Komorebi [Complete]

Part 2 - LIGHT

Chapter 2

"'And the boy held her hands. They were soft and warm—much like the cup of coffee they had shared just a few moments ago. He put his hand to her waist and grasped her hand with the other. Then they danced to the silent music of nature with only the moon to light them and the wind to accompany them,'" Celia read.

"And?" Amelia asked.

"That's it for that chapter," Celia said, putting down The Midnight Dance book on Amelia's bedside table. She playfully tapped Amelia's nose—a gesture she seemed to have developed for the sole purpose of telling Amelia that enough is enough.

"Can't you read me one more?" Amelia begged.

Celia laughed. "You're seventeen; I'm sure you can read on by yourself."

"But I like how you narrate stories!"

"Well then," Celia said, standing up. "You'd have to wait until tomorrow." The nurse stroke the girl's hair like her own daughter. She sighed. "You really made me worry today."

"I know," Amelia replied, sighing back. "But I really couldn't remember what actually happened. I just remember touching a ring, then pain came over and then next thing I know I'm here on my hospital bed."

"The guys that got you didn't report about a ring," Celia said. "If they did, they would've told me about it. What did it look like?"

"I don't know. Silver, maybe? It looked pretty ordinary."

"Maybe it triggered some of your memories?" Celia suggested.

"Maybe."

Celia gazed upon the girl's clear, youthful eyes with compassion. "If you get your memories back, you'd have to leave this place. You know that, right?"

Amelia nodded.

"Won't that be great, though?"

"Yeah..." Amelia muttered. "But I won't be able to see any of you guys again."

Celia sat back down on the girl's bed. She took her hand and held it tight. "Amelia," she started. "You've been here for about three years. You deserve to meet new people and to learn new things out there." She gestured outside the girl's window. It was night out; the moon was partially hidden by a hoard of clouds. A few stars twinkled meekly.

"It's pretty dark out there," Amelia replied, sarcastic.

"Oh you know what I mean."

Amelia laughed. "Just kidding," she added. "But I do meet new people here."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah! I met that newly transferred boy and his nurse!"

"You mean Taylor and Prince?" Celia asked warily, her grasp weakening on Amelia's hand. A sad, nostalgic expression filled Celia's face. She stared at her hands with eyes drowned with sorrow—it seemed as if she could burst out crying anytime soon.

Amelia could only observe her, confused. It was rare for her to see Celia like that. Celia was the girl that loved to live in the moment; not to recount the past. Amelia couldn't take the silence. "Is Prince your ex-boyfriend?" she asked.

Celia perked up upon hearing this, like an idle bunny suddenly flipping its ears up. "What? No!" The nurse shook her head hard. So hard that Amelia thought she might've been having a seizure. "No, no, definitely no!" Celia repeated. The thought of it reanimated her. She swung off Amelia's bed and crossed her arms. Shaking her head once more—less extreme than the last one—she said, "You're keeping me here, aren't you?"