Through half-opened heavy eyelids, the view in front of him was unfamiliar.
Where am I…?
His head felt heavy as he tried to lift it.
Flashes of the dark alley, the gunshot, the man who saved him... it all came rushing back.
I’m wounded…
Now he could see more clearly...
He was lying in a hospital bed.
The IV drip above him…
the steady beeping sound of the monitor…
the needle in his arm…
He was fully awake now.
He didn’t feel any pain, to his surprise…
probably because of the medication, he assumed.
But, still, he couldn’t move...
and he wanted to so badly.
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
He wanted to wash it away with a glass of water…
but the room was empty.
Someone will come eventually…
He didn’t try to stand up or lift his head anymore.
This is so frustrating, he thought.
I need to get out of here as soon as possible…
So many confusing thoughts filled his mind.
He needed to find that man…
What was his connection to his father?
He was certain the man belonged to the same organization...the one his father had infiltrated as an undercover agent to uncover the truth behind his colleague’s murder.
But then again…he thought.
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Was I imagining things?
Maybe it was the shock… or the delirium.
Why would he have my father’s necklace?
It was so frustrating.
I can’t do anything, tied to this bed.
Maybe he left his name when he brought me to the hospital…
He just lay there, waiting, with so many questions in his head.
Finally…the sound of the door opening.
Then came the sound of footsteps rushing toward his bed.
The kind face of a middle-aged, chubby nurse appeared above him.
“Oh, Mr. Mori…you’re awake!”
“How are you feeling?” she asked with a warm smile.
Takashi nodded in response to her question.
His mouth was dry.
“Can I have a glass of water?”
His voice cracked.
“I can only give you a small sip, just to wet your mouth. I’m sorry” she said gently.
“For everything else, we need to discuss it with the doctor. You lost a lot of blood, Mr. Mori...You are lucky to be alive"
She tipped a small amount of water into his mouth gently.
“Is it better now?”
Takashi nodded in relief.
The nurse smiled again, checking the IV bottle.
“Can you tell me who brought me here? Did he leave his name?”
He didn’t waste any time...even wounded, his detective instinct overpowered everything else.
“I wouldn’t know” she replied softly.
“But you can ask the doctor. She’ll probably know.”
“I’ll leave you now, Mr. Mori. The doctor will come to check on you soon.” she said gently.
“And, your friend, Mr. Ishida, has called many times” she added with a small smile.
“I’ll let him know you’re awake.”
She added, walking toward the door.
Takashi was alone again, lying there… powerless.
For someone who was always on the move, used to action, this was unbearably frustrating.
He heard voices in the distance.
Every now and then, someone walked through the hallway.
Sometimes he heard quiet talking…
sometimes just the sound of footsteps.
He waited for the doctor to appear, with only one thought in his head:
Who was the man who saved him?
Finally…the door opened.
His eyes had been fixed on it for quite some time.
The figure of a young woman in a white coat appeared behind it.
Her long hair was tied back, her posture sharp and professional.
Holding a stack of papers in her hands, she approached his bed.
She was tall and very charming.
She smiled gently as she came closer.
“I’m so glad you’re awake, Mr. Mori.”
She approached the monitor.
“Everything seems all right.” she nodded.
“Do you feel any pain?”
“No, I’m all right.” Takashi answered shortly.
“Luckily, nothing vital was damaged” she added.
“But you lost a lot of blood, so we need to monitor you for a few days.”
The frustration on his face was clearly visible.
So… I’m stuck here for days...
he thought.
She laughed softly.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Mori. You’ll be on your feet in no time.” she said gently.
“But…no adventures yet.” she added with a small smile.
“You need to recover fully before getting back to duty.”
“I have to leave now, but I’ll check on you again soon.”
She hugged the papers to her chest with both hands, preparing to leave.
…Yuna Akiyama.
Takashi read the name on the card hanging from the pocket of her white coat.
“Dr. Akiyama?” Takashi called out.
She stopped for a moment.
“Yes?”
“The man who brought me to the hospital… do you know his name?”
“No, I’m sorry… he didn’t leave any information.” she answered.
“But you’re lucky he brought you here on time.”
“See you soon, Mr. Mori." she said politely, closing the door behind her.
The door closed softly and
silence filled the room.
Once again, he was left with empty hands...
After a moment of thought, he came to a conclusion.
This isn’t unexpected…
He’s a gang member who saved a detective.
Why would he leave his information?
He let out a slow breath, frustration burning beneath his calm expression.
She said a few days…
I’ll be discharged in a few days...
The time will pass quickly...
He thought, determined to find him as soon as he got out of the hospital.
