Dazhiki sat by the bed, looking at Sairona lying there, and couldn't help feeling a pang of heartache. Her eyes were still red and swollen; she'd cried too many times over the past few days. Sairona's expression was as calm as ever. His eyes, framed by long lashes, were closed, and his breathing was steady. The doctor had said it was only a matter of time before he woke up. Dazhiki reached out and gently stroked his face. When she'd heard that Sairona was gravely injured and might even die, she'd finally realized she'd fallen in love with him. She wasn't wearing her Marine uniform. A simple velvet robe showed off her figure perfectly—a rare sight. Dazhiki felt that, right now, she wasn't a Marine petty officer. She was just Sairona's girlfriend—or... his wife.
Rono had come by several times, and Gelu had accompanied him on a few of those visits. Spandam came every single day. After all, he was the one who'd caused this mess. Mo and Jeff had only visited once. Mo hadn't said anything, but Jeff had asked Dazhiki to tell Sairona to visit him on the Red Line Continent once he woke up. Nami came and went; Mo had given her a task to complete.
Rono had woken up three days ago, still without a single injury. When he awoke, Axia was asleep beside his bed, and Gelu was sprawled across the blanket. Rono's heart ached. He carefully climbed out of bed and settled Gelu down, then Axia picked the little one up and placed him on the bed. Rono sat nearby, quietly watching them sleep.
The door opened, and a tall figure ducked into the room. He saw Dazhiki murmuring about their shared experiences and smiled. "Still hasn't woken up?"
"Hi, Gelu!" The little