Chapter 61: Everybody Deserves Happiness

I had only just returned from the brink of death, and the first things I received were a mass crying session and a hug that nearly killed me a second time. Honestly, life has a twisted sense of humor.

When my eyes finally opened fully in that hospital room, everyone stared at me as if I’d just stepped out of a legend. My mother was weeping shamelessly. Father stood tall as always, but his eyes were as red as the sky after a heavy rain. Kurumi watched me with trembling lips. Even her parents looked like they were struggling to hold back their emotions.

Touma, predictably, was already wailing before I could even speak. That’s a talent worth studying, honestly.

I scratched my cheek sheepishly. "Did I... make you all worry?"

Instantly, Kurumi lunged forward, hugging me with a strength that made me feel loved and suffocated in equal measure.

"Idiot!" her voice broke. "Do you have any idea how much grief you've put us through for the last four days?!"

I froze. "Eh? Four days? I was out that long?"

Touma pointed at me through his sniveling. "Four days, you romantic zombie!"

Yukari wiped her eyes and let out a sharp exhale. "Don't go making a dramatic comeback like some cheap protagonist."

Asahi nodded solemnly. "Statistically speaking, that was remarkably inefficient."

Why am I being treated by people like this? I could only sigh.

A few moments later, the doctor entered with a few nurses. His face was professional, but his eyes were clearly clouded with confusion. He opened my file, glancing back and forth at me like I was a walking riddle.

"Medically speaking..." he began slowly, "this is difficult to explain."

Touma immediately stepped forward. "Doc, has he evolved?" "Please step back."

The doctor cleared his throat. "The injuries sustained haven't left any serious damage. His recovery... is far faster than projected." He looked at me again. "To be honest, I’m having a hard time believing it myself."

I gave him a stiff smile. "Relax, Doc. So am I."

The room let out a small ripple of laughter. For the first time since waking up, the atmosphere felt light.

A week later, I was officially discharged. The outside air felt different—fresher, warmer. Perhaps because I’d almost lost the right to breathe it.

When the hospital doors opened, they were all waiting. Touma waved his hands like he was welcoming a celebrity. Yukari held up a sign that read: WELCOME BACK FROM DEATH. Asahi brought flowers... from God-knows-where.

Nozomi stood quietly in the back, her purple hair swaying in the breeze like the night given human form. Kurumi stood the closest. Her hand found mine the moment I stepped out. She didn't say a word, but the grip was enough to say everything.

Touma shouted the loudest. "The delayed party continues tonight!" I gave him a flat look. "You sound like a criminal who failed to escape." "Thank you." "It wasn't a compliment."

Night fell. My family home was crowded once again. The lights glowed warmly. The table was overflowing with food. Laughter filled the room like waves that refused to stop crashing. I sat among them, thinking one simple thought: Turns out life is kind enough to grant me the next chapter.

Asahi stood up first, holding his drink high. "My future dream," he declared firmly. "I want to be a member of the Resistance."

Silence. Touma blinked. "What Resistance?" Asahi crossed his arms. "That's a secret." I offered a thin smile. "I hope your enemies are purely administrative."

Yukari was next. The eccentric woman raised her hand dramatically. "I shall become a world-famous mangaka." Touma immediately pointed at her. "What genre?!" "One where the protagonist isn't as loud as you." "Cruel!"

Everyone laughed. Then Touma stood up. "I’m going to America!" "For what?" I asked. He pointed a finger toward the stars. "To chase freedom!" Yukari scoffed. "More like chasing tourists." "That’s slander!"

Kurumi giggled beside me. The sound of her laughter was still one of my favorite things. Then, I noticed someone had been silent the entire time.

Nozomi.

She sat quietly, holding her glass. There was a smile on her face, but it didn't reach her eyes. I turned to her. "Nozomi, what’s up?"

She looked slightly startled. "N-nothing is wrong."

The night wind moved softly, playing with the ends of her purple hair like a secret that refused to stay still. I leaned back. "You’re terrible at lying."

Touma nodded. "True. Even an idiot like me can tell." "Shut up," we both answered in unison.

Nozomi looked down. A few seconds passed. Then she spoke softly.

"Kengo..." "Hm?" "What does it feel like to be married?"

I blinked twice. The question was so sudden my newly-healed brain momentarily stalled. "Why ask that all of a sudden?"

She offered a thin smile—beautiful, yet fragile. "Just answer."

I stared at the ceiling for a moment. "It’s hard to explain." "Try."

I exhaled. "Marriage is like opening the door to your house... and realizing there is now someone in your life who will be there every single morning." She listened in silence. "Sometimes it's wonderful. Sometimes it's a hassle. Sometimes it makes you want to run away." I glanced at Kurumi, who was laughing with Yukari. "But strangely... you never actually want to leave."

Kurumi looked over. "Why do I feel like I'm being discussed?" "Wife instincts are terrifying," I muttered.

Nozomi’s smile faded slightly. "I see..." Her tone fell like a dry leaf at the end of the season. She squeezed the glass in her hand. "Kengo..."

"Hm?"

"If I'm being honest, actually..." She took a long, deep breath. "I... I’m getting engaged soon."

The room froze. Then—

"HEEEEEEEEEH?!"

Everyone's shout exploded at once. Touma was the first on his feet. "WHAT?! TO WHOM?! WHEN?! WHY?! WAS I TOO LATE TO BE AN OPTION?!"

"Were you ever an option?" Yukari asked. Asahi held his head. "The Resistance has lost a potential recruit..."

Kurumi stared at Nozomi in shock. I just blinked. I’d only just survived death, yet it seemed the world was still moving faster than I was.

Nozomi let out a small laugh, but it was as thin as glass that had cracked but hadn't yet fallen. "To a man from Korea," she said softly.

The room went quiet again, but this time it was a different kind of silence. Heavier. Slower. Everyone began to realize the same thing: Nozomi’s smile tonight was far too forced.

Touma slowly sat back down. For the first time that night, he wasn't joking. Yukari looked away. Asahi said nothing. Kurumi gripped my hand tightly under the table.

I looked at Nozomi. The lights were still on. The food was still warm. The remnants of laughter still lingered in the corners of the room. But in the middle of a party that was supposed to be happy—something was shifting.

And for some reason, I felt like this night was far from over.