Toma lay still on the hospital bed; her breathing was slow and uneven. Her consciousness started to come slowly. The room smelled faintly of antiseptic. Her fingers moved first, then her eyes fluttered open, struggling against the weight of exhaustion. The ceiling came into view, blurred at the edges and for a moment she didn't understand where she was.
A figure sat beside her.
She turned her head slightly and saw him.
Aiden.
He leaned forward the moment her eyes opened, relief flashing across his face before it tightened into worry. "You're awake. Do you have any amount of idea what you put me through? How could you end up in something so dangerous like this? I was so damn worried."
Toma blinked slowly, her voice weak. "Did you... ouch, my head hurts. Are you the one who saved me?"
Aiden shook his head. "No. I didn't. The hospital called me. I don't even know how they got my number." He paused, frowning slightly. "When I asked, they said they couldn't remember who gave it."
Toma tried to piece her memories together. Her thoughts felt scattered, slipping through her grasp. She closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to remember what happened. There had been a car, men with armed weapons and then... a figure. A pink bunny helmet?
But after that, everything went dark.
Aiden's voice pulled her back. "Do you remember anything, Toma?"
She hesitated, then shook her head lightly. "No. It's nothing."
Aiden, seeing her face, was not entirely convinced, but he let it go for now.
"One thing I can't think of is why would anyone target you like that? These weren't random people. I think this was organised by someone who knew us very well ."
His tone sharpened slightly.
"You're my childhood friend. Do you understand how serious that is? I even missed an urgent meeting because of this. The moment I got the call, I came straight here."
Toma gave a faint smile. "I'm okay, Aidi. It's not that bad. You don't have to worry so much."
"That's not the point," Aiden replied. "From now on, you're not going anywhere alone. I'll assign security for you. Twenty-four hours."
"That's too much, Aidi," she said quickly. "I'll be fine by myself."
Aiden didn't respond immediately, but his expression made it clear he wasn't backing down.
Toma looked away, her thoughts drifting again.
That biker...
Why did he feel so familiar?
—
Far from the hospital,
Mr.Nobody sat alone on the edge of a bridge, legs hanging loosely over the side as he stared down at the water below. The wind moved past him in soft, steady waves, carrying the distant hum of traffic.
He let out a small breath. "Calling Aiden was a good move."
His fingers tapped lightly against the railing. "Still... who would've thought the system could just hand over a main character's number like that?"
He tilted his head slightly. "Wait. If that's the case... doesn't that mean I could get Toma's number like that too?"
A pause.
"...No. That's a terrible idea. She'd think I'm a stalker."
He sighed.
"Yeah. Definitely a bad idea."
Silence settled again before he spoke, almost casually to us. "Don't you think so?"[1]
He looked slightly at us.
"Yeah, yeah. Long time no see. How've you been?"
A faint chuckle escaped him. "You guys think so too, right? I'm starting to sound weird."
He rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe I always was."
Another pause.
"Anyway... see you."
After a moment, his expression shifted, more serious now. "Hey, system."
A faint glow appeared in front of his eyes.
"How many main plots are left?"
The screen flickered, then displayed a simple response.
[System window]11 main plots remaining. 6 subplots remaining.
Mr.Nobody stared at it.
Then coughed dryly, seeing it. "You've got to be kidding me."
He leaned back slightly. "I thought there'd be, like... two or three left."
His voice rose in frustration. "Why are there so many plots, dude? I just wanna go home....."
The screen gave no answer.
—
Fourteen days have passed since then.
Toma stepped out of the hospital, the sunlight feeling strangely unfamiliar after so long indoors. She moved carefully, still not fully recovered, but determined to act normally.
Aiden walked beside her. "Don't push yourself too much, Toma."
"I won't," she replied.
For a moment, everything felt calm.
Then it hit her.
Her steps slowed.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Mr.Nobody....
The memory came rushing back. The gunshot. The blood. The way he had stood between her and danger without hesitation.
Her breathing grew uneven.
"He got shot..." she whispered.
Fear tightened in her chest. "Why? Why did you get involved?"
Her voice trembled. "It wasn't your fault... it was mine."
Her knees gave out before she realized it.
She dropped to the ground, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm the one who kept dragging you into this..."
Aiden turned sharply. "Toma—"
But she barely heard him.
—
Elsewhere, Mr.Nobody stood alone under the fading light, hands in his pockets, staring ahead with a troubled expression.
"Did she forget about me...?" he muttered.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
"Oh. shit....how could I forget"
He touched his arm unconsciously. "For her, I got shot at arms."
He let out a slow breath. "Then how exactly am I supposed to explain this?"
[1] Yeah, this is the fourth wall breaking