Time slowly passed. Shiro, sleeping fitfully, woke from his slumber. He opened his eyes, the world swimming into focus, and then looked out the window.
The sky was painted in a light mix of red and orange; the sun was going down, and the day was about to end, casting long, melancholy shadows across the infirmary floor.
Shiro slowly got up in the bed, wincing as he pushed himself upright, and leaned against the wooden bed frame at his back. The movement pulled at his skin, and then it hit him—a strange tightness across his torso. His chest area was covered in clean, white bandages. But why?
Shiro put a hand over his chest, feeling the gauze wrappings.
Shiro: What is this?
Without a second thought, Shiro began to peel away the bandage that covered his chest, the adhesive tugging lightly at his skin. Then he saw it—the reason. There were five sharp marks on his chest, arranged in a cruel, star-like pattern. They weren't cuts, exactly; they looked more like something had pierced from the inside, a dark, bruised indentation as if claws had tried to tear their way out from beneath his ribs.
And then, Shiro remembered that moment—the crushing pressure, his hand clutching his chest as if to hold his heart in place. That must have been the cause of this.
Just as Shiro was examining his own scar, running a finger over the raised, tender flesh—
???: AHHHHHH!
A voice came from the door's direction. The door was ajar. Shiro had been too busy dealing with the scar he'd given himself to notice anything else.
The ones who came inside were Arien and Sato.
Arien: What the hell are you doing?
Sato: Well, I figured you would do that when you woke up.
Arien came near to Shiro's bed, her eyes wide with a mix of worry and fury, and started yelling at him.
Arien: Why did you remove it? And oh my god...
Arien pointed at the livid scar, her face pale.
Arien: Can I touch it?
Shiro shooed away Arien's hand with a dismissive wave.
Shiro: No. Are you two the reason I'm in here right now?
Sato: Well, yes. You suddenly collapsed, so—
Arien cut in, puffing out her chest with a hint of pride.
Arien: Sato had to carry you all the way over here. And I helped him too, of course.
Shiro climbed down from his bed, the cool infirmary floor under his bare feet. He started to throw his arms around in a wide, casual stretch, working out the stiffness after a long sleep.
Arien: Hey! You should just lie there! Well, I was thinking we might be able to go hunt for those things we need tomorrow, but I guess that's out now.
Shiro: Nah, we can go. I'm as good as before now.
Sato: Well, either way, just rest there for today.
Sato looked outside the window at the deepening twilight.
Sato: It's getting dark, so we're leaving for today. We'll come tomorrow to pick you up, okay?
Arien: Are you sure you're fine to go tomorrow?
Shiro: Yeah, yeah. Then—
Shiro came back to his bed and lay down on it, pulling the thin sheet up to his chin with an air of finality.
Shiro: Good night.
Arien and Sato: You too.
Arien: Bye. See you tomorrow.
And just like that, both Arien and Sato left the place. The room grew darker and quieter, the last light of day fading. Just then, a flick of light started in the far corner—an enchanted lamp—and then it spread its soft, warm glow to the whole building.
About three beds down from Shiro's, there was another student. Shiro made eye contact with that boy. He had bruises all over his arms and a bandage on his cheek, but he still looked lively. Seeing Shiro, the boy nodded. Shiro responded with the same silent gesture.
As he fell asleep, the word from the void echoed in his mind. He whispered it into the dim room.
Shiro: Ghost?
And then, Shiro fell asleep.
The next day came. Normally, Shiro slept until someone woke him, but this time he woke on his own. It was still morning, too early even for Sato to be up. A pale, grey light filtered through the windows.
Shiro got down from his bed and lightly tapped his chest a few times, testing the soreness.
Shiro: Yes. Good as old.
And then he cleaned the bed with military precision, smoothing the sheets. He picked up his katana, which was lying propped against the bedside table. Just before he left, he looked at the other boy in the nursing section, but he was still asleep, breathing steadily.
Shiro: I've seen him somewhere before.
With that, Shiro left for his room.
As he was walking out, he met with Sato, who was coming to see how Shiro was doing. Meeting with him, both of them walked to their room so Shiro could get changed. And then, as usual, the day rolled on.
They met up with Arien at the usual spot; Sato went in a different direction to his Artificer workshops. Theory class was all the same—the droning lecture, the scratch of chalk, the weight of boredom.
Until the end.
After the theory class was over, Arien walked to Professor Kareth and talked with her in hushed, earnest tones. Professor Kareth went to her desk, wrote something on a slip of official parchment, stamped it, and handed it down to Arien.
Shiro watched it all while ostensibly sleeping on his desk, one eye cracked open.
Then Arien walked over to Shiro, a triumphant glint in her eye.
Arien: You said you're feeling good now, right? Well then, let's go for the hunt.
Shiro: Whaaat? In school time?
Arien: Well, Professor Kareth gave her permission. So let's go! Grab your katana. Today is going to be awesome.
Shiro: Hmmm.
Shiro had no hype about this. Not even an ounce.