Human beings tend to be creatures of habit. Whether it is a morning routine, or the commute to work, or even the way we prepare a sandwich, we tend to think of the last time we faced a similar situation so that we can aim for a predictable and desirable outcome. It's probably a mixture of looking for the easiest way to accomplish a task, and something like fear of the unknown. I'm sure there are people who thrive when unexpected situations come up. I've personally felt the stimulation of doing something for the first time. Or even going to a new place, with no one to guide you or tell you where to go or how to get there. That feeling of independence fuels your confidence, and in turn makes you more willing to put yourself in those situations.

At the same time, it makes sense to look back at your own experiences and of those around you. Why reinvent the wheel when I can just go to a bike shop to buy one? Or why hesitate when you see someone in the path of a moving vehicle since you know that you can run out to protect them? It worked well last time, so the outcome should be about the same, right?

My thoughts were still a bit hazy since I just woke up, but I immediately recognized the hospital room I was in. Hell, the TV mounted on the wall still had that annoying sticker in the corner. I'm sure someone remembered me from last time and thought this would be hilarious to put me in the same room. At least it's something I would've done.

I looked around for a clock and calendar, and saw that it was the evening after the accident. Wow, I've been knocked out for over a day. My head was hurting a good amount, so I must've hit it pretty hard. My body ached a good amount also, and I noticed my left arm was in a sling. At least it doesn't seem as serious as last time.

It didn't take me long to remember why I was here. In fact, the moment I woke up I saw her sleeping in the chair next to my bed, and the scene from yesterday replayed itself violently in my head. I tried distracting myself with all those thoughts so I didn't have to wonder about Keika. I wish someone could tell me she was in the room next door with no more than a couple bruises. I wanted to wake her up and ask her, but I was scared of what I would hear. If I hit my head hard enough to knock me unconscious for over a day, what would that do to a little girl like Keika?

After much deliberation, I decided to try to wake her. It would probably also be a good idea for her to tell a nurse that I'm awake, assuming they're even waiting for me to wake up. I couldn't reach her, so I cleared my throat and tried calling her name.

"-saki?" My throat was so dry I couldn't properly voice it, but my coughing earlier had stirred Kawasaki and she seemed to have heard me calling her too. Crap, probably thinks I called her by her first name intentionally…

"Hik-Hachiman? Oh my… We were so worried about you. The doctors said you were in a coma, but couldn't predict how long it would take you to wake up." She said this with flushed cheeks and eyes that threatened to burst into tears at any moment. I considered telling her I didn't mean to call her that, but it probably wasn't the right time.

I was also stunned that she mentioned I woke up from a coma. I wondered how close I was to being one of those people who are in comas for years, or never wake up. However, there was a bigger issue I wanted to ask about.

"Wow… I'm not sure how to feel about that… Hey, so… um…"

I couldn't bring myself to ask her about her sister. Something told me that Kawasaki being here meant that she was okay, but how can you ask someone about her sister when the answer could be that she passed away?

She noticed my hesitation, but wiped her eyes and even gave me a small smile.

"Thanks to you, Kei-chan is fine. She only broke her arm. I don't even want to think what would have happened if you hadn't been there to save her… so thank you." In the middle of her speech she had risen from the chair and bowed to me as if I had done something worthy of this gratitude.

If I hadn't been there… she wouldn't have run across the street like that. I couldn't understand what kind of impression I had have left on Keika to make her that excited to see someone like me.

I was starting to feel uneasy, so I reached out to her shoulder so she could stand. At some point her shoulders started shaking and when she lifted her head, tears were already falling. Our gazes were locked, and after a moment she sat on the bed and hugged me. She was repeating those last words in between sobs, and I could feel her tears through the hospital gown. I couldn't do anything but let her cry. Comforting someone was never a skill I picked up, but I tried stroking her back like I would to a younger Komachi.

It didn't take her long to calm down, but even after she stopped crying she didn't make any attempt to get up. Honestly, I didn't want to ask her to get up either. I don't remember the last time I was hugged by someone other than my mom. Even with Komachi, our physical contact was limited to holding hands whenever we went out somewhere crowded or she wanted to raise her "points". In this case, I was slightly surprised at this warmth I felt radiating from her. It makes sense once you think about it, but feeling it first-hand was almost intoxicating. It was a comfortable feeling, but I was still feeling uneasy. I didn't want to get used to something like this.

My hand had stopped moving at some point, and when I became aware of it I shifted it awkwardly enough to stir Kawasaki. She quickly got off the bed and hurriedly apologized to me.

"I'm so sorry! I was just so… I'll go find a nurse and tell her you are up. Sorry for not respecting your personal space." Her cheeks were flushed pink, and voice trailed off at the end.

I understood why she was worried, but she didn't have to apologize. It was her form of showing gratitude. Usually I would brush it off thinking that I hadn't done anything to merit any thanks, but I realized that doing that now would only be disrespectful to her and her family. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable for expressing herself.

"Hey, don't worry about that…it's understandable… Hey… Kawasaki." It didn't like she was hearing me, so I called out to her louder but it came out in a rough tone. She stopped moving about and turned to look at me.

"Oh, I thought we were calling each other by our… never mind…" So, that's what got her attention.

"No, umm, Saki… don't worry about that just now. I kind of understand what you're feeling. I was also scared about Keika, so I'm happy she's okay." Wow, how embarrassing. At least it looks like she's recovered.

"… Keika will also be glad to hear you're awake. I'll let the nurse know you're awake anyway." She turned away with a small smile and flushed cheeks. "Hachiman, thank you."

I was a bit relieved she left since I could feel my face burning up. At the same time, I realized how cold this hospital room had become.

AN:

Hey all,
First of all, thank you for joining me and reading this story. It's the first time I publish anything like this, so any feedback, criticism, and suggestions are appreciated. I saw that some asked for longer chapters, and I will try to in the future, but I also wanted to post this since this 'scene' felt complete and could be posted alone. I will probably post in this manner for the time being, but will try better to include larger scenes.

I hope you enjoy this for now, you'll see more sooner rather than later, I hope.