𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟑𝟖𝟏 [𝘛𝘰𝘫𝘪 𝘍𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘰]

𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭

When you hang up the phone, you immediately get a taxi. You have no option but to take Megumi with you since there's no one else that can take care of him. The four-year-old is confused as to why you're going out, but maybe you're going out for ice cream so he doesn't mind too much.

The whole ride to the hospital, it feels as if your heart is in your throat. You didn't get any details. Right now, your brain is your biggest enemy. You're on the verge of tears, thinking that the most horrible thing happened to him– Well, he certainly isn't fine. You wouldn't have received a call from the hospital if Toji was fine.

You can't glance at Megumi during the entire car ride because you wonder what'll happen if it's something grave, Megumi would have no one. Apart from you. You'd have no problem taking care of Megumi but you're not sure if you'd be enough for him. You doubt that you'd be.

"Can we get some ice cream?" Megumi asks, and you try to smile at him.

"Maybe after, baby. We have to do something." You answer. You get to the hospital, and it's safe to say that Megumi is nervous. Every time he's in a similar environment, he's here to get a vaccine so the painful memories come back; at least he gets a treat after he cries his little heart out.

You walk to the front desk and you ask for Toji. Your relationship to the patient? You're his emergency contact. You have no other way to answer the question. Maybe his son's babysitter... You're not sure if they'll let you through with that answer though.

They tell you where he's at, pointing towards a pair of wooden doors that make you gulp while your palms get more sweaty. You grip Megumi's hand and begin to walk towards the doors, which right now, feels like a challenge to you. You come to find yourself in disbelief at the fact that you're Toji's emergency contact, even though you shouldn't be too shocked. He doesn't have a family that you know of, of course, apart from the four-year-old whose hand you hold.

When you get to where Toji is supposed to be, you find the woman that you've grown to despise. She has done nothing to you, but you can't help but roll your eyes when she's in front of you. You walk past her and slide the curtain that separates Toji from the rest of the room, and she doesn't even seem to notice you. She completely slips your mind when you walk inside, and you breathe a sigh of relief when you see him intact. Megumi sees his father laying down on the hospital bed, and he begins to cry, his tiny mind thinking of the worst– Which isn't as bad as what you're thinking, Megumi most likely thinks his dad is ill.

Instead of focusing on Toji, you pick up Megumi from the floor and wipe his tears while you kiss his cheeks repeatedly. Your hand rubs his back and you say, "See, he's fine. He's just sleeping."

You would walk Megumi over to Toji so he can poke him, but you have no idea what Toji has. You have no idea if it's contagious and you don't want Megumi to catch anything.

A nurse walks in, her eyes on the chart that's in her hands before her gaze falls on you and the kid that you hold. Her eyes shift back and forth between you and the curtain that separates you from Momoko. She won't get into it, instead she clears her throat, "Are you the emergency contact?"

"I am." You answer. You stare at Toji who seems to peacefully sleep, and you have the question, "What's wrong with him?"

"He collapsed. Completely knocked out." She says, and you're not sure if you want to find out more because this feels all too familiar. You begin to tremble, and you have to put Megumi down.

"Will he be okay?" Your voice breaks, and you hope that she doesn't notice. You've grown to care a lot for Toji, and while you aren't talking, you obviously don't want anything bad to happen to him.