Episode #2. The issue.

Episode #2***— The Hospital Wake***

“The body heals fast, but the mind… it remembers.”

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a hospital bed.

The faint smell of disinfectant filled the air, mixed with that sterile silence only hospitals have.

I wasn’t in too much shock.

Maybe I’d already gotten used to strange things.

Then I noticed someone sitting beside me —

Miraen Avelin.

My only friend.

The only person my heart ever allowed me to call a “friend.”

It had been half a year since our high school graduation.

We hadn’t seen each other much — only once, a month ago, when we went to collect our graduation certificates.

So seeing her here… was unexpected.

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Nareen: “Can I get some water?”

Miraen’s eyes, which had been half closed in exhaustion, snapped open.

Miraen: “Nareen! You’re awake!”

She quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to me.

Miraen: “How are you feeling?”

I drank slowly, my throat dry.

Nareen: “I’m fine. Anyway, how are you even here?”

Miraen sighed deeply, rubbing the back of her neck.

Miraen: “Ah, long story short — Jully broke her leg during judo training. You know her temper, right? I swear, that kid’s going to drive me insane.”

[Note: jully is miraen's younger sister]

Then she added with a half-smile, “By sheer luck, I ran into you when you were brought here.”

Nareen: “Oh, I see. Sorry… I was a bit busy lately, so I couldn’t contact you.”

Miraen: “Busy resting, huh?” she teased, raising an eyebrow. “You were on holidays, Nareen.”

Nareen (thinking): “The first day after holidays… and something like that happened. What I saw before I blacked out… it’s happening now — what I was afraid of.”

That was the first time I realized my nightmares were real.

The thing I feared most was that my condition would reach this point.

What I saw couldn’t have been real — but telling anyone was pointless.

No one would believe me.

And even if they did, they’d twist it into something else.

So silence was safer. Always safer.

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Suddenly, I blurted out,

Nareen: “Miraen! I need to talk about something important. Can you lock the door?”

Miraen (startled): “Lock the door?”

She hesitated for a second, then stood up and clicked the lock.

Miraen: “Okay, it’s locked. What’s going on, Nareen?”

I slid my hair back and sighed.

Nareen: “My life’s already a living hell, Miraen. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Miraen (worried): “Is it… about your father?”

Nareen: “No.”

My voice was quiet but sharp.

“It’s about me this time.”

Nareen: “Miraen, I think I’m having some mental issues… and I can’t let my mother or family know about it.”

Miraen froze.

She had never seen me this shaken — not about health, not about anything.

Miraen: “Why can’t you tell your mother?”

Nareen: “You remember my elder brother… right?”

Miraen: “Yes… so you—?”

(to be continued…)

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✧ Next Episode Preview:

“He wasn’t supposed to come back. Not again.”

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Author’s Note:

If you liked the story, please like, share, and comment —

Every thought, good or bad, helps me grow. ❤️

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