Chapter Text
It was a rather cloudy, gray day in the city of Tokyo. It was barely midday, but due to the seasonal change into winter, the city felt colder than ever, with several days of rain forecast for the week. Despite all that, the hustle and bustle hadn’t changed at all, streets were packed with people, citizens heading to work, some more rushed than others, tourists taking pictures and staring up at the famous neon signs in Shibuya...
And among all those people was Mori Sana, who, thanks to her bad habits, was once again late for work.
“Sorry!” she exclaimed as she bumped into someone while crossing Shibuya. Internally, she cursed whoever had designed this stupid crossing, it felt like every day there were more people, even though Tokyo currently felt like the North Pole.
Her low heels clicked against the pavement as she hurried along, trying to at least be a little less late, even though she was already ten minutes behind. After passing through Shibuya, she reached the Ariake area and entered the large building, quickly heading toward the locker room when a voice made her stop in her tracks.
“You’ve set a new record today, Miss Mori.”
Her superior’s voice made Sana close her eyes and press her lips together before calming herself and turning on her heel.
“What was it this time? I hope it’s better than the carnivorous turtle excuse.”
“Hehe… well, let’s just say today it was… a carnivorous fish,” Sana said, nervously scratching her cheek with her finger.
Seeing her superior’s serious expression, she sighed in defeat.
“I’m very sorry, sir!” She bowed deeply. “I’ll accept any punishment and reflect so I can arrive earlier!”
“Good. You’re on a 48-hour shift today,” the man said without hesitation.
“WHAT?!” Sana exclaimed, lifting her head in shock, trying to see if this was some kind of joke.
But the way Doctor Minato looked at her made it clear it wasn’t.
“But doctor, I’m just an intern, I can’t do a two-day shift. I have to study too,” she tried to reason.
“Final exams are over. Don’t try to fool me, Sana,” Minato replied, crossing his arms.
“But—”
“The emergency department needs your help. You can go get changed.”
Sana sighed, knowing it was impossible to argue with Doctor Minato. Without another word, she obeyed and headed to the locker room to change into her nurse uniform. To her own misfortune, she sometimes regretted choosing this career, but there was no turning back now. It was her final year, and with less than six months left, she would finally graduate from this hell, at least that's a positive thing.
Mori Sana was a fourth-year nursing student. She was currently doing her internship at Ariake University Hospital, where—unsurprisingly—she was overworked simply because she was “just an intern.” At least she was getting paid, but the job was exhausting, especially when there were Kaiju attacks.
Over the past month, there had been far too many attacks, leaving her completely drained. At least before, she could leave the hospital at eight and go home, but now she had to stay for two whole days, all because of her laziness. She had stayed up late again last night watching a series, like she always did, and of course she ended up being late, just like always. And, thanks to her incredibly bad luck, her supervisor was none other than the most feared doctor in Tokyo: Minato Ichinose, known for being strict and merciless with his students.
And she was no exception.
“Try not to get your hands wet today. Go to the front desk and schedule an appointment for next week to remove the stitches.” Sana gave the elderly man a kind smile after stitching up his hand, which had been cut open slightly due to his work.
“Thank you very much, miss,” the old man said gratefully as he stood up from the bed.
Sana nodded, and once he left, she let out a tired sigh, covering her face with both hands. Only two hours had passed, and she already wanted to lie down, but she knew that would only get her scolded, so she had no choice but to keep going.
“Well, well, look who we have here, Sana Mori, a.k.a. Doctor Ichinose’s star student.” Her coworker and friend Misaki appeared, teasing her with a grin.
Behind her was Asura, who gave Sana a soft smile.
“Girl, you look like you’re about to drop dead,” Asura said, clearly concerned.
“Am I that obvious?” Sana raised an eyebrow, blinking slowly.
“Come on, cheer up. Let’s go eat, I heard there’s cake for dessert today,” Misaki said, wiggling his eyebrows.
At the mention of that word, Sana suddenly regained all her energy and shot Misaki a sharp look.
“I swear,” Misaki promised.
“Alright, let’s go,” Sana said, immediately more lively as she stood up.
The one thing that could always lift her mood and bring her energy back was anything sweet. Mori Sana loved sweets, honestly, she would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if she could. Of course, that would probably give her diabetes, but she still consumed a lot of sugar every day.
It basically kept her alive.
“Sooo… I’ve got gossip,” Misaki suddenly said while the three of them were already sitting in the cafeteria, trays in front of them as they ate.
“When do you not have gossip?” Asura rolled her eyes, taking a bite of her rice.
“You say that like you don’t listen to me carefully every time,” Misaki pouted before continuing. “This is about someone important. Not some nobody, someone actually known by the public.”
“Is it about that superstar’s pregnancy?” Sana raised an eyebrow.
“That’s old news, girl,” Misaki said. “This is something I heard this morning, so it’s fresh. And it’s not public either, just a rumor.”
Asura and Sana glanced at each other before looking back at her.
“Basically, I found out that the captain of the First Division of the Anti-Kaiju Force was in a relationship,” Misaki said excitedly.
Asura looked at her in shock. “What?! That idiot got a girlfriend?!”
“Yep. But I don’t know if they’re still together or not,” Misaki said, taking a bite of her salad. “It’s such a shame Captain Gen Narumi isn’t a virgin anymore. I wanted him.”
“You want half the male population in your bed,” Asura rolled her eyes. “But I am surprised he was—or is—in a relationship. Who would’ve thought? A video game–addicted idiot finally touched grass for once in his life and boom, found the girl of his dreams.”
Mori Sana had stopped chewing a while ago, actually, since Misaki mentioned the First Division captain, she had completely lost her appetite. She just stared at a fixed point, listening to her friends while a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
“You can’t deny he’s handsome, actually, he’s very handsome. He looks like a magazine model… and he looks so hot when he kills Kaiju's,” Misaki sighed dreamily.
“Weren’t you into Vice-Captain Hoshina? I clearly remember you saying, like, a month ago that it was love at first sight,” Asura laughed.
“Okay, yeah, I’m weak when it comes to good-looking men, so what? Are you judging me?” Misaki frowned. “I’m sure Sana understands me, right?”
Misaki and Asura turned to look at Sana, who wasn’t eating or doing anything, just staring into space like she was hypnotized.
“Uh, Earth to Sana?” Asura waved a hand in front of her face, finally snapping her out of it.
“Ah, yeah… what?” Sana blinked, looking at them.
“Are you okay?” Misaki asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, why?” Sana replied, confused.
“It’s concerning that you haven’t devoured your cake yet,” Asura said, genuinely worried.
“It’s just… I don’t think I’m hungry. And, uh, excuse me, I need to draw blood from some patients.”
Sana quickly stood up, grabbing her tray—still full of food—and placing it on the rack. She didn’t wait for her friends response. She rushed out of the cafeteria, her heart racing, each beat faster than the last.
“She’s gone crazy,” Misaki muttered.
But Sana Mori wasn’t crazy, well, maybe a little. Still, she would go crazy if she kept listening to that conversation.
The pastel pink-haired girl reached the interns room and shut the door behind her, leaning against it as she tried to steady her breathing and calm her racing heart.
Why did that topic have to come up? Why now? When she was stuck here for 48 hours… serving her punishment? Why… why did they have to mention him?
Just thinking about him brought back a flood of memories she desperately wished she could erase, but it was impossible. After all, it was only natural that hearing your ex’s name would trigger flashbacks.
Because if there was one thing no one in the world knew—except her and one other person—it was that Mori Sana had once been in a relationship. A secret one.
With the strongest man in Japan’s Anti-Kaiju Defense Force.
With the captain of the First Division.
Gen Narumi.
“What an idiot… it’s been months already. I need to forget about that trash and focus on saving patients,” Sana muttered, sitting down on the bed, scolding herself.
But deep down, she knew it was impossible.
Impossible to forget him. To forget Gen.
Because no matter how hard she tried, she could still picture him, his soft, two-toned hair… his smile… the way his beautiful magenta eyes sparkled like constellations every time he looked at her.
God… how was she supposed to forget the man she had been with for more than six years? The man who had saved her life back in middle school during a Kaiju attack?
“Damn it…” Sana hit her own head lightly. “That’s enough. It’s over. Don’t be stupid, Sana Mori. He’s the idiot for letting a girl like me go.”
It was safe to say they hadn’t ended things on good terms.
And Sana had no intention of reliving those painful moments, so she stood up from the bed and stretched, trying to regain some energy. She slapped her cheeks lightly with both hands.
“You’re strong… yeah. It doesn’t matter. Everything’s fine. Everything is perfectly fine.” She took a deep breath in, then exhaled slowly.
Now a bit more composed, she left the interns room and went back to her duties. She still had many hours ahead of her, and if she wanted to get even a little rest, she’d better finish her work first.
But when she reached the floor she was assigned to, the hospital alarms suddenly went off.
That could only mean one thing.
A Kaiju alert.
Sana quickly tied her hair into a ponytail and rushed to do her duties on her assigned floor. She planned to head to emergency afterward—she still had other patients to attend to—but before she could even step inside, a hand landed on her shoulder, turning her around.
“Perfect. Here’s your substitute,” Doctor Minato said, looking at another doctor while handing Sana.
“She’s just an intern, Ichinose. I need someone fully trained! There are a lot of injured in Shibuya,” the other doctor said with a frown.
“All the nurses are busy with incoming emergency patients and those already admitted. And we have multiple surgeries scheduled today, both emergency and planned,” Minato replied calmly.
The other doctor grunted in frustration but motioned for Sana to follow him.
“What is this about?” Sana asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
“You might actually like this. You’ll be the first in your class to do it. The other nurses will cover your shift while you’re gone,” Minato said with a faint smile.
“Gone…?”
“Can you hurry up?” the other doctor snapped.
Sana jumped slightly, shooting Minato a quick glance before running after the doctor.
They exited the hospital within seconds, and when Sana saw they were heading into an armored van belonging to the JAKDF, she immediately understood where this was going.
So Minato had been serious about the “new experience.”
How wonderful, being close to giant monsters that could kill you in a second.
Sana swallowed hard before climbing into the vehicle alongside what seemed to be members of the First Division, likely because they were stationed near the hospital. Inside with her were also the grumpy doctor and a boy who looked like a nursing student, though unlike her, he seemed more excited than terrified.
Yeah. How exciting. A direct trip to your grave.
Even though Sana knew that after graduating she would have to participate in rescue missions during Kaiju alerts─helping patients who couldn’t be transported—she never expected to be doing it this soon.
This was insane. To make things less horrific, the threat was reportedly just small Yoju's that had invaded Shibuya, according to the soldiers beside her. The First Division was already on-site, taking care of them. Being one of the strongest divisions, everything would probably be cleared within a couple of hours, as if nothing had happened.
“This street is blocked. You’ll have to get off here,” said a First Division member from the front seat. “You three cadets, accompany them and protect them.”
“Yes, platoon leader!” the soldiers responded before stepping out.
The doctor, the other intern, and Sana got out of the armored vehicle and stepped straight into what felt like a battlefield. In the distance, gunshots sounded, mixed with people’s screams and the unsettling sounds of the creatures.
Quickly, the three of them ran toward the affected area, where several injured civilians were scattered.
“You two take care of those with minor injuries. I’ll handle the critical ones,” the doctor said before heading off, escorted by two soldiers, while the third stayed with them.
“This is insane!” Sana’s new companion said, almost excited, making her stare at him in disbelief.
They were literally in the middle of a battlefield where they could lose their lives at any second, and yet, this dude thinks this is some type of game? But while Sana should have been terrified as a normal person would be, she wasn’t. Not entirely. The adrenaline was stronger.
As a future nurse, her only goal right now was to help the injured ones, these innocent people who hadn’t made it to the shelters.
“By the way, I’m Haruto Hirose, a nursing student from Hokkaido University,” the boy introduced himself.
“I think we can skip introductions and look for injured people,” Sana sighed.
“Right. You’re right,” Haruto nodded.
The two of them began moving through the streets, searching.
Fortunately, most civilians had made it to shelters, so only a few remained outside. So far, they had helped three people with minor injuries, who were then escorted to safety places by soldiers.
Haruto was now on the opposite side of the area, while Sana—after treating a woman—walked toward Shibuya Crossing, which was now completely empty.
She slowed to a stop in the middle of it, looking around. The famous neon billboards still glowed against the gray Tokyo sky. The silence was overwhelming, a terrifying contrast to how lively it had been this morning. It was a harsh reminder of how fragile humanity was in the face of these monsters.
Sana started walking again, scanning the area, until, across the crossing, she spotted two children sitting on the ground.
Without thinking, she ran toward them.
“Kids! Are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?!” she asked, crouching down in front of them.
Both children turned toward her at the same time. Their faces were smeared with dirt and mud, likely from when the first Yoju appeared at Shibuya Crossing. Their eyes were red, their cheeks flushed, tears still streaming down their faces.
“You shouldn’t stay here. I’ll take you to—” Sana stopped mid-sentence when she saw what lay in front of them.
Shock spread across her face. A woman was lying on the ground… with a metal rod embedded in the right side of her abdomen, right where the liver would be.
“Miss… please help our mom,” the boy cried.
Sana swallowed hard. “It’s okay… I’ll…” Her voice faltered. “I’ll save your mother, alright?” she said, forcing a gentle smile as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
She quickly grabbed her medical kit and knelt beside the woman. The wound was deep, far too deep. It had likely pierced straight through her abdomen, and given the location, her liver was almost certainly damaged. That meant massive internal bleeding.
Sana bit her lower lip. There was no time to think. If she didn’t act now, this woman would die.
“Okay… everything’s going to be fine,” she murmured to herself, pulling on a pair of nitrile gloves with a sharp snap that barely masked the tremor in her hands.
Think, Sana. Think.
Okay, first, basic anatomy, the liver sits just under the right ribs. Highly vascular. If I remove the rod, she’ll bleed out in less than two minutes.
“Don’t move, please,” she told the woman, whose breathing had become shallow and rapid, a clear sign of severe blood loss. “Stay with me. Keep your eyes on me.”
Sana quickly pulled out sterile gauze and a heavy-duty bandage roll. She couldn’t perform surgery here, but she could stabilize the wound.
"I need to secure the object."
If the rod moved, it would tear through tissue like a blade through jelly, destroying bile ducts, the portal vein… everything.
“I’m going to apply pressure around it. It’s going to hurt, but I need you to stay with me,” Sana instructed, opening a saline solution to clean the area just enough to assess it better.
Her hands moved quickly, building a ring of gauze around the rod to stabilize it against the woman’s body. Even as she worked, her mind raced ahead. Even if she survives transport… her liver will be destroyed. She’ll need an emergency transplant.
But first, she had to keep her alive.
With steady hands, Sana inserted an IV line into the woman’s arm. The cold fluid began to drip, buying her time, fighting against death itself.
“You’re not dying today,” Sana whispered, tightening the bandage with firm precision. “Not in front of your children.”
At that moment, Haruto appeared, having just finished helping another civilian.
“What are you doing?! We need to call Doctor Yoshida!” he said, horrified.
“I’m controlling the bleeding! She can survive this!” Sana snapped, pressing a hand briefly against the woman’s forehead.
She was hot. It was fever but she was still breathing so she had to live. She must live.
“Haruto!” Sana looked at him sharply.
He hesitated, but then nodded. “Okay.”
While Sana continued reinforcing the dressing around the embedded rod, Haruto called over a cadet to request an armored vehicle.
Within minutes, it arrived. With the soldiers help, they carefully lifted the woman into the vehicle. Thanks to the medication Sana had administered, the woman’s pain had eased slightly. From inside the vehicle, she managed to give Sana a faint smile.
“Thank you…” she whispered and Sana smiled at her.
“Only two people can come,” one of the soldiers said.
“Haruto, go. Take the girl with you. Inform Doctor Yoshida about this case, she needs emergency surgery,” Sana said quickly.
Haruto nodded and climbed into the vehicle with the girl but before leaving, the child wrapped her arms tightly around Sana’s legs.
"Thank you, miss," the little girl chirped, her brother nodding in agreement beside her.
Sana offered them a warm, reassuring smile as she knelt, cupping both of their cheeks in her hands. "Your mother is going to be just fine, you’ll see. Go on now, get inside. Your brother will be at the hospital soon after you."
The girl beamed, waving a quick goodbye to her brother before climbing into the armored transport. Sana watched the vehicle pull away, the heavy hum of its engine fading into the distance. She let out a long, shaky breath of relief. Looking down at her palm, she noticed a slight tremor in her fingers, but her lips curled into a satisfied smile. She had saved a life. The weight of that realization filled her with a little bit of pride; being a nurse was never easy, and in moments like these, the line between life and death rested entirely on her shoulders.
"Let’s find you another vehicle," Sana said, resting her hands gently on the boy’s shoulders. "It’ll take you straight to your mother and sister."
The boy smiled up at her, and they began to walk toward the Shibuya crossing. But after only a few steps, a sudden chill raced down Sana’s spine. Her legs began to tremble, seized by an instinctual terror she couldn't name. Her breath hitched in her throat, coming in short, ragged gasps. Her grip tightened painfully on the boy’s hand.
There, only a few meters ahead, stood a Yoju.
How is there a Yoju here? she wondered, her mind reeling with terror. Sana had never seen a monster this close (Just once but it was long ago). Whenever the sirens wailed, she was always safely tucked away in the hospital, her home, or a shelter. To her, Kaiju were things that lived on television screens. Standing before one was a different reality entirely. Even though it was a "small" specimen, it loomed like a titan over them. It looked like a nightmarish fusion, the spindly, jointed legs of a spider supporting the bloated, segmented abdomen of a bee.
Sana swallowed hard, her eyes locked on the creature as she began to back away.
"Run... run! Go!" she hissed. She pivoted, grabbing the boy's hand and sprinting in the opposite direction.
It was a bad mistake. The heavy thud of her boots alerted the Yoju. With terrifying speed, the creature skittered toward them, its massive legs clicking against the pavement. It reared back, thrusting a jagged limb downward. Sana lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding a direct hit, but the force of the limb slamming into the concrete sent a shockwave through the ground. The impact tossed Sana and the boy through the air, slamming them onto the asphalt to the left.
Gasping for air, Sana forced herself up onto her elbows. The spider-like horror was closing in, looming over her with predatory intent. It raised its leg high, poised for the kill. In a final, desperate act of protection, Sana turned her back to the monster and pulled the boy into a tight embrace, shielding his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the end. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blow.
The Yoju drove its limb downward with lethal velocity, but mid-air, the leg suddenly snapped in two.
A spray of thick, neon-blue fluid erupted from the stump. The monster let out a guttural screech, staggering back. Confused that death hadn't found her yet, Sana dared to look over her shoulder. She saw a shadow, a blur of movement flickering with blinding speed from one side to the other.
Then, something plummeted from the sky.
A familiar bayonet, gleaming and lethal, drove straight into the Yoju’s vital point: its head. The force of the strike was absolute, shattering the creature’s skull and bringing the beast down in seconds.
Sana’s eyes widened, her heart hammering against her ribs for a different reason now. Even through the dust, even as a silhouette against the harsh grey light, she could never mistake that figure.
It was him. Her b̶o̶y̶f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶.
His hair swayed softly with the faint breeze, his back turned to her. He adjusted his well-known bayonet behind his weapon, the GS-3305. Of course she knew the name of Gen’s weapon; that wasn’t anything new to her.
Sana’s pink eyes stayed fixed on his figure as she tried to calm her racing heart after the surge of adrenaline she had just gone through in less than ten seconds. But she quickly looked away, focusing instead on the boy in her arms, who clung tightly to her chest, trembling.
“It’s okay… it’s over now. You’re safe,” she said gently, rubbing his back.
Reinforcements arrived almost immediately. Soldiers began checking the area for any remaining Yoju, while some approached Sana and the child.
“Are you alright?” asked a girl with a bob haircut, with her tips dyed in a turquoise colour.
Sana recognized her instantly, she was one of the platoon leaders of the First Division. And judging by the way the other woman stared at her for a moment, she had been recognized as well.
“Could you take this boy to Ariake University Hospital? His mother is there,” Sana said, trying to ease the sudden awkwardness in the air.
Rin Shinonome—that was her name—looked at her for a few seconds before nodding.
“Platoon Leader Shinonome here. I’ve been informed Shibuya is clear,” Rin spoke into her earpiece. “Captain Narumi has eliminated the last Yoju in the area. Understood, I’ll escort the remaining civilians.”
Sana helped the boy sit inside the armored vehicle and noticed a wound on his knee, probably from the impact when they were thrown to the ground. Luckily, she always carried gauze and a small disinfectant.
“This might sting a little, but I’m going to treat your knee, okay?” she said kindly, offering him a soft smile.
The boy nodded.
After applying the disinfectant, she carefully wrapped his knee with gauze. Then she reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out a small candy.
“A reward for a champion. But don’t tell your sister, okay?” she added with a playful wink.
At last, the boy smiled brightly, taking the candy with excitement. Seeing that, Sana finally let out a relieved sigh. At least he was okay. The area was secure now, they were safe.
Still… it had been an experience she never wanted to go through again. Just thinking about how close she had been to dying sent chills down her spine.
…Though now that she thought about it...
Sana turned around her head, scanning the area between the soldiers, searching for someone in particular. But she didn’t see that distinctive hair, the one thing that made him impossible to miss. And though she hated to admit it, the absence left a small sting of disappointment in her chest.
“If you’re looking for the captain, he’s over there,” Rin said, pointing behind the armored vehicle in front of them.
Sana immediately turned red. “I’m not looking for him.”
She turned her head away, but out of the corner of her eye, through the vehicle’s window, she caught sight of him speaking with other soldiers.
Her heart skipped violently, forcing her to look down as if the air had suddenly been knocked out of her lungs.
Why… why did it still affect her like this? Every time she saw his face. Every time she was near him.
It had been three months since their breakup.
So why did it still hurt like it had just happened yesterday?
Even after everything… even after the pain… she couldn’t erase those beautiful years they had shared. Everyone always said he was lazy, that all he cared about was his console and his video games, but she had seen a side of him no one else ever did.
A side he had only shown to her.
“…Sana? Are you okay?” Rin asked, noticing how she clutched her chest as if she couldn’t breathe.
And she couldn’t. But not because of Gen. It was something else.
Her chest burned, a sharp, persistent pain she was only now becoming aware of. She had ignored it before, too focused on saving the boy to care about herself.
Sana suddenly started coughing, bringing a hand to her mouth as her body shook. Rin and several soldiers looked at her with concern as Rin moved closer, rubbing her back.
The coughing didn’t stop, until finally it did.
Sana slowly pulled her hand away from her mouth and her eyes widened.
Blood. There was blood in her hand that stained her palm… and dripped from her lips down to her chin, falling to the ground.
“Kurusu reported no more threats. Notify cleanup...”
Gen stepped out from behind the armored vehicle, his voice calm and firm, but he stopped mid-sentence when he saw the scene in front of him.
His magenta eyes widened instantly when he saw her, his ex. Sana Mori who had blood on her lips and on her hand as she lifted her pale face, finding his eyes.
For a brief moment, Gen's hands trembled and then, right in front of him, Sana collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
7 YEARS BEFORE
“You and punctuality really don’t get along, do you?” Asura crossed her arms, clearly fed up with waiting for her friend.
Sana was a complete mess. She doubled over, hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath after sprinting like a madwoman to avoid being late for class.
"I... swear... that..."
But Asura cut her off. "Yeah, yeah, the alarm. Come on, let’s go before the teacher marks us absent." Asura led the way through the high school entrance.
Seven years ago, Sana Mori was in her penultimate year of school. At seventeen, she was in the full bloom of adolescence; her pastel-pink hair swayed from side to side as she trailed behind Asura, her childhood friend and the person she would eventually study nursing with.
"Good morning!" Asura chirped as she took her seat, greeting the circle of friends that made up Sana's world back then.
"Sana, seriously, your tardiness should be studied at a university level," Kaito teased, watching the girl collapse into her desk.
"At least Sana actually shows up. Mr. Takahiro hasn't even graced us with his presence," Gina murmured, crossing her arms.
"Oh, come on. Just admit you miss seeing his 'handsome' face. Your crush is visible from miles away," Kaito poked fun at his seatmate. Gina turned beet-red and swatted him across the back.
"Speak of the devil," Asura said with a smirk, nodding toward the door as Takahiro appeared.
“Oh! Taka! What miracle is this?” Kaito said, genuinely surprised.
"Drop it, Kaito. It’s eight in the damn morning." Takahiro slumped into his seat and immediately buried his head in his arms, falling fast asleep.
"Unbelievable, this guy," Asura laughed.
The chatter died down as the teacher arrived. The first period began, followed by two more that passed uneventfully until the break. The group gathered on a campus bench, eating lunch before the fourth period. Asura, Kaito, and Gina were locked in a lively conversation, while Sana sat in a daze, overwhelmed by the mountain of homework waiting for her at home. It meant she wouldn't be able to binge-watch her latest series or finish a BL manhwa, a thought that genuinely saddened her.
"I’m going to the restroom," she excused herself, standing up.
Out of the corner of his eye, Takahiro watched her go. After a few seconds, he followed. When Sana emerged from the restroom after washing her hands, she found him leaning against the wall, waiting.
"Uh? Is something wrong, Takahiro?" Sana tilted her head, confused.
"No. Just wanted a moment of peace," he replied neutrally.
Sana nodded and began walking back toward their friends with him when, suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to heave. Sana stumbled, her balance failing, but Takahiro’s arm shot out, pulling her against him to keep her upright.
"W-What’s happening?!" she cried out, panicked.
"I don't know... but I don't think this is an earthquake. It has to be a Kaiju alert. We have to get out of here," Takahiro whispered urgently.
Sana nodded, and Takahiro grabbed her by the wrist. They sprinted down the hallway alongside other students, some screaming, others paralyzed by terror. "What about the others?! We can't leave them!" Sana shouted, trying to stop.
"They’ll find the way out, Sana. If not, I’ll go back for them... but I have to get you to safety first." Takahiro looked her dead in the eyes.
Sana felt the weight of that gaze, it was intense, layered with worry and a strange, fierce confidence. She chose to trust him. They kept running toward the main exit, spotting Asura, Kaito, and Gina making it out in the distance. Relief washed over her, but just as they reached the threshold, the tremors intensified.
Suddenly, the ceiling above the hallway buckled. Seeing the debris about to crush Takahiro, Sana reacted on instinct, shoving him forward. He stumbled into the clear, but she was left behind as the corridor collapsed between them.
"Sana!!" Takahiro screamed from behind a massive wall of rubble.
Sana had fallen to the floor during the shove. She scrambled to her feet, looking for another exit in the opposite direction, but froze. Blocking the hallway was a massive creature, a mutated centipede with gargantuan fangs. Sana’s legs gave out from sheer terror. She let out a piercing scream, her back hitting the pile of debris as she recoiled.
"Dammit! Sana?! Are you okay?!" Takahiro yelled from the other side.
Sana couldn't find her voice. The Kaiju emitted a guttural, bone-chilling screech as it reared up to strike. She felt the air leave her lungs, bracing for the end, but before the creature could move, the side wall exploded inward with a dull thud. Through the rising dust, a shadow emerged.
Standing before her was a boy slightly taller than she was, wielding a weapon she couldn't quite make out. In the blink of an eye, he tore the creature apart, leaving Sana breathless. Despite being splattered with the beast's blood, the boy turned toward her.
The moment their eyes met, Sana felt a distinct tremor in her heart. Those magenta eyes held her captive. He knelt down, offering a hand.
"Are you alright?"
His voice… was just as beautiful as he was.
That was the first time Sana Mori saw Gen Narumi. That single encounter was all it took for her to realize this boy was her first and only love. At seventeen, she had never been in love before; Gen Narumi became her first everything, the boy she would love for six years.
"Sana!" Takahiro finally broke through the gap created by the stranger. He rushed to her side, but stopped dead. His eyes widened as he saw her, tears streaming down her face, clinging to the mysterious boy.
She was embracing a total stranger, when he was supposed to be the one there for her. He should have been the one to save her. He should have been the one consoling the girl he loved.
Why didn't I do anything? he thought bitterly. Why didn't I save her like he did? Am I just a coward?
Following that incident, it was plain as day that Sana had fallen head over heels for Gen. He was her savior, and she became determined to make him notice her. She spent weeks "researching" him online, scouring his social media until she pieced together the basics: his name was Gen Narumi, he was a senior─making him a year older than her—and he was absolutely obsessed with video games.
"You can do this," Sana whispered to herself, peering out from behind a brick wall. Gen was sitting alone on the bleachers.
None of her friends had any idea about her massive crush. In fact, no one even knew he was the one who had saved her; he had asked her to keep his involvement a secret, and she wasn't about to disobey her hero.
"Ahhh, I can't do it!" Sana groaned, leaning back against the wall and burying her face in her hands.
She was far too timid to actually confess, but after a long, shaky exhale, she forced herself to step out from her hiding spot. She began to approach him, completely failing to notice a soccer ball hurtling toward her at Mach speed. Before she could even get a word out, the ball slammed directly into her face.
"Holy shit!" a boy yelled from the field. "I just nailed some girl!"
"You're an idiot," his friend muttered. "Hey... could you kick the ball back?"
Sana clutched her stinging face, her eyes flashing with a murderous glare at the boys, who at least looked somewhat repentant. When she looked back toward the bleachers, she saw Gen staring right at her. Her legs instantly turned to jelly. With just one look from him, Sana was practically a puddle on the floor.
"H-Hello!" she chirped nervously.
"Hey..." Gen murmured. "Uh... you’ve got a nosebleed."
"Huh?" Sana touched her nose, seeing red on her fingertips. Her face turned the color of a ripe tomato, and she bolted in the opposite direction, wanting nothing more than to die of embarrassment, why does this have to happen in front of her crush?!
Despite the setbacks, Sana kept trying to get closer to him. Eventually, she made some real progress: Gen actually remembered her name. For her, that was a monumental victory. Having her crush acknowledge her existence felt like a massive step toward an eventual confession.
But the months flew by, and the end of the school year arrived. With it came Gen's graduation. Sana, predictably, was an absolute mess. She spent the weeks leading up to the ceremony in a state of perpetual mourning, convinced that if she didn't do something now, she’d never see her first and only love ever again.
The day arrived far too quickly. Sana attended the ceremony with Asura, Gina, Kaito, and Takahiro (Kaito’s older brother was in the same graduating class). She used that as her excuse to be there, telling herself this was her last chance to confess, even if he rejected her. Anything was better than never seeing him again.
After the ceremony, the campus was a sea of families taking photos. Her friends were distracted, so Sana took the opportunity to slip away and look for Gen. To her utter heartbreak, he was nowhere to be found. Her chest tightened with a heavy, suffocating regret. Because of her own shyness and hesitation, she wouldn't even get a single photo with him.
Feeling the tears welling up and not wanting her friends to see her break down, she retreated to the quiet garden behind the gymnasium.
She crouched down among the flowers, the sun illuminating her pastel hair as she finally let the tears fall. It was all her fault. What had she expected? Gen Narumi wasn't just going to fall in love with her by magic if she never said a word.
"Damn it... I even bought the same console and started playing the Pokemon games he likes..." she muttered, feeling like a fool.
"You play Pokemon?"
That voice—the one she loved more than any other—made Sana jump nearly out of her skin. She spun around to find the one and only Gen Narumi standing there.
He held his graduation gown in one hand, wearing a simple white button-down and black slacks underneath. His hair was styled back, revealing those striking streaks that matched her own hair color. In the sunlight, his magenta eyes seemed to glow. Sana was nearly blinded by the sheer beauty of the man. He looked like a literal angel.
"Oh... uh... you haven't left yet?" she asked, trying to sound casual despite her heart hammering against her ribs.
"I was about to, but fate led me here. I’m heading out now, though. I've got things to do." Gen sighed, shoving his free hand into his pocket.
Sana bit her lip, silence stretching between them.
"Well, I'm off. Bye, Mori." Gen gave her a small, faint smile and turned to walk away.
It's now or never, her mind screamed. If you don't speak now, you lose him forever.
"Wait!"
Her voice came out much louder than intended. Gen stopped and turned back, looking confused. Sana clenched her fists, her nerves raw, but she knew she couldn't keep these feelings bottled up any longer. She needed to set them free, even if they crashed and burned.
"I..." she started, then shook her head, abandoning the confession she had spent weeks rehearsing. She looked him straight in the eye and spoke from the heart.
"The day of that attack, I saw my life flash before my eyes. I thought I'd never see the sun again, but you appeared and saved me. You're my hero, Gen... and I’m so grateful for what you did. But there's something that’s been eating me alive since the day we met. I know you probably don't feel the same way, and I understand that, but I have to tell you before you go."
Sana paused, a soft, genuine smile breaking through her nerves, her eyes shimmering with affection. "I really like you, Gen Narumi. Honestly, I’ve liked you since the moment I saw you. I was just too scared to say it because I've never felt this way before..."
A heavy silence hung in the air. A cool breeze ruffled their hair, the rustling leaves creating a melody that was both melancholic and beautiful.
"I know you don't feel anything for me, and that's okay, but..."
"Nobody said I didn't feel the same for you," Gen interrupted.
“I figured… WAIT, WHAT?!” Sana’s eyes widened in shock.
Gen stepped closer to her, slowly leaning his face toward hers. He tilted his head slightly and gave her a bright, easy smile.
“You’re really cute,” Gen said, grinning from ear to ear.
Sana’s face turned completely red, like a tomato. She didn’t know what to say or how to react. Because maybe, fate was on her side this whole time. Maybe fate really did want her to be happy… because Gen Narumi had just admitted that he might feel the same way about her.
That maybe… he liked her too.
And it was true.
At first, Gen hadn’t been very interested in her. He had his own problems to deal with. But he wasn’t clueless, he had noticed the way Sana looked at him when she thought he wasn’t paying attention. In the hallways, in the cafeteria, out in the courtyard… even when she would go up to the upper floor with some weak excuse, just so she could pass by his classroom and catch a glimpse of him.
He had found it amusing.
Gen knew that Sana had probably fallen for him, and he couldn’t help but wonder what a cheerful, kind girl like her could possibly see in someone like him. Was it because he had saved her? Was that why she fell in love?
Gen Narumi didn’t think he deserved to be loved. It had always been his greatest insecurity. He believed he only brought misfortune to those around him. But little by little, he started paying more attention to Sana, watching her subtle efforts to not be so obvious when she looked at him. It entertained him at first.
And without realizing it… Gen began to fall for Mori Sana.
Because even if she didn’t notice, he had been watching her too. And every time he did, he felt himself drawn more and more to her, her bright smile, her soft pink eyes…
For someone who had lived such a difficult life, Gen had finally found something—someone—who might be able to heal his heart.
Someone who thought about him. And that someone was Sana Mori.
So Gen Narumi made a decision. He decided to give himself a chance to feel what every human being longs for at least once in their life.
He chose to believe in love, with this peculiar girl he had fallen for without even realizing it.
Their relationship, like that of any pair of teenagers, began shy and uncertain. They were both still a little awkward around each other, but they put genuine effort into making it work.
Gen had applied to the JAKDF, recognized for his exceptional potential, while Sana had applied to study nursing. They had both stepped onto paths that would shape their futures, and they were happy, sharing that excitement together.
“Stop biting your nails.” Gen pulled Sana’s hand away from her mouth for the eighth time.
“What if I don’t get in?” Sana looked at him, feeling like she might actually die from the anxiety.
“Then it’s not the end of the world. If you don’t get in, your life doesn’t just end, Sana. And you told me yourself, you did amazing on the entrance exam.” Gen crossed his arms.
Sana turned her gaze back to the computer screen just as the notification popped up: the results had been published.
“I can’t do it.” She looked at Gen again, visibly nervous. “I swear, I can’t. You do it.”
Gen sighed but stepped forward, clicking onto the website while Sana squeezed her eyes shut, though she peeked through the gap between her fingers. The page took a few seconds to load. Calmly, Gen typed her name into the search bar and hit enter.
Sana’s heart pounded like a hammer just as the page refreshed again. Her name appeared on the screen… and next to it, in the same row:
“Application Accepted — University of Tokyo, Nursing Degree: General and Anti-Kaiju.”
“Whoa! You got in!” Gen broke into a wide smile, turning to look at her.
Sana, overwhelmed by the shock and joy, immediately burst into tears.
“Crap… has anyone ever told you you’re way too sensitive?” Gen teased.
Sana let out a small laugh, wiping her eyes before looking back at the screen, this time filled with relief and happiness.
“I did it! I actually did it!” she raised both hands, beaming.
“You need to have more confidence in yourself. My girl’s really smart,” Gen said proudly, nodding.
Sana laughed again. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, dummy.” Gen flicked her forehead.
“Hey! That hurts!” Sana complained, but she was still smiling. Without warning, she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him in a sudden hug that left him momentarily speechless.
Gen’s face, though subtle, flushed slightly at the unexpected contact. Still, he wrapped his arms around her in return, a soft smile forming as he let himself enjoy that moment of pure happiness.
The years passed by steadily. It had already been four years since their relationship began. Sana was now in her second year of university, while Gen had risen to become the Captain of the First Division of Japan’s Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. He was now a public figure, recognized not only across Japan, but worldwide.
Of course, no one knew about his private life.
Their relationship remained a secret at Sana’s request. She didn’t want to face the public yet, not when Gen Narumi was so popular everywhere. The attention, the rumors… she didn’t want any of it. Not even her parents knew. Not even her best friend, Asura.
The only people aware of their relationship were General Shinomiya, Vice-Captain Hasegawa, and a few platoon leaders like Rin Shinonome. Sana would occasionally visit Gen at the Ariake maritime base, where the headquarters were located so that's why they knew about them. Sometimes she preferred going there instead of their shared apartment, because more often than not, she’d be alone. Gen was almost, like always at the base for work, he only returned home during his rare breaks.
Today was no exception.
Sana had just finished her final winter exams and was leaving the university campus, finally free. She had completed her first term of second year, and now winter break had begun. She planned to spend it with the person she loved most, her boyfriend.
As she stepped outside, she noticed the streets were unusually crowded.
Was there some kind of festival?
“The Anti-Kaiju Defense Force soldiers are passing through here to celebrate their anniversary! We need to get to the front if we want to see Captain Narumi!” a group of girls nearby said as they squeezed into the crowd.
Suddenly, Sana remembered what Gen had told her the week before, that there would be a commemorative route through Tokyo, and they’d be passing by her university.
She quickly joined the crowd, hoping she hadn’t missed it.
Soldiers marched down the road in perfect formation, carrying their weapons. JAKDF flags waved both from drones above and in the hands of personnel on the ground. The applause grew louder when the division captains began to pass by.
Sana only knew two of them well, Mina, who was practically a celebrity herself… and, of course, her boyfriend.
She watched as both walked past in their uniforms with the other division leaders, greeting the crowd while people cheered and whistled in admiration for their service.
Sana clapped too, smiling when she noticed the bored expression on Gen’s face.
He’ll never change, she thought fondly.
But then, his magenta eyes found her in the crowd and they lit up. A faint smile appeared on his lips before he straightened his posture again. As he passed by her, he subtly winked.
The girls around Sana immediately went wild.
Sana, meanwhile, just rolled her eyes, thinking about how bold he had gotten.
“Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?” Sana asked as she spun lazily in the chair inside Gen’s office.
After the celebration, she had gone to the headquarters like she always did because well, she would like to spend time with him than staying home alone.
“It depends… would you let me buy the new Kaiju figure that’s coming out tomorrow?” Gen said, lying sprawled across the couch, casually playing on his console.
“How many more figures do you even want? You already have over a thousand. I’m not going to let you waste your money on that.” Sana scolded him, standing up from the chair and walking over. “Come on, get up.”
Gen ignored her completely, eyes still fixed on the screen. With a small huff, Sana snatched his Nintendo Switch away, earning an immediate complaint as he frowned in annoyance.
“I’m serious, Gen. I’m hungry, let’s go get something to eat.” She placed the console down on the table and picked up her phone. “Where do you want to go? Asura told me they just opened a new Ital—”
Before she could finish, she felt his hand wrap around her wrist. In one swift motion, he pulled her down onto the couch, leaving her lying beneath him as he pinned her there, his hands framing her face.
“Uh… what are you doing, Gen Narumi?” Sana raised an eyebrow, confused.
“Since you took my console away, I realized… I’m hungry too.” His voice dropped slightly, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
“Oh, well, that’s great, that’s why I was telling you about the place...” He cut her off again.
“I’m hungry… but for something else.”
Sana was confused but then realisation hit her as a faint blush crept across her cheeks as she stared back at him. The way he was looking at her, it was like he was already imagining everything he wanted to do.
“You’re such a pervert,” she muttered.
“Is it my fault that I want to fuck you...” She immediately covered his mouth with her hand.
“W-Why would you say something like that?!” she exclaimed, flustered.
Gen took her wrist gently, turning his head just enough to press a slow kiss against her palm, his tongue brushing against her skin as he kept that same intense gaze on her, a sly smile forming.
“You still get embarrassed just like the first time… you’re adorable,” he teased.
Then he pushed himself up slightly and pulled his shirt off.
“H-Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! We’re in your office, anyone could walk in!” Sana protested, her face burning.
“Let them,” Gen replied easily, tossing his shirt aside. “I won’t deny I’m a bit of an exhibitionist.”
Sana swallowed hard, her eyes drifting over his body. His muscles were far more defined than they ever looked beneath his loose clothes, strong arms, toned abs… Even though it wasn’t their first time, she still felt shy every time they had intimacy.
“You know what? Maybe you should just keep playing with your little console. I think I’m not hungry anymore,” Sana said with a nervous laugh.
“Too late, love.” Gen leaned down, capturing her lips in a soft yet needy kiss.
In her mind, Sana hesitated for a second, but then she smiled into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting herself get carried away. A little bit of action never hurts anyone.
Everything in her life had once been perfect. A happy life, shared with someone who made her feel alive, who filled her days with warmth. It was supposed to stay that way—unchanged, just like it had always been—until a few months ago, when Sana began to notice that Gen had changed drastically. He didn’t seem like himself anymore.
She didn’t fully understand it. Maybe he was just exhausted from missions and needed space… so she gave it to him. But that didn’t change anything. Not once during that time did he come looking for her. Not once.
So Sana decided to ask him directly.
“Gen? Are you even listening to me?” Sana crossed her arms, watching as her boyfriend kept his eyes glued to the TV, still playing, not sparing her a single glance. “Can you tell me what’s going on with you?”
But when no response came, irritation bubbled over. She walked up to the television and unplugged it.
“What the hell are you doing?” This time, Gen looked at her, frowning.
“I’m talking to you,” Sana snapped.
“And am I listening? No, right? Then you can leave.” Gen stood up, roughly grabbing the plug from her hand and reconnecting it.
Sana’s eyes widened in shock. He had never been like this with her… no matter how stressed he was, he had always spoken gently, always tried to stay calm. He had never hurt her feelings… never hurt her like this. So what was happening now?
“Gen, I’m worried about you… that’s why I’m trying to talk to you. You know you can tell me anything,” Sana said softly, taking his arm.
He turned slightly, and for a moment, Sana thought—finally—he would open up to her. That he would tell her what was wrong.
But his eyes… they were cold. No longer shining like they used to. They were dull now, lifeless. And it hurt to look at him… to see him looking at her like that.
“You’re so annoying,” he said flatly, pulling away from her grip. “I don’t need you worrying about me.”
“What are you saying? I’m your girlfriend! Of course I’m going to worry about you, Gen… you’re not okay, something’s wrong. Please… you can count on me…” Sana tried to place a hand on his shoulder, but he stepped back.
“You can just leave. You would already be doing me a favor.” His words were so cold, so cruel, they shattered her heart.
She couldn’t understand what had happened to her careless, childish but loving boyfriend… how he had turned into someone who spoke like this overnight. As if she meant nothing to him.
“I’m not leaving...”
“Seriously, for fuck’s sake, shut up!” Gen ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “Don’t you get it when I say I don’t need you?” He didn’t even look at her as he continued. “Do me a favor and get out. And don’t bother coming to my office anymore.”
“Gen, what… what are you saying?” Sana felt her throat tighten.
“Exactly what you’re hearing. I don’t need you anymore. Don’t ever stand in front of me again.” And with that, he grabbed his console controller again.
Sana’s world collapsed the moment those words left his mouth. She felt sick, as if a bucket of freezing water had been dumped over her head. What had she done to deserve this? Had she not been enough? Had her love been so weak that he had simply grown tired of her?
Both the beautiful memories they had shared—the moments with the love of her life—and the ones that now broke her heart, like their breakup, flooded Sana’s mind as she lay unconscious in a hospital bed. The monitor beside her kept track of her heartbeat and breathing, ensuring she remained stable.
Even with her eyes closed, a single tear slipped free, trailing down the side of her face, a silent proof of how broken she truly was inside, as she relived memories that now felt painfully distant.
"Will she be alright?" Misaki asked, her voice trembling with worry as she peered at Sana through the observation glass.
"I hope so... we’ll have to wait and see what Doctor Ichinose says," Asura replied, her brow furrowed in concern.
Misaki’s gaze drifted to a woman sitting in a wheelchair beside them. Flanking her were two small children, their faces pressed against the glass as they watched Sana.
"Mommy... is she going to be okay?" the little boy asked, his voice cracking as he fought back tears.
"I’m sure she will, darling... don’t you worry," the woman replied, her eyes fixed on Sana with a soft, pained expression.
On Asura’s other side stood Gen Narumi himself. He remained clad in his combat suit, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His hair shadowed his eyes, but his gaze never wavered from the girl inside the room.
"What are all these people doing here? And why is Gen Narumi here?" Misaki whispered to Asura, who looked just as bewildered by the growing crowd.
Suddenly, another man rushed into the waiting area, his breath coming in ragged gasps. When he spotted the woman in the wheelchair, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Shizuka... you scared me. You should have told me you were leaving your room," he murmured, stepping toward her.
Misaki and Asura turned to look at him simultaneously. Asura’s eyes widened; despite the years that had passed, she recognized him instantly.
"Takahiro?" she asked, stunned.
Takahiro looked up, his eyes widening in turn as he recognized his old high school friend. "Yeah... Asura, right?"
Asura nodded quickly. "Do you two know each other?" Misaki asked, raising both eyebrows.
"We were friends back in school," Asura explained, before turning back to the woman and bowing politely. "So this is Shizuka? Your older sister? It’s a pleasure to finally meet you."
Back in their school days, Takahiro was often absent, working grueling hours to support his sister. Their parents had abandoned them after Shizuka became pregnant following a horrific trauma, it wasn't her fault that she was raped, but for which she bore the burden alone. Takahiro had stepped up as the man of the house, caring for her and her respiratory condition that made it impossible for her to work.
"The pleasure is mine," Shizuka said with a gentle smile. "Taka always used to talk about his friends from school."
Asura smiled back, but the moment was cut short. Takahiro’s gaze finally shifted toward the glass, and he froze. His heart sank as he saw the girl he had harbored a crush on during his teenage years lying unconscious on the hospital bed.
"Sana...?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Finally, Doctor Minato stepped out of the room, clutching a clipboard. The atmosphere in the hallway turned electric as everyone turned toward him.
"Is she okay, Doctor?" Asura asked impatiently.
The doctor glanced at his report before looking at the group. "Sana has suffered a severe pulmonary contusion and a couple of fractured ribs. The blood she coughed up was due to the impact; her lungs took a direct hit, resulting in internal bruising. Fortunately, there is no perforation leading to a pneumothorax, but she’s going to feel like an elephant is sitting on her chest for a few days. She needs absolute rest. If she overexerts herself, it could develop into pneumonia."
Asura and Misaki let out long, shaky sighs of relief.
"When will she wake up?" Gen asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the air.
"In a few hours, likely. We’re changing her IV fluids now, so she should start feeling better soon," Minato replied.
He then paused, squinting as he realized exactly who he was talking to. "Wait... you’re the one who brought her in. Reception told me you used your combat suit’s power to outrun the armored transport. They said you arrived at the hospital carrying her in your arms."
Asura’s jaw dropped slightly, and Misaki looked on in shock. "He didn't even use a vehicle?" Misaki whispered to Asura. "He ran all the way from Shibuya using the suit’s full potential? Just to save a girl he doesn't even know?"
"You should head out, Captain," Doctor Minato suggested. "I'm sure you're exhausted. Besides, only family members are allowed in this ward."
"I’m staying until she wakes up," Gen stated, his tone flat and immovable.
"But Captain..." the doctor started to protest.
"I’m her boyfriend," Gen declared, pulling onto the chair and sitting down firmly.
The hallway fell into a dead silence before some gasps were heard.
"Eh?" The doctor blinked, stunned.
"EH!?" Misaki yelped, slapping her hands over her mouth.
"Wait, what?" Asura stammered, looking at Misaki for some kind of explanation.
Takahiro, however, simply looked away. Deep down, he had always known. He had seen the way Sana looked at Gen back in high school, the way she always tried to be near him. She thought she was being subtle, but for a guy who cared about her, it had been painfully easy to read.
"I still can't allow it..." Minato insisted, adjusting his glasses.
Before he could continue, Gen pulled out his phone. The room went silent, everyone’s eyes glued to him screen as he began to scroll. After a moment, he turned the display toward the doctor.
"These are photos from our first anniversary," Gen stated flatly. He showed a picture of Sana smiling at the camera, a dollop of whipped cream from a cake stuck to the tip of her nose. Gen was right beside her, his arm draped protectively around her neck.
"This is from when she got accepted into her degree," he continued, swiping to the next image. It showed Sana sticking her tongue out playfully at the camera, her laptop screen in the background displaying her acceptance letter.
"This was my birthday." He slid to another photo. In this one, Gen was making a peace sign with one eye closed like a wink looking at the camera, his hand resting firmly on Sana’s waist. She was wearing a stunning pink dress that perfectly complemented the deep magenta of Gen's eyes as she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "And this—"
"Alright, alright! I get it. You can stay," Minato sighed, defeated by the overwhelming digital evidence. "Excuse me." With a weary shake of his head, the doctor turned and left the waiting area.
Asura exploded the second he was out of earshot. "What the hell?! Since when have you and Sana been dating?!" she demanded, her brain still trying to process the photos she had just seen.
"That’s none of your business," Gen replied, his voice dripping with boredom.
"It absolutely is! I'm her best friend!" Asura snapped, her brow furrowing in genuine indignation.
Gen didn't even look up. "If you’re such a 'best friend,' then ask her yourself when she wakes up. And stop screeching."
Asura frowned even deeper, thinking that this guy was incredibly rude and cold despite being hailed as a world-class hero adored by millions. She couldn't shake the thought of Sana, either, how could she have been dating him without saying a word to her childhood best friend?
After finishing her shift, Asura returned to the waiting room. The atmosphere was thick with tension. Gen sat at the far end of the row, unmoved even after three hours, while Takahiro occupied the other side. Asura sat next to Takahiro, her eyes fixed on Sana’s unconscious form through the glass.
"I hope she wakes up soon..." Asura murmured, her voice laced with worry.
"Sana has always been a bit of a crybaby, but she’s stronger than she looks," Takahiro said with a faint, nostalgic smile.
"You're right," Asura chuckled, memories of their teenage years bubbling up. "Remember the time she cried because she didn't want to get on the roller coaster at the April Fair? You practically had to drag her, and the poor girl screamed like she was being murdered."
Takahiro laughed softly. "I remember... or when she was too shy to tell the waiter they’d brought her the wrong order, so she just sat there and ate something she hated."
Asura laughed out loud this time. "That was legendary. And honestly? She’d probably still do it today."
While they shared those bittersweet memories, Gen sat silently nearby. Though his eyes were on his phone, he was listening to every word, his thumb scrolling through a gallery of photos. In every single one, Sana was smiling at him. Seeing her fall in front of him had triggered a desperation so deep he had defied every JADFK regulation, pushing his suit to 80% capacity and ignoring the agonizing strain on his own body. Nothing mattered but the girl he loved... the girl he still loves.
Inside the room, Sana felt as if her eyelids were made of lead. With a monumental effort, she forced them open, only to be met by a blinding hospital light that blurred her vision. Her mind was a whirlwind of fractured memories and heavy emotions. A crushing weight pressed against her chest, and she realized she was tightly bandaged beneath her hospital gown.
"Doctor?" she croaked, her voice barely a whisper.
Doctor Minato, who was adjusting her IV drip, looked relieved, though he kept his professional composure. "Are you feeling alright? Don't push yourself. If you try to sit up, do it slowly. I'll go let the others know."
Slowly, Sana pushed herself up, leaning her aching back against the headboard. The steady beep-beep of the heart monitor echoed in the sterile room.
"Sana!" The door burst open and Asura practically ran to her side, hugging her with extreme care to avoid her injuries. "Are you okay? Do you feel better?"
"I'm fine, Asura..." Sana managed a weak smile.
"You gave me such a scare! You have no idea the look on my face when your boyfriend carried you into the hospital in his arms... though speaking of that, I have so many questions." Asura crossed her arms, though her eyes stayed bright.
"Boyfriend...?" Sana blinked, confused. Her gaze drifted past Asura, and her eyes widened. "Takahiro?!"
Takahiro nodded, smiling warmly. "Hey, Sana. I didn't think this would be how we’d reunite, but it’s good to see you’re okay."
Sana let out a tiny laugh but immediately winced, clutching her chest. "Okay... less laughing for now."
"Setting ALL of that aside," Asura interrupted, her tone a mix of excitement and indignation. "I know the timing is bad, but WHY DID YOU NEVER TELL ME YOU HAD A BOYFRIEND?! I’m sure you had your reasons, but girl, I’m your best friend! I have a right to know that the freaking Gen Narumi is my brother-in-law!"
Sana immediately froze. She had no idea how Asura had found out about Gen, and she opened her mouth to explain that he was, unfortunately, not anyone’s brother-in-law anymore. But then, through the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar shock of bicolor hair.
Gen walked into the room behind Takahiro.
Instead of the joy Asura expected, Sana’s expression hardened. Her brow furrowed into a sharp scowl. "What are you doing here?"
Her voice was ice-cold. Asura glanced at Takahiro, the sudden shift in the air making her skin crawl. The tension was suffocating.
"Well... he was the one who brought you here, Sana," Asura said tentatively, trying to bridge the gap. "If he hadn't moved so fast, you would’ve ended up with pneumonia. He’s been waiting here all evening for you to wake up."
Sana’s gaze remained fixed on Gen, sharp and freezing, while he stared back with his usual intensity. Despite his stoic mask, there was a faint softening around his eyes, a flicker of pure relief that she was finally breathing on her own.
"Okay, okay, guys. Is this just a lover's spat?" Asura interjected, desperately trying to de-escalate the suffocating atmosphere. "Why don't you two just make up? After that heroically romantic stunt Captain Narumi pulled—even if I still think he’s a rude jerk—can’t we just have a 'forgiveness kiss' and call it a day? Huh? How about it?"
"That idiot is not my boyfriend," Sana clarified, her voice clipped and trembling slightly. "He’s... he’s my ex."
The silence that followed was even heavier than before.
"WHAT?!" Asura shrieked, looking like her entire world had just been flipped upside down. "You mean to tell me I missed out on your entire 'dating arc' because it’s already over?!" She put a hand to her chest, looking genuinely offended. "I didn't even get to witness the 'I finally cracked' phase?!"
"Asura, please... not now," Sana whispered, turning her head away because she was blushing at her words.