Chapter 15: The Hospital War
694 Words
The sterile white walls of the National Hero Academy’s medical wing were usually quiet, but today, the air was thick with a different kind of tension. In the center of the VIP recovery room, Jack Hinata lay unconscious, his chest wrapped in thick layers of high-grade medical bandages.
Beside his bed, a storm was brewing.
"I’m his sister," Hana said, her voice rising as she clutched a bowl of high-nutrient soup. "I’ve known him for eighteen years. I know exactly how he likes his pillows fluffed. Move aside, Nyx."
Nyx didn't move an inch. She was standing on the other side of the bed, a damp cloth in her hand, her eyes narrowed. "And where were you for those eighteen years while he was training in the dirt, Hana? I was the one he saved from the 0-Pointer. I’m the one who snapped him out of his fear in the city. I’m staying."
"He saved me too!" Hana countered, her light-wings giving a restless, frustrated flutter. "It’s a family matter. You’re just a classmate."
"A classmate who has been sitting here for six hours without blinking," Nyx retorted, her hand reaching out to adjust Jack’s blanket. "I’m not leaving until he wakes up and sees a friendly face."
"Are you calling my face unfriendly?!"
The Hallway: The Watchers
Outside the room, a small crowd had gathered at the observation window. Flame, Max, and half the boys from Class 1-A were huddled together, staring in a mix of awe and pure, unfiltered jealousy.
"I don't get it," Flame muttered, his face pressed against the glass. "He’s a Reject. He’s covered in scars. He’s literally unconscious and probably smells like burnt ozone. Why are the two most beautiful girls in the freshman year fighting over who gets to wash his face?"
"It’s the 'Main Character' energy," Max sighed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked at his black whips, then back at Jack. "I saved his life with my whip, and I didn't even get a 'thank you' from Nyx. Meanwhile, Hinata gets a 1,000-fold massage."
"Look at them," another student whispered, pointing. "Hana is literally using her light-wings to create a 'soothing ambiance' for him, and Nyx just brought him a limited-edition energy supplement. I’d let a Beast claw my chest too if it meant Nyx would look at me like that."
Flame growled, steam beginning to leak from his ears. "It’s not fair. I’m Rank 3! I have the legacy! I have the water jets! Why am I the one standing in the hallway while the 'Bottom of the Class' is being treated like a King?"
Inside the Room
"He needs rest, Hana. Stop hovering!" Nyx hissed.
"He needs calories! The System took everything out of him!" Hana shouted back, trying to shove a spoonful of soup toward Jack’s closed mouth.
Suddenly, Jack’s eyelids flickered. A low groan escaped his lips. The two girls froze instantly, leaning in so close that their hair was practically touching Jack's face.
"Jack?" Hana whispered.
"Hinata? You back with us?" Nyx asked, her voice dropping the attitude and turning soft.
Jack opened his eyes slowly. He saw the white ceiling, then he saw the two faces hovering over him. He felt the phantom pain in his chest, but he also felt the overwhelming "pressure" of two very intense girls.
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]
[ STATUS: RECOVERY MODE ]
[ ALERT: EMOTIONAL STRESS DETECTED IN IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY ]
Jack looked at the soup, then at the damp cloth, then at the window where he could see Flame and the other boys looking like they wanted to murder him with their eyes.
"Can I..." Jack croaked, his voice dry.
"Anything!" Hana and Nyx said in unison.
"...can I just go back to the window seat?" Jack muttered, closing his eyes again. "It’s quieter there."
Hana and Nyx looked at each other, then back at Jack.
For a split second, they were united in their frustration.
"NO!" they both yelled.
Outside in the hall, Max patted Flame on the back. "Don't worry, man. Being a hero is great, but being Jack Hinata looks like a lot of work."
- Writer
