for now."
"Nice try. I'll just follow you back there. I'm not going to leave you alone."
"Then where-"
"Just stay in my dorm. Nobody will care." You invited him in. "You can take the bed, I'll be on the floor."
Hajime advanced further into your room. "No way. It's big enough, right? We can share, if you're comfortable. If not, I'm taking the floor."
"Yeah, right. As if I'm going to let the sickly patient sleep on the floor."
"Well I'm not going to let the exhausted savior have the floor, either." He crossed his arms.
"Then the bed it is." You confirmed his suggestion.
Your experience at the beach suite made the current situation a little less tense. The bed wasn't a queen, but it was large enough to hold both of you comfortably. Hajime was still in his hospital robe, a dangerously loose outfit that hung precariously on his frame. You changed into a cheaper shirt and sweatpants, dispensing your inventory of gadgets on your desk.
After flicking the light switch off, Hajime climbed into bed and kept a safe distance from your side. He stared up at the ceiling, mentally recounting the events.
"Is everything okay?" You shuffled underneath the sheets.
"Yes. Just...a lot has happened. It was scary."
"I was scared for you. What did they do you to?" You rested your head in the pillow and turned to face him.
"Hooked me up to the machine. I was fighting to get away from them, but I was unconscious as soon as I was wired up. Then..." His face hardened, struck with an unpleasant memory. "It hurt. Everything hurt so much. It felt like an eternal hell."
"I'm sorry, Hajime." You instinctively reached for his arm and squeezed it softly. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner."
"It's not your fault." He smiled. "I'm happy you came. I heard you, even while I was still asleep. You were my salvation."
"Don't say that. I didn't do much."
"Yes, you did." He adjusted his body to face you. His smile was simple, but genuine. "You saved me. I'm really sorry, (y/n). I'm sorry I ever considered the project in the first place."
"It's okay," you replied softly.
"No, it isn't. At first it sounded like a dream come true, but the deeper I went the worse it got. I reached a point where I couldn't back out, and I just had to keep going. It felt like everything depended on it." He exhaled a shaky breath. "You reminded me that I'm okay as I am. The whole world felt against me, but you stayed by my side. You deserve everything."
"Hajime, stop," you laughed, fully embarrassed. "You're so sappy."
"Sorry," Hajime said. "There's been so much pent up. I just have to spill it."
"Well, we've got all the time in the world. Tell me everything."
He hesitated, thinking. "Um, this is probably silly to ask, but...can I hold you?"
"Oh...!" Of course!
"I don't have to. It's okay."
"No, no, it's fine! I'm okay with it. I would like it."
As soon as consent was given, Hajime wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you closer to him. Your head was tucked just beneath his chin and rested on his collarbone. You put your hand on his chest, hoping he wouldn't notice your extreme adrenaline rush.
He did. "You're awfully excited," he said bluntly.
"Sorry. It's...y'know..."
"I know."
How is he not freaking out like I am? Is he some sort of romance veteran?
"This is my first time doing something like this, so I'm sorry if it's clumsy." Hajime disproved your current theory.
"Huh? No, you're amazing." You tried to relax yourself and simply enjoy the moment, despite your heartbeat pounding faster than ever. "It's nice, I mean. It's nice."
"That's good." Hajime's arms tightened around your waist. "I like it too."
You closed your eyes and enveloped yourself in his warmth, feeling like a hero that won the damsel after fighting the dragon. The moment was serene and beautiful. You wished it would never end.
Before you knew it, you had fallen asleep. Hajime's embrace lulled you into slumber, keeping you safe and warm all night.
The following morning, you awoke to find your two bodies has shifted substantially away from each other. Hajime was already wake, though barely.
"G'morning," Hajime mumbled.
"Morning." You blinked a few times.
"How did you sleep?" Hajime hoisted himself into a sitting position.
"Great. What time is it?"
"Almost 9."
"Oh, geez. Thank God I don't have class." You stopped. "Wait, do you have to go to class?"
"Dunno. Even if there was class, I'm not interested. I think I'll be fine."
"Alright. Fair enough." You sat up.
"Your phone buzzed earlier. I didn't look, but I thought you should know."
"Oh, thanks." You slowly left the bed and trudged over to your desk, checking your phone. One missed call from Chisa.
"Hello?" Chisa responded instantly when you called her back.
"Hey, Ms. Yukizome. Do you need something?"
"Yes. Kirigiri needs to get in touch with both you and Hajime. The press is already attacking the academy, and we need some faces to show them."
"I see."
"Yeah. Normally we'd try to keep you kids out of it, but they're hungry. Can I forward your number to Jin?"
"Yes, that's fine. I'll send Hajime's, too, if he's okay with it."
"Great. Thanks a bunch."
"No problem."
"Rest up, (y/n). Take care of yourself."
"Okay. Bye." You hung up.
You explained the situation to Hajime and sent his information to Chisa. Not longer after, Mr. Kirigiri contacted Hajime and requested his presence at an press conference. Hajime surprisingly accepted, anxious to clear up the situation.
A few hours later, you and your boyfriend were finely dressed and waiting in the antechamber in front of the gym.
"This feels like the exam all over again," Hajime said. A few guards and employees were the only other people in the room, but they paid no heed to the two students.
"I know. I've never done an interview before," you commented.
"Me neither. I think it'll be okay, though. I'm just hoping everything gets sorted out."
"Yeah, we'll see."
"Hajime." Chisa stuck her head in the door. "You can come out now. (Y/n), you can stay with me in the audience."
"Okay." Hajime nodded.
"You ready?" you asked as Chisa opened the door to the gym. Inside, newscasters, reporters, and cameramen crowded the gymnasium floor, their attention directed to the principal on stage.
"Yes," Hajime answered. "I can do this."