Recovery

Hours had passed by and it was currently nearing 11 at night. Lyra was almost dozing off, but worried at the same time. Eliza was in a rush, ordering the nurses to run multiple tests. She came out finally, taking a deep breath. Ryu was beside Lyra but standing. He couldn't relax at the moment. 

Lyra got up seeing Eliza and rushed to her. 

"Is she ok?" She asked frantically. 

"Only because Ryu brought her in at the right time. A few more minutes and she would've not made it. Her breathing is stable now, thankfully." She sighed, pulling down her mask. Ryu was right behind, leaning against the wall. He met eyes with her which were full of doubts. 

"I thought you took proper care of her. What happened now?" Eliza knit her brows together as she looked at Ryu. 

"I should ask you the question instead. That's why I'm still here." Ryu replied but his usual arrogance wasn't completely present this time, partly because he realised he was careless. Eliza scoffed at his question.

"We found the same contents found in rat poison in her bloodstream. It wasn't done all in one take was it? Little by little, that's what I'm seeing, am I right?"  She asked spitefully, knowing very well about Ryu's history.

"Eliza... He's not the one who did it." Lyra held her hand softly, looking in concern realising that she suspected him. The young doctor's gaze softened hearing that. She gazed at Ryu who didn't bother answering back. It looked like he wasn't strong enough to fight back the insults today. 

"Lyra, you can go back home. I'll be here." Ryu said in a low voice. 

"What!? How can I- No I'll stay here with you!" 

"Big sister." Zeke called out from behind. She looked at him with sad eyes. 

"I think it's better for you to rest. You've been running around a lot for your movie lately. You need to relax. He will take care of it." Zeke said in a comforting tone as Ryu nodded slowly, agreeing to him. 

"Fine then. But if anything happens, promise you'll let me know." She pressed his hand softly. 

"Yes I will. Bye." 

"Goodbye Ryu…" She left slowly with Zeke following behind. Now it was just Eliza and Ryu, Luca a little further away. 

"I'm sorry for misunderstanding. I blurted it out thinking nothin-"

"Leave it." Ryu replied calmly as he sat down again over one of the chairs. He didn't look quite well either. 

"Ryu, you don't have to wait outside all night. You can get a room in the adjacent hospital lodging. Or you can go back home and visit tomorrow." She suggested kindly but he didn't answer back. He seemed to be thinking of something else so she didn't bother him and walked away, gripping her hands tight. 

He was lost in a clump of memories that night, staring at the green pastel walls blankly. Things that made him sad, but it didn't show a bit on his face. Why couldn't he cry anymore? He hated this feeling of nothingness. When she looked at him like that, eyes full of tears, he felt awful more not on the fact that she was hurting but because it reminded him of someone else who looked at him the same way at the brink of death. The first death he witnessed and the first death he was wrongly blamed for. The very reason he was a monster for everyone. 

But if being a monster was written in his existence, then he didn't mind. Because it gave him the justice no one ever did. 

After a few more hours of a mental struggle and adjusting his position in the chair, his eyelids fell heavy, closing down over his view. 

____

"What will you do if your father decided to marry you off to another man?" He asked with a playful smile, his eyes not visible

"My father would never do that!" Her voice was sweeter than that of a cuckoo's, teasing him. 

"I know your father better than you…" His smile distorted to something else, a dark shadow casting over his body. 

"You are our most revered warrior… He would never turn down your request." Her voice lowered towards the last part.

"But… What if you turn down my request?" 

Silence fell over her. The shadow darkened, and a loud, fearful laughter echoed through her ears. It wasn't clear what he was laughing about but the moment he stopped laughing, a hand extended to her face. She crawled back but he came closer and closer. 

"Darah!" 

She opened her eyes, taking in a large mouthful of air through the oxygen mask. Eliza was gazing at her with a comforting smile, patting her head. It was almost 10 in the morning and she had been keeping a special eye on Darah.

"I didn't expect you to wake up now. Good to see you're recovering quite well." Eliza said gladly but Darah's mind was in a haze.

It was that dream again...