Chapter Text
There’s a blinding light, and suddenly she opens her eyes, and she finds she in a hospital with her parents and older brothers, all looking relieved. She scrutinizes them. Doesn’t she have one brother? He’s younger, right?
“Aiko-chan! Thank goodness!” her mother (because it has to be her mother, right? But for some reason she keeps thinking her mother’s supposed to be scarier) cries, smiling brightly through her tears.
“We’re so relieved the truck stopped in time, but you fainted, Saru-chan, so they brought you to the hospital.” Her father explained. Her two brothers embraced her tightly.
“Thank God you’re okay! We wouldn’t know what we would’ve done if you got hit!” her oldest brother said.
“Yeah, kiddo, don’t scare us!” her second brother chided her, but you could see he was more happy she was okay than angry.
“Aiko…?” she voiced out. Is that her name? She knew it was, but why did it ring wrong? Like she should be called something else…
“Get the doctor, Akio! She might’ve gotten a concussion when she hit the ground.” Her mother told her husband. Akio nodded and went to retrieve the doctor.
“Can… Can I have a mirror?” she asked this foreign yet familiar family. Her mind was spinning. She shouldn’t be here. She should be here. The two sides wrestled like gods in an epic battle in her mind.
“Here, sweetheart.” Her mother retrieved a compact mirror from her purse and handed it to her daughter (but she was someone else’s daughter, wasn’t she?). She hurriedly gazed at her reflection.
Short, shaggy, dark brown hair (it should be longer, shouldn’t it?). Brown eyes (‘Aren’t my eyes supposed to be blue?’). A gentle face stared back at her (‘No, I should be looking more scary!’)
This was her though. She knows it. Yet, she feels like it shouldn’t be. It was a strange, out of body feeling. She wished she had answers.
“Aiko-chan!” a girl with light brown hair ran into the room. She quickly made her way to the hospital bed, embracing her. “I thought I was going to lose you! What were you thinking running into traffic?!”
She knew this girl.
“Acchan…” she whispered. Atsuko separated from her and she saw a flash of white hair and ruby eyes instead. She quickly shook her head to rid of the vision. Who was that? Why did her heart ache when she saw them?
“I… was trying not to be late?” she voiced, unsure if she recalled correctly. Why did this morning feel so long ago? Her family and Acchan sighed.
“A tardy is better than getting hurt, Saru-baka.” Her oldest brother scolded lightly.
“Really, Aiko-chan, this is why I say you need to sleep more.” Her mother gave a tired smile.
“I’m sorry…” she told them, bowing her head.
“Fujimoto-san? I hear you’re awake.” The doctor then entered with her father. Everyone backed off so he could approach his patient. “You were very lucky today. You could’ve died, but the truck stopped in time. Unfortunately, you must’ve gone into shock and fainted.” The doctor explained.
“Are you sure?” she asked the doctor. This wasn’t right. Wasn’t she supposed to…?
Supposed to what, though?
“My head hurts…” she confessed. Too many thoughts fighting against each other. The doctor looked at her in sympathy.
“You did hit your head when you fell. It’s best to keep you under observation for the night to be sure everything is truly alright.” The doctor explained.
“That’s fine with us.” Akio said to the doctor.
“As long as she’s okay.” His wife agreed.
“We’ll leave you to get some rest, okay kiddo?” her second brother told her.
“I’ll come visit with your family to take you home tomorrow, okay?” Acchan promised. She nodded, her headache growing worse the more she looked at Acchan.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She smiled at them. Her oldest brother ruffled her shaggy hair.
“Take care, Saru-baka.”
And with that, they were all gone, and she was alone.
Wearily, she rose from the hospital bed and went to the bathroom, examining her reflection. This was really her, wasn’t it? It had to be.
It was her. Aiko Fujimoto.