The faint morning light spilled through the hospital curtains, brushing gently across Kuhaku's face. The rhythmic beeping of a distant monitor blended with the quiet murmur of footsteps in the hallway.
For the first time in days, the world around him felt… calm.
He sat on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his messy black hair as he exhaled. The sheets were still warm, the air faintly carrying the scent of antiseptic — yet somehow, it felt peaceful.
He glanced at the small bedside table where his sister's handheld console rested. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Guess she forgot it again."
As if summoned by the thought, a knock echoed on the door before it swung open.
"Onii-chan!"
Rin's cheerful voice filled the room, followed by her small figure sprinting toward him. Her pink hair bounced with every step as she threw herself into his arms, squeezing him tightly.
Kuhaku chuckled softly. "Careful, Rin. I just recovered. Don't wanna break your brother already, do you?"
She puffed her cheeks in mock annoyance. "You're fine! You look strong again, so play games with me!"
He gave in instantly. "Alright, alright. But only one match, okay?"
Her grin widened. "You're gonna lose!"
They sat together on the bed, laughter and playful banter filling the sterile room. For a moment, it was like nothing bad had ever happened.
⸻
A polite knock interrupted the moment. The door slid open, revealing Kiana's bright smile — and behind her stood Mei and Bronya. But it wasn't just them. Two adults followed closely: one tall man with striking white hair and a familiar confident grin, and a silver-haired woman radiating calm, gentle grace.
"Yo, kid," the man said with a casual wave. "You must be Kuhaku Hoshizora, huh? I'm Siegfried Kaslana. Kiana's old man."
"And I'm Cecilia," the woman added softly, her lavender eyes filled with warmth. "We wanted to thank you… for protecting our daughter."
Kuhaku blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Ah—no, really, I didn't do much…"
Before he could finish, Siegfried's hand came down on his shoulder with surprising weight. "Don't sell yourself short, kid. From what I heard, you were fighting monsters way above your pay grade."
Kuhaku gave a small, nervous laugh. "I guess… I just didn't want anyone to get hurt."
Cecilia smiled, her voice gentle. "And that's what makes you brave."
Kiana, who'd been fidgeting behind them the entire time, turned red. "D-Dad, Mom, stop embarrassing me already!"
Siegfried only laughed. "What? I can't be proud of my daughter's friend?"
"More like teasing her," Mei murmured under her breath, smiling as she adjusted her glasses.
Bronya nodded, monotone as ever. "The older Kaslana exhibits the same level of chaos as the younger."
That earned a loud groan from Kiana and a round of laughter from everyone else — even Cecilia hiding a small giggle behind her hand.
For the first time in a long while, the air felt light.
⸻
A few moments later, the door opened again as the doctor entered, clipboard in hand and a tired but genuine smile on his face.
"Well, it's good news. All of you have made excellent recoveries. You're officially discharged."
The room brightened instantly. Rin cheered, "That means Onii-chan gets to come home!"
Kuhaku smiled and ruffled her hair. "Yeah… finally."
As the group began to pack up, Kuhaku glanced toward Mei, who stood quietly by the window.
"Hey, Mei," he asked softly. "Did they… find your father yet?"
Her expression faltered, the usual calm in her violet eyes dimming. "Not yet," she admitted. "They said the company building collapsed completely. The rescue teams… didn't find anything."
Kuhaku's chest tightened. He wanted to say something — anything — but the words didn't come. So instead, he stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"…I'm sorry," he said quietly. "But… I'm sure he'd want you to stay strong."
Mei smiled faintly through the sadness. "Thank you, Kuhaku. Really."
Meanwhile, Bronya stood near the door, clutching the strap of her small bag. When Kuhaku turned to her, she met his gaze with calm gray eyes.
"You're going home too, right?" he asked.
She shook her head slightly. "Bronya has no home to return to."
Kuhaku frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Bronya was… an orphan. But…" Her voice softened slightly. "Your family offered to take me in. So I'll be staying with you for now."
Kuhaku blinked, surprised. "They did? That's great!"
Rin immediately ran to her, grabbing her hand. "Yay! I have a new big sister now!"
Bronya's lips twitched into a small, rare smile. "Affirmative. Sister unit acquired."
Kiana giggled. "You two are gonna be unstoppable."
⸻
Outside, the fresh breeze greeted them as they stepped into the sunlight. The sky was bright — the kind of blue that promised new beginnings.
Siegfried and Cecilia stood by a sleek white car. Siegfried waved with his usual confident grin. "Well, partner, guess this is goodbye for now. Try not to steal Kiana's spotlight too much, yeah?"
Kuhaku smiled back. "No promises."
"Ha! I like your spirit."
Cecilia bowed politely, her long hair glimmering in the light. "Take care, all of you. And thank you again."
Kiana waved wildly from the car window. "See you soon!"
"Yeah," Kuhaku replied, smiling softly. "See you."
Nearby, Mei's butler held the door open for her. She gave one last wave, her eyes calm but warm. "Goodbye, Kuhaku. Thank you… for everything."
He nodded. "Take care, Mei."
One by one, the cars pulled away — first Mei's, then Kiana's. Their figures disappeared down the street, leaving only the faint hum of the engines behind.
Kuhaku stood there quietly for a moment, the wind ruffling his hair.
Rin tugged at his sleeve. "Onii-chan?"
He smiled gently, lowering himself to her height. "It's nothing. Just… thinking how lucky I am."
She giggled. "You always say that."
"Because it's true," he replied softly, watching the sky.
The clouds drifted lazily across the blue — peaceful for now, yet somewhere deep inside, Kuhaku could feel it.
The calm before the storm.
⸻
End of Chapter 2 – Part 2