Worries at School
“What? Hiro is sick?”
Early in the morning, Misaki and Kenta were shocked to hear that Hiro had taken a sick leave. While it wasn’t unusual for someone to miss school due to illness, the fact that Zero Two was also absent made them feel uneasy.
“He was perfectly fine when we left school yesterday. How did he suddenly fall ill?” Misaki frowned, unable to hide her concern.
“Maybe it’s just a common cold?” Kenta tried to reassure them, though his tone carried some doubt.
However, in the afternoon, they received even more shocking news—Hiro wasn’t just sick; he had been rushed to the hospital!
“What?! The hospital?!” Misaki’s eyes widened. “What on earth happened?!”
“Zero Two didn’t come to school either. Maybe Hiro’s condition is serious, and she stayed to take care of him?” Kenta guessed.
“Let’s go visit him after school,” Misaki said without hesitation.
“Of course! Hiro is our friend. We have to check on him!” Kenta agreed firmly.
Visiting Hiro’s Hospital Room
After school, Misaki and Kenta rushed to the hospital. After asking for Hiro’s room number, they hurried over.
When they pushed open the door, they saw Zero Two sitting beside Hiro’s bed, gently wiping his forehead with a towel. Though Hiro still looked pale, he was awake, gazing at Zero Two with warmth in his eyes.
“Hiro!”
Hearing their voices, both Hiro and Zero Two turned their heads and saw the two of them rushing in.
“You guys came?” Hiro smiled weakly.
“Of course, we did, idiot!” Misaki put her hands on her hips, sounding slightly annoyed. “You suddenly got hospitalized without telling us! Do you know how worried we were?!”
“Yeah! This morning, they just said you were sick, and by the afternoon, we heard you were in the hospital! That scared us!” Kenta added.
Hiro gave a wry smile. “Sorry… for making you worry…”
“As long as you’re okay.” Misaki sighed in relief before turning to Zero Two. “Zero Two, you’ve been taking care of Hiro all this time, haven’t you? That must’ve been tough.”
Zero Two smiled. “Of course! He’s my Darling, after all.”
Misaki and Kenta both froze for a moment before showing complicated expressions.
“Speaking of which… Zero Two, why do you always call Hiro ‘Darling’?” Kenta finally voiced his curiosity. “That nickname sounds so weird.”
“Yeah! I’ve been wondering for a while. What does it even mean?” Misaki added, leaning in curiously.
“Hehe, it’s my special name for him!” Zero Two grinned proudly, her eyes filled with affection. “Because Darling is just Darling!”
“Ugh! That was so cheesy!” Misaki covered her eyes. “Why does the entire hospital room suddenly feel so pink?!”
“Seriously, I need to calm down…” Kenta dramatically took a deep breath.
Hiro’s face instantly turned red as he hurried to explain. “D-Don’t get the wrong idea!”
“We didn’t say anything! You’re the one who’s flustered,” Misaki smirked mischievously.
Zero Two leaned closer to Hiro’s ear and whispered, “See? Everyone agrees we’re close.”
“Zero Two!” Hiro turned even redder, completely at a loss, only able to sigh in defeat.
Just then, Misaki’s gaze landed on a colorful picture book on the small bedside table.
“What’s this?” she asked curiously, picking it up. The illustrations inside were adorable, clearly a children’s book.
As she flipped through it, she suddenly spotted a familiar word—「ダーリン」(Darling).
“Huh? It says ‘Darling’ here too?” Misaki pointed at the text in surprise. “What kind of story is this?”
Zero Two glanced at it and smiled. “Oh, I was just reading that earlier.”
“So… is this where you got the idea to call Hiro ‘Darling’?” Kenta asked suspiciously.
Zero Two shook her head with a playful smirk. “Nope, just a coincidence! I had already been calling him that.”
“…I feel like you’re hiding something,” Misaki squinted at her.
Hiro watched them bicker and let out a helpless chuckle. That nickname had a much deeper meaning for them—one that wasn’t simply inspired by a picture book…
Asking About Hiro’s Condition and Discharge
As they were chatting, a doctor walked into the room, holding Hiro’s medical chart. Zero Two immediately stood up and asked seriously, “Doctor, when can Darling be discharged?”
The doctor adjusted his glasses and checked Hiro’s records before replying, “His condition has stabilized, but we’ll need to monitor him for another day or two to make sure there are no complications. If everything goes well, he can be discharged the day after tomorrow.”
“That’s great!” Zero Two sighed in relief, her face lighting up with a smile.
“You need to rest properly and not overexert yourself,” the doctor instructed. “Also, make sure to take your medicine on time. Only return to school once you’ve fully recovered.”
Hiro nodded. “Got it. Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor nodded and left the room. Zero Two turned to Hiro, crossing her arms with a stern expression. “Did you hear that? You have to rest properly! No pushing yourself!”
“Y-Yes…” Hiro chuckled at her serious demeanor, raising his hands in surrender.
A Friend’s Support
After some more lighthearted chatter, the atmosphere in the room became much more relaxed. Misaki and Kenta, reassured about Hiro’s condition, finally felt at ease.
“Alright, just focus on getting better. Once you’re discharged, let’s hang out again!” Misaki said with a smile.
“Yeah! We’ll be waiting for you!” Kenta gave him a thumbs-up.
“I’ll get better soon.” Hiro nodded, feeling warmth fill his heart.
The hospital room was filled with an undeniable sense of friendship and care.
To be continued…
