In the lifeless quiet of Edenfall's medical wing, where Takumi's body lay hooked to life support, the EKG had shown nothing but a flatline for days.
Then—
Thud. Thud.
A single blip appeared on the screen.
The monitor pulsed. The silence broke.
A heartbeat.
Elsewhere, later that evening, Mira sat in silence inside her parked car, positioned just outside the Hanazawa residence.
"Thank you, Yuki-chan, for helping me tidy up Takumi's room," Mira said with a soft smile.
"I should be the one thanking you, Mira-san… for listening, and for the advice. You were right—" Yuki hold the bracelet with blue and pink cat charm on her wrist with other hand, "I'll be strong… for the life Takumi gave me."
"That's right." Mira nodded. "Tomorrow's Sunday. Got any plans? Want to visit Takumi together? I can pick you up."
"Yes, please. I want to see him... I'll even buy him some flowers!" Yuki's eyes lit up with a bittersweet excitement.
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, Yuki-chan."
"Bye, Mira-san. And… thank you again."
Yuki got out of the car, waving and smiling gently. Mira waved back, then slowly pulled away.
As she drove, her phone buzzed—it was a call from Dr. Reika Morikawa.
"Mira-chan? Are you driving right now?" Reika's voice came through.
"Yeah. What is it, Reika-san?" Mira asked, her heart skipping.
"You might want to pull over. Stop somewhere first."
"O-Okay…" Mira's hands tightened on the steering wheel.
Her heartbeat quickened. If Reika was calling her like this, it could only be about him. Was Takumi getting better… or-.
She shook her head. Stop thinking. Just stop.
Mira pulled into a small rest stop, parking and answering again. "I've pulled over. What happened?"
"So… I was working late last night," Reika began casually, "Barely slept at all. I thought I'd steal a few minutes to nap in Takumi's room—since no one else was around."
Mira's nerves snapped. "Reika-san, please! Just get to the point!"
"Chill, Mira-chan," Reika giggled. "Let me tell it properly."
"Fine—but hurry!"
"I closed my eyes for five minutes… then suddenly—beep-beep! The EKG monitor blared. I had the volume maxed, so if it ever beeped, I'd notice—
but instead... it woke me up."
Mira froze, her eyes wide. "You mean… Takumi?!"
"Yes, but listen—just one beat," Reika clarified. "Only that time. I tried shocking his heart, but nothing continued after that… Still, Mira-chan—it's something."
Mira broke down, sobbing into her hands. "Thank god… thank you, thank you…"
"Mira-chan, breathe, okay? Get yourself together and drive safe. Come here when you're ready."
"I will… I will… thank you, Reika-san… thank you so much," Mira whispered, wiping away tears.
"Drive safe. See you soon."
Mira burst into the room, rushing straight to Takumi's bedside. Without a word, she checked on him herself, completely ignoring Reika's presence.
"So fast… did you even drive safely, Mira-chan?" Reika asked, raising an eyebrow.
"How is he?!" Mira panted, eyes fixed on Takumi.
"As I said earlier—only one heartbeat so far. But look at his hand—it's completely healed," Reika gestured. "I ran another brain scan too. His brain activity hasn't stopped… in fact, the neural activity is more active now than before. I think his brain's been working overtime while he was unconscious—possibly even controlling the regeneration."
"Thank you… thank you…" Mira whispered, leaning close to Takumi and clutching his bedsheet. "I knew it… I knew you'd come back, Takumi…"
Beep. Beep.
The loud tone of the EKG monitor blared again. A second heartbeat.
Mira gasped. "Haah—Takumi…! Takumi, wake up!" she cried, throwing her arms around him in joy.
Reika flinched from the sound. "Ugh! So loud… I need to lower that volume."
"Reika-san! Please—shock him again!" Mira begged.
"I know! But can you move away first? I can't shock him with you clinging to him like that!" Reika shouted, grabbing the defibrillator paddles.
"S-Sorry!" Mira pulled back quickly.
BZZZT. BZZZT. BZZZT.
Beep. Beep.
Another pulse. Then another. The heart monitor came alive—rhythmic and steady.
"Haaaah…!" Mira broke down into tears, overwhelmed with emotion as the monitor kept beeping. "Thank you… thank you, Takumi…"
She hugged him tightly, crying harder now—not in sorrow, but in pure relief and joy.
Reika let out a long, exhausted sigh. "God… years of being a doctor, and I've never seen anything like this. I mean, seriously—what the hell? A dead man, regenerating limbs… and after two full weeks... he just comes back to life?!"
The EKG monitor continued its steady rhythm. The oxygen mask on Takumi's face slowly pulsed with his breathing—in... and out.
The impossible became their truth.
Sunday morning. Mira slept in the chair beside Takumi's bed, his hand gently clasped in hers. She hadn't let go all night.
"Mira-chan, wake up~" Reika's teasing voice echoed softly.
"Mmm… Reika-san…" Mira stirred, still half-asleep.
"Come on now, you slept with your boyfriend already—time to get up." Reika smirked playfully.
"H-Huh?!" Mira jolted upright, then froze in embarrassment as she noticed Raizen and Ayato standing in the room.
"Ah, young love," Raizen said with a chuckle.
Mira quickly stood and bowed. "G-Good morning, Takamura-dono."
"Morning, Mira. You look different today," Raizen smiled. "Your face, your smile… it's like I'm seeing you for the first time."
Ayato gave her a small, knowing grin.
"U-Uhh, thank you, Takamura-dono," she mumbled, cheeks flushing, but her smile stayed warm.
Raizen turned to Reika. "So, how is he?"
"As you can see—his heartbeat returned. Still slow and weak, only twenty beats per minute when it should be sixty to a hundred. But considering he was dead for two weeks and regrew his limbs… I'd call that a miracle," Reika said, crossing her arms.
Raizen nodded. "I see. But… can he hear us?"
"His brain shows strong activity," Reika said. "But consciousness and neural activity are different things medically. I can't say for sure, sir."
Raizen's gaze softened. "Still… it's enough. I'm glad I saw it with my own eyes. And Mira—your faith didn't betray you. It's good to see you smiling like this again."
"I… I'm happy you're happy, Takamura-dono," Mira said, flustered but glowing with hope.
Raizen turned to Ayato. "Prepare for tomorrow. Stay in position until the speech ends. Keep your eyes open."
"Yes, Master."
"Mira," Raizen said, more gently now, "I want you to go with him. I know you want to stay with Takumi… but this mission is crucial. Tomorrow, the U.S. elites will speak for the whole world. We don't know who, or what they'll say."
"Y-Yes sir. I understand. My mission comes before my feelings," Mira replied, bowing respectfully.
"Don't worry, Mira-chan. I'll babysit your boyfriend," Reika teased again, winking.
"T-Thank you, Reika-san… b-but please, keep me updated?" Mira asked shyly.
Ayato smirked. "So you're really attached now, Mira-chan?"
"B-Brother!!" she shouted, her face turning even redder.
Raizen chuckled. "Anyway… get ready. The others will be in position too. Let's just hope those elites don't do anything worse than this."
"Master," Ayato asked, "May I ask… what exactly are you hoping for from them tomorrow?"
Raizen's smile faded, his voice turning solemn.
"Whether they choose silence… or reveal the truth, both will spark chaos. But we have wild cards now—the evolved human. I don't believe they'll stay quiet. Even if the world demands fear… they'll act."
He turned, walking toward the door. "Until then… see you, Ayato, Mira, Reika… and Takumi."
As he left, Mira's heart warmed at the final name. Even Raizen, who rarely showed sentiment, had acknowledged Takumi.
She looked back at the boy who refused to die… and smiled softly, hope alive in her eyes.
At the cemetery, in front of Takumi's grave, just as they had planned the day before—Yuki and Mira stood in silence.
Yuki gently placed a bouquet down. "Hi, Takumi-chan. Look, Mira-san made this for me," she said, raising her wrist to show a bracelet. Two small cat charms dangled—one blue, one pink, carefully crafted from the keychain Takumi once gave her.
"Now I can wear it on my wrist," she smiled faintly, though sorrow still lingered in her eyes. "It feels like you're always by my side, Takumi-chan."
Mira watched quietly, her heart heavy. If only I could tell her the truth…
She placed a gentle hand on Yuki's shoulder.
"With this," Yuki continued, "I'll never forget you, Takumi-chan. Mira-san said I need to be stronger now, because I carry two lives—mine, and the one you gave me. So I will… I'll be strong for you."
Mira's eyes filled with sadness—not because of Takumi's death, but for Yuki, who was still grieving a loss that hadn't truly happened. She knew Takumi back to alive—but she couldn't say it. Not yet.
"Takumi-chan… I've been thinking about this since last night. You've always been alone here... but not anymore."
Yuki gently unhooked the pink cat charm from her bracelet. Kneeling by the gravestone, she dug a small hole in the soil beside it.
"You gave me this one… the pink cat. But when I found out they were a pair, blue and pink, I thought… maybe we could trade." She let out a soft giggle. "You keep the pink one for me, okay? And I'll keep the blue for you."
She placed the charm into the earth, covering it with care.
"Yuki-chan…" Mira whispered, her tears finally spilling as she hugged her from behind.
"Mira-san… did I do it right?"
"Yes, Yuki-chan… he would've loved it. He'll feel you're always with him too."
"I'm glad… I really hope Takumi-chan likes it."
The two stood together in quiet reverence. Yuki kept speaking to Takumi like he was still here—and in a way, he was. Mira wept silently, not just for Takumi, but for the quiet, beautiful way Yuki kept him alive in her heart.
"Yuki-chan… may I ask something?" Mira glanced at her, hesitant. "Will you ever be able to forget Takumi and move on? I just… I don't want you to be trapped in sadness forever."
Yuki looked down for a moment, then gently smiled.
"I'll try not to be sad, Mira-san. Like you said… I carry two lives now—mine, and the one Takumi gave me. I'll never forget him. Not ever."
Mira's expression softened, though concern lingered in her eyes.
"But… are you really okay with that? If you can't move on, won't that hurt you?"
Yuki nodded slowly.
"I think I'll be okay, Mira-san. Your words gave me strength. I want to become stronger… for Takumi. For the life he entrusted to me."
Mira's voice turned gentle, sincere.
"If anything happens with Kirishima… I'll help you, Yuki-chan. I know it's your personal, but I want to protect what Takumi tried to protect."
Yuki blinked, touched.
"Ah—thank you, Mira-san. Truly. I'll face him… and if it ever gets too much, I'll reach out to you."
"I'm glad to hear that…" Mira whispered.
They shared the sorrow, their bond tightening—one was someone Takumi loved, the other someone who still loved him.
On evening, Mira drove Yuki home. as always, Yuki smiled and waved goodbye—but something in her eyes told a different story. Mira watched her in the rearview mirror, heart heavy.
She looked too broken. too alone.
"I'm sorry, Yuki-chan..." Mira whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks as she drove away.
She wiped her tears, knowing the truth she carried was a burden Yuki didn't deserve. Yet for now, it had to remain a secret.
Her love remains now and forever.