Six months later
The soft hum of conversation filled Neo-Tokyo Café & Diner, blending with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries. The café was lively, yet Isabelle Graves—Izzy— felt detached from it all, lost in her thoughts.
A chime at the door signaled a new customer. A young boy, no older than twelve, approached the counter.
[Boy] "Excuse me, miss. Can I have a chocolate cake with citrus?"
Izzy froze for a moment, her fingers tightening around the notepad in her hand. Chocolate cake with citrus. A bittersweet memory surfaced—Ethan. He used to love it. Her heart clenched.
Just for a second, sorrow flickered across her face.
[Boy] (noticing) "Are you okay, miss?"
Izzy snapped out of it, forcing a small smile.
[Izzy] "Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. Give me a few minutes, and your cake will be ready."
She turned away quickly, focusing on preparing the order. But even as she measured the ingredients, poured the batter, and placed the cake in the oven, her mind wandered.
"Ethan… my little brother… please wake up. Your sister is waiting for you."
St. Helena General Hospital
A ray of sunlight pierced through the hospital window, shining directly onto Ethan's face. His eyelids fluttered before slowly opening. The brightness blinded him at first, his vision blurry and unfocused. His entire body ached—every muscle sore, every movement a struggle.
He groaned softly, his head pounding as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
[Ethan] "Wh-where am I? Why… do I feel pain all over? Agh…"
He barely had the strength to lift his hand, but when he did, he felt the bandages wrapped around his forehead. A heavy plaster cast covered his arm.
[Ethan] "Am I… not dead?"
He struggled to sit up, his weak muscles protesting against the effort. But after a few attempts, he managed to push himself upright, his breath ragged.
As his eyes adjusted, he scanned the room. The sterile white walls, the beeping monitors, the IV drip—a hospital. A smirk tugged at his lips, though it lacked amusement.
[Ethan] "And here I thought I was fated to die no matter what… stabbed, beaten, nearly crushed, and even hit by a truck, yet I'm still alive. What am I, undead?"
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head."Whatever… I lived. Now, what should I do?"
His gaze drifted to the window, his reflection staring back at him. He was thinking about leaving the city—escaping all the trouble, avoiding Victor, Kane, Elias, and Darius.
His expression darkened. "I don't want to see those bastards ever again."
But then, something felt off. His reflection… was different.
Ethan blinked, No It wasn't just different—it was wrong.
He slowly raised his hand to his face, his breath catching. His fingers trembled as they brushed against his skin. His jawline was softer. His arms were smaller. His hospital gown felt a little too loose.
A sudden wave of shock hit him.
"Wh-wh-what the hell?!" he choked out, staring at his reflection.
[Ethan] "Why… why have I become a kid?!"
His heart pounded in his chest as he frantically examined himself. His hair was longer, messier, and… a different color. His legs barely reached the edge of the bed.
"What the hell is happening?!"
Just then, the door creaked open. A nurse stepped in—the same nurse who had tried to stop him on the rooftop. (Her name was Elena Hart.)
She gasped, eyes wide with disbelief. For a moment, both of them just stared at each other in stunned silence.
Ethan was the first to speak.
[Ethan] "H-Hey, nurse—"
Elena's face went pale. With a sudden jolt, she spun around and bolted out of the room.
[Ethan] "H-Hey, wait—!"
She was gone.
Ethan sat there, completely bewildered. His mind was racing, struggling to process everything.
[Ethan] "What is happening?! Why have I, Leon Mercer Blackfang, become a child?!"
The one Who has gotten the second chance wasn't Ethan it was Leon.
Before he could think further, a sharp pain shot through his skull. "Aghh…!" He groaned, clutching his head as the world around him blurred. His vision darkened. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Dr. Leonard and Elena rushing back in, their voices panicked.
And then—everything faded to black.
St. Helena General Hospital – Recovery Room
The steady beeping of the heart monitor echoed in the quiet hospital room. Dr. Leonard pressed two fingers against Ethan's wrist, checking his pulse. It was faint but steady, a sign that he was holding on. His gaze shifted to Ethan's face—his expression was tense, as if he had been in pain before losing consciousness.
The doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. [Dr.] "It looks like he fainted from exhaustion rather than anything critical."
A small wave of relief washed over him. The boy had been through hell and back, but his vitals suggested he would recover in time.
Straightening up, he turned to Elena, the nurse standing nearby. She had been by Ethan's side since the moment he was brought into the hospital, tending to him day and night.
[Dr. Leonard] "Let him rest for now and when he wakes up give him some painkiller."
Elena nodded, but before she could move, the doctor added,
[Dr.] "Also, call his sister. Let her know he's awake."
Elena's expression shifted. [Elena] "Yes, Doctor. She'll be relieved… and happy to hear it." There was a faint warmth in her voice, but something else lingered—hesitation.
Dr. Leonard observed her carefully before giving a knowing nod. [Dr.] "And I can guess you're happy too."
Elena blinked, taken aback.
[Dr.] "After all, you and his sister were the ones who took care of him all this time."
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. She hesitated, as if weighing her words. Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but heavy with guilt.
[Elena] "...Doctor, I know I took care of him, but…"Her eyes darkened."If I had just stopped him from going to the rooftop that day… if I had reached him faster…"She swallowed hard."Maybe he wouldn't have ended up in this state."
The weight of regret hung in the air.
Dr. Leonard's expression softened. He had seen this guilt before. Nurses, doctors—even himself. The feeling of "I should have done more" never truly left those who cared.
[Dr. Leonard]"Elena." His tone was gentle yet firm. "I understand how you feel, but you can't carry that blame forever. What matters now is that he's alive—and he's woken up."
Elena looked down, her hands trembling slightly.
[Dr. Leonard] "Don't blame yourself too much."
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, slowly, Elena exhaled and gave a small nod. [Elena] "Yes… and thank you, Doctor."
Dr. Leonard gave her a reassuring look before stepping away.
[Dr. Leonard] "Then, I'll be going."
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Elena alone in the dim hospital room.
She turned back toward Ethan's sleeping form. His face, though pale and thin, looked peaceful. His chest rose and fell steadily beneath the thin hospital blanket.
A lump formed in her throat.
She reached out but stopped herself before her fingers could brush against his hand. Instead, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Ethan…"
Her voice barely reached the air before she turned and left, heading down the hallway to call Izzy.
St. Helena General Hospital –Nurse Elena Calls Izzy
Elena took a deep breath before dialing Izzy's number. She knew this call would change everything for her. The moment the call connected, she heard the familiar voice on the other end.
[Izzy] "Hello? This is Isabelle Graves."
Elena felt her throat tighten but forced herself to speak. "Izzy, it's me… Elena from St. Helena Hospital."
There was a pause, then a sharp intake of breath from Izzy. "Is something wrong? Did something happen to Ethan?!"
Elena's lips curved into a small smile. [Elena] "No, Izzy… it's the opposite. Ethan… he woke up."
Silence. Then a small gasp. [Izzy] "W-What? He… woke up? Are you serious?"
Elena chuckled softly. [Elena] "Yes, Izzy. He just regained consciousness, but he fainted again due to exhaustion. The doctor says he's stable now."
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor echoed through the phone, followed by hurried footsteps.
[Izzy] "I'm coming right now!"
Before Elena could respond, the call ended. She smiled to herself. [Elena] "She must have run out without even grabbing her things."
Neo-Tokyo Café & Diner
Izzy stood frozen for a moment, gripping her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white. The words repeated in her head.
He woke up.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she stumbled back. Her coworker, noticing her distress, rushed over.
[Coworker] "Izzy, what's wrong?!"
Izzy swallowed hard, blinking back tears. "Ethan… he's awake… I have to go!"
She didn't wait for a response. She untied her apron, threw it on the counter, and bolted out the door, her heart pounding. The streets blurred past her as she ran to catch a cab. Every second felt like an eternity.
St. Helena General Hospital – Izzy Arrives to Hospital
Izzy burst through the hospital doors, panting heavily. straight to the room where Ethan was but didn't see Ethan in there than remembered that Elena said that they will be shifting Ethan to rcovery room on call She rushed to the reception desk, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
The receptionist quickly scanned through the patient list. "Yes, Ethan Graves has been moved to Room 304 in the recovery ward. Take the elevator to the third floor, then head left down the hall."
Izzy didn't wait to hear the rest. She mumbled a rushed "Thank you" and sprinted toward the elevator, jabbing the button repeatedly as if that would make it arrive faster. The seconds felt like hours, her heart hammering against her ribs.
When the doors finally slid open, she stepped inside, bouncing slightly on her feet, her fingers twitching anxiously. Her mind raced with questions. He woke up. He actually woke up. After all this time…
The elevator dinged, and the doors parted. Izzy stepped out, scanning the hallway before her eyes locked onto Room 304. She sprinted.
Footsteps—thump thump thump—echoed down the empty hallway.
Room 304. Room 304. Room 304.
Her breath hitched as she saw the plaque. There!
She gripped the door handle, hesitating for just a fraction of a second.
(What if… what if he's still unconscious? What if—)
No. She pushed the thoughts away.
With a deep breath, she shoved the door open.
And there he was.
Ethan.
At least... the body of him.
The room was quiet except for the faint beeping of the heart monitor. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a golden glow on the sleeping figure in the hospital bed. His hair was longer and messy, and his face was thinner, but he was there. Alive.
Izzy's breath hitched at the sight of him. Her little brother.
Tears welled in her eyes as she stepped forward, her hands shaking. Slowly, she reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. "Ethan…"
As if sensing her presence, the boy stirred. His eyelids fluttered before slowly opening, revealing unfamiliar eyes.
Izzy gasped. "Ethan! You're awake!"
The relief hit her like a damn truck.
"Ethan…!"
She threw herself at him, arms wrapping tight, burying her face into his shoulder.
"Oh my God! You're awake! You're really awake!"
A sob cracked through her voice. "I thought I'd lost you forever!" She didn't care. Didn't care that she was practically suffocating him with her grip. The boy in the hospital bed stiffened.
Leon Blackfang Mercer—former underground kingpin, billionaire, and definitely not Ethan Graves—currently very confused and currently very trapped in this emotional stranglehold—just stared.
(…Who the hell is this girl? and why is she calling me Ethan?)
The boy blinked at her, confusion washing over his features. His voice was hoarse when he spoke.
[Ethan (Leon)] "...Uh." His throat was dry. Voice scratchy. "Sorry, but… who the are you?"
Izzy's heart stopped.
Her body went rigid as she slowly pulled away. Her wide, teary eyes locked onto his face.
"Wh—What?"
She stared at him, frozen. The warmth in her eyes turned to shock. "Ethan… it's me. It's Izzy. Your sister."
Ethan—no, Leon—tilted his head, his confusion deepening. "Sister…?"
Izzy felt the blood drain from her face. Behind her, the door swung open, revealing Nurse Elena and Dr. Leonard.
Elena's face went pale as she exchanged a glance with the doctor. Dr. Leonard stepped forward, his voice gentle yet firm. "Ethan, do you know where you are?"
Ethan shook his head slowly. "A… hospital? But… I don't remember how I got here… or anything before waking up."
Izzy staggered back.
Izzy let out a shaky breath, gripping his hand even tighter. Izzy's breath hitched. "You—you don't remember me…?"
He hesitated. Looked at her again.
"You don't remember… anything?"
The broken expression on her face sent a strange twist through his gut.
"...I… I'm sorry. I don't."
A shaky breath escaped her lips.
Dr. Leonard turned to her, his expression serious. "Izzy… I need to speak with you."
Dr. Leonard's Explans, Outside the room, Dr. Leonard led Izzy and Elena to a quieter corner of the hallway. Izzy's hands were clenched into fists.
Izzy "Doctor, what's happening to my brother? Why doesn't he remember me?"
Dr. Leonard exhaled deeply, stepping back. "As I suspected. Retrograde amnesia. It's likely a result of his injuries and extended unconsciousness. His past memories… they're gone."
Izzy shook her head, voice cracking. "No. No, he has to remember. He—he has to—"
Dr. Leonard raised a hand, calm but firm. "Izzy. Listen to me." His tone softened. "This might be a blessing in disguise."
Izzy's fists clenched. "What—what do you mean?"
Dr. Leonard sighed. "The past was painful for him. If he remembers too suddenly, it could cause distress… maybe even lead to another breakdown.
Izzy"But will he remember? Will he get his memories back?"
Dr. Leonard hesitated before shaking his head. "There's no way to know. Sometimes memories return over time, but in Ethan's case… it's best if we don't force them. For now, it's best to let him believe he simply had an accident. He has a chance for a fresh start. A new beginning."
Izzy opened her mouth. Closed it. Her whole body trembled. Izzy wiped at her tears, nodding slowly. "A new beginning…"
She didn't realize that the boy inside that hospital room wasn't Ethan Graves. He was Leon Blackfang Mercer, a man who had unknowingly been reborn into a life that wasn't his own.
Leon sat in silence, processing.
(So… they think I'm this Ethan guy? And they don't want me to remember?)
His fingers curled into the thin hospital sheets.
Fine by me.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
If this was his second chance at life, then he'd damn well take it.
TO BE CONTINUED....