Alexa and Sim were sitting in the hospital café when Maera walked in.
"When did you get here?" Sim asked softly.
"Just now," Maera replied casually.
Alexa suddenly felt awkward. Maera noticed.
"Alexa, relax," she said gently. "Fate brought all of us together because of Sara. Now we have to face this… together. And… I know you like her."
At that last line, Alexa nearly jumped out of her seat.
"W-what? I… I mean—"
Maera smiled. "Okay, okay. I won't tease you."
That moment — that warmth — made the three of them realize something: Maera and Sim weren't bad people. In fact, they seemed… genuinely kind. And Maera? She really did love Sara.
Just then, Sim stood up quietly and walked toward the restroom.
Morning light filtered through the hospital room. Nurses were checking vitals and updating charts. Sara was still asleep — slightly restless, but stable.
Sam hadn't slept all night. He lay staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Zero's strange behavior last night kept replaying in his head.
What's going on with him? We've been friends for twenty years. I don't remember him ever doing something like that before. Is he becoming… possessive? But why?
A huge question mark loomed in Sam's mind.
Then came a quiet click — the door.
Sam knew instantly who it must be.
He shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
Zero entered the room, holding a coffee cup in both hands. He glanced at Sam, but said nothing. Quietly, he sat on the other couch beside Sam's, waiting. He looked tense — guilt flickering across his face.
What if Sam was actually awake last night?
He didn't dare finish the thought. Just sat there, silently blaming himself.
Eventually, Sam opened his eyes — slowly, like he'd just woken up.
Zero gave a soft smile. "Coffee?"
Sam rubbed his eyes. "Yeah… thanks."
He took the cup, but the usual sparkle in his eyes was gone.
"Did you sleep okay?" Zero asked, trying to sound casual.
Sam sipped his coffee, gave a faint shrug. "Just a bit."
Silence settled over the room again. Zero kept watching him. Sam avoided eye contact.
No confrontation. No questions. Just silence.
Zero tried to break the tension. "Last night… I just came to check on you. You looked tired… so I put a blanket on you."
Sam nodded slightly. No thanks, no comment.
Zero's awkwardness deepened. He searched Sam's eyes, hoping for some sign… but Sam's emotional defenses were up.
Finally, Sam tried to lighten the mood with a crooked smile.
"I was playing Tetris late last night. Next time, I'm definitely beating you."
Zero chuckled. "Don't worry."
He smiled back.
And again, silence.
That kind of silence where words are too heavy to lift.
Sim had returned. The three girls were chatting when Sam and Zero entered.
Zero sat next to Alexa, but Sam quietly took the seat beside Sim.
Both boys were silent — facing each other across the table.
Sim and Maera didn't notice much. But Alexa did.
Something was off.
She couldn't help herself.
"Why are you two acting like North and South Korea today?"
Her tone was part-teasing, part-scolding.
Both boys immediately responded in sync.
"Nothing!"
Their speed caught Alexa off guard.
"Okay, okay," she said, raising her hands. "Calm down."
The air felt weird — awkward.
Sam and Zero, who couldn't go a single day without bickering — whether at university, home, the mall, anywhere — were now sitting in total silence.
It unsettled Alexa. And by now, even Sim and Maera had noticed it too.
Tension was building in the room.
Maera decided to break it.
"Guys… what do we do about Sara? She's not conscious yet. But once she is… what happens then?"
"I think we need to identify her core problems first," Zero said.
"Good point," Alexa agreed.
"But what are those problems exactly?" Sim asked.
"I can't say for sure," Zero began, "but based on what I've understood… and what Dr. Rika told us—"
"She's scared of two things," Sam interrupted.
Everyone looked at him, surprised by his sudden clarity.
Sam hesitated, then spoke slowly.
"First… she's terrified we'll find out about her other identity. Second… her family is broken. She's scared that if we learn the whole truth, we'll leave her too — abandon her."
He paused.
"And third… she still thinks Maera betrayed her. That thought alone has shattered her."
Everyone stared at him.
"That's… all," Sam added awkwardly.
"I think he's right," Sim said softly.
"Yeah," the others nodded.
Zero leaned forward. "So what do we do?"
Maera replied firmly. "We have to show her — with actions — that even if we know her truth, we're not going anywhere."
"And we need to prove to her that Maera never abandoned her — that Maera loved her," Zero added.
"And we need to make her second identity believe that she's not Layall… she's Sara," Alexa said.
"Yeah… that's what we'll do," Sam agreed.
Again, silence fell over the group — but this time, thoughtful.
Then Alexa spoke up. "Sam. Zero."
Both looked up.
She looked at them carefully.
"you two are finally done for.., then tonight—"
Before she could finish, Sim jumped in.
"Me and Maera can stay tonight. You guys can go home and rest if you want."
Maera looked at Sim in surprise.
Is this really my Sim? she thought.
But it was decided.
The three of them agreed.