Elevation

Chapter 4

The pitter-patter of the rain on your umbrella soothes you. You stand silently, gazing up at the sky with unfocused eyes. Unlike most people, you really don't mind the rain. In fact, most days you'd prefer rain to sun. There was something about the smell, the atmosphere of rain that soothed you. And you really didn't mind lightning or thunder. So you were glad to finally see a storm on this island, so you could clear your mind.

You allowed Kamukura to help your friends, but you've hardly visited them since then. It's been three and a half weeks, and still no one has opened their eyes. Anxiety overtakes you for a moment, and you scowl up at the sky.

"Fuck... what if it wasn't enough?"

As time passes, you've become more and more convinced that Kamukura hasn't really helped your friends, that you've all failed - that they'll never open their eyes again. Every day, you'd gotten closer to your breaking point.

But today... well, something as simple as rain had cooled your mind. You haven't been to the hospital in a while, but no one would be able to stop you from visiting your friends today.

You linger outside a little longer, but you're anxious to go in and look at their faces. All of a sudden, you have an almost indescribable feeling - it's as if you believe that since you can't see them, they don't exist. You need to walk in, right now, and make sure your friends are all still there - still alive, still real. You reach for the door handle, and -

Someone clears their throat behind you, and you jerk backwards... but sigh in relief when you see who it is.

"Oh - hey, Naegi."

He waves at you, an endearing smile stretching across his face. "Hinata-san! You're up pretty early!"

"How many times have I told you not to add -san to my name? We're friends, and anyway you're higher-up then I am - well, I'm not even IN the Future Foundation, so -"

Naegi bounds up the steps and bumps your arm lightly. "Ah, I know. I'll stop... Maybe." This time, his grin is unmistakably sly.

"Oi, you-!"

Laughing, Naegi pushes past you and escapes into the hospital. You stand there a moment longer, trying to rearrange your face into a neutral expression instead of the goofy grin you're wearing now. Naegi is wise beyond his years sometimes, sure, and always an inspiration to those around him - but he's also just a five-year-old.

Closing your umbrella, you step into the hospital lobby. It's still pretty early in the day, so the hospital seems serene. The plants still haven't lost their luster, and the ceiling fan's quiet whirring is a comfortable addition to the atmosphere. Naegi is standing in the middle of the room, shaking his hair out.

You snicker. "You look like a dog."

"You are a dog."

"Takes one to know one."

He looks like he's about to crack up, but a strange sound from upstairs causes the both of you to pause. It was too quiet for you to even realize what it was that you heard.

"...Naegi? Is anyone else here?"

His eyebrows furrow. "Well... I saw Souda, Sonia, and Owari playing video games at the hotel before I came here."

"And I just came from Kuzuryuu's cabin... he's sick in bed."

"Ah..."

"Maybe Togami or Kirigiri-"

"No, they left on the ship I arrived in yesterday."

"...Let's go check it out."

"Right."