Morning rain tapped softly against the hospital windows.
The sky outside remained covered beneath heavy gray clouds while the scent of medicine and disinfectant filled the quiet hallway.
Fumi sat alone outside the ICU room.
Her hands rested tightly on her lap.
She hadn't slept properly since yesterday.
Every few seconds, her eyes drifted toward the hospital room door again.
Waiting.
Worrying.
Praying.
Then—
Footsteps approached from the other end of the hallway.
Fumi looked up slightly.
A young man wearing a black coat stopped nearby.
Sharp eyes.
Calm expression.
Neatly styled dark hair.
There was something strangely composed about him despite his young age.
"...Um."
"Are you Fumi Hayashi?"
Fumi blinked.
"Yes?"
"Do I know you?"
The boy shook his head politely.
"Probably not."
"My name is Shinn Noriyama."
Fumi's eyes widened slightly.
The Noriyama family was famous throughout Japan.
One of the wealthiest and most influential families in the country.
Advanced technology.
Private medical industries.
Defense partnerships.
Even students knew the name.
Yet the boy standing before her spoke casually, without arrogance.
"I heard Hiroyuki was hospitalized."
His gaze shifted toward the ICU room quietly.
"So I came to visit."
Fumi studied him carefully.
"Are you… Hiro's friend?"
Shinn paused briefly.
Then smiled faintly.
"Not exactly."
"At least… not yet."
Fumi tilted her head in confusion.
"Then why are you here?"
Shinn leaned back against the wall calmly.
For the first time, his expression darkened slightly.
"Because I owe him."
Silence settled between them.
Then Shinn quietly spoke again.
"A few years ago…"
"I got cornered by a group of bullies."
Fumi listened quietly.
"They held me down."
"Cut my fingernails too deep on purpose."
His fingers curled slightly at the memory.
"The skin underneath started bleeding."
"The pain was unbearable."
"No-no stop! i cant handle hearing those type things"
Fumi's face stiffened in disgust.
Shinn laughed softly.
" Oh- my apologies..., Well pathetic way to suffer, right?"
Then his eyes drifted toward the hospital room again.
"Suddenly…"
"Someone started beating them unconscious one by one."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
A memory surfaced in his mind.
A younger Shinn sat trembling on the ground while blood dripped from his injured fingers.
Then—
A shadow stopped in front of him.
Hiroyuki.
Younger.
Rough around the edges.
Breathing heavily from the fight.
Yet his eyes carried concern.
"Oi."
"You okay?"
Shinn winced painfully.
"It hurts…"
Hiroyuki crouched beside him immediately.
"Damn."
"That's bleeding badly."
Without hesitation, Hiroyuki carefully helped him stand.
"Come on."
"I'll take you to the first aid room."
Shinn remembered staring at him in confusion back then.
No fear.
No hesitation.
No expectation of reward.
Just kindness.
A very awkward kind of kindness.
Back in the present—
Shinn looked down quietly.
"That was the first time someone helped me without wanting something in return."
Fumi softened slightly.
Now she understood.
Before she could respond—
The ICU room door opened.
A doctor stepped outside holding a clipboard.
"Mr. Hiroyuki is awake now."
Fumi immediately stood up.
"Really?!"
The doctor nodded.
"His condition is stable for now."
"But please don't stress him too much."
Fumi bowed quickly.
"Thank you so much!"
She immediately turned toward the door.
Then paused.
Looking back at Shinn.
"Aren't you coming?"
Shinn blinked once.
Then smiled lightly.
"...Yes, after you."
The room remained quiet except for the soft monitor sounds.
Hiroyuki rested against the hospital bed while staring lazily toward the ceiling.
The moment the door opened—
Fumi rushed toward him instantly.
"HIRO!"
Hiroyuki slow began opening his eyes
Before he could react—
She smacked his shoulder hard.
"OW!"
"IDIOT!"
Another hit.
"Do you have ANY idea how worried I was?!"
"OW OW OW WAIT I'M INJURED—"
"THAT'S YOUR OWN FAULT!"
Despite yelling at him, tears had already formed in her eyes again.
Hiroyuki sighed weakly.
"...Sorry."
Fumi sniffed angrily.
"You better be."
Then she stepped aside slightly.
"Oh yeah."
"Someone came to visit you."
Hiroyuki blinked.
Hiroyuki stared behind in confusion for a moment.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
"...He is Yashida Shinn."
"Eh?"
Hiroyuki looked around the room awkwardly.
"but i only see you here."
"what?!"
fumi turned behind in disbelief
"Wait-What?! h-he was right here!!."
Fumi in total confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
"But He was literally standing beside me."
Hiroyuki rubbed his forehead slowly.
"...Right."
"Head injury."
"Probably seeing ghosts now."
"You always this dramatic?"
"shut uph!."
"okay boss..."
For the first time since waking up—
Hiroyuki laughed softly.
A quiet, genuine laugh.
And somehow—
Without realizing it—
Something began changing that day.
A lonely boy who had spent most of his life fighting alone…
Had unknowingly taken the first step toward finding real friends.