Chapter 82: 69 - Liability
"Ah... I see..." My voice was flat, devoid of the complex emotions swirling within me.
The nurse chuckled, a light, airy sound that seemed out of place in the sterile environment. "By the way, you were talking to yourself while you slept, you know. We were quite confused, but they say geniuses sometimes ramble."
Genius? More like a hopeless shut-in doctor.
I mused, a cynical remark forming in my mind. I amused myself for a fleeting moment by mocking her character, finding a perverse comfort in the familiar cynicism.
Anyway, a few minutes later, a middle-aged male doctor entered. He was carrying a tablet and a stethoscope, the familiar tools of his trade.
"Good morning, Kairi," he greeted kindly, his voice calm and professional.
Nakajima... So, that’s his name.
I never really paid attention to this before.
My focus had always been on the arcane, not the mundane.
"May I check you now?" he asked, extending a hand to check my reflex. I nodded, a silent assent. Well, for some reason, this body felt lighter now.
My leg movements no longer hurt like before.
Even my reflexes when my knee was touched were normal, a stark contrast to the sluggish responses I had grown accustomed to.
"Remarkable," Doctor Nakajima mumbled after finishing the examination, a hint of genuine surprise in his tone. "
Your recovery is surprisingly fast, faster than expected. If there are no further complaints, it seems you can go home today."
Go home?
The words echoed in my mind, a hollow sound.
But... I don’t know where to go. Because this isn’t my home.
This... isn’t even my life. It’s Kairi’s...
The realization settled heavily in my chest, a cold, desolate weight.
"Doctor?" I asked slowly, the words feeling foreign on my tongue.
"Have I... ever been in a coma?"
"Not really. More accurately, a long sleep after stress and intensive treatment. Miss Kairi’s brain remained active; only your body needed time."
His explanation was clinical, detached, yet it offered a sliver of unsettling information.
I nodded slowly, outwardly accepting his words, though my heart remained uneasy.
Was Kairi conscious all this time? Was she quietly observing me from within, a silent witness to my possession of her body? The thought was deeply unsettling.
The door suddenly opened, interrupting my turbulent thoughts.
"Kairiii—!" A middle-aged woman burst into the room, her voice a joyous cry.
She immediately ran towards me, her arms outstretched, and embraced me tightly.
Even before I could consciously respond, this body—or perhaps the instinct buried deep within this body—recognized the embrace. It was a primal recognition, a comforting warmth that seeped into my very bones.
"I really miss you! And thank goodness... Congratulations, darling. Mama thought you wouldn’t be able to walk again..."
Her voice trembled, thick with emotion, on the verge of tears.
I was silent, caught in the unexpected embrace.
My hands rose, hesitantly, then, as if compelled by an unseen force, hugged back.
Who is this...? The question formed in my mind, a flicker of confusion.
No, never mind. I know.
This is Ayaka Izumi. Kairi’s mother. From her memories that sometimes slip through the cracks of my own consciousness, including when she hugged me with her two mounds.
I recognize this face, these features.
And her warmth... it’s still the same, just as Kairi’s fragmented memories hinted. But strangely enough, again... it’s not like what Kairi described. Her memories painted a picture of a cold, distant, almost formal relationship.
But this? This was different. Not cold. Not formal. But genuine. Her worry was clear, etched on her face. Her tears were real, tracing paths down her cheeks.
After the hug subsided, she gently helped me stand and then, with practiced ease, tidied my messy hair, her fingers brushing against my scalp.
"Look at you... so thin... you must not have eaten well, have you?"
She said softly, her voice filled with a tender concern.
I didn’t answer. I just stared into her eyes, searching for something, anything that would align with Kairi’s distorted memories.
But there were no signs of hostility. No manipulative expressions.
Just... a profound, motherly form of love. It was a revelation, shattering the preconceived notions I had formed.
* * *
Soon after, we walked together in the hospital corridor. She supported me patiently, her arm linked through mine, as if nothing had ever happened, as if the past weeks or months of my absence were merely a bad dream.
"Can I... ask something?" I said, the words tentative, testing the waters.
"Of course, dear," she replied, her smile unwavering.
"Why... are you always being so nice to me?" The question was direct, perhaps too direct, but I needed to understand this glaring inconsistency.
Ayaka was silent for a moment, her gaze softening, then she smiled, a genuine, heartfelt expression.
"Because you’re my child, darling. So I will always love you sincerely, from heart-to-heart, my love Kairi." She squeezed my arm gently.
"You might think you’re grown up. But, at least... please rely on your Mother too just for this time, okay?"
I stared straight ahead, trying to process everything, trying to reconcile the Kairi I knew through her memories with this affectionate mother.
Why did Kairi reject such profound affection? What was she hiding, what secret sorrow or resentment had she harbored that led her to perceive her mother as cold and formal?
This is an inconsistency. A huge one.
And it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t question it completely, didn’t dig until I found the root of this deception.
When we... do the thing again, I will demand her answer.
No matter what the circumstances, no matter how uncomfortable the conversation, I will not give her any rest. Because I could die of curiosity just because of the mystery she hid alone, a puzzle piece missing from the grand tapestry of her life.
Kairi, if you’re still in here, if a part of your consciousness still lingers within this vessel, listen carefully—I won’t let you go until you’re being honest about all of these inconsistencies, about the truth behind your perception of your mother, your life.
If necessary... I’ll drag you out, tasting every inch of your tiny body by force, I’ll tear down the walls you’ve built around your secrets until I understand every last detail.
