Chapter 29: Reliving

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[Kenji Pov]

~A few minutes before~

We strolled down the road, each of us holding our ice cream. I had two scoops of vanilla, while my father opted for one chocolate and one mango.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the sweet taste of the ice cream. My mind kept returning to the email my mother had sent me.

“Kenji, you seem lost in thought. Is everything okay?”

My father’s voice interrupted my reverie, pulling me back to the present.

I hesitated, unsure if I should confide in him. Opening up about the email could lead to complications, and I had already deleted it to avoid any further trouble.

“It’s nothing, Dad. Just thinking about school and Ryota’s condition.”

I replied, offering a weak smile.

“…Hmm, if you say so. But if you ever find yourself in a bind, don’t hesitate to talk to me. Even though I might not have the right to say this after causing you so much trouble.”

His mood seemed to darken, as if my words had opened old wounds. I could sense the weight of regret in his voice, a silent acknowledgment of the pain he had caused me.

As we walked, the familiar sights and sounds of the neighborhood filled the air. Children playing in the park, families out for an evening stroll – it was a scene of normalcy that belied the turmoil brewing within me.

During our journey, my father and I exchanged a few words, our conversation punctuated by moments of silence. We discussed trivial matters – school, the weather, Ryota’s condition.

As we approached the bustling intersection, the traffic light ahead turned red, bringing our conversation to a temporary halt. We stood at the curb, waiting for the light to change, lost in our own thoughts.

And then, as if on cue, the traffic light shifted to green, signaling the resumption of movement. I stepped off the curb, my mind still elsewhere, when suddenly, I heard a screech of tires and the blare of a horn.

Before I could react, a car came hurtling towards me, ignoring the traffic light entirely. I froze in shock, paralyzed by the sudden danger.

“KENJIIII!!!!!”

But then, in an instant, my father’s hand shoved me out of harm’s way with a forceful urgency, his voice screaming my name in panic.

I stumbled forward, landing hard on the pavement as the car whizzed past, its side mirror brushing against my sleeve.

When I finally turned around, my heart pounding in my chest, I saw my father lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.

“DAD!”

I cried out, rushing to his side, my hands shaking as I tried to assess the extent of his injuries.

He was unconscious, his breathing shallow and labored. Panic gripped me as I frantically searched for my phone, my fingers fumbling with the buttons as I dialed for an ambulance.

Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded for help, my voice trembling with fear and desperation.

“Please… hurry… my dad needs help… he’s been hit by a car…”

And as I knelt there on the pavement, cradling my father’s head in my lap, I prayed with all my heart that he would be okay.

Minutes felt like hours as I waited for the ambulance to arrive. With every passing second, my fear grew, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

Finally, I saw the flashing lights in the distance, and relief flooded through me as the ambulance pulled up beside us. Paramedics rushed out, assessing my father’s condition and swiftly moving him onto a stretcher.

How…could…this…happen.

“He’s losing a lot of blood! We need to stop it!”

The paramedics rushed around, their urgency echoing in the chaos of the moment.

I felt paralyzed, unable to do anything but watch in horror.

It was like the same nightmare all over again, a cruel replay of the past.

Am I going to lose my dad as well?

As the paramedics worked frantically to stabilize my father, I felt a surge of panic grip my chest. The memories of that fateful day with Ryota came flooding back, threatening to overwhelm me.

I approached one of the paramedics, my voice trembling as I spoke.

“Can I come with him? He’s my dad.”

The paramedic nodded sympathetically, ushering me into the ambulance beside my father. As we sped towards the hospital, the sirens blaring in the background, I couldn’t shake the feeling of déjà vu.

It was like I was reliving the nightmare all over again, except this time it was my father lying on the stretcher, his life hanging in the balance.

The sense of helplessness was suffocating, the fear consuming me from the inside out.

I can’t lose my father, not like this. After all the effort he had put into changing his ways, it’s unbearable to see him in this situation.

“If only I had paid attention to my surroundings…”

I could only blame myself for the situation we were in.

During the journey to the hospital, my thoughts were consumed by prayers for my father’s well-being. The paramedics worked with speed and efficiency, but I could only watch helplessly as they tended to him on the stretcher, their urgent movements mirroring the frantic beat of my heart.

Arriving at the hospital felt like entering a surreal realm, where time moved at a different pace and every sound echoed with ominous significance.

I paced anxiously in the waiting area, my mind racing with a thousand fears and doubts. The sterile smell of antiseptic hung heavy in the air, mingling with the tension that filled the room.

Every passing minute felt like an eternity, each second stretching into infinity as I waited for news of my father’s condition.

I couldn’t shake the gnawing sense of dread that clung to me like a shadow, a constant reminder of the fragile nature of life and the uncertainty of the future.

After what felt like an eternity, a nurse approached me, her expression somber.

“Excuse me, are you the son of the patient who just arrived?”

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest as I braced myself for the news to come.

“The patient needs blood, but we’re currently out of stock for his blood type. However, since you’re his son, there’s a chance you might be compatible. Would you be willing to test your blood to see if you are compatible?”

My mind raced as I processed her words, grappling with the gravity of the situation. Without hesitation, I nodded, determination shining in my eyes.

“Of course. Whatever it takes to help my father.”

With that, I followed the nurse as she led me to the blood donation center, my steps heavy with purpose.

The corridors of the hospital blurred past me, a maze of white walls and fluorescent lights that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

As I entered the donation center, I was greeted by the sight of nurses bustling about, their faces drawn with weariness but their eyes alight with determination.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead, knowing that my drop of blood may make a difference in my father’s life.

Sitting down in the chair, I rolled up my sleeve, exposing the pale skin of my arm. The nurse approached with a gentle smile, her voice soothing as she prepared the needle.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the rhythmic thud of my heartbeat, drawing strength from the knowledge that I was doing everything in my power to save my father.

As the needle pierced my skin, a wave of dizziness washed over me, but I pushed through the discomfort, my resolve unwavering. I watched as my blood flowed into a small tube, a tangible symbol of hope in the face of despair.

Within just 10 minutes, the blood samples were taken. With a renewed sense of determination, I vowed to do everything within my power to assist my father during his time of need.

As I returned to the waiting area, the minutes seemed to stretch into eternity. Each passing second felt like an eternity, my heart pounding with anxiety as I waited for the nurse to return with the results of the blood compatibility test.

The waiting room was quiet, save for the soft hum of fluorescent lights overhead and the occasional shuffle of footsteps.

I tried to distract myself by scrolling through my phone, but my mind kept drifting back to my father’s condition. What if my blood wasn’t compatible? What if I couldn’t help him when he needed me the most?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the nurse appeared, her expression unreadable as she approached me.

“Are you Kenji?”

She asked, her voice gentle yet serious.

“Yes that is me.”

“I have the results but…”

She had worries in her eyes and it tells me it was not good.

---

I moved with sluggish steps through the corridor after heard the results from the nurse, my mind was consumed by hatred and pain.

Unable to visit my father as doctors tended to his condition, I sought solace in Ryota’s presence.

Entering his room, I found him lying there as always. Taking a seat beside his bed, I spoke with a heavy heart.

“Ryota… I never thought I’d experience something like that day again, when you jumped off the building. But here I am, facing a similar nightmare. This time, it’s my father.”

My voice trembled with emotion as I recounted the events.

“He was hit by a car when he pushed me out of harm’s way while we were crossing the road… It’s all my fault. If only I had been more attentive, if only I hadn’t been lost in thought, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened.”

I gazed at Ryota, but he remained still and silent.

“Am I a harbinger of pain and suffering? Maybe if I were to disappear…”

Feeling overwhelmed by a flood of emotions, I didn’t know what to do. Placing my arm on the edge of the bed, I rested my head upon it, allowing the tears to flow freely.

As I cried, I couldn’t shake the fear that I might lose my father, the only family I had left. The thought of facing life without him filled me with a profound sense of emptiness and despair.

“I can’t lose him… I just can’t.”

I whispered, my voice barely audible amidst the quiet of the room.

With each passing moment, the weight of uncertainty pressed down upon me, suffocating me with its relentless grip.

As I mourned, lost in my own grief, a faint voice pierced through the haze of my despair.

“Kenji…”

I lifted my head, startled by the sound. Was I imagining things?

“Kenji…”

There it was again, faint but unmistakable. It was Ryota’s voice.

I turned to look at him, my heart racing with a mix of disbelief and hope.