Mirrored

Chapter 24 - Ryosuke

New Chapter 📣📣📣

Happy New Years!!!!!🎉🥳🎊

I wasn't planning to continue but seeing that it is a new year, I decided to finish off this chapter that was stowed away for a while now.

2024 was a busy year where I found myself struggling to find the energy to write and that reflected in the few chapters that I did write and upload here. 2025 is supposed to be another busy year as it may for many of you but I hope to find the motivation and passion I have for writing this year. 🥺💗

And I hope to all of you that you will have an amazing 2025.

⚠️‼️Warning: This chapter explores grief, loss, death, and suicidal ideas. These topics are not suitable for all so please read what is most comfortable for you.

This chapter is a little longer than the few newer chapters I have written so I recommend reading it when you have a bit of luxury of time on your hands.

Enjoy reading this chapter and again, Happy New Years!!!💐🌺

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There are times when I do not choose healing. I'm stubborn. I choose self-destruction instead of hoping that I will learn what it's like to have wounds again. And I learn and learn and learn again."

- Juansen Dizon

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hikari and the doctors and the nurses asked the same question, over and over again.

"Can you hear me?"

Minori never responded. She stared, eyes blank.

Whether she could obey commands or not was unknown and naturally, both the doctors and nurses agreed she may have suffered from some kind of neuro cognitive disability as a result of the accident. She was after all unconscious for almost a week.

However, there was no other indication as to how she could suffer such a thing.

I had refrained myself from personally visiting the hospital at an attempt to respect her parent's wishes but it was becoming harder and harder to stop myself given the lack of information and the endless calls from Hikari crying. Having lost a brother was emotionally difficult enough and to physically see her sister unresponsive, I imagined, would be damaging.

I entered the room without knocking or announcing my arrival, sliding open the door. Inside was bleak and boring like any hospital room would be with nothing except a bed, a monitor that attached to Kaya, a small window and two chairs, one occupied by Hikari. She immediately jumps off, diving her face into my shirt.

"Ryo, she's not responding to me!" she wailed as fresh tears trickled down her face and soaked my shirt. I crouch down to meet her at eye level for two simple reasons – to get her to pull away from me and look at me in the eye. After having a younger sister myself, I've learnt that communicating at their level allows them to feel a connection or feel as though they were given control. It made them feel seen and important, both of which they were.

"She just needs a bit more time," I said, taking both her hands in mine. "When you're sad or angry, would you lie to yourself act like you are happy and read to talk nicely?"

She scrunched her face and shook her head.

My way of speaking wasn't exactly suitable for most children, much less to a seven year old girl but Hikari has showed me herself on numerous occasions she was brighter than her peers. In saying that, it didn't mean she should be exposed to death, loss, grief, and be expected to understand all of that.