Somewhere, in another world, time moved on without him.
Moments earlier, inside a stark white hospital room, the battle for Aelric's life raged. The air was thick with urgency, filled with sharp commands and the mechanical whine of medical equipment.
"His vitals are crashing!"
"Charge to 200! Clear!"
A jolt of electricity surged through his lifeless body. His chest convulsed, his pale fingers twitching—but the heart monitor remained flat.
"No response! Again!"
Another shock. Desperation etched itself onto the surgeon's face. The nurses moved with frantic precision, their hands steady, their voices shaking.
But deep down, they knew.
Beep. Beep. Beep—
Then—
Silence.
The doctor hesitated, gripping the edge of the operating table as if physically holding on to hope. But it was futile. Slowly, he exhaled, and with the weight of a thousand failures pressing on his shoulders, he uttered the words that shattered everything.
"Time of death… 6:47 PM."
The room stood still.
A boy who should have had years ahead of him. A son. A brother. A friend. Gone.
Outside, the world carried on, unaware of the void left behind.
The hospital waiting room was filled with hushed whispers, sterile walls suffocating the last fragments of hope. Akito and Shiko sat in silence, their hands trembling, still stained with Aelric's blood.
Then the doors burst open.
Aelric's mother rushed in, her face pale, her breath uneven. In her grip, a small, delicate hand clutched tightly to hers—his younger sister, barely four, her eyes round with confusion.
Minato followed close behind, his usually composed face clouded with something unspoken. He had shut his shop the moment the call came. Now, he stood there, silent, as if bracing for the inevitable.
Akito's throat felt like sandpaper. He could barely lift his head, but when he did, his voice cracked. "Auntie..." His fingers curled into his palms, nails digging deep into skin. "Aelric, he—" His breath hitched. He couldn't say it.
Shiko clenched his fists, swallowing back his grief, but his silence spoke volumes.
Aelric's mother took a step forward. Her entire body trembled. "Where is he?" she whispered. It was barely a sound, more a plea than a question.
Akito's vision blurred. "He saved us." The words felt foreign on his tongue, like they weren't real. "The truck… it was coming straight at us. He pushed us out of the way."
Before she could speak, the doors swung open once more.
The doctor stepped out, pulling off his gloves, his eyes heavy with the weight of what he had to say. There was no need for words. The look alone was enough.
Aelric's mother swayed, her breath catching. "Doctor… how is my son?"
The answer came in a slight shake of the head.
"I'm sorry. We did everything we could."
For a moment, it felt as if the entire world had stopped breathing.
Then, everything shattered.
Her knees gave out. Minato caught her just before she collapsed, but nothing could stop the breaking of her heart.
"No… no, no, no…" Her sobs were raw, shaking her entire body. "He was just trying to save his friends. He was just…" Her voice faltered as memories crashed into her, relentless and cruel.
"Mom, I'll be back soon! Don't worry!"
He had been smiling when he said it.
And now…
Minato gritted his teeth, his hands tightening into fists. "I just saw him… hours ago." His voice was hoarse. "He was at my shop, laughing, talking about his next video. And now he's gone?"
Aelric's little sister tugged at her mother's sleeve, her small voice breaking through the sorrow. "Where's big brother? Why is everyone crying?"
Her words pierced them like knives. Akito flinched, and Shiko turned away, his entire body trembling.
The mother's breath hitched as she pulled her daughter close, pressing a shaking hand against her soft hair. "Aelric… isn't coming back," she whispered.
But the little girl only frowned. "That's silly. He promised he'd play with me this weekend. He never breaks his promises!"
Silence.
Akito's vision swam, his chest aching so badly it felt like he was suffocating. He shut his eyes, but all he could see was Aelric's outstretched hand, pushing them out of harm's way.
He had promised.
And now he was gone.