The air in the emergency room was too cold. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, but to Liora it was all muffled static. Her hands trembled as she watched the stretcher wheels squeak against polished floors, carrying Reyan's unconscious body away from her.
Just moments ago, he had collapsed in front of her—his breath shallow, eyes distant, as if something unseen had grabbed him by the throat.
She had never felt fear like that.
Her voice cracked when she called the ambulance, stumbling through the address, her fingers slippery with sweat as she pressed the phone tight against her ear. She couldn't stop shaking. Her legs wanted to collapse beside him, but she held on—for his sake.
Now, she stood stiffly in the corridor, fingers clenched, watching nurses disappear behind double doors.
A doctor approached after what felt like years, flipping through a chart. His eyes were calm, but there was gravity in them.
"miss Thaloré" he asked .
She nodded quickly. "How is he?"
"He's stable. But it appears this wasn't a typical fainting episode. His vitals were erratic from emotional distress. We'd classify it as a psychogenic shock—a mental shock that can manifest physically due to unresolved psychological trauma."
Liora's lips parted in disbelief. "Psychogenic...?"
The doctor's voice softened. "Has he gone through any major stress recently? Loss? Accidents?"
Liora hesitated. Her mind flashed to the violin. His words. That haunted look in his eyes when she asked about the accident. Half the truth... that's all I can say for now.
"Yes," she said, quietly. "Something happened before. He's been under a lot of emotional strain."
The doctor nodded as if it confirmed what he already suspected. "We'll be giving him a mild sedative to help him rest. I'm prescribing anti-anxiety medication. But more importantly, he needs to see a psychologist. This kind of internal collapse doesn't go away on its own."
"Okay... I'll tell him," she whispered.
She was led into his hospital room.
There, under dim yellow light and thin white sheets, lay Reyan—pale, vulnerable, and unguarded. His breathing had calmed, but the stillness of his figure hurt more than it soothed.
Liora walked over silently and sat by his side. She looked down at his hand resting on the bed. Without thinking, she reached for it and wrapped her fingers gently around his.
"I never knew you were holding so much pain," she said softly. "You always looked like you were lost… but I never thought it was this deep."
Her voice broke.
"You're so strong for living through it. Even if you don't believe that… I do."
Just then, his fingers twitched.
She blinked, and then his eyes opened slowly—half-lidded, tired, confused.
"...Liora?" he croaked, voice hoarse.
She gasped, quickly leaned in. "You're awake!"
He tried to sit up, but she gently pushed him back. "Don't. You need rest."
He frowned. "What… happened?"
"You fainted," she explained gently. "The doctor said it was a mental shock. They gave you medicine, and you'll need to meet a psychologist."
His eyes widened with faint dread, then dulled again. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to scare you."
She smiled faintly. "Idiot. You don't need to apologize."
He gave a weak chuckle. "Guess I'm kind of dramatic, huh?"
"For once, yeah," she teased, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Their shared laughter was brief, but warm. The weight in the room lessened just a little.
After a while, Reyan began to drift again. Liora took that time to step out, collect the medicine, and bring some food. By then, it was late night—the street lamps casting orange light outside the window.
She set the tray down beside his bed, poured water, and opened the pill bottle.
Reyan blinked awake again, groggy.
"Time for your medicine," she said.
He made a face. "You're feeding me like a baby now?"
She rolled her eyes. "Shut up and open your mouth."
As he did, her fingers grazed his lips while placing the pill. That moment—skin against skin, his breath brushing her fingertips—made something flutter in her chest.
He swallowed the pill, then looked at her—his eyes lingering a bit too long.
Her cheeks flushed. She quickly turned away. "I-It's late. You should sleep soon."
"Liora," he said, suddenly serious, "About what happened that night…"
She looked at him, hesitating. "The accident?"
He exhaled deeply, the weight of memory pulling him down. "It wasn't an accident."
Her heart skipped. "Then…?"
"I… remember it happening. I know something bad happened. But every time I try to focus on it… the memory slips. It's like something's blocking it. I know I'm disappointing you—"
"Don't say that." Her voice was firm. "You're not disappointing anyone. Just… take your time."
He nodded, lips trembling faintly.
"The doctor suggested therapy," she reminded gently.
"I'll go," he replied. "I… want to fix myself."
Liora sat back down. The silence held steady, until her voice broke it again.
"Do you think it was murder?"
He turned to her, startled.
"If it is… would you want to find the real culprit?" she added softly.
His eyes widened. He didn't answer at first.
After a long pause, he nodded. "Yeah. I want to know why my life became like this… I want to know the truth."
His voice trembled.
"Liora… I haven't told you everything," he murmured. "I've been attacked before. A few times. Small things—pushed off stairs, tampered bike breaks. I thought maybe I was being paranoid, but… part of me suspected it wasn't coincidence."
He looked away. "I didn't look deeper. I was scared. Scared to find out something worse."
Tears spilled quietly down his cheeks.
"I didn't want to confirm the nightmare. So I pretended it wasn't real."
She didn't wait. Liora leaned forward and hugged him tightly, her arms warm and grounding.
"It's okay," she whispered. "None of this is your fault. You've held on so long, Reyan. You're not alone anymore. You told me I'm your light, right?"
He nodded weakly.
"Then follow your light. No matter how dark it gets—we'll find the truth. Together."
They stayed like that, wordless, hearts thudding in sync under sterile white light.
Eventually, she pulled back and smiled. "You should rest now. It's been a long night."
He watched her go, her presence lingering in the air like something he wasn't ready to let go of.
Reyan lay back, eyes to the ceiling. Is this the start of something new? Or something terrifying? Or maybe… both.
He drifted into sleep, her warmth still wrapped around his chest.
Meanwhile, in her own room, Liora sat on the bed, mind spinning with emotion and unanswered questions. The day had shattered so many walls. So many truths still remained in shadow.
She took a hot shower, trying to untangle her thoughts, but even as she curled up in bed, they wouldn't settle.
Yet somehow, that night…They both dreamed.And in that dream, they found peace.
If only for a moment.