"Ai…"
Listening to the conversation inside—full of longing and helplessness—Ai couldn't help grabbing Shichen's sleeve.
"Yeah. Let's go in."
Shichen pushed the door open and led Ai inside.
The sudden opening of the door—and the sight of Shichen and Ai—made the man inside freeze.
"You two are…?"
"It's Ai!" a bright, excited voice blurted out.
There were only two people in the room.
One was a young man in a white coat, wearing black-framed glasses and a messy short haircut. The most eye-catching thing about him was the white badge pinned to his coat—an Ai Hoshino badge—making the whole look oddly mismatched.
The other was a thin, pale young woman propped up against the headboard, wearing a knit cap and hospital pajamas. She looked fragile, but right now her face was lit up with a radiant smile—eyes wide as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"It really is Ai…" the young man murmured, stunned as he recognized her too.
"Hi~" Ai waved cheerfully at both of them.
"It's really Ai! Am I dreaming? Why are you here? Did you get sick? Are you okay?" the patient rambled in a rush—so excited she immediately started worrying about Ai.
Ai looked at her and smiled gently. She was kind—really kind.
And in that moment, Ai understood why Shichen had brought her here.
This girl deserved it.
"Who exactly are you…?" the young man stood up and fixed his gaze on Shichen, wary.
"We're here to make your wish come true, Amamiya Gorou," Shichen replied with a small smile.
"Make my wish come true? How do you know my name?" Gorou didn't lower his guard. He frowned.
"You're a doctor here. Knowing your name isn't exactly strange," Shichen said calmly.
"Sure, but… you two…" Gorou glanced at Ai. This was the countryside. Ai Hoshino shouldn't be here—period.
Ai ignored him and moved to the bedside instead, speaking softly to the patient. "Can you tell me your name?"
"I-I'm Tendouji Sarina!" she answered immediately.
"Then you're Sarina-chan." Ai smiled.
"W-wait—this is real! Ai is right in front of me! And she called me by name…" Sarina mumbled in a daze. "I could die happy…"
"Idiot. Don't say that." Gorou snapped, instantly stern.
"I'm just being dramatic." Sarina stuck out her tongue.
"Even as a joke—don't." Gorou's tone stayed firm. "Promise me."
"Okay~" Sarina grinned, clearly happy.
"You two are really close~ Are you a couple?" Ai teased, catching the vibe immediately.
"You can tell? Do we really look like one?" Sarina asked, delighted.
"Mm. I think you do," Ai said with a bright smile.
"Hehe… really?" Sarina beamed, her feelings written all over her face.
"Sarina, she's teasing you." Gorou cut in bluntly. "Don't get the wrong idea. We're not a couple."
"Ehh~ why deny it? You said you'd marry me."
"That's… for when you're fully recovered and ready."
"Then calling it 'dating' now wouldn't hurt."
"It would, actually." Gorou sighed. "I don't want to be branded a creep, and besides—if I can't even cure you, then…"
He stopped mid-sentence. His face tightened with frustration, helplessness, and pain.
"Once I'm cured… then what?" Sarina asked gently.
"Once you're cured… we'll talk about everything else," Gorou said, forcing a small smile.
"And how long will that take?"
"Soon… I swear."
"Hehe~ so you do want to date me."
"Idiot," Gorou said again—this time softer, with a faint smile.
"They're really in their own world… We're totally getting ignored," Ai teased as she returned to Shichen's side. "Is this what you call a 'private moment'?"
"Oh—right! I almost forgot!" Gorou snapped back to reality, fumbling a notebook and pen out of his coat pocket. He bowed deeply—like, a full ninety degrees—and offered them to Ai. "Please—an autograph!"
"You don't have to be that intense." Ai took the notebook and signed.
"See? I told you they're your fans. You're already famous," Shichen said.
"Okay—done!"
"Ahh—Ai's autograph…" Gorou hugged the notebook to his chest like it was treasure, blissed out. "I can die happy now."
"Doctor, you've got some nerve saying that to me," Sarina complained. "You're the same."
"We're different."
"How?"
"I've lived twice as long as you." Gorou deadpanned. "Try reaching my age first."
"Doctor, you're so unfair…" Sarina said with a smile that turned bitter at the edges. "As if I'll ever get the chance…"
"Idiot! Don't talk like that!" Gorou snapped—half scolding, half pleading. "Your illness can be treated. You have to believe in miracles. Look—Ai even came to see you."
"A miracle…" Sarina looked at Ai and slowly nodded. "Maybe… yeah."
"Don't rely on miracles," Shichen cut in.
"You—" Gorou bristled.
"Relax." Shichen lifted a hand, stopping him. "Didn't I say it? We're here to make your wish come true."
"What… are you saying?" Gorou's brow furrowed. He'd been on guard this whole time—this was all too sudden.
Sarina liking Ai wasn't something many people even knew, and even if they did, there was no way they could just bring Ai here.
And Shichen—his presence didn't feel normal.
"Be brave," Shichen said. "Don't worry. It's exactly what you're hoping for."
"My hope… really?" Gorou's voice shook with excitement.
"I told you—I'm here to grant your wish. One of them is already done." Shichen glanced at Ai.
"Then…!" Gorou's eyes lit up.
"What comes next," Shichen said quietly, "you'd better keep in your heart. But even if you told anyone… they wouldn't believe you."
"…."
"As for Sarina—I'm relieved." Shichen looked at her with a gentle smile.
"Handsome onii-chan…" Sarina seemed to understand. "Are you… going to save me?"
"Yes." Shichen nodded. "Once you're better, you can actually live—fully. And you can stop living inside 'someday.'"
"Can… I really be healed?" Sarina asked, voice trembling.
"Trust me. Okay?"
"I don't know why you'd help me…" Sarina lowered her head, earnest and desperate. "But please. I want to get better."
"Please—I'm begging you too." Gorou bowed as well. "Please save her."
"That's why I'm here."
Shichen stepped closer to the bed and raised his hand, palm facing Sarina.
"Don't be afraid. Heal."
A soft green light bloomed from his palm and wrapped around Sarina like warm water. The room filled with the unmistakable feeling of life itself.
"That's…?!" Gorou went rigid.
Color returned to Sarina's cheeks. Her knit cap slipped off on its own, and her hair spilled free, glossy and full. In the span of breaths, she looked… alive.
She was healed.
It was nothing short of a miracle—something medicine simply couldn't explain.
After it was done, Shichen and Ai left without lingering, not wanting to intrude on the two of them as they broke down in tears.
The room was full of crying—but it wasn't despair anymore.
It was relief. Hope. A future.
On the way back, Ai finally asked, "Shichen-nii… how did you know about them? And what did you mean by 'wishes'?"
"Why so many questions?" Shichen refused, as usual.
"Hehe. Shichen-nii being mysterious is normal at this point." Ai didn't seem upset.
"Then why ask?"
"Because no matter why you're like this…" Ai smiled, hugging his neck tighter, "I really like it."
She leaned in and kissed him.
Shichen blinked—those starry eyes were right there, filling his world.
~~~
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