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Two weeks later, Aiden was discharged from the hospital.
The air outside was crisp, laced with city smoke and late spring chill. But compared to the sterile hospital, it felt alive. Too alive.
Noah insisted on driving him back to his condo, and Aiden didn't protest. His body was still weak, though stronger than expected for someone who had been in a coma for a year. The doctors called it miraculous. Aiden called it cruel irony.
When they reached his apartment, Noah helped him to the elevator, handed him the spare key he had kept safe, and said, "Call me if you need anything. Seriously."
Aiden nodded, murmuring his thanks before stepping inside.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Silence.
Everything was just as he had left it—the same plants near death by the window, the same stack of books on the table, the same blanket draped over the couch. But to him, it felt unfamiliar. Empty. Like someone else's life.
He dropped his bag, then walked straight to the bookshelf. His hands trembled as he scanned the titles until he found it.
The book.
"A Crown Split by Two."
His fingers hesitated before opening it. Then, slowly, he flipped through the pages.
It was all there.
The queen. The two princes. The love triangle. The same story he had read before he fell into that other world. The same one he had sworn he wouldn't finish—because it made him so angry that she never chose the kind, steady second lead.
His eyes darted to the later chapters.
There was no mention of a boy named Ren. No prince named Shinomi falling in love with a servant. No public proposal, no wedding, no passionate kiss under a spotlight.
None of his story.
None of their story.
Aiden closed the book gently and let it rest on his lap. For a long while, he sat there, staring at the floor.
Maybe it had all been a coma-induced hallucination. A manifestation of his frustration with the book's ending. Maybe Shinomi was just a dream—perfect and painful—born from his own yearning to be chosen.
But deep down… his heart refused to accept that.
It was too real.
The feel of Shinomi's fingers brushing his hair. The scent of royal jasmine baths. The taste of laughter under candlelight.
Aiden clutched the book tighter and whispered, "If I really made you up… why does it still hurt this much?"
He didn't cry. Not this time. But something heavy stayed lodged in his throat.
The next few days blurred by. He learned that while he was in the coma, his company had moved on. His position had been quietly filled, his health insurance terminated after the policy ran out. There was no foul play—just a harsh truth: the world didn't stop for the unconscious.
Rent was overdue. Utilities had piled up. Reality was kicking back in.
Aiden rolled up his sleeves.
He polished his resume, updated his portfolio, and began searching for a job in the only field he had truly loved—animation. He had a knack for storytelling, character design, worldbuilding. It felt like the only way he could stay connected to that world.
Weeks passed. He sent out application after application, had a few awkward interviews that all ended in polite rejections.
Until one Tuesday morning, he received an email.
Subject: Job Offer – Crimson Feather Studios
His heart leapt. He clicked it open.
> "Dear Mr. Carter,
We were impressed with your portfolio and believe your creative vision aligns perfectly with our upcoming animated fantasy series.
We'd like to welcome you aboard as a junior concept designer.
Welcome to Crimson Feather. We look forward to working with you."
He reread the email four times.
Then, for the first time in what felt like forever, Aiden let out a soft, breathless laugh.
It wasn't the palace. It wasn't Shinomi.
But it was a step.
A small one.
And who knows… maybe if he created enough beautiful worlds… someday, he'd find his way back to the one that had stolen his heart.
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