Doctor:"Looks like it's almost time to end my shift."

The doctor that helped in Fuutarou's childbirth was ready to go home for the day.

"Thank you for your work today."

Doctor:"The feeling is mutual. Have a good night."

The doctor came out into the snow, walking towards his car. But before he could get inside, he could see a figure in the dark, slowly approaching them.

Doctor:"How bizarre, who could be coming to us at this hour?"

As the figure got closer, the doctor was cautious, this could be someone shady, but with time, the doctor's face began to show signs of morbid worry as he recognized the person. It was Isanari, the man he had helped along with his wife when it came to their uncertain process of childbirth. The doctor knew this wasn't just him coming for a casual visit as he saw him hunched over, carrying a big lump in his back. Upon closer inspection, he saw a long arm and a small arm, indicating he was carrying several people. Now, the doctor was going towards him, realizing the situation.

Doctor:"What's happened here!?"

Now that he was in front of Isanari, he saw that Isanari was only wearing a shirt, using almost everything else in an attempt to heat up the others. He was covered in snow, with frozen tear marks going down his face. Isanari opened his frozen mouth.

Isanari:"P-Please...help them…"

The doctor immediately called his assistants inside the hospital, begging for help in carrying them inside. As the nurses came to help, Isanari would only repeat those words.

Isanari:"I beg you...Help them…"

…

A couple of hours later, Isanari woke up. He was perplexed, he had been spending the last few moments of his memory in misery with only one goal, to help his wife and kids. Seeing the roof that happened to be the same white as his room. For a moment, he came to the conclusion that it was all a dream. This was just another morning, uninhibited by any other problems other than his willingness to go to work. He would see all his regular customers, he would bake the same pieces of bread he'd been making, he'd scare away those that thought he was not one to be trusted...He would see Raiha, beginning to make her first words...He would see Fuutarou, either trying to copy what he would see on TV, or just being really smart for his age. But, every day for the past few years had started the same way. Every morning he would look to his left to see Kotoha, the love of his life, there. Sometimes she would still be sleeping, sometimes she would be awake, sometimes they'd be woken up by cries from one of the kids. But no matter what, he would see her face. Whether the expression she was making was happy, benevolent, mad, it didn't matter. Isanari's day would be better the moment he saw her. He was so used to this feeling, he turned his head in the same way he always did…

…

...Only to find nobody. He was in a hospital room.

…

In that moment, Isanari jumped out of bed on a quest to locate his would be running door to door, much to the digressions of the staff that tried to stop him. Before long, he remembered the last face in his memory before he passed out. As he was running towards his office, he saw him on the other side of a hallway, coming out of a room while talking to a nurse. As the doctor noticed Isanari running towards him, he didn't move at first. Isanari saw him take a deep breath before walking towards him.

Doctor:"Sir, your son and the girl are just fine. They simply drank a lot of water, but they'll be fine with minor help."

Isanari:"I-I see, so they're safe."

Doctor:"Do you know the girl's parents?"

Isanari:"S-She's our daughter."

Doctor:"You had another child!?"

Isanari:"S-She's adopted."

Doctor"I see…"

Isanari:"Doctor, where's Kotoha!? She was with me!"

Doctor:"Yes, well, she's in this room."

Isanari tried barging in the room as soon as he heard that before being stopped by the doctor and the nurse.

Doctor:"Sir, please stop!"

Isanari:"But I have to see her!"

Doctor:"She's currently in critical condition!"

Isanari:"...Huh?"

Doctor:"She's still under intensive care, she's not alone in that room right now. Between her physical exertion and the amount of freezing water she ingested, she's in a very sensitive position."

Isanari lost all drive and dropped to his knees. Before long, he began to beg again.

Isanari:"P-Please...help her...It's my fault, it's all my fault. I don't care what I have to give...A lung, a liver...my heart...Just please save her!"

Doctor:"...We will do everything in our power."

Isanari slowly got up and walked away slowly. Once he was out of their line of sight, the nurse began to talk.

"Would it be possible for him to take part in a lung transplant?"

Doctor:"No, I already looked into it. They're incompatible...Her condition might be too much now...She already had multiple lung diseases, but they were very small during her first symptoms. During her childbirth, it's clear that they had gotten worse. Through their checkups, we made sure to give her the help she needed to exercise her lungs and stabilize her breathing, but...this case is too much...She's already on death's door...But I will continue to work, in the hope that she can be brought back…"

The snow began to slow down.

...

…

The morning after, a sleep deprived Isanari who was sitting outside of Fuutarou's and Raiha's room, was brought up to the doctor's office. He could see her for a little bit of time. Isanari took this opportunity to go to her. He gently opened the door to see Kotoha lying on the bed.

Isanari:"Hey, Kotoha."

Kotoha:"A-Are the...kids safe?"

Isanari:"Yeah, they are. Please don't talk right now, okay?"

Kotoha smiles. She went to grab Isanari's hand. She gave him a look of comfort, and Isanari knew what that really meant. He sat down next to her. Kotoha was the strongest person Isanari knew, both physically and mentally. But, seeing her like this, even though she wasn't showing it. It was clear she was at her limit.

Kotoha:"...Don't feel bad, Isanari. It's not your fault."

Isanari wanted to deny this. He believed that everything was, in fact, because of him, but he couldn't respond directly to her. He simply closed his eyes as his grip on Kotoha's hand tightened.

Kotoha:"After all this, Fuutarou's gonna have to go back to school, huh? I wonder if he can be absent just a week before winter break."

Isanari:"Y-Yeah. Well, he's been a good kid, so I'm sure they can cut him some slack."

Kotoha:"Raiha's already starting to express herself a little more. Honestly, that girl is sure something special."

Isanari:"Raiha's really perceptive, huh? She's a weird girl, that one...haha."

Kotoha turned to the window next to her. Snow was still falling, but it wasn't as much as before.

Kotoha:"I wonder what they'll look like in the future...I'm thinking a little far ahead, I'm aware, but...I wonder what friends they'll make. Oh, I hope they don't attract the wrong crowd. I don't want them to end up like us, haha. When they get to graduation...Oh, they'll be so big, I can't even imagine it. Their cute faces will be all mature. I wonder what they'll want to do once they get older. Hopefully they do what they really want...Don't force them to take something they have no passion for, you hear?"

Isanari just nods in silence.

Kotoha:"Oh no, I wonder who they'll fall in love with. I hope they don't choose wrong. Oh, they need to be given a push. We took so long in getting together, hopefully that's not hereditary. Seeing Fuutarou in a groom suit and Raiha in a bridal dress...Oh, they'll look wonderful, I'm sure."

Tears began to fall down Kotoha's face. She turned to see Isanari, who was already crying his eyes out, but was trying his hardest to not make any noise. Kotoha smiles at this, she takes her hand and starts to pet Isanari's head.

Kotoha:"I wish...I could be there to see it all."

Isanari almost broke down, but he held himself back.

Kotoha:"...Did you know that I've never been able to fully sing my song? I've known the lyrics all these years to heart, but I always stopped before the end."

Isanari:"I..I do, I know all the lyrics too."

Kotoha:"Y-You do?"

Isanari:"Of course. I always listened to your beautiful voice."

Kotoha:"Oh, that's embarrassing...Say, do you want to sing with me?"

Isanari:"Huh?"

Kotoha:"Come on, it'll be fun. Just follow my lead, ok?"

Isanari:"...Okay, let's do it. Together"

…

With the snow as a backdrop, the couple began to sing.

Kotoha:" Just loving you, just loving you. I can't find other words. Your crying face fell forward... "

Isanari:" Just loving you, just loving you. I can't find other words. Your crying face fell forward... "

Kotoha:" Those tears make my chest cry out in pain. "

Isanari:" Those tears make my chest cry out in pain. "

Kotoha:" But I follow what I want. These sweet days are passing me by…I'll hold you to heal all that suffering and sorrow. "

Isanari:" But I follow what I want. These sweet days are passing me by…I'll hold you to heal all that suffering and sorrow. "

Kotoha:" Everything about you...Can't stop myself, my love has just...begun... "

Isanari:" Everything about you...Can't stop myself, my love has just begun... "

Kotoha:" Even...if it means going against the world... "

Isanari:" Even if it means going against the world. "

Kotoha:" Without knowing...about fate "

Isanari:" Without knowing anything about fate "

Kotoha:" Overfilled with...feelings, you are just so...lovely "

Isanari:" Overfilled with feelings, you are just so lovely "

Kotoha:" Together we will forge...our - path"

Isanari:" Together we will forge our own path "

Kotoha:"Just loving you, just loving... No matter how many times. I will say...I love you"

Isanari:" Just loving you, just loving you. No matter how many times I will say, I love you "

Kotoha:"I...love…"

Isanari:"I love you..."

By the end, the duet had become a solo. Even then, the man left to finish the song did everything he could through his tears and pained whimpers to keep his partner's hand warm as it grew colder and colder.

End of Chapter 47