When Are You Going To Wake Up?

Footsteps thundered down the stairs at the sound of Sakura's scream.

Kei's mother, Aiya, appeared, her hair wild and untamed from sleep. Behind her, Yuki and Yona clung to each other, their small hands intertwined, eyes wide with fear.

"Who is she? What's happening?" Aiya demanded, scanning the scene with a mix of confusion and irritation.

Sakura trembled violently, curling into herself as if trying to disappear. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks, her breath coming in ragged, desperate gasps.

"Please… stop… don't touch me!" she sobbed, flinching violently from an invisible force—her mind trapped in a memory far worse than anything before her now.

Kei's stomach twisted at the sight.

Yuki's lip quivered. "Mummy… what's wrong with Sakura?"

"I'm scared," Yona whimpered, burying her face in her mother's side.

Aiya placed a hand on each of their heads, shushing them gently. "She's just having a bad dream," she murmured, though her gaze remained fixed on the girl convulsing on the floor.

Kei turned away from them, yanking out his phone and dialing with shaking fingers.

"119, what is your emergency?"

"A friend of mine is having an episode due to a traumatic experience," Kei said quickly, his voice unsteady.

"Please tell me your location."

He gave them the address, barely processing the words as Sakura's cries sent a chill through his spine.

"We're on our way."

Kei barely had time to put his phone away before another piercing scream rang through the house.

"Let me go! Please! Haru—Haru, help me!"

Kei flinched as she clawed at her own T-shirt, pulling at it so forcefully that he feared she would rip it apart.

Then—CRACK.

Sakura's wrist hit the wooden floor with a sickening force, and she let out a sharp, pained howl.

Kei's heart lurched. His eyes followed the line of her arm, and when he saw the deep, ugly bruises forming on her wrist—his bruises—he felt like he had been punched in the gut.

I did that.

His breath hitched, shame flooding his entire being.

I hurt her.

The blaring sound of sirens cut through the night air.

Kei shoved the door open and waved frantically. "She's inside! Hurry!"

The paramedics rushed in, but Sakura thrashed violently, screaming as they tried to hold her down.

"Hold her steady!" one of them commanded.

"NO! Don't touch me!" Sakura's voice was hoarse from screaming.

Kei could do nothing but watch as she fought them with everything she had, her body locked in a terror she couldn't escape.

"Sakura—it's okay!" he tried, his voice breaking.

She didn't hear him.

One of the paramedics swiftly injected her with a sedative, and after a few moments, her struggles slowed. Her sobs turned into weak, breathless hiccups.

Then—she went limp.

Kei exhaled sharply, running a trembling hand through his hair as he followed them into the ambulance.

Inside, the paramedics began assessing her condition, checking her vitals.

The female paramedic frowned as she examined Sakura's wrist. "What happened here?"

Kei swallowed hard. He wanted to lie, to pretend he didn't know—but he couldn't.

"It… was me," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I swear, I didn't mean to hurt her." His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. "I would never—"

The paramedic studied his face carefully before nodding, silently wrapping Sakura's wrist in a bandage.

"Are you her boyfriend?"

Kei hesitated. "No."

"Then who are you to her?"

I was her friend.

He didn't say it out loud.

"Her name and age please?"

"Sakura Suzuki. Nineteen."

The paramedic's brows raised slightly.

"Doctor Ren Suzuki's daughter?"

"I—I don't know her parents' names."

The woman muttered something under her breath. "I'll contact him anyway."

…

Aoi had just stepped out of Haru's room to grab something to eat when he heard the unmistakable sound of sirens.

Then—

"STOP!"

Sakura's desperate scream sent a shiver down his spine.

Aoi turned just in time to see the paramedics wheel her inside, restrained, her eyes wild with terror even in her semi-conscious state.

"What the—"

Then Kei stormed in behind them, his face twisted with fury.

"Kei!" Aoi grabbed his arm. "What the hell is going on?"

Kei yanked his arm free. "Why don't you ask your girlfriend?" he spat, his voice shaking with barely contained rage. "She's the one who caused Sakura's trauma, and I—" he hesitated, his eyes flickering with guilt, "I triggered it."

Aoi froze.

"What…?"

Kei's eyes burned with intensity. "Do you remember when Sakura was assaulted?"

Aoi clenched his jaw. "Yeah."

Kei took a step closer, his voice dark and venomous. "That was Mia's fault."

Aoi's stomach dropped. "...How is that Mia's fault?"

Kei's voice was like a whip. "She hired two guys to spike Sakura's drink. One was supposed to take a picture of her with Kenji and send it to the university. The other—" his voice faltered, but he forced himself to continue, "—was supposed to rape her."

Aoi's blood ran cold.

Kei's hands clenched into fists. "Haru and I got there before that happened, but Mia still got her picture. She was the one who spread it around to humiliate Sakura. And Kenji? He wasn't satisfied, so he tried again. And do you know why?" Kei's voice dropped to a deadly whisper.

Aoi swallowed thickly, already knowing the answer before Kei even said it.

"Because Mia let him."

Silence.

Aoi felt something inside him shatter.

"...No," he muttered, shaking his head. "You're lying. Mia—she wouldn't—"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Kei hissed.

"She did all of this because she's in love with Haru, and you were just a fucking pawn!"

Aoi's head spun.

Kei scoffed. "When are you going to wake up, Aoi? When are you going to see the truth?"

Aoi didn't answer. His mind replayed everything Haru, Sakura, and Kei had said to him.

"Mia is nothing but trouble."

"Are you happy now, Aoi?"

"Mia doesn't love you. She never did."

It had always been right in front of him.

And he ignored it.

Heart pounding, he pulled out his phone.

Mia answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

Aoi took a slow breath.

"Hey, Mia," he said, forcing his voice to be steady. "Can we meet up tonight?"

She hesitated. "...I'd love to, but I'm kind of busy."

Aoi clenched his jaw. Same excuse as before.

"What if I tell you it's about Haru?" he asked, voice cold. "Would you be interested then?"

Silence.

Then—

"Is Haru okay?"

Aoi's grip on his phone tightened.

"He's in the hospital."

A sharp intake of breath.

"Oh my god!" Mia gasped. "I'm coming right away!"

Aoi lowered his phone, his expression unreadable.

Yeah. I thought so.