The Withered Lily but Unforgotten

The hospital was seemed different, nurse doing their normal routine, the beeping sound of the patient monitor. But in room 6 at the 3rd floor. 

Yua Naoryuu stirred in the hospital bed with a groan slipped from her lips, she was wearing a hospital gown after she collapse in the floor earlier argument with her drunken husband, she sat down in the bed, surrounded with her mother Mrs. Aoki with concern, the atmosphere was silent, except the beeping sound of the bedside patient monitor; a computer screen that displays continues and monitor her heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels and their own breathing. 

Her long hair cascading on her left shoulder, her mother, older than her sixties, approached her bed with maternal concern look on her face, wrapping her arms around her daughter's shoulder, pulling her head close against her chest, trying to comfort her. 

Yua finally cried, her tears soaking her mother's clotting, whispering beneath her clothes. 

"Mom… I-I can't believe it… S-she's alive!" she sniffled, clutching the fabric of her mother's clothes, her mother responded. "Yes sweetie? What's wrong?" her mother asked, staring at her daughter. "I can't believe my daughter was on my dreams!" she exclaimed, look up, she could see her mother's eyes widened in realization and disbelief, she answered softly, with her hand flew to her mouth. 

"R-really? Y-you mean your long lost daughter? The abandoned one by your husband?" her mother remarked, her expression slightly darkened. Yua nodded eagerly. 

"Yes, she is! But it doesn't matter. I found her on my dreams, the world was realistic, no clouds but only white, surrounded by white lilies on the ground, I found her standing, with the family of the T-Rex!" she explained, pulling her head away from her mother's chest, tears flowing continuously. "Hmm… maybe she found a new family, huh?" 

"Yes, she is but… she doesn't know me, but…" Yua paused, clutching her chest, lowering her gaze, her tears starting to flowing without a word, feeling grief-stricken, losing a child was the most hardest way to move forward, unforgotten. "What if…she forgot what her real mother is…" she added, her mother look at her, sat beside the hospital bed, place her hand on her cheeks, her thumb rubbing in small slow circle with a soft smile playing on her lips. 

"Darling, you shouldn't not blame yourself. You're daughter might've be figured it out by her own who is her real mother is." she said softly, before she proceed her words. "But for now, we wait until she grown up and mature— just like you. Pray for her, hoping she will live longer until you met her in reality rather than on your dreams." she explained, Yua nodded, placing her own hand above her mother's, feeling the warmth against her palm, she responded softly with her eyes fluttered shut. 

"I hope so…" she said, opened her eyes once again, expression shifted into exhaustion determination. 

"If we reunited, I'll wrapped my arms around her from the first time through the years of fever and losing my first daughter. I'll never give up." she added, then the soft tapped on the door interrupt them, Mrs. Aoki rise up from the seat, oncoming towards the door, handling the door handle. She gradually open the door, at front of her was two young travellers wearing their uniforms. 

One of them with messy hair unzip his bag and handed her a sketchbook, his breath shaking, his knuckles trembled, describing the physical appearance of his art, this isn't just a art; it was the masterpiece about the mysterious hybrid girl who live in woods without a human guardian or a parent, except; she was taken care by the apex predator. "I found her while we exploring the illegal forest! She was small, younger and we almost eaten alive by her!" "Yes! He's right! She stole our meals!" one of his friend said. 

"And plus, we found this one!" he continue, his hand moved towards the pocket, he pulled the piece of stray strand of red-orange hair. 

Mrs. Aoki's eyes widened in disbelief, her hand flew to her mouth, the other hand clutching her heart. 

"…S-S-She is…" she stammered, her breath hitched in realization. "Real…?" she continue, her eyes scanning between the stray strand of his hand, and the rough sketch on the other hand. 

My granddaughter is alive…  she albeit to herself, sighed in relief murmured under her breath. Thanks to the heavens! 

~~~

"Mom!? Who's our visitor today…?" Yua asked in curiosity, with a hint of excitement about the news, her mother Mrs. Aoki gulped, turning her attention back towards her daughter.

The Traveler and his friend paused conversation, catching their attention towards her. Her mother spoke softly. "I-uh… honey, somebody's here to alot of explanations about your daughter."

Yua's eyes widened, her heart thundering against her chest, mentioning the word of 'Daughter'. She clasped both of her hands with expectation. "R-Really…?! Where she is!? Please tell me where she can find!?" she asked eagerly, expecting the news. 

Mrs. Aoki shift her attention back towards the young travellers. "Pardon me on my daughter, she was just a very worried mother. Now come inside." she said, gestured them inside the room. The young travellers bow in respect at her kindness, both of them stepped inside, their leathery boots tapping against the hospital floor. Mrs. Aoki closed the door behind her, gesturing the young travellers to sit for a long long conversation about Kyou's mysterious disappearance.

~~~

"Here's the sketch I made, miss Yua." the young traveler with messy hair said, he handed his sketchbook towards her waiting hands. 

"And also I have this one, I found it in the bushes." his friend with wearing glasses responded back, he placed the stray strand of red-orange hair in the paper. Yua examine the hair fiber, then her gaze turns attention towards the sketch book; almost realistic, especially for the face similarity to her lost child. Describing the details and physical appearance; a small girl younger around at six or seven years old, long untamed scarlet-orange hair, the T-Rex rough scales on her cheeks and the side of her neck, the right arm with two sharp claws resemble to the T-Rex's, wearing a animal's hide with clumsy stitches as makeshift clothing for survival. Yua's eyes widened in emotion, her vision began to watery, her hand flew over her mouth, making a sound was almost, crying? She's crying in grief and also relief. "She's real… I can't believe she was alive!" she cried, placing the sketchbook alongside with a hair fiber against her chest, tears streaming on her cheeks.

Mrs. Aoki watched her daughter silently, nodded silently in respect, she giving her some space, she tapped one of the travellers' shoulder, whispered to their ear to left for a moment. "We have to get out first, let's give her for a moment." she whispered with a small smile played on her lips, drawing attention back towards her daughter; she saw her shedding her tears of joy with the borrowed sketchbook and hair fiber against her chest, believing she was alive, but not presence; at least her daughter was safe and nourished by the apex predator without harming her.

To be Continue…