BXBX NOVEL Chapter 55: In The Hospital
"Fucking hell," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
The sterile scent of alcohol and antiseptic filled his nostrils, confirming his suspicion: he was in a hospital.
Memories of the brutal fight with Daiki flooded his mind, each punch and kick replaying like a cruel reel.
Despite everything, a faint smile tugged at his lips—he\'d finally managed to give that blonde man a little bit of pain and agony his sister feel.
But then he froze, eyes widening as he remembered his plans with Mari. He forced himself to sit up, wincing as pain flared through his body.
Each movement was an ordeal, but he couldn\'t afford to leave Mari waiting
His plan would be in a mess if he disappointed Mari now. As he sat, he could see his surroundings better.
He noted the window on his right, the door opposite, and a small sofa along the wall.
On it lay Haruka, wrapped in a thin blanket, sleeping peacefully.
A soft smile crept onto his face, and he watched her for a moment, a sense of relief washing over him.
Then, he glanced toward the bedside table, searching for his phone, only to find it absent.
"Damn, where is it?" he muttered, shifting slightly before a jolt of pain forced him back onto the bed.
His movement, however, stirred Haruka from her sleep. She blinked, rubbing her eyes as she slowly sat up, her gaze finally landing on Haruto.
Her expression brightened, and in an instant, she was by his side, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug.
"Brother!" Haruka cried, her voice breaking with relief and worry.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" Her shoulders shook as she began to sob.
"I was so worried! I thought… I thought you wouldn\'t make it…"
The pressure of her embrace made his injuries throb even more, but Haruto didn\'t pull away.
Ignoring the pain, he wrapped his arms around her, gently stroking her hair to comfort her.
"I\'m fine, Haruka," he murmured softly, doing his best to soothe her.
"Calm down. Everything\'s okay."
"But… but Enji said you were in bad shape because of the car accident!" she said, pulling back just enough to look at him, her eyes red and swollen.
"Why would you even drive a car, brother? You don\'t even have a driver\'s license!"
Haruka\'s tear-streaked face, her worry-laden gaze—it all tugged at his heart. He felt a strange gratitude toward Enji for concocting a story to cover up the underground fight.
If Haruka knew the truth, it would shatter her. So, he simply let her believe the lie, nodding gently.
As her sobs softened, he held her tighter, thankful to feel her love, her presence anchoring him.
Engrossed in their hug, neither Haruto nor Haruka noticed the door opening quietly.
Chiyo slipped inside, a large bag slung over her shoulder, filled with clothes and essentials Haruto might need during his hospital stay.
Her eyes brightened when she saw him awake—he\'d been unconscious for a whole day, and the worry had weighed on her heavily.
Though she wanted to rush over and hug him, Chiyo held back, respecting the siblings\' moment.
Setting the bag down on the sofa, she walked up to his bedside and spoke softly, "How\'s your condition? Your body must be hurt, the doctor said you have broken ribs and deep wounds."
Startled, Haruto glanced over at her, managing a faint smile. "I\'m fine. Really. I can already feel my wounds healing—moving is a little easier now."
Chiyo sighed, she was happy that Haruto was fine but still she was annoyed by him.
Crossing her arms as concern shifted to exasperation. "You do realize school starts on Monday, don\'t you?"
She scolded, her brow furrowed. "You should be more careful!"
"Step mother is right, brother!" Haruka chimed in, her worry quickly rekindling.
"Take better care of yourself! Do you know how worried I was?"
Haruto chuckled, raising his hands in a show of surrender, only to flinch at the slight pull on his bandaged ribs.
"Alright, alright. I\'m sorry," he said, amused by their scolding, which went on for nearly two hours as they fussed over him.
When the barrage of concern finally subsided, Haruto realized it was already Sunday. He\'d lost a full day unconscious, and a nagging thought coming back again—he hadn\'t been in touch with Mari at all. She was probably wondering where he was.
But before that, he need to make sure his two precious women get enough sleep since they must be worried sick for him all day long.
"Haruka, Mother, you both should go home and rest. You\'ve barely slept," he said, noticing their messed up hair and tired face.
"I\'ll be fine here on my own."
"I\'m not leaving you alone," Haruka objected instantly.
"Neither am I," Chiyo added, folding her arms again. "The doctor said your condition still needs monitoring."
He let out a sigh, glancing pointedly at the bags under their eyes. "You two look like you need the rest more than I do, please rest and come back here tomorrow."
After nearly an hour of back-and-forth, they finally relented, agreeing to let him rest alone for the night.
Just before leaving, Chiyo handed him his phone. Glancing at the screen, his eyes widened at the fifty missed calls and over a hundred messages from Mari.
"Holy crap," he muttered, rubbing his forehead as he stared at the notification count. "She really went all out."
He shot her a quick message explaining his condition and apologizing. Her reply came almost instantly—a five-paragraph wall of text that made him sigh, a weary smile tugging at his lips.
"Having her as a girlfriend sure is... something," he murmured, shaking his head. "Complete opposite of Asuka."