Aira woke up to the sound of her own breathing.
Slow. Uneven. Heavy.
For a moment, she did not remember where she was. The ceiling above her was white, unfamiliar, and painfully bright. The light hurt her eyes, forcing her to squint as fragments of memory slowly returned.
Pain.
A sudden sharp pain bloomed behind her ribs, making her gasp. She instinctively brought her hand to her chest and felt the bandages beneath the thin fabric.
Hospital.
The realization hit her all at once.
Her body stiffened as the events of the previous night rushed back in broken images. The gunshot. The crowd screaming. Someone shouting her name. Strong arms holding her tight as darkness swallowed her whole.
“Aira.”
The voice was low, restrained, and painfully familiar.
She turned her head toward the soun
