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❟❛❟ CHAPTER TWENTY SIX ❟❛❟
AKAME STOOD FROZEN IN FRONT OF THE OPERATING ROOM, her expression blank as her mind swirled in chaos. The corridor stretched endlessly, its sterile silence only broken by the faint hum of the overhead lights and the soft, distant voices of doctors fighting to save the two people behind those doors. The weight of helplessness pressed down on her. She could feel it— sense it— every frantic movement inside, but all she could do was stand there, powerless.
She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms.
"Yukie-chan!"
Akame's body jerked at the sound of her name, dragging her out of her trance. She turned slowly to find Bakugou's parents, Mitsuki and Masaru, rushing down the hall, with Todoroki's family trailing close behind them.
"Mitsuki-san," she murmured.
Before she could say anything else, Mitsuki pulled her into a tight, almost desperate embrace. "Thank goodness you're okay," she whispered, her voice trembling with barely suppressed tears.
Akame stiffened in the hug but forced herself to relax, her arms awkwardly wrapping around the woman. "I'm fine. I wasn't with them when..." she trailed off, unsure. Her words did little to soothe Mitsuki, whose soft sobs grew louder as she tightened her grip, pulling Akame closer. Masaru stepped forward, wrapping both of them in a warm, reassuring embrace.
"Bakugou will be fine," Akame whispered, her voice barely audible. The words felt hollow; she had no idea what condition they were in, no idea of what happened to them.
"Akame... Yukie, right?"
The embrace loosened as Rei Todoroki stepped forward. Akame nodded, feeling the weight of the older woman's eyes on her. Rei stepped closer and gently took Akame's hand, squeezing it tightly. "I'm Shoto's mother, Rei. I've heard so much about you from him... and Enji. I never imagined we'd meet for the first time like this," her voice trembled with grief, her smile shaky.
Akame forced a smile, though the gesture felt foreign on her lips. "It's nice to meet you, too. Though... I'm sorry it's under these circumstances."
Rei's gaze softened with sympathy, but her brows knitted in concern as she took in Akame's appearance. "Your eyes... are you hurt?" she asked, gesturing toward the white bandages wrapped tightly around Akame's head.
Akame felt the weight of everyone's gaze shift to her, confusion and concern etched into their expressions.
Akame shook her head slowly. "No, it's... just from overusing my quirk. I'll be fine. It's not as bad as it looks."
