Chapter 17: Awakening Feelings ( 17 )
A soft knock on the door was followed by the arrival of a doctor, holding a clipboard. Haruki stood up right away and bowed politely.
The doctor smiled slightly. "Good morning. I'm here to check on the patient."
Haruki nodded and quietly stepped aside to give the doctor space. As the doctor got closer to Kyouko's bedside, Haruki took one last look at her before leaving the room.
In the hallway, he leaned against the wall for a moment.
He had forgotten his phone in the rush. A part of him wanted to go home and get it, maybe let Satomi know what had happened... but another part didn't want to leave Kyouko alone, even for a minute.
Maybe I'll wait until the doctor is done, he thought, putting his hands in his pockets. Then I'll tell Kyouko I'll go back for a bit...
He sighed softly and looked at the door again, waiting patiently
Once the doctor stepped out with a polite nod, Haruki quietly returned to the chair next to Kyouko's bed. She was still asleep, her breathing steady, though her face looked a bit pale.
Well... I think the phone can wait.
He looked around and grabbed a magazine from the nearby rack. Flipping through it absentmindedly, his eyes didn't really focus on the pages. Eventually, they wandered back to Kyouko.
Even while sleeping, she looked graceful. Her hair was slightly messy, and her lips were slightly parted as she breathed. There was a softness in her expression, a calmness that made her seem even more beautiful.