Following night was sleepless, full of internal struggle. Hinata kept deliberating, if he should resign from the voluneering job or rather come back to the ward, despite what he have witnessed so war. He still saw glass door to ICU and Nanami's bed, fading screen of cleared game, Komaeda's hand on his wrist. Bitter words still echoed in his skull.

During next day he was barely conscious. He wasn't paying attention to his parents' conversation during breakfast, in school he was absent-minded and he had no idea what was going on around him. His head hurt and he constantly felt either too hot or too cold. His hands were sweaty and his throat was for some reason really sore. He really wanted to go back home and get at least some sleep, but after all he took his bike and rode to the Hope's Peak Children Hospital.

As he was parking his bike, he noticed that someone is watching him. He looked up. Komaeda sat on the windowstill on the second floor, probably with a comic book on his lap. He waved his hand to greet him. Hinata answered with a similar gesture and entered the building.

'No way' said Komaru, when he saw him at the doorstep of the ward. Her hands were placed on her hips, her eyes were very serious.'Go back home, Hinata. You're not entering the ward today.'

'But…' he coughed. 'About yesterday.. It's fine, really. It was a bit depressing, but I'm all right. I can go back to work. I didn't care that much…'

'Maybe you didn't' she sighed. 'But it seems that your body did' she placed her hand on his forehead and she moved away quickly, as if she was burned.'Man, you have like forty Celsius degrees fever, how on earth can you still walk on your own?'

'It's nothing, really' he answered. He grabbed her shoulder in order to clear himself the way to the ward. 'I'm going to be fine'

'You- yes' she answered, still blocking the door. 'But have you thought about them? Are you aware, you stupid egoist, that you are planning to enter with your fever of unknown origin to the ward full of kids with zero immunity that can be killed by any infection?! Are you crazy? It may be just your body's response to stress, but it can as well be some sort of virus or bacteria or something. You can kill them only by plyaing the hero and showing how heroic and determined you are!'

Hinata stepped back. He felt that his face and ears are burning. Fever. Infection. Oncological ward. It really didn't sound like the best mixture ever.

'If you want to show your devotion only to feel better with yourself, go help in the school library, take your neighbour's dog for a walk or I don't know… whatever, just get out of here. Go play hero somewhere else.

He sat on one of small plastic chairs on the corridor. He felt more and more nauseous. His head was throbbing with pain.

'Ok, calm down' Komaru's voice seemed to come from very far away, from a thick fog. Cold hand was again placed on his forehead. 'Now walk down to the reception hall, call a taxi. I cannot come back to the kids because I had contact with you, I might've got infected as well. I'll just call for someone to replace me and we'll come back home together. I'll tell Makoto to come and see you, as soon as he finishes his job.'

Hinata nodded.

He wasn't sure how exactly did he come back home. When he and Komaru were getting into the taxi, he felt Komaeda's gaze on his neck.

The next thing he remembered clearly was bed, tea with ginger and intensive taste of medicines. Makoto Naegi visited him in the evening, passing apologies from Komaru and ensuring that the ward didn't collapse without the presence of one of the volunteers. They talked a little about Nanami, but not for long. Soon afterwards Hinata fell asleep. He didn't have any dreams, he just got completely blank. When he woke up and grabbed his mobile phone, there were several missed calls from Sonia and Komaru. Parents wrote him a text message informing that they went shopping and will be back soon and the breakfast is on the table. There was also one message from unknown number.

It said: How's your health?

Thanks, I'm fine he wrote back, wondering, who might be the author. He had the numbers of people from his class that would have any reason to contact him, he also had numbers of other volunteers from the hospital. Who's asking?

Next answer arrived after few minutes.

Komaru explained to us that you tried to get to the ward yesterday in order to start an epidemic of sepsis and she had to take you back home, risking her own life, poor thing. So, you're planning to take your revenge on would-be Academy students after all?

Komaeda? he raised his eyebrows. Where did you get my number from?

The answer was immediate this time.

Komaru

Hinata put on his hoodie and left the room. His throat was still sore and his head was heavy, but generally he felt much better. The breakfast seemed to be good idea. His weakened body demanded some nutrition.

Did she give you my number? he asked, sitting at the table with a bowl of warm miso soup.

She left her notebook with numbers to all the volunteers in the common room. It's nice to know that the thing that is eating me out didn' t manage to eat my luck yet.

Hinata didn't write back immediatelly, too busy with his food. When he finished eating, there was another message on the screen.

Are you planning to come back to us, SHSL Hope?

Yes answered honestly Hinata. But Doctor Naegi says that I must get better first. Contrary to that you may suspect, I'm not keen on bio terrorism

I know answered Komaeda.. That was very nice of you. That you wanted to come even when you felt sick. Heroic, stupid and suitable for SHSL Hope.

Hinata stare dat the screen. He wasn't sure what should he say. He didn't even know if proper answer exists. Finally he decided for rather neutral what's new in Hope's Peak?

In brief: Kuryuzuu is not coming to the common room any more because they cut too little tumor and too much brain, Saionji and Koizumi made some sort of memory wall for Nanami and Nidai is happy because he can finally play all her we have a new kid

New kid? asked Hinata, to avert the attention from first three pieces of information. They were too heartbreaking. He didn't want to talk about Nanam. What 's his name?

Hodgkin's lymphoma. But luckily he also responds to „Sir Porkfeet", you'll find out why when you come back

Hinata looked at the phone, angrily furrowing his brows. Komaru's words about identifying the patient with the disease still rang in his ears and what Komaeda wrote only made them more audible. He counted to ten and then he decided that he cannot resist and he started to create very long message, informing about his feelings toward speaker's attitude.

In consequence of this, they spent all day and all night arguing through their mobile phones about what Komaeda should or shouldn't say in his situation. Komaeda consequently claimed that in his situation there is no „should" or „shouldn't" and that he can say everything that comes to his mind. Hinata attackeked him more and more fiercely, trying to convince him that he is very wrong. Only the next morning he realised that probably Komaeda is enjoying this. After next few hours he realised that this exchange of arguments is in fact quite satisfying. Messages from Super High Schol Level Luck were cynical, blasphemous and provocative, but at the same time surprisingly funny. Hinata was trying to catch up with his schoolwork. Fom time to time he was checking if there are any new messages.

They were talking almost constantly. Not only about mysterious Sir Porkfeet, (whose name Hinata was still unable to obtain), but about Komaeds's comic books, Hinata's homework, some news in tv, and the the article Hinata read in a newspaper. The article was about the student from the Academy, who from a member of Reserve Class turned into boy with so many talents that he was proclaimed „Super High School Level Hope:.

Jealous, hm? asked Komaeda, when Hinata summarized large part of official statement. When are you coming to the ward with mass destruction weapon?

Come on answered quickly Hinata. I'm not bringing any weapon. It's my fault. I should've decided to go there after all.

You are hurting my feelings, SHSL Hope Hinata winced a little bit, seeing this nickname. I know, you're rolling your eyes and gaining energy to yell at me for calling you this way and comitting the sin of blasphemy by referring to the humble human being you are with the name reverved to one and only Academy's Project.

Hinata smiled and took a sip of coffee. Komaeda predicted his reaction flawlessly, as always, even though he was sitting with a boy named Sir Porkfeet in the hospital room and playing some board game (earlier messages indicated that that's what they were doing).

Why am I hurting your feelings?

By claiming that you'd be better off in the Academy than here, with us

I'm not claiming that protested Hinata, fighting with the need to use capital letters.

But you're wondering. You are thinking of what ifs. You are angry with yourself because you had a chance to become that ultimate genius and you forfeit that for the opportunity to go to the normal school and spend time with kids who had their heads cut open and some undesirable things taken out. Which, obviously, is worse, more saddening and pathetic option than being a guinea pig that has its head cut open and many undesirable things placed inside.

Bold theory admitted Hinata. During past few days he learned to react to Komaeda's provocations less nervously. Why do you assume that they cut open your skull and put something inside?

He had to wait an hour to get an answer.

I'm sorry, Sir Porkfeet wanted revenge because he was beaten shamelessly. As it comes to the Academy, think for a while. Only few weeks passed since the beginning of the year. How could they make a genius out of a random guy?And how exectly did they look for his talent?

To many robot tales answered impatiently Hinata. It was evening already and after whole day of studying he felt sleepy. His body still needed more rest than night, SHSL Luck.

He started preparing himself to sleep. He took a shower, came down to spend some time with parents and watch TV together. He made his bed and only after he was already lying under soft, warm douvet, he decided to check his phone for new messages. There were two, both from Komaeda.

The first one said: Yet you are continually understanding it/ though now you are drained of all meaning/ and out of politeness try to remember/how to be completely afraid.

He sat in silence for a while, staring at the screen. He was wondering if those words can be in any way referred to their conversation today. It was on of those Komaeda's utterances that seemed to be absolutelly lacking context. They could've meant nothing at all. They could've meant absolutelly everything. He read the message one more time, There was something sad and helpless in those words. There was Komaeda.

He opened the second message and read the explanation that the first was was a line from a poem named „Speaking into candles" that Komaeda was reading and deemend nice enough to share it.

Your tales about angels and robots are finished and you switched to poetry? mocked him Hinata.

I've always thought that the ability to connect angels, robots and poetry is a basis of harmony and peace of mind

Hinata couldn't find any arguments against it. He shooked his head with smile and put his phone back on the bedside table. It rang quietly, informing about new message.

For all of as you are the real Super High School Level Hope. Come back as soon as possible.