The steady, rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor echoed through the sterile, white chamber atop Chiba Medical Institute. At its heart stood a towering silver cryopod, its surface chilled and misted with frost, a veil of fog obscuring what rested within. The soft hum of the machines was the only welcome for the woman who stepped inside as the automatic doors hissed open behind her.
Her presence was like music in a hollow cathedral—elegant, quiet, far. Her hair cascaded in velvet waves of wine-red, fading into dusky lavender at the tips, catching the artificial light like a forgotten melody. Eden approached the pod with her usual poise, though the heaviness in her steps betrayed her heart.
"Good morning, beloved," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, but soaked in longing. Her fingers—delicate, trembling—brushed against the frosted glass, wiping it clean until the faint image of a man sleeping inside revealed itself.
Short white hair, serene expression. Unmoving. Unchanged.
"Will you be gracing me with your smile today, I wonder?" she said softly, her voice cracking as she stepped back. With the touch of a button, the cryopod hissed, unlocking with a slow, mechanical sigh. The glass separated like parted curtains, revealing the man she had loved for millennia.
Tears glimmered in her golden eyes, clinging to her lashes like drops of starlight. She reached out and cupped his cheeks, her thumbs brushing over skin that had not aged, had not moved, had not held her in return.
"It's our 50,000th anniversary today, you know?" Eden whispered, forcing a weak smile. "The day you, Elysia, and I vowed to love one another. You're both awful for making me celebrate it alone."
She pulled out a small cloth-wrapped bundle from her bag and carefully unwrapped a single muffin. "I finally learned to bake," she said, laughing softly through her grief. "The world's back to what it used to be… but they still can't make anything like the sweetness we once had."
Her breath caught, her voice dying in her throat as her gaze fell to his motionless form. She turned away, unwilling to let him see her break again—even if he couldn't see her at all.
"...I miss you," she finally choked out, her composure crumbling like ash in the wind. Her shoulders trembled as she pressed her forehead against his, her hands wrapping around his limp one. "I miss you so much it hurts to breathe."
Tears slipped down her face freely now, trailing like silver across her cheeks, falling onto their joined hands.
Then.
A twitch.
Barely noticeable.
The hand she held… moved.
Eden gasped, her breath catching in disbelief. "Vic…?" she whispered, voice trembling.
"Eden…"
The name was faint—like a breeze across a memory—but it was his voice. It was him.
She stumbled back, wide-eyed, her mouth hanging open as her heart stuttered. Her mind struggled to process what her heart had already believed. "VICTOR! H-Hold on—don't move! I'll—I'll get someone!"
She turned and ran, nearly tripping over herself as the doors hissed open again. "DOCTOR! HE'S AWAKE!" Her voice echoed down the hallway, panic and joy entangled in every word. As she left, the man's eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing obsidian-black eyes that seemed to absorb the light shining on him.
"You're finally awake, darling~"
A playful voice greeted him, sweet and teasing. A girl stood beside the cryopod, her face close to his. She had soft, rosy-pink hair that curled neatly under her chin, with bright, blue-violet eyes that sparkled like stars. Her smile was gentle, mischievous, and familiar.
"Do… I know you?" Victor mumbled, rubbing his temples as pain throbbed behind his eyes. The sight of her brought an odd comfort, like a long-forgotten dream—but also a sting of sorrow he didn't understand.
"That… damn smile," He whispered though he didn't know why but he felt happy deep down at the girl's presence. He felt warmth and relief as the girl's eyes stared deep into his soul and finally, he felt sadness and guilt for reasons he couldn't grasp.
"Geez! First you forget your wife's name, then curse out her beautiful smile?" she teased, puffing out her cheeks and folding her arms. "Are you asking for a divorce, mister?"
"Wife…?" Victor blinked, confused. "E…lysia?"
At her name, the girl's smile bloomed like sunlight breaking through clouds.
"Hmph. Took you long enough," she said proudly. "You're lucky I'm patient."
"S-Sorry…" Victor chuckled nervously, scratching his head. "I don't remember much, but… I think I'm glad to see you."
Elysia giggled and reached out, gently patting his head. "You're just lucky you're cute."
Just then, the doors burst open, and Eden rushed in, heart thundering in her chest.
"Vic!"
He barely had time to look before she threw her arms around him, clutching him tight.
"E-Eden?" he asked, dazed. He hesitated, then slowly wrapped his arms around her too.
"You're back," she whispered. "You're really back."
Doctors spilled into the room behind her, flooding toward the bed with scanners and tools. Victor sat up a little straighter as they checked his vitals, murmuring in awe over the data appearing on their screens.
"His neural activity is stabilizing. Memory reconstruction is still unpredictable, but..." one of them said with cautious optimism, "this kind of recovery is unprecedented."
Eventually, the team filed out, leaving the three of them in a quiet that suddenly felt more real than anything before.
Eden sat beside him on the edge of the bed. Her hands were trembling in her lap, her eyes lowered.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "For leaving you alone. For not being strong enough to stop it."
Victor looked at her, then reached out and gently held her hand.
"You don't have to be sorry."
She looked up at him, her voice smaller now.
"Before I came back… you were talking to someone. Who was it?"
Victor blinked, then let out a soft chuckle. "You mean Elysia?" he said, nodding toward the woman beside Eden. "She's sitting right there—arms around you like always. What, are you ignoring her again? What did she do this time?"
Eden's breath caught. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. Only a single tear escaped, trailing down her cheek as she stared into Victor's eyes.
"...What do you mean?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Victor frowned, confused by her expression. "Elysia. She's hugging you right now, Eden. She looks just like she used to… smiling like she always does when she's trying to hide that she's worried."
Eden's hands slowly rose to her arms—the ones Victor swore were being embraced—but there was nothing. No warmth. No touch. Only empty air.
"Victor, I…" Her voice broke, raw with shock and sorrow. "I don't see anyone."