Kana sat on the edge of the bed, fingers absently clutching at the fabric of her robes, her gaze locked on the motionless figure resting beside her.

Seraphine's chest rose and fell steadily, her breathing calm, but her blank, distant eyes from earlier still haunted Kana's mind.

Her heart twisted with guilt.

Even though Seraphine was alive, she couldn't shake the gnawing thought that this was her fault—that if she had been stronger, smarter, faster, then Seraphine wouldn't have ended up like this.

The door creaked softly, and Lysera walked in with Irielle trailing behind her. Lysera's expression was unusually gentle as she leaned against the wall, crossing her arms.

"Kana, you've been staring at her for hours. You should rest."

Lysera said quietly,

Kana didn't respond, her thumb tracing invisible circles on the bedsheet. Finally, she muttered.

"…I can't. Not when she's like this."

Lysera exchanged a glance with Irielle before speaking again, her voice calm but firm.

"You've done everything you could. Now… we need to let the experts handle this."

Kana blinked, finally tearing her gaze away from Seraphine.

"…Experts?"

"There are healers who specialize in memory damage. Seraphine needs more care than you can give her right now. If we find the right people, maybe her memories will come back."

Lysera explained patiently.

Irielle stepped forward, kneeling so that she was eye-level with Kana. Her tone was softer, comforting.

"Kana… you can't carry this alone. It's not your fault she's like this. But from here on, she'll need constant care. Keeping her with you right now… it might only make things harder for both of you."

Kana bit her lip, gripping the bedsheet so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She knew they were right. Every word made sense. But the knot in her chest only grew tighter.

How could she leave Seraphine in someone else's hands when it was because of her decision that Seraphine ended up like this?

She wanted to argue, to fight back, but before she could speak, the clinic door suddenly burst open.

All three women instinctively turned toward the sound.

Dorian stumbled in, leaning heavily against the doorframe, his shirt stained with blood and his breath ragged.

His sharp gaze scanned the room—and the moment his eyes landed on Seraphine, his entire expression shifted.

"You—"

His voice came out hoarse, almost broken. He took an unsteady step forward, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun before stopping halfway.

His chest rose and fell rapidly as his gaze locked on Kana.

"Give her back. Kana, hand Seraphine over. Now."

He demanded, his voice low and dangerous despite his injuries.

Kana froze, instinctively placing herself between Dorian and the bed.

"What are you talking about? She's injured—she can't—"

"I said give her back! She doesn't belong here. She belongs with me!"

He roared, his voice cracking with desperation.

Irielle quickly stepped forward, raising a hand defensively, but Lysera caught her wrist and subtly shook her head. The air was thick with tension, and Kana's chest felt tight.

Before she could answer, movement on the bed made everyone turn.

Seraphine—who had been unresponsive for hours—suddenly shifted, her gaze slowly locking onto Dorian.

And then, without warning, she stood up.

Her movements were sluggish, unsteady, like someone walking in a dream, but her feet carried her toward Dorian with quiet determination.

"Seraphine!"

Kana reached out to stop her, but she didn't even glance her way.

Dorian, startled, froze for a brief moment as Seraphine reached him. His hands trembled as he gently caught her by the shoulders, lowering himself slightly to meet her vacant gaze.

"Seraphine…? It's me. It's Dorian. Do you… do you recognize me?"

He said softly, his voice breaking.

Seraphine blinked once. Slowly. Then, without emotion, she nodded.

Kana's breath hitched, her chest tightening painfully.

Something about that reaction felt wrong. This wasn't the Seraphine she knew—the Seraphine who would've smiled faintly, teased her softly, or spoken with warmth. This was… mechanical.

Dorian seemed to realize it too, his face paling as he turned sharply toward Kana.

"What happened to her? What did you do to her?!"

He demanded, his voice cracking under the strain.

Kana swallowed hard, her lips trembling as she forced herself to meet his gaze.

"…I… saved her. She was dying, Dorian. I had no choice. But when I brought her back, she… she ended up like this."

Dorian's jaw tightened, his knuckles turning white as he gripped Seraphine's shoulders. For a long moment, silence filled the room except for his uneven breathing.

Finally, he shut his eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath to steady himself.

"…I see."

He whispered.

When he opened his eyes again, his expression was resolved.

"I'm taking her with me."

Kana stiffened, her heart pounding.

"No. You can't—"

"You don't understand! She's like a sister to me. I've protected her since we were children. If she's like this now… then I'm the one responsible for her. Not you."

Dorian snapped, his voice raw with emotion.

Kana hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to protect Seraphine—but as she looked at Dorian, at the desperate, broken expression on his face, she felt something inside her soften.

Her gut told her she could trust him. That if anyone could care for Seraphine… it was him.

Kana lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.

"…Alright. Take her."

Dorian's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he didn't question her decision. He simply nodded once, his grip on Seraphine steady as he led her toward the door.

Kana watched silently as the two of them disappeared into the hallway, her chest aching with a heaviness she couldn't put into words.

When the door finally shut behind them, the strength drained from her legs, and she collapsed into the chair behind her, her breathing uneven.

Moments later, Irielle and Lysera stepped closer, their quiet presence grounding her.

"They're gone. Are you alright?"

Irielle said softly, kneeling beside her.

Kana didn't answer immediately. She stared at the empty doorway, her hands resting limply on her lap.

After a long silence, she whispered.

"…Can we leave now?"

Lysera tilted her head slightly, frowning.

"We don't have to rush. We can stay until you—"

"No," Kana cut in, her voice low but steady.

"I want to go home. I'm tired of this… vacation. I just want to rest."

Irielle and Lysera exchanged a glance, understanding flashing silently between them. Finally, Lysera placed a gentle hand on Kana's shoulder and nodded.

"Alright. We'll go home."

She said softly.

Kana exhaled shakily, sinking deeper into the chair, her mind still tangled in guilt and exhaustion.

Somewhere deep down, she knew this wasn't the end.

Seraphine was alive—but not the same.

And Kana couldn't shake the feeling that she had just set something in motion she didn't yet understand.

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