One month had passed, and finally, a breakthrough came. The little boy's eyes slowly opened, revealing a glimmer of life that had been hidden for so long.
His eyes gazed at the ceiling before turning around to see who was nearby. Instead, he found himself locking eyes with a nurse, who immediately let out a triumphant cry: "Doctor! Doctor! He's finally awake!"
The doctor hurried into the hospital room, quickly assessing the boy's condition. After he was done, he called the nurse out to talk about the boy's condition.
The nurse returned to the room, her presence strictly professional. Her role was clear: to provide basic care, nothing more. With precision, she tended to his needs, feeding him, administering medication, and changing his bandages.
Days later, the door swung open, and Captain Aiku walked in, his presence a welcome respite for the little boy. The child's eyes lit up with excitement, Captain Aiku being the first visitor he'd had since regaining consciousness.
He didn't recognize his face, but the uniform was familiar, the same as his savior's. He stared, realizing Aiku might be his hero.
"How are you feeling?" Aiku asked, his expression gentle. Despite his weakness, the boy smiled. "Great, but my head hurts sometimes." Aiku smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you're going to be just fine," he said, his voice gentle and comforting.
"What about your parents?" Aiku asked. The boy's smile faltered, his eyes dropped, and he sat back,
his expression showing, he was trying to remember. But as the seconds ticked by, his face fell, and he looked up at Aiku with a blank expression, as if the memories were just out of reach.
"It's okay, don't stress yourself," Aiku said gently.
The little boy nodded slowly, his eyes still searching for the lost memories.
"Can I ask you something?" The boy's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Of course, you can ask me anything" Aiku said.
"Your uniform..." The boy paused. "This uniform?" Aiku asked.
The boy nodded eagerly. "I've seen it before. Someone with the same uniform saved me, but... but I didn't get to see his face."
He looked at Aiku. "Was it you, sir?" Aiku nodded slowly. "Yes, it was."
The little boy's face lit up with a bright smile, knowing that the man standing before him was indeed his hero. His eyes shone with excitement as he asked, "What's your name, sir?" Captain Aiku replied, "Aiku."
The boy slowly bowed his head. "Thank you for saving me, Mr. Aiku," as he sat on his hospital bed, his eyes cast downward in respect.
Aiku's face broke into a smile. "No, don't thank me," he said. "It's my duty." But before the little boy could respond, a commotion erupted at the door.
A woman burst in, pushing past the door with a force that made it swing wildly on its hinges.
"Akira!" she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face as she rushed towards the hospital bed. The little boy's eyes widened in shock as she enveloped him in a tight hug.
He turned to Aiku, his face scrunched in confusion, and asked, "Who is she?" But before Aiku could respond, the woman pulled back, holding the little boy's shoulders, and said, "I'm your aunt."
The little boy's brow furrowed in confusion. "Aunt?" He turned to Aiku, seeking clarification, and Aiku nodded reassuringly.
But another question still lingered, and the little boy asked the woman, "Why do you keep on mentioning Akira? Who's Akira?" His curious gaze shifted her joy to shock.
It hit her like a ton of bricks - her nephew had no idea who Akira was.
Seeing his confusion, she realized: he'd lost his memories, just as Aiku and Rin warned.
Hina wrapped her arms around him once more, her voice trembling as she whispered, "You are Akira."
The little boy's eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling as his aunt held him close.
He hesitated for a moment, then asked in a small voice, "Me?" Still embracing him, his aunt nodded and replied "Yes.
Aiku observed the emotional scene, noting the extent of Akira's memory loss, stunned that the little boy couldn't even recall his own name.
He sighed but as he gazed at Akira, now safely wrapped in his aunt's arms, a faint smile crossed his lips. "At least he's okay. That's all that matters."
Aiku restrained himself from asking the boy about the incident, mindful of the doctor's warning.
"Don't force him to remember," the doctor warned, "it could be dangerous."
The doctor's parting words echoed in Aiku's mind: "He must be allowed to remember on his own."
Aiku prioritizing the boy's well-being, chose to wait for the right moment to uncover the truth.
With a gentle smile, he waved goodbye to Akira, and reached for the door handle, preparing to exit the hospital room.
"Aiku, I hope you'll visit again!" Little Akira called out.
Aiku chuckled and teased, "Hmm, I'm a busy man." Akira's face fell, but Aiku quickly reassured him with a warm smile.
"Don't worry, get well soon. On your day of discharge, I'll make time to visit you."
Akira's face lit up again, and he grinned, saying "Yes, Captain!" Aiku laughed, and with a final smile, he reached out for the door and exited the hospital room.
Minutes after Captain Aiku left, Akira turned to his Aunt Hina with a curious expression.
"Aunt Hina, what happened? Why am I in the hospital?" he asked.
His aunt's face softened, and she replied, "It was just a minor accident, sweetie. But to make sure you're okay, the doctors wanted to check you over, so we brought you here."
Aunt Hina's face brightened with a warm smile. "And don't worry, you'll be discharged soon, so we can leave here and go home." Akira's eyes lit up at the prospect. "Really?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "I can't wait to get out of here. It creeps me out," he added, scrunching up his face.
His aunt chuckled. "Everyone hates the hospital, that's why we try to get well fast so we can leave." Akira nodded enthusiastically, and his aunt continued, "I hope you'll get well soon."
"Yes," little Akira said, beaming with a smile. His aunt's eyes sparkled with delight. "Yes, that's the attitude!"
The sound of a knock at the door broke the moment, and the female nurse who had been caring for Akira entered the room.
"I'm afraid it's time for Akira to rest," she said gently. "Aunt Hina, I'm going to have to ask you to leave for now."
Akira's aunt smiled warmly at him and waved goodbye. "Get some rest, sweetie. I'll be back soon."
With that, she turned and followed the nurse out of the room, leaving Akira to settle in for a quiet rest.
Aunt Hina walked over to the counter, expecting to settle the hospital bills.
However, when she asked to pay, the receptionist smiled and said, "Actually, the bills have already been taken care of."
Aunt Hina's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh? By whom?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
The receptionist checked the records and replied, "It was Captain Aiku. He took care of everything."
Aunt Hina's eyes widened in surprise. "Thank you," she said to the accountant, her voice sincere.
She turned and walked away, exiting the hospital.
As she stepped into the bright sunlight, she thought to herself, "I couldn't be close to my sister's family due to... everything that happened. But I think this is my chance to make things right. I'll take it."
A soft smile spread across her face when she realized that even if Akira hadn't lost his memory, he still wouldn't have remembered her.
They had never met, not even once. This was a fresh start, a chance for her to reconnect with her family.
Hours later...
The sky darkened as the sun yielded its position to the crescent moon.
The nurse stepped into the room, carrying a warm smile and a tray of food. Her eyes met Akira's, who lay motionless, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.
She gently coaxed him into a sitting position, plumping his pillows to cradle his back.
The nurse carefully placed the food on the overbed table, accompanied by a glass of cool water. She settled into a chair beside his bed, ready to assist him.
As Akira's gaze fell upon the meal, his face scrunched up in distaste. "I hate this food," he complained. The nurse chuckled at his unhappy expression. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked, smiling. "I would have brought you a food of your choice."
Little Akira shot back, "Couldn't you see how I frowned every time you fed me this food?" He turned his head away, his lips set in a determined line, refusing to take a bite.
"Oh, really?" she asked, her eyes wide with mock surprise. "I didn't notice a thing!"
The nurse scooped up a spoonful of food and held it out to Akira, encouraging him to take a bite. "Here, have it," she coaxed. But Akira turned his head away, his voice firm. "No, I won't. I don't like it."
"Oh, really?" she said with a raised eyebrow. "Then I guess you want to stay here forever?"
Akira shook his head vigorously, his face twisted in disagreement. "No, I don't want to stay here!"
The nurse smiled. "Then you need to eat this food so you can get better and go home."
She offered him another spoonful, and this time Akira opened his mouth, allowing her to feed him. "Good boy!" she praised.
The nurse chuckled. "You're so stubborn for a five-year-old."
Akira's face scrunched up in indignation. "I'm not! I'm a man, just like Captain Aiku!"
He flexed his tiny arms, trying to show off his biceps. The nurse burst out laughing at the sight of his scrawny arms.
"Why are you laughing at me?" Akira asked, his eyes narrowing. The nurse tried to compose herself, still giggling. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I just can't help it."
After finishing his meal, the nurse asked Akira, "What's your favorite food? I can get it for you next time." Akira's face lit up with a bright smile as he sat up straight in bed.
"Yay!" he exclaimed. "I like... um..." His voice trailed off, and he furrowed his brow in concentration. But no matter how hard he tried, his favorite food remained just out of reach.
"I can't remember," Akira whispered, his face falling. Compassionately, the nurse sat beside him, still holding the glass of water and medicine.
"What's wrong, Akira?" she inquired gently. "Why the sad face?" Akira looked directly at her and requested in a small voice, "Can I ask you something?" She nodded, encouraging him to share whatever was on his mind.
"Do you ever find your mind going blank when attempting to recall something?" he asked, his eyes searching the nurse's face for answers.
The nurse's expression turned thoughtful, but she remained silent, unsure of how to respond.
Akira pressed on, "Why can't I remember? My favorite food...my own name...nothing."
Akira looked up at the nurse with tears in his eyes. "Is this normal?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The nurse's heart went out to him. She longed to answer his questions, but her role was to care for him, not to reveal truths that might cause him more harm.
The nurse smiled warmly at Akira. "It's totally normal," she reassured him. "We all forget things sometimes, but it's essential not to stress ourselves trying to remember. With time, your memories will come back to you."
Akira's worried expression faded, replaced by a look of relief. "Thanks, Mira," he said. "I feel better now."
Mira's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know my name?" she asked. Akira pointed to her chest, and Mira's gaze followed his finger.
Realizing he was pointing to her name tag, she said. "I didn't know you could read."
Akira shrugged. "I guess I can, but only simple words. I couldn't read the harder ones, but yours was easy," he said with a smile.
Mira's face lit up with encouragement. "When you get better, you should definitely go back to school. You have great potential," she said, handing him his medicine.
Nurse Mira gently changed Akira's head bandage. As she finished, Akira tried to ask her a question but before he could, the timer on Mira's watch beeped, signaling it was time for Akira to rest. "We'll talk about it next time, okay?" she said softly. "Now, get some sleep, and you'll feel refreshed in the morning." With a gentle wave, she bid him goodbye and left the room.
Akira snuggled under the blankets, feeling a sense of calm wash over him. "Just like Nurse Mira said, I don't have to stress about it," he whispered to himself. "With time, I'll remember everything." His eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile.
Time: 10: 00 pm
Location: Osaka Central Police Station
Briiing! Briiing! The phone rang persistently.
"Hello, Rin! Where have you been?" There was no response.
"Hey, Rin! Answer me!" The silence stretched out until finally, Rin spoke up. "I can hear you." Rin's voice was low and even.
"Where have you been?" Aiku asked. "I was digging deeper into the investigation," Rin replied. "I know it's dangerous but just save it for later. I have a lead. I'm heading there now. I've sent you the location. Meet me there, and I'll fill you in."
The line went dead with a sudden "Kpum."
"Hey, Rin!" Aiku yelled out in frustration, but it was too late. The call had already dropped. He let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "This guy always rushes into danger without a plan. When will he learn to be more careful?"
The phone buzzed with a soft ping, signaling an incoming message. Aiku checked his screen, his eyes locking onto the message from Rin. He tapped on it, and the message displayed:
"Kita 3-12-7, Suminoe Ward, Osaka 559-0025, Japan. Remember to come alone. We can't trust anyone."