Chapter 184: Recovery and Restlessness
When I opened my eyes, everything was white. The faint sound of machines beeped steadily beside me, like a mechanical heartbeat. My throat felt dry, my body heavy, and my mind blurry.
“Mom! Dad’s awake!” Rin’s voice echoed like a spark of life in the sterile air.
“Ryusei?” Keiko’s face suddenly filled my vision, her eyes wide and teary. Rin stood beside her, clutching her mother’s sleeve with both hands.
“...Keiko... Rin...” My voice came out hoarse and weak, more a whisper than a sound.
Then, before I could process much else, I saw another pair of familiar faces appear at the foot of the bed—Junpei and Ruka, with their baby in Ruka’s arms.
“Yo, you okay, bro? You’ve been sleeping for ages already!” Junpei said with a grin, like I’d just taken a nap instead of almost dying.
Even Ruka rolled her eyes and lightly pinched his arm. “Junpei! Don’t joke around at a time like this.”
I sighed weakly and lifted my middle finger at him. That made him burst out laughing.
“Hah! There it is! Same old Ryusei. Still got enough strength to flip me off, huh? That’s my guy!”
Keiko shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel. “Junpei, please.”
He raised both hands defensively. “Okay, okay! Geez, tough crowd.”
Ruka just shook her head while rocking the baby gently, whispering, “Don’t grow up to be like daddy, okay?”
The laughter helped ease the tension a bit, and I managed a small smile, though my body still felt like it was made of lead. I could barely move without feeling dizzy, so I just lay there, watching everyone talk.
Keiko was explaining the situation to Junpei and Ruka—well, a simplified version of it. Since Junpei already knew about Riku, it made things a lot easier for her to explain.
Ruka looked genuinely worried. “It’s a miracle you’re okay, Ryusei. That could’ve ended a lot worse.”
“Yeah, man, you’re tough.” Junpei said, smirking. “But seriously, try not to play hero again next time, alright?”
I groaned, “...shut up...” and let my head fall back on the pillow.
After a few more minutes of banter and small talk, the nurse came in to remind them visiting hours were over. Junpei and Ruka said their goodbyes, promising to visit again soon. Rin also went home after Keiko insisted she rest for school tomorrow.
And then, finally, it was just Keiko and me.
“Keiko...” I whispered.
She looked up from the chair beside my bed. “Ryusei? What is it? You need me to call the doctor?”
I shook my head slowly. “You should rest too.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.” She smiled gently. “I’ve been eating, sleeping, and taking care of you. Look, I even set up camp over there.”
She pointed to the couch in the corner—blanket, pillow, and all.
I sighed softly. “Thank you, Keiko... I don’t want you to get sick because of me.”
Her eyes softened even more, and she gave that kind of smile that melted something deep inside me. “Just focus on getting better, Ryusei. The doctor said your recovery’s going well.”
“I’ve had enough sleep for a lifetime already.” I joked, my voice weak but steadying.
“You can always sleep more. You’re good at that.” She teased back, and I chuckled weakly.
After a short pause, I asked quietly, “Keiko... did the police catch Riku?”
Her expression eased into a reassuring smile. “Yeah. He’s been caught and is under investigation. The police came by earlier to ask a few questions.”
“That’s... a relief...” I exhaled slowly. My whole body relaxed at her words.
“Oh, and I gave them the CCTV recording you saved from the bar.” Keiko added proudly. “That’ll definitely help prove what he did.”
“You’re really something, you know that?” I said, smiling faintly. “Fast, calm, reliable... I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Probably get yourself stabbed again.” She smirked.
“Fair point.”
She laughed softly, then brushed my hair back from my forehead. “Just rest, Ryusei. We’ll handle the rest together, okay?”
I nodded, my eyes growing heavier. “Thanks... you too, Keiko.”
---
The next day, I woke to the sound of my phone vibrating. I quickly grabbed it from the bedside table to stop it before it disturbed anyone else.
The caller ID: Natsuki.
I sighed. “Of course.”
Glancing over, I saw Keiko still asleep on the couch, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. She looked exhausted, even in sleep. I didn’t want to wake her.
So I let the phone ring until it stopped, then sent him a quick text:
> Sorry, got caught in an accident. I’ll tell you later.
That should do for now.
When I looked up again, Keiko was stirring awake. She stretched and blinked at me blearily, her glasses still halfway on the table. “Who was that?”
“Ah, sorry, did it wake you?” I said quickly.
She yawned. “It’s fine... almost lunchtime anyway.”
“It was Natsuki. Probably wondering why the bar didn’t open last night.”
“I see.” She rubbed her eyes and looked at me. “You really should hire someone to help at that place.”
“Yeah... maybe I should. Natsuki could be my part-timer. He talks enough to entertain everyone.”
She chuckled softly. “That’s true.”
For a moment, silence filled the room. Only the rhythmic beeping of the monitor echoed. Then I spoke up again.
“Keiko... last night, what did the police ask you? Everything’s okay, right?”
She sighed and rubbed her temples. “Well... it’s complicated. They said they identified Riku as you. I mean, your old body.”
“Ah... right. Because you reported me missing before all this.” I said quietly.
“Exactly.” She nodded. “So now they’re confused, thinking I’m mixing things up. I told them the truth—that you two switched bodies—but...”
“They think you’re crazy.”
She sighed. “Probably.”
I reached out and held her hand. “Keiko, don’t push yourself too hard. You’ve done enough already.”
“I just... hope they believe us.” Her voice trembled slightly, frustration bleeding through.
I gave her hand a squeeze. “Even if they don’t, at least Riku’s in custody now. That’s what matters.”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah... that’s true.”
A moment of silence passed between us. Keiko’s gaze softened, and she brushed her thumb across my knuckles gently.
“You scared me, you know.”
“Sorry.”
“When I saw you bleeding like that... I thought I’d lost you.”
Her words made my chest tighten. I couldn’t look away from her eyes.
“Hey... I’m still here, aren’t I?” I said with a weak smile.
She smiled back, eyes glistening. “Yeah... you are.”
Then she leaned forward and rested her forehead gently against mine. “Don’t you ever do something that reckless again.”
“I’ll try not to. But no promises if another knife maniac appears out of nowhere.”
Keiko rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. “Idiot.”
---
That afternoon, Junpei texted me a photo of his baby with the caption:
> She says get well soon, Uncle Ryusei. Also, you owe me ramen for the stress you caused my wife.
I groaned aloud, which made Keiko laugh so hard she almost fell off the couch.
“Seriously, you two are hopeless.” she said between giggles.
“At least someone’s enjoying my pain.”
The hospital room echoed with her laughter, soft and sweet, like music after a storm. For the first time in weeks, I felt like things might actually be okay again.
Even if the world thought we were crazy.
Even if the police doubted our story.
Even if the scars—both visible and not—would take time to fade.
At least Keiko’s still staying by my side, and that alone keeps me grounded.