Unpredictable Connection

41. Toward Tomorrow

Freen's POV:

When I woke up, my head throbbed like a dull drum, but beneath the ache, memories flickered like restless fireflies—flashes of faces, laughter, tears, voices calling my name in moments I had long forgotten. It was all there, weaving through my mind like threads finding their way back into place.

I opened my eyes slowly, the morning sunlight spilling through the hospital window in soft stripes across the white sheets. A nurse stood nearby, checking the beeping machine beside me, her smile warm and relieved when she noticed I was awake.

"Good morning," she said, stepping closer to adjust the drip attached to my IV.

I tried to return her smile, my lips cracking dryly. She carefully removed the needle, pressing a small cotton pad to the spot on my hand.

"You don't need this anymore," she said softly. "You're perfectly fine now, and you can go home soon."

Home. The word felt unfamiliar on my tongue, but it brought a gentle warmth to my chest.

"Thank you," I managed, my voice hoarse, "and... who's here with me?"

She chuckled lightly as she cleaned up the tray. "Your mom and some of your friends. They've been waiting for you, all night, actually. I'll let them in. Just stay lying down for now, alright?"

I nodded, staring up at the ceiling as she left, the soft hum of the hospital hallway leaking in as the door closed. A breath I didn't know I'd been holding slipped from my lips, quiet and shaky.

A few moments later, the door swung open, letting in a rush of warmth that made the sterile room feel less lonely. Mom stepped in first, her eyes glassy with tears she tried to blink away as a smile broke across her face. Behind her were P'Fa, Noey, Becky, Irin, and Char, their faces tight with exhaustion but glowing with quiet relief.

I smiled back at them, my chest tightening as Mom rushed to my side, brushing a hand through my hair like she used to when I was little. The scent of her shampoo and the trembling warmth of her hands made something in me unclench.

P'Fa stepped forward, ruffling my hair with a teasing grin. "So, fit and fine now, champ?"

I chuckled weakly, nodding. "Yes, P'Fa, I—"

I hesitated, my tongue heavy as a sudden wave of memories washed over me—of a girl with a bright laugh and eyes that could silence a room with a single glance, her presence a constant comfort I had somehow let slip away. My sister. P'Serena.

My eyes darted to Noey, then to Becky, who stood quietly in the corner. Her eyes were swollen, red around the edges, and it struck me—she had been crying. Becky, who once was a storm of cold words and distance, who used to stand with her arms crossed like she was guarding herself from the world. Why had she been crying for me?

I shook the thought away. The past was the past, and judging someone by it was never who I was, nor who I wanted to be.

But... where was everyone else? Dad? Kate? Nam?

P'Fa must have seen the unspoken question in my eyes. She offered a small, reassuring smile. "I know what you're thinking. Do you remember the mountain villa?"

I blinked, nodding slowly as memories trickled in—laughter echoing in the hallways, the crisp mountain air, a family trip meant to heal but followed by a storm of disasters that had torn us apart. "I do, P'Fa. But why are you asking?"

Mom moved closer, her thumb brushing gently across my temple. "They're there, Freen. Your dad, Kate, Nam... and your sister too."

My breath caught, eyes widening as P'Serena's face came rushing back to me—her teasing grin, the way she would scold me before ruffling my hair, the comfort of her arm draped over my shoulder. My voice came out as a whisper. "My... sister."