The group walked through the corridors before the doctors suddenly stopped and pointed at a certain door.
"In here you will find the others that were admitted at the same time as you; you can go in. We need to let them know you have woken up," the female doctor said with a deep bow.
"Thanks for all your help. Let's go then," Senzo replied, opening the door with anticipation.
Momiji and Sophie were both staring intently at the slowly opening door, but the moment it opened, all they saw was a white flash of light.
"Ugh!"
"Ah!"
They cried out, quickly covering their faces with their hands.
"Haha, you know how hospitals are with their shitty white lights, no? Calm down, and let's enter now."
Sophie could only roll her eyes as she quietly followed after him, but Momiji wasn't in the mood to joke around, entering with a solemn expression.
That's when they saw Yo and Magi seated next to the unconscious Hyoubu, and Yugiri was placed in a bed not too far from the Major.
"Who's there?" Magi asked, rubbing his eyes and stretching his body.
When he said that, Yo also looked up, and what they saw left them gobsmacked.
"???"
"Magi... are you seeing the same thing as me?" Yo muttered, pointing at Senzo with wide eyes.
"I think so?"
"How are you two doing?" Senzo asked casually, not minding their reactions at all.
"H-how? How?"
That was all Yo could manage. His brain had short-circuited.
Magi, on the other hand, couldn't stop staring at him.
Eventually, both of them snapped out of their daze after Momiji gave them a slap on the back.
"What are you two doing? He just woke up, and instead of asking anything meaningful, you just sit there like two statues..."
"Ah!"
Hearing that, the two of them quickly got up and went straight to Senzo.
"How are you?"
"Are you sure you should be walking around already?"
They were completely in sync as Yo finished Magi's sentence.
Senzo could only smile at the sight. "It could be better, but I can't complain."
Then he exchanged a firm handshake with both of them as tears formed at the edges of Yo and Magi's eyes.
"That's good... at least some good news in these dark times."
Yo could only nod at Magi's words as he quickly took a look at the two other unconscious members.
Feeling the mood shift, Senzo decided to drop the pleasantries as well and jump straight into business.
"So how are their conditions? Anything special the doctors said?" he inquired.
"Well,"
Magi and Yo exchanged glances, and with a sigh, Magi started his explanation.
"They said they cannot do anything for the Major anymore... he pushed his body too hard during the boat trip and overexerted himself on the way here..."
"..."
Silence filled the room as everyone present let the words Magi had just uttered sink in.
Sophie's eyes widened as tears started streaming down; Momiji wasn't faring any better, but she quickly hid her face behind her hands and hair.
Then, without waiting for a reply, Magi continued, "As for Yugiri, the doctors aren't sure what the issue is. She doesn't have any internal or external injuries as far as the machines can detect, but for some inexplicable reason she is not waking up..."
"..."
Senzo clutched his fists so hard the tips of his fingers started bleeding. "Thanks."
"No problem, and please don't blame yourself too much. In hindsight it's easy to say I should have done this or that, but we cannot go back in time. Just learn from your mistakes and do your best in the future to honor their sacrifices."
After Magi said that, he and Yo stepped out of the room to give the three newcomers a moment alone to slowly process everything they had just heard.
"What do you think, Magi? Will he be able to forgive himself?"
Yo asked, taking a peek at the door Magi had just closed behind them.
"I don't know, and we won't know the answer for quite some time, I'm afraid. But what we should do as their comrades is be there for them and give them space to grieve and process everything at their own pace."
"Heh, you know what, Magi? You're actually not that bad as vice-captain." Yo teased, slapping him on the shoulder.
Magi could only chuckle a little as they walked away from the hospital room to grab something to eat.
They had been under constant stress for too long now; after finally getting some kind of closure on the situation, they felt their mind and body relax significantly, and with that came an enormous hunger.
***
Meanwhile, inside the room, Senzo had slowly approached the bed where Yugiri was lying.
But instead of trying anything, he just stood there with clenched fists, carefully observing every movement she was making.
What now? he thought, but currently his mind was blank, a white canvas.
He couldn't think of anything that could salvage the current situation.
That's when he suddenly felt a hand on his clenched fist, and with a quick glance he saw Sophie standing next to him, observing the little girl with a pitiful expression.
"Calm down, Senzo. I know you blame yourself for this, but this wasn't your fault. You can't predict the future, and you saved so many others. Please listen to what Magi said, and don't drown in your guilt; use that instead to better yourself and save as many other people."
"..."
Senzo quickly turned his head around, avoiding Sophie's curious gaze as he felt tears form at the edges of his eyes.
He couldn't show weakness to them, at least not in the current moment. He knew she meant well, but if they knew what he knew, would they still say the same thing?
He couldn't accept it—this happened because he'd been passive. If he had just acted at certain times to prevent things he knew would happen, he was certain this would not have happened.
I'm a failure... I told myself after the first time it wouldn't happen again, and then it happened anyway. What did I even come here for...?