The Supernova Effect

Chapter 36

Hana

After a few hours, I gently urged Nova to take a moment for herself. She looked exhausted—hollow-eyed and fraying at the edges. It took some convincing to get her to step away from Daisuke's side, but eventually, with a few soft reassurances and a list of things he might need when he woke up, she agreed to go. Promised she'd be quick.

Her voice was raw. Thin. The kind of thin that clings to grief and doesn't let go. She hasn't eaten. Hasn't slept right either, judging by the tremor in her hands. That girl's love is deeper than anything I expected. Deeper than even he understands.

I looked down at Daisuke.

God, when did he get so big? His hand in mine didn't feel like it used to — not the soft palm of a child, but long and calloused and shaking with everything he never says out loud. He looked too pale under the hospital lights, and the oxygen hissed in time with my panic.

His fingers twitched.

Then—

A soft groan.

His eyes fluttered open slowly, then wide — glassy, confused, darting around the room like they didn't belong to him.

He blinked. Looked down at his arms. The wires. The IVs. His lips moved, dry.

"...Am I dead?"

The words punched the breath out of my lungs.

I sat up quickly, my hand wrapping around his wrist. "No, you're alive."

He looked at me like he wasn't sure whether I was real. Then he searched the room again — frantic, desperate.

"Nova?" he rasped.

"She left but she'll be back," I said quickly, brushing hair back from his forehead. "She hasn't left you, not for a second."

His eyes fluttered shut, like even hearing her name brought peace and guilt in equal measure.

"She was the one who found you, Daisuke."

He swallowed hard. Looked away.

"You almost broke her."

That made him look at me. Eyes wide and ashamed.

"She hasn't eaten. Hasn't slept. I had to convince her to get stuff for you just so she could leave and take care of herself."

"She loves me too much," he said, quietly.

"I know she does," I replied. "But love isn't meant to be punished."

He turned away. Shame dripped from his posture.

"What were you thinking Daisuke?"

A long silence stretched.

Then—

He turned his face toward the window. His jaw clenched. His hands trembled.

"I used to think it was me," he said, voice cracking. "That I made him drink. That I made him angry."

I froze.

"Who?" I asked, but I already knew.

"Dad."

My stomach turned.

"He used to abuse me. When he drank," Daisuke continued, each word scraped from his lungs. "He'd come home and... I never knew which version of him I was going to get."

He didn't look at me. But I was already holding back my tears.

"I thought if I was good enough, he'd stop. If I stayed quiet.."