The grief that followed Isabella's devastating news settled over Aiko like a heavy blanket, muffling her enthusiasm for everything that had previously excited her about studying in Spain. She attended classes at the Instituto mechanically, completed assignments with competent precision, but the spark that had driven her academic excellence seemed extinguished.
Miguel noticed the change immediately, though Aiko had shared only the barest details about learning of Javier's supposed death.
"You've been different since meeting with Isabella Martinez," he observed during their usual evening walk through the Retiro Park. "More withdrawn, like you're carrying something heavy."
"I found the person I was looking for," Aiko said quietly. "But too late. He died before I could meet him."
"I'm so sorry, Aiko. That must be devastating after searching for so long."
They walked in companionable silence, Miguel's presence providing comfort even though Aiko felt unable to explain the full complexity of her emotions. The search that had motivated her journey to Spain was over, but the ending felt incomplete in ways she couldn't articulate.
It was during her third week of this grief-induced numbness that everything changed again.
Aiko was leaving the Instituto after an afternoon workshop when a young woman approached her in the courtyard. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with the kind of concerned expression that suggested urgent business.
"Excuse me, are you Aiko Matsumoto?" the woman asked in accented English.
"Yes, I am."
"My name is Maria Santos. I work as a nurse at the Hospital Universitario in Valencia." She paused, studying Aiko's face carefully. "I believe you've been asking questions about Javier Varela."
Aiko's heart began racing. "You know Javier?"
"I've been caring for him for the past eighteen months. I'm also a close friend of Isabella's—we've known each other since university." Maria's expression grew troubled. "Isabella confided in me about meeting you, about her plan to tell you that Javier had died."
"Her plan?"
"She was torn about what to do. She knew how much finding him meant to you, but she was terrified that seeing him in his current condition would cause you more pain than closure. She asked for my advice about whether to arrange a visit or to... protect you from the reality of his situation."
Aiko felt a chill running through her. "And what advice did you give her?"
"I told her that lying about his death was wrong, regardless of her intentions. That you had a right to know the truth and make your own decision about whether to see him." Maria's voice grew firmer. "When she told me yesterday that she had gone through with the lie, I knew I had to find you."
"So he's..."
"Javier is very much alive. He's been in a medically induced coma for over two years, but his vital signs are stable. There has been no deterioration, and certainly no death."
The words hit Aiko like an earthquake, shaking everything she thought she understood about the situation. Relief, anger, hope, and confusion crashed over her in waves.
"She lied to me," Aiko whispered.
"She believed she was protecting you. Isabella has been carrying tremendous guilt about Javier's accident. She's convinced herself that their phone conversation the day he was injured somehow contributed to what happened. I think she genuinely thought that letting you grieve and move on would be kinder than letting you become emotionally invested in someone who might never recover."
"But that wasn't her choice to make."
"No, it wasn't," Maria agreed. "And I told her as much. That's why I'm here."
Aiko felt anger building alongside the relief. "Where is she now? I need to speak with her."
"She's probably at her studio—she usually works late on Thursdays. But Aiko, before you confront her, I want you to understand something about what you'd be seeing if you visit Javier."
"Tell me."
"He's been unconscious for a very long time. He requires medical equipment to maintain basic functions. His appearance has changed significantly from the vibrant young man he was before the accident. It can be shocking for people who aren't prepared."
"I understand. But I still need to see him."
Maria nodded. "I thought you would say that. And there's something else—in the past few weeks, there have been subtle changes in his brain activity patterns. Nothing dramatic, but the kind of variations that sometimes precede awakening."
The possibility that Javier might actually wake up felt almost too hopeful to contemplate after the devastating grief of the past week.
"But first," Maria said firmly, "you need to confront Isabella. She needs to hear directly from you that you won't regret seeing him, that lying to you was wrong regardless of her intentions."
"Will you help me find her?"
"I'll take you to her studio right now. Isabella needs to face what she's done, and you need to tell her that you're strong enough to handle the truth—whatever that truth might be."
As they walked through Madrid's evening streets toward Isabella's studio, Maria continued sharing details about Javier's condition and her friendship with Isabella.
"I've watched Isabella torture herself with guilt for two years," Maria explained. "She genuinely loves her brother, and she genuinely thought she was protecting you. But good intentions don't justify dishonesty, especially about something this important."
"How long have you been caring for him?"
"Since he was transferred to our long-term care unit. I've seen families deal with these situations in many different ways. Some hover constantly, some withdraw completely, some find a balance. Isabella chose to involve herself intensely in his care while simultaneously trying to control how others interact with his situation."
They stopped outside a converted warehouse building where Isabella's studio was located. Through the large windows, they could see her working alone at a styling station, practicing techniques on a mannequin.
"Are you ready for this conversation?" Maria asked.
"I need to know why she thought it was acceptable to let me grieve for someone who's still alive," Aiko said, her determination growing stronger. "And I need her to understand that I'm not some fragile person who needs protection from difficult realities."
"Good. She needs to hear that directly from you."
As they climbed the stairs to Isabella's studio, Aiko felt her resolve crystallizing. The search for Javier had led her through months of investigation, false hopes, and devastating news. But it wasn't over yet—and she wasn't going to let well-intentioned lies determine how it would end.
Isabella needed to understand that some truths were too important to be hidden, regardless of how painful they might be to face.