The Child in the Hospital Room

A light tap. A touch on my cheek. Beyond my closed eyelids, a faint light flickered. My awakened consciousness floated up, hazy and disoriented. Crushed by fatigue, I rubbed my eyes. What then came into view was the familiar scene of a hospital room.

“······.”

Someone was holding onto my sleeve.

I looked down at the hospital bed.

Sitting on the pristine white blanket was a girl, barely ten years old. She was a frail-looking girl, even for her age. As our eyes met, her small lips parted.

Her voice was as delicate as a bird's chirp.

“<F1>Brother</F1>! You weren’t listening to me again, were you!” Her tone was uncharacteristically sharp. Had she gotten upset?

The girl gazed at me, pouting.

The patient gown on her small body made her look like an angel in white.

After a moment of blankness, I gently held her delicate hands and smiled. A tender warmth filled my palm...