Outside Emma's apartment, Haiku was desperately trying to call an ambulance. His hands trembled as he struggled to explain the situation over the phone, his eyes never leaving Emma for more than a second.
"Please, hurry up! We need an ambulance right now!" he shouted, his voice filled with panic. "She's not okay.
Just get here as quickly as you can!"
The moment he ended the call, he turned toward Emma.
"Emma, can you hear me?"
There was no response.
He crouched beside her, trying to figure out what to do while waiting for the ambulance. He had faced countless dangerous situations before, but nothing had ever made him feel as helpless as he did at that moment.
"Come on, Emma. Please, don't do this to me."
His voice grew quieter.
"You can't leave me like this. Not you."
A few minutes later, the ambulance finally arrived. The medical staff quickly took Emma inside, while Haiku followed them, his heart pounding with fear.
Throughout the journey, he couldn't stop looking at her. He wanted to believe that everything would be fine, but the fear creeping into his mind refused to let him relax.
He had never been this afraid of losing someone.
And the worst part was that he couldn't do anything except wait.
At the Hospital
We are then taken straight to the hospital.
The emergency room doors finally open, and the doctor steps outside.
Haiku immediately approaches her, desperately searching her face for some sign of relief.
However, the expression on the doctor's face makes his heart sink.
"Haiku, how many times have I told you that Emma must not experience any kind of stress?" the doctor asks sternly.
"I've warned you a thousand times that even a little pressure could make her condition worse."
Haiku lowers his eyes, unable to say anything.
The doctor takes a deep breath before continuing.
"If something like this happens to Emma one more time, I honestly cannot tell you whether she'll survive.
Do you understand how serious her condition is?"
Haiku's fingers curl into fists.
"Doctor, she'll be okay, right?" he asks quietly. "She's going to recover, isn't she?"
The doctor looks at him for a moment before answering.
"I'm telling you this because I want you to understand the seriousness of the situation. You need to keep her away from anything that might cause her stress. She needs peace, not more problems."
She pauses, then gives him a frustrated look.
"And one more thing. Why do you even need to run this gang? What is so important about it that you're willing to put her through all this? I'm being completely honest with you, Haiku. If Emma's condition worsens again, I may not be able to save her."
Her words leave him speechless.
He wants to argue. He wants to tell her that things aren't as simple as they seem, that Emma has her own reasons for doing what she does.
But what could he possibly say?
Nothing he said would change the truth.
Emma's condition was serious, and he couldn't afford to ignore that anymore.
He turns his face away, trying to hide the tears gathering in his eyes.
For once, he has no answer.
The Call Nobody Wanted to Receive
A little later, Kuro, Angel, and the others arrive at the hospital.
They have been trying to find out what happened, but nobody seems to have a clear answer. The moment they reach the hospital corridor, their eyes begin searching for Haiku.
Before they can approach him, Haiku's phone starts ringing.
It's a voice call from the others.
He stares at the screen for a moment before answering.
"Haiku!" someone immediately asks. "What's happening? How's Emma? Is she okay?"
Another voice follows.
"Tell us something! Has the doctor said anything?"
Haiku opens his mouth, but no words come out.
He tries to hold himself together. He really does. He doesn't want them to hear him crying, especially when everyone is already worried about Emma.
But the moment he tries to speak, his voice breaks.
"I... I don't know."
There is a brief silence on the other end.
"What do you mean you don't know?" someone asks anxiously. "Haiku, what did the doctor say?"
Haiku shuts his eyes tightly.
"The doctor said..."
He stops, struggling to finish the sentence.
Finally, he forces himself to speak.
"She said that if Emma's condition becomes like this again, she might not survive."
Silence.
For a few seconds, nobody says a word.
It feels as though the entire world has stopped moving.
Then someone speaks in disbelief.
"What?"
Another voice follows, trembling with frustration.
"Is this some kind of joke? Seriously, what the hell is going on? Why does it feel like everyone is leaving us one by one?"
Nobody knows how to respond.
They have already experienced enough loss to understand how painful it is to lose someone important. Yet somehow, the thought of losing Emma feels even more unbearable.
She has always been the person who refuses to give up, even when everything seems impossible.
The idea that she might not get another chance to fight is something none of them can accept.
Jacku's Decision
Just then, Jacku steps forward.
Her eyes are filled with tears, but there is determination in her expression.
"I can't let anything happen to my sister."
Everyone turns toward her.
She takes a shaky breath before continuing.
"I promised my brother that I would protect her. I gave him my word, and I'm not going to break that promise now."
Her voice grows stronger.
"If this gang is causing her so much trouble, then we should shut it down.
Disband it completely!"
The moment she says this, Haiku looks at her sharply.
"Are you serious right now?"
Jacku meets his gaze.
"Of course I'm serious! What else are we supposed to do? Just sit here and wait until something terrible happens to her?"
"Do you think this is a joke?" Haiku snaps back.
His voice is rough, and his eyes are still filled with tears.
"You know what Emma is like. Once she makes up her mind about something, there's no stopping her. If she decides to take revenge, she'll go after it regardless of what anyone tells her!"
He runs a hand through his hair, his frustration growing.
"Do you honestly think disbanding the gang will suddenly make her forget everything? You know her better than that!"
Jacku falls silent.
Haiku looks away, his shoulders tense.
"And I don't even know what I'm supposed to do anymore."
His voice becomes quieter.
"I don't know how I'm supposed to handle any of this."
He swallows hard before whispering the words he can barely bring himself to say.
"I can't live without her."
The sentence hangs in the air.
For a moment, Haiku seems to realise what he has just admitted. But he doesn't take the words back.
He can't.
The thought of a future without Emma is something he doesn't even want to imagine.
Haiku Finally Breaks Down
Suddenly, Haiku feels a sharp pain in his chest.
He presses his hand against it, trying to steady himself, but the discomfort only makes him more anxious.
His breathing becomes uneven.
Before anyone can react, he drops to his knees.
"Haiku!"
Monster immediately rushes toward him.
But Haiku barely seems to hear the voices around him.
He lowers his head and begins crying uncontrollably. All the fear, frustration, and helplessness he has been trying to suppress finally come pouring out.
He has always tried to be the strong one.
He has always believed that no matter how bad things became, he would find a way to deal with them.
But this time, he doesn't know what to do.
He can't fight Emma's condition. He can't force her to wake up. And he can't promise himself that everything will be fine.
For the first time, he feels completely powerless.
Monster kneels beside him and places a hand on his shoulder.
"Haiku, look at me."
Haiku doesn't respond.
Monster gently squeezes his shoulder.
"Listen to me. She'll be okay. Emma is strong, and she'll get through this. You have to believe that."
Haiku shakes his head, tears continuing to fall.
"I'm scared, Monster."
His voice is barely audible.
"I'm really scared."
Monster remains beside him, allowing him to speak.
"I can't lose her. She's the only one I have."
Haiku wipes his face with the back of his hand, but his tears don't stop.
"There are so many things I need to tell her. So many things I've kept inside for so long because I never knew how to say them."
He lets out a shaky breath.
"I kept thinking that I would tell her someday. I thought I had time. I thought there would always be another chance."
His voice breaks again.
"But what if there isn't?"
Monster's expression changes, but he doesn't interrupt.
"What if she never wakes up? What am I supposed to do with all the things I've never told her?"
Haiku looks down at the floor.
"And even if she wakes up, what if she doesn't want to listen to me? What if she pushes me away?"
He clenches his hands.
"I know Emma. If I tell her everything that's in my heart, she might never look at me the same way again. And if that happens, I don't know how I'll be able to live with myself."
Monster listens quietly.
He wants to reassure Haiku, but he knows that a few comforting words won't magically make his fear disappear.
So he simply stays beside him.
Sometimes, that is all a person can do.
Angel Has Other Problems to Worry About While Haiku is struggling to control his emotions, Angel suddenly speaks.
"All right, enough with all this for now."
Everyone turns toward her.
"Instead of worrying about everything else, we should focus on Emma. We need to find out when she's going to regain consciousness and what we're supposed to do next."
Monster slowly raises his head and stares at her.
For a moment, he looks as though he can't believe what he's hearing.
Then he finally speaks.
"Has your brain gone out to graze in a field of grass or something?"
Angel immediately glares at him.
"What did you just say?"
Monster gestures toward Haiku.
"Look around you! Do you even understand what's happening right now? We're talking about Emma's life, and you're suddenly bringing up something else!"
Angel folds her arms.
"I'm not crazy. You're the one who's crazy!"
Monster looks at her in disbelief.
"Me? What did I even do?"
"You're the one who doesn't understand anything!"
She takes a deep breath before continuing.
"Listen, the 25th is coming up. Do you remember what we planned for that day?"
Monster's expression changes slightly.
Angel points at him.
"We arranged a training session, remember? And if we lose that training, we'll have to leave this entire area behind!"
She pauses, clearly irritated.
"And then what? Where are we supposed to go? Everyone will have to figure that out for themselves!"
Monster stares at her.
"Are you seriously talking about training right now?"
"Yes, I am!"
Angel throws her hands up in frustration.
"Because apparently, I'm the only one here who's thinking about what happens next!"
She turns away for a moment before looking back at him.
"And don't even get me started on India! You people didn't let me go when I wanted to, and now I don't even know whether you'll let me stay here or force me to leave!"
Her voice becomes increasingly annoyed.
"Honestly, make up your minds! Am I staying here or not? Because I'm tired of being dragged into everyone else's decisions without knowing what's going to happen to me!"
Monster rubs his forehead.
He looks as though he's seriously reconsidering every decision that led him into this conversation.
But Angel isn't finished.
"There's another problem we need to deal with."
Monster looks at her warily.
"What now?"
Angel takes a breath and asks the question that makes everyone fall silent.
"Who's going to lead the gang?"
Who Will Take Emma and Haiku's Place?
For a moment, nobody answers.
Angel looks around the corridor, waiting for someone to offer a solution.
"Well? I'm waiting!"
She gestures toward the others.
"Haiku and Emma aren't in a condition to lead the gang right now. Emma is unconscious, and Haiku can barely stand after hearing what the doctor said."
Her expression becomes serious.
"So tell me, who's going to take charge?"
Nobody seems willing to answer.
The truth is that the gang has always relied heavily on Emma and Haiku.
They have been the ones making difficult decisions, handling problems, and keeping everyone together.
The others might be capable of fighting, arguing, and getting themselves into trouble, but leading the entire gang is a different matter.
And everyone knows it.
Angel looks increasingly frustrated.
"Exactly! Nobody has an answer!"
She crosses her arms.
"None of us knows how to lead the gang the way they do. We can't just pretend that everything will somehow work itself out!"
Monster glances toward Haiku, who is still struggling to calm down.
Then he looks toward Emma's room.
For once, even he has nothing sarcastic to say.
Because Angel is right about one thing.
Someone will eventually have to take responsibility.
But right now, neither Emma nor Haiku is in any condition to do so.
And until one of them recovers, the entire gang is left standing on uncertain ground.
The Girl Beside Emma's Bed
Meanwhile, the scene shifts to Emma's hospital room.
Emma is still lying unconscious on her bed, completely unaware of everything happening outside.
A chair has been placed beside her bed, and the girl who appeared that day is sitting in it.
She is the same girl who had come looking for Haiku.
Unlike everyone else, who is anxiously waiting for Emma to wake up, the girl seems surprisingly comfortable.
She sits in the chair, holding an apple in one hand and a knife in the other as she carefully cuts the fruit into small pieces.
For a while, she says nothing.
She simply glances at Emma, then looks down at the apple in her hands.
Finally, she lets out a sigh.
"Haiku, you idiot!"
She shakes her head in annoyance.
"So, after all this time, I finally found you!"
She cuts another piece of apple and puts it aside.
"I honestly thought things would finally work out for me. I thought that after searching for you for so long, I'd finally get the chance to be with the person I love."
Her expression changes as she glances at Emma again.
"But of course, things couldn't be that easy, could they?"
She looks at Emma for a few seconds before continuing.
"Now you're lying here, and Haiku is probably outside worrying about you instead of thinking about me!"
She pouts, clearly displeased with the situation.
"Seriously, what am I supposed to do with you?"
She places the knife against the apple again and begins cutting another piece.
"Haiku, I finally found you. Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you? And just when I thought I might finally get a chance to be with you, I find out that you're still worrying about someone else!"
She turns toward Emma, her expression becoming more serious.
"And that someone happens to be you."
For a moment, she simply stares at Emma's unconscious face.
Then she lets out another frustrated sigh.
"I thought you were just someone important to him. I didn't realise you would become such a big problem for me."
She leans back in the chair, holding a piece of apple between her fingers.
"Do you know what the worst part is? I haven't even had the chance to tell Haiku how I feel, and you're already standing between us!"
She shakes her head.
"Honestly, Emma, you have no idea how annoying this is."
She pauses before speaking again, this time with a more determined expression.
"But listen carefully. I'm not going to give up on Haiku just because you're here."
She points the piece of apple toward Emma as though Emma can hear every word.
"I've searched for him for so long, and now that I've finally found him, I'm not going to let anyone take him away from me."
She narrows her eyes.
"Not even you."
The girl returns her attention to the apple, continuing to cut it into small pieces as though she hasn't just declared war on an unconscious girl.
She has no idea what the future holds, nor does she realise how complicated things might become once Emma finally wakes up.
For now, all she knows is that she has found the person she loves.
And she isn't planning to let him go.
Meanwhile, Emma remains completely unaware of the girl sitting beside her bed, the arguments taking place outside her room, and the fear consuming the people who care about her.
And somewhere in the hospital corridor, Haiku is still trying to gather the strength to face a future he never imagined having to confront.
A future in which he might lose Emma before he ever gets the chance to tell her what she truly means to him.