In the waiting hall on the first floor of the main building of Tokyo University Hospital, the biting smell of disinfectant mixed with the low murmur of the crowd, forming an invisible web of pressure.
Chihaya Anon sat somewhat awkwardly on the cold metal chair, her pink hair falling over her shoulders, her gray eyes anxiously scanning the pale walls and the hurried passersby around her. Her fingertips unconsciously twisted the hem of her uniform skirt—this was her first time in a hospital due to a "family crisis."
A while ago, when her mother was driving her to school, a man named Yuutenji Minoru suddenly rushed into the middle of the road like a ghost, having a close encounter with the Chihaya family's white Range Rover.
Although the traffic police determined that he was primarily at fault, the image of a figure flying through the windshield and the subsequent news of his serious injuries and coma cast a shadow over the Chihaya family like dark clouds.
Her parents' whispered sighs at the dinner table, the insurance and medical bills, and even the absence of smoked salmon at dinner, all reminded Anon: this was a problem the Chihaya family had never faced before.
"Mr. Yuutenji is awake! He's recovering much better than expected!" The phone call from the hospital yesterday was like sunlight tearing through the dark clouds.
Her parents immediately decided to visit him today, and Anon, always a good child protected by her family—secretly took a half-day leave from school for the first time, determined to "do something for her family" as she followed them to the hospital.
However, reality quickly struck her: she didn't know the ward number. With her mother's sigh of "I can't do anything with you," she was "exiled" to the waiting area in the lobby, like a lost pink-haired rabbit.
"Ugh... the atmosphere in the hospital is even more oppressive than the study room before monthly exams!" Anon complained softly in her heart, trying to dispel the dull feeling in her chest with lively internal monologues.
Her gaze swept over the withered potted plant in the corner, the cold department names scrolling on the electronic screen, and finally settled on the haggard faces queuing in front of the payment window.
"That Mr. Yuutenji supposedly fractured something? His leg or his arm? If he has sequelae, will the compensation force my parents to mortgage the house...?"
Although the Chihaya family was quite wealthy, for Anon, who didn't know the extent of the other party's injuries, she couldn't help but start thinking in the worst direction.
She shook her head, forcing herself to cheer up:
"Chihaya Anon! This is not the time to overthink, the study abroad plan can be abandoned, but my family's smiles must be protected!"
"..."
"Mr. Yuutenji! You must be alright!"
Just as the invisible oppressive feeling in the waiting hall continuously infected the girl, a flowing streak of gold entered her vision.
A tall young man stepped into the lobby. His smooth golden hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, and his fair skin made his dark eyes seem like tranquil pools. A well-tailored black trench coat lifted with an elegant arc as he walked, completely out of place against the surrounding gray and white background.
When his gaze inadvertently swept over the waiting area, his eyes briefly met Anon's in mid-air—
Zzzzt.
It was as if a faint current of electricity shot up her spine to the back of her head. Anon suddenly clutched her skirt, her heart pounding without warning.
'So, so handsome! Is he a mixed-race model?! Wait... why do I feel like my heart is tangled by some kind of string?'
She frantically turned her face away, her earlobes burning.
'Woah! He seems to be looking this way! Calm down, it wouldn't be good to be seen as a weirdo.'
"Waaahhh—don't pull my tooth! Devil! Doctors are all devils!"
A piercing wail cut through the silence of the hall like a sharp blade.
Anon turned in surprise, only to see a five or six-year-old girl rushing down the stairs like a cannonball, her face covered in tears and snot. Her mother, chasing behind her, looked exhausted: "Aoi! It's just a cavity, it won't hurt!"
"Liar! Last time you also said 'just a little bit' and it was super—painful!"
The girl named Aoi burst out with astonishing agility, weaving through the waiting chairs like a snake.
Just as her mother was about to grab her sleeve, she made a sharp turn and pounced on the nearest "cover"—Anon's leg.
"Angel sister, save me!"
The little girl clung to Anon's ankle like a koala, looking up with her tear-streaked face, her eyes full of pleading and hope.
"Eh? I, I'm not an angel..." Anon froze in place.
Suddenly, all eyes in the hall focused on her like spotlights: elderly people in the front rows frowned and shook their heads, young couples covered their mouths and snickered, and a helpless sigh came from the nurses' station.
She was unexpectedly caught in the center of this farce.
This was not a good feeling; her ankle was painfully squeezed by the little girl's vice-like grip, and the mother's attempt to pull her daughter away only intensified the pain.
'It's over, it's over! Last month I just scrolled through a collection of 'public place social death moments' on SNS, am I going to be submitted today?!'
Anon was on the verge of tears, her earlobes under her pink hair were crimson.
"Let me try? I have some experience in calming children."
A clear male voice brushed past her ear, and Anon looked up; the golden figure was already beside her.
The blond young man nodded to the anxious mother, then knelt on one knee, his gaze level with Aoi's. He didn't forcefully pull her, but gently tapped the girl's tense hand with his knuckle.
"Can you let go first?" His voice seemed to have a certain rhythm, "Angel sister's leg is going to hurt from your pressure, isn't it?"
'I'm not an angel!' Anon shrieked internally, but a miracle happened—Aoi, who had been struggling wildly just a moment ago, sniffled a few times, and her fingers actually loosened slightly.
The young man took the opportunity to hold her wrist, his fingertips subtly brushing the back of the child's neck: "I know Aoi is actually a brave and good child, she's just a little scared, right?"
"Mm... the sound of the dentist's machine is like a big monster..." The little girl sobbed her accusation.
"Is that so." The young man smiled, then his right hand suddenly swept over the back of her head like a white dove spreading its wings.
"Look, I've caught the 'pain monster' and thrown it away!" He flicked his hand into the air, as if some invisible object had truly been tossed into the distance.
"How do you feel now?"
Aoi blinked blankly, then suddenly touched her cheek: "...Huh? It doesn't hurt anymore!" She burst into laughter, bouncing twice in place, "It really flew away! Big brother is a magician!"
The surrounding crowd uttered surprised whispers.
The mother repeatedly thanked him, bowing several times especially to the young man: "Thank you so much! And this young lady, I'm sorry for causing you trouble..."
Anon quickly waved her hand: "I didn't do anything! It's this gentleman's magic that's too amazing!"
The young man, however, turned to her, a smile spreading in his dark eyes: "No, it was the 'Angel sister's' presence that gave the child a sense of security, allowing the magic to work."
"Your healing aura is the key."
"...I have a healing aura."
"Hehehe~"
The girl felt her cheeks about to steam, and joyful bubbles kept bubbling up from the bottom of her heart. She smiled, her fangs faintly visible at the corners of her lips.
Watching the mother lead her child back to the dental clinic upstairs, Anon finally breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the young man who had helped her greatly.
"Thank you so much just now, honestly, I really didn't know what to do."
"You're welcome, anyone would be startled in such a situation. I encountered similar situations when I was studying in England."
"Eh? England! Studying in England? What are the schools like there? I heard they pray before class every day..."
Unexpectedly hearing that the other party was a student from England, Chihaya Anon became excited once again; that was exactly where she hoped to study!
But, soon the girl realized she might have been a bit too excited.
'No! Asking too many questions so soon after meeting will make me seem like a weirdo!'
She suppressed her excitement, only demurely twisting the ends of her hair: "Your Japanese doesn't have any foreign accent at all..."
Seemingly noticing the girl's apprehension, the blond young man took a step closer, revealing a gentle smile.
"Actually, I'm here to visit a friend today. It's my first time here, and I'm not very familiar with this place yet. Could I trouble you to help me if I have any questions later, Miss Angel?"
'Woah, do people in England speak so directly...?'
'Hehehe~'
"Of course! Feel free to ask me anything!" The girl showed an equally bright, sunny smile.
"My name is Chihaya Anon, pleased to meet you!"
Looking at the hand she extended, the young man was about to reach out in response:
"My name is..."
This blond young man, Togawa Fuuki, who had come with a purpose, hesitated at this moment.
Looking at the genuine sunshine of the girl in front of him, and that strange 'pull' he felt when their eyes first met... After pondering for a moment, he ultimately did not utter the fake name he had prepared.
"Enrico, just call me Enrico."
Fuuki dispelled the temporary 'Pain DISC' he held between his fingertips and took the girl's hand.
Their hands lightly clasped then immediately separated.
Anon's fingertips retained the coolness of his hand, while Fuuki's closed palm held a wisp of sunshine belonging to the pink-haired girl, carrying the scent of lemon shampoo.
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