Hitomi, meanwhile, couldn’t resist. She darted to the mirror, her reflection staring back at her—whole, beautiful, alive. She touched her face, her hair, her shoulders, as if afraid it would all disappear. Then, without warning, she broke.

Tears streamed down her face, but these were different. These were tears of joy. She clutched her chest, her body shaking with sobs, before turning back to us, her voice a whisper. "How... how can I ever repay you...?"

She looked at Yuko, her eyes brimming. "Yuko... thank you. For bringing him here... Because of you... otherwise—"

Yuko shook her head violently, her own tears falling. "No... I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even know they were coming to save you. I didn’t even know you were injured. It was only when I found Tachibana coming to meet Jack at our house... that’s when I found out the truth..."

Hitomi turned to Tachibana, her voice soft but firm. "Tachibana... thank you."

Tachibana swallowed hard, his own eyes glistening. "No... Sister Hitomi... It’s not me. It’s Jack." He glanced at me, his expression haunted. "You don’t know... When he healed me, Master promised Jack a condition..."

Hitomi’s brows furrowed. "A condition?"

Tachibana nodded. "But Jack... he used that condition. To ask about you... When he heard your name from me... accidentally..." His voice cracked. "So... he... he came for you. Even though he didn’t have to."

Hitomi’s eyes widened, her breath catching. "W-why...? Why would he... go to such lengths... to heal me...? I don’t even know him..."

Tachibana wiped his eyes, his voice raw. "It’s... Master. He said... it was because of the Master’s favor. Protecting Sister Yuko... helping her... Jack would do anything for her..."

The room fell silent.

Yuko froze. Then, slowly, she turned to me, her hands cupping my face, her thumbs brushing my cheeks. "Thank you... Jack..." Her voice was a broken whisper, and then the dam burst. Tears poured down her face, splashing onto my skin.

Tachibana couldn’t hold back either. A sob tore from his throat, and he clutched his chest, his voice thick with emotion. "Sister Yuko... your sister is blessed to have Jack..."

Yuko nodded, her voice barely audible. "Yeah... she is blessed..." Then, so softly I almost missed it, she whispered, "...So am I."

And then—

A swish.

The air in the room shifted. A new presence filled the space, heavy with authority—and rage.

Akane had arrived.

Her eyes locked onto Hitomi first. And for a moment, she didn’t speak. She just... stared.

Then, her lips trembled. "Hitomi...?" Her voice was hoarse, as if she’d been screaming for hours. She rushed forward, her hands cupping Hitomi’s face, her thumbs brushing her cheeks. "You... you’re... healed...?"

Hitomi nodded, her own tears falling anew. "Y-yeah, Master... I’m healed..."

Akane’s grip tightened, her fingers digging into Hitomi’s skin as if afraid she’d disappear. Then, her gaze snapped to Tachibana and Yuko, her expression darkening.

"You..." Her voice was low, dangerous. "Tachibana... Yuko..." She turned fully toward them, her eyes burning with fury. "You brought him here?!"

Tachibana flinched, but didn’t back down. "S-sorry, Master... I just... I followed you. And I found where Sister Hitomi was... And don’t blame Jack! He just wanted to help!"

Akane’s hands clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!" Her voice cracked, the rage giving way to something worse—fear. "Do you have any idea?!"

She whirled toward me, her steps heavy, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She knelt beside the bed, her hand hovering over my face before she gently—so gently—cupped my cheek. "Why...?" Her voice was a whisper, but it cut deeper than a scream. "Why? Didn’t you promise me...? You promised you wouldn’t use that ability...!"

Her fingers trembled against my skin. "Why, Jack...? Why...?"

Then, her gaze snapped back to Tachibana, her eyes wild with betrayal. "Tachibana..." Her voice broke. "What did I tell you...? No matter what, don’t contact Jack... And never let him use his ability...!" She grabbed his collar, her knuckles white. "This is what you promised me! Tell me... TELL ME!"

Tachibana shrank back, his voice small. "M-master... Jack said his ability wouldn’t affect him..."

Akane let out a bitter laugh, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Even if it did... do you think he’d tell the truth?!"

Tachibana and Hitomi exchanged a look of horror. "That..." Hitomi’s voice was barely a whisper. "That means...?"

Akane didn’t answer. She couldn’t. The truth—that using Healing Touch shortened my lifespan—was too cruel to voice aloud. Not here. Not now. Not when Tachibana and Hitomi were already breaking.

Yuko stepped forward, her voice firm despite her tears. "Master... don’t be angry at Tachibana. It was I who brought them here. If there’s anyone to blame... It’s me."

Akane whirled on her, her eyes blazing. "Yuko..." Her voice trembled. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done...?!" She grabbed Yuko’s shoulders, her grip painfully tight.

Yuko didn’t flinch. She held Akane’s gaze, her own tears falling freely. "I know..." Her voice was soft, but unyielding. "But Hitomi... she was suffering... And Jack... he chose to do this. For her."

Hitomi, pale, stepped forward. "Master... what’s going on...? What happened...?"

Akane didn’t answer at first. She just stared at me, her red eyes—visible even through my closed lids via AI Lens—filled with a grief so deep it felt like a physical weight.

Then, she whispered, her voice raw. "It’s... nothing..." She swallowed hard. "I’m just... worried. Something... will happen to him..."

She paused, her fingers tightening around the edge of the bed. "Jack said using his ability makes him weak... and then he becomes normal again... But I’m afraid..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I’m afraid it’s not that simple..."

She didn’t say the rest. She couldn’t. The truth—that every time I used Healing Touch, my lifespan dwindled—was too brutal to speak aloud. Not when Tachibana was already shaking, not when Hitomi’s eyes were wide with horror.

Tachibana stammered, his voice desperate. "M-master... Jack said his ability wouldn’t affect him...?"

Akane let out a hollow laugh, her tears finally spilling over. "And you believed him...?" She wiped her face, her hand coming away wet. "Even if it did... do you think he’d tell the truth...?"

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

Tachibana and Hitomi stared at each other, their faces drained of color.

"That..." Hitomi’s voice was a whisper of dread. "That means... he knew...?"

Akane didn’t answer. She couldn’t. The weight of the truth was too heavy, even for her.

And then—

She collapsed to her knees, her hands covering her face as sobs wracked her body. "Jack... you idiot..." Her voice was muffled, broken. "You idiot... IDIOT...!"