Bounded by Secrets

" A game of emotions "

That evening, as the sun began to set, Mayumi arrived at the hospital to check on Jack. She hadn't seen him since she heard about the accident, and her heart was pounding with worry as she walked into his room. To her surprise, Norio and Asahi were standing by Jack's bedside, their expressions grim.

As Mayumi approached, her eyes darted to Jack, lying motionless on the bed, his face pale and still. "Jack...?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Norio put a hand on her shoulder, his face somber. "Mayumi, we... we tried our best, but..."

Asahi sighed, looking down, her tone soft but serious. "He didn't make it. The accident... it was too much."

Mayumi's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Jack's still form, her heart breaking. "No... no, this can't be," she cried, her voice choked. "Jack, you... you promised you'd always be there. How could you...?"

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she continued, her voice barely a whisper. "I thought... I thought we'd have so much more time together. I imagined us having this beautiful, crazy life together, you know? Going on adventures, making fun of each other, maybe even... growing old together." She brushed a tear away, her hands shaking. "You were supposed to be there, Jack. I thought... I thought you felt the same."

Norio and Asahi struggled to keep their serious expressions as Mayumi poured her heart out, but when they couldn't hold it any longer, they exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

Jack suddenly opened his eyes, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Gotcha, Mayumi!"

Mayumi gasped, the shock turning into fury as she saw Jack grinning up at her, alive and well. "Jack!" she shouted, wiping her tears angrily. "Do you have any idea how much you scared me?"

Jack tried to hold back his laughter, his voice playful. "Aw, come on, Mayumi. I thought it was funny! Besides, you looked cute crying over me."

Her eyes narrowed, and she smacked him on the arm, hard. "You're terrible! I was about to tell you all my feelings, and you... you just played along? That's the last time I'm visiting you here!"

Jack laughed, rubbing his arm. "Ouch! Okay, okay, I deserved that. But... if it's any consolation, I feel the same way about you." He winked at her, his smile softening.

Mayumi blushed, crossing her arms but unable to hide her smile. "You're still insufferable, Jack," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

Norio chuckled, nudging Asahi. "See, I told you this was gonna be great."

Jack held up his hands in surrender, grinning at Mayumi. "Alright, alright, no more fake-outs. Truce?"

She shot him a playful glare but took his hand. "Truce. But if you ever scare me like that again, I'll make sure it's the last time you pull a prank on me."

Jack laughed, squeezing her hand. "Deal."

That evening, as Jack finally returned home, he made his way straight to Kevin's room, bracing himself for yet another round of scolding. But even knowing what awaited him, he couldn't shake the guilt and exhaustion that weighed on him.

As soon as he entered, Kevin's voice cut through the silence. "Jack, what were you thinking? Driving like that after all I've told you about taking responsibility! Do you understand the kind of risk you put yourself in? You could've..."

Jack stood there, taking every word without protest, his head lowered. When Kevin paused to catch his breath, Jack took a shaky breath and spoke, his voice soft. "I'm sorry, Pa... for that night. I'm really sorry."

Kevin fell silent, his harsh expression softening. He looked at Jack closely, noticing something in his son's face that he hadn't seen in a long time-Jack's eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Just as Jack opened his mouth to say something else, he bit down on his lip, and a single tear traced down his cheek.