I left the apartment and walked down the street, where I saw Luna standing beside a long black car. Her butler gave me a polite bow as I approached.
"So?" Luna asked when I gave her a thumbs-up.
She let out a small, relieved sigh. "So, you managed to make her understand she doesn't need to carry the burden alone?"
"Yes," I said, smiling faintly. "And from now on, I don't think Mom will take her anger out on Shu anymore."
"By the way, did the fake tears come in handy?" Luna tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"They did," I admitted with a sigh, "but I feel bad for my mom. I used those fake tears so much that they broke her inner wall. She completely opened up."
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Luna said gently. "So, what's next?"
"Just as planned. The first step's done. The second step is Miku—and that one's going to be tough. I'm not sure if she'll agree to cooperate."
Luna smiled confidently. "Oh, she will. From how you've described her, she'll definitely agree if it means helping her big sister."
"Hm… let's hope so." I took out my phone and messaged Zen, asking where Shu was. The reply came almost instantly—they were fine. He mentioned that they had taken Shu to the library to learn something from her. That gave me just enough time.
"Everything's going according to plan," I said, glancing at Luna. "Let's go."
We both got into the car, and it started moving toward the hospital where Miku was admitted. The drive was as quiet as ever, except for the soft clink of Luna's porcelain cup.
"You're still drinking tea in the car?" I asked, half amused.
"Well, I need at least twelve teaspoons of sugar," she said calmly.
"Twelve? You do know the average person's supposed to have six to nine, right?"
"That's for average people," she replied with an unbothered shrug. "I'm above average." She took another sip. "Anyway, I haven't seen Bell around lately. Did something happen to her?"
"So you're not letting this slide, huh," I muttered with a sigh. "She's… resting. Staying somewhere she can heal." It wasn't a total lie.
"Hmm. Still feels suspicious, but fine," she said, leaning back with a faint grin.
After a few more casual exchanges, the car pulled up in front of the hospital.
Before I stepped out, Luna asked, "You think you can handle this?"
"Maybe yes… maybe not. I won't know until I try," I said, giving her a small smile.
She rolled up the window, and I made my way toward Miku's room. Standing outside her door, I took a deep breath before knocking.
"Come in…" came Miku's faint voice from inside.
When I entered, I saw her lying on the bed, frail but awake. The bright smile I'd seen before was gone, replaced by quiet fatigue.
"Ah, White brother," Miku greeted me softly.
"Sorry for bothering you," I said, but she shook her head.
"No, no, it's fine! It's refreshing, actually. Apart from my family, no one really visits."
"I see. What about your friends? They must stop by sometimes," I asked, pulling a stool beside her bed.
"Well…" She giggled shyly. "It's a bit embarrassing, but I don't really have close friends. I've spent most of my life in hospitals. I rarely went to school, so I never got the chance to make any."
"Oh…" I hesitated, unsure how to respond. Seeing that, she asked quickly, "How about you? You must be popular! You talk about your friends so much—it sounds like you're famous."
I chuckled. "I wouldn't say famous, but I'm trying to improve myself lately."
"I know you can do it!" she said, smiling warmly.
We talked for a while longer, and I found myself unexpectedly comfortable around her. Like Shu, she hid her fears behind a smile—it was both admirable and painful to watch.
Then Miku tilted her head. "Brother White, it feels like you came to tell me something."
"So it's that obvious, huh?" I asked with a sheepish laugh.
She nodded. "It's about my sister, right?"
"I—"
"I'm in," she said before I could finish.
"You didn't even hear me out," I said, blinking.
"I don't need to," she said softly. "You're going to ask me to help Shu, right? That's why I'm in. Ever since she became my big sister, she's always protected me. She never showed weakness, even when she was hurting. I've always wanted to help her too, but…" Her voice trembled as her gaze dropped to her lap.
I reached out and patted her head gently. She looked up in surprise.
"Brother White? What are you doing?"
"Ah—sorry, I'll move my hand—"
"No." She smiled faintly. "It's warm. It feels comforting… like having a real brother."
I said nothing, but I could feel my heart soften at her words.
After a quiet moment, I explained what I needed from her.
"Miku, Shu's been carrying too much on her own. I need you to ..."
Miku nodded firmly, determination shining in her eyes.
"I understand. I'll do it—for my sister."
I left her as now I have to wait for Tommorow