Celestia felt uneasy because an old man beside her was hugging her tightly, as if he had a deep connection to her. But she couldn't remember or know whose presence that was.
"Thank you, child, for being safe. I really thought I had lost you," he said to her while holding her hand tightly.
"Child? Who are you?" she asked respectfully.
"I am your mother, Celestia. It's okay if you don't recognize me. What's important is that you'll recover from that illness soon," he replied in a cheerful tone.
"Ahh, you're a random person to talk to," she answered.
He didn't respond anymore and just let her rest peacefully. While she was thinking, she felt the pangs in her stomach from hunger.
She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but she was very hungry.
knock... knock... knock...
"Come in," said the old woman beside her.
"Hi Celestia, I already bought your food," she greeted happily.
Her smile grew wider when she realized that the woman she asked earlier for food had arrived. Because of her hunger, she thought she might die just from that.
"Thank you for coming. I've been hungry for a while. And you took so long to come back here," she said quickly.
"Sorry, there was traffic," was the reply.
She heard footsteps coming closer, which pleased her even more because finally, she would get to eat real food.
"This is delicious, what is this food... what...?" she asked, unable to say its name because she had forgotten again.
"It's a cheesy pancake," came the soft reply.
"Delicious! The wait was worth it, you're such a slowpoke. Wait, what was your name again?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"La... Lala," came a somewhat scared answer.
"Ahh, so you're Lala. What connection do you have with my life?" she asked coldly.
"Celestia, I've been your friend since we were little. My mom and your mom have been friends since elementary school," she explained.
Celestia nodded. "I asked who you are in my life, and you gave me an extra answer," she said seriously.
Lala didn't say anything for a few minutes until a man entered her patient room.
"Good evening to you both. I'm Dr. Kheo, and I'll be taking care of Celestia for now because Professor Wei is currently on leave," he politely greeted.
"Doc Kheo, when will my child's memories return?" asked the old woman.
"Ma'am, I can't say when her memories will come back. But I promise it won't be permanent memory loss. Any day, her memories may return," he answered politely. Celestia couldn't understand why her heart was shouting not to let her memories come back.
"I hope it lasts," she couldn't help but say.
"Child, what are you saying? Don't you want to know who you really are?" her supposed mother asked.
"The condition of this body is enough to answer that question, and yes, I don't want my memories back because I feel my life is miserable," she answered without emotion.
"You're wrong there, child. Your life is happy even in this condition. Lala is always by your side to guide you in everything, like siblings," she replied, stroking her long hair.
"Do you think I'll believe what you're saying? I don't even know you. I don't even know if I should trust you," she answered while grabbing the food.
"Let me feed you, Celestia," said Lala.
"I'm blind, not a stroke victim! That's mine!" she shouted.
"But…"
"But! But! But what? Get out of my room! Leave me alone, I don't need you, especially you, Lala, whoever you are!" she yelled angrily, no longer able to control her anger.
There was silence for a few seconds before the doctor spoke again.
"Come on, Lala and Ma'am, let's give her some rest."
Seconds later, she heard the door close. She breathed a sigh of relief, and the stress she was feeling lessened.
She savored the food in her lap.
"Why are you so angry?"
"F*ck!?" she threw the food she was holding.
"What surprised you?" he asked.
"Who wouldn't be surprised? I thought you all left, so I thought you were gone too. Why are you still here?" she asked angrily.
"Why are you so rude? You don't even remember, and you're this grumpy. Where did you get that attitude, woman?"
"Oh! Who do you think you are to talk to me like that? The nerve!" she threw a cheesy pancake she grabbed.
"Me? I'm just your doctor. Tone down the attitude if you don't want to get uglier," he replied.
"I don't care if I get uglier; I can't see myself anyway. Leave now! You ruined my mood," she shouted loudly to scare him.
"Under one condition, let me have some of that."
"Take it all, just leave me alone!"
She heard footsteps approaching and taking her food. She was annoyed because she wasn't even full yet, but because she wanted peace, she let him take her food.
"Here's half, I'll leave some for you in case you cry," he said as he walked away quickly.
"You bastard!?" she replied angrily and immediately picked up the pancake and threw it again.
She wasn't sure if it hit him or just went nowhere.
When she heard the door close again, she couldn't stop herself from screaming inside the room she was in.
ohhh son of the bitch!?...
She sat on the edge of her bed, eyes fixed on the pale walls, but inside, a strange sensation stirred deep within her chest. It was subtle at first — a fluttering, an uneasy rhythm — as if something was wrong with her heart.
Her breath caught. A cold sweat began to bead on her forehead.
"Is this... anxiety?" she wondered, but the unease was sharper than mere worry.
The familiar feeling of vulnerability clawed at her, a sudden wave of fear washing over her. What if her body was betraying her again?
She pressed a trembling hand to her chest, hoping to steady the erratic beating.
But the discomfort only grew, a tightening grip spreading through her ribs.
"Please, not now," she whispered, voice barely audible.
The room seemed to close in around her, shadows deepening in the corners.
Her mind raced — memories she tried to avoid, emotions she wished to suppress — all threatening to surface.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to give in.
"I won't break," she promised herself, though the ache in her heart felt like a warning.
For a long moment, she sat there, alone with the pain she couldn't explain, her fingers trembling as they traced the edge of the blanket.
Outside, distant footsteps echoed down the hallway, but she felt utterly isolated in that sterile room, caught between fear and defiance.