บท 271: Who Am I?

A young man slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids feeling heavy as if they had just borne the weight of the world.

The sharp scent of disinfectant invaded his nostrils, causing a slight tickle in his throat. The white light from the lamp above his head blinded his still blurry vision.

It took a few seconds before he was fully aware of his surroundings.

The white ceiling of the room, the translucent window curtains swaying gently from the breeze of the air conditioner, and the row of medical equipment next to the bed.

All these details pointed to one reality in his mind: he was in a VIP ward of a hospital.

"Who am I...?" He muttered softly, his voice hoarse, as if rarely used.

He began to feel the presence of an IV drip attached to his left arm. The white blanket covering his body felt soft, but he couldn't ignore the smell of medicine and the quiet atmosphere.

He tried to recall what had happened last. But his head throbbed every time he tried to dig up that memory, as if there was an invisible wall blocking his thoughts.

What was his name?

How did he end up here?

All of it was still hazy.

*CLICK-CREAK...*

The sound of the door opening softly made the young man turn towards the sound, although moving his head felt heavy.

A female nurse entered the room with a friendly smile, but the smile quickly turned into shock when her eyes met the young man's gaze.

"You're awake?" The nurse's voice trembled with surprise. Without wasting time, she quickly turned and ran out of the room.

"I'll call the doctor!" She exclaimed before disappearing behind the door.

"..."

A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps approached. An elderly man entered the room with calm movements.

His short black hair was neatly combed to the side, adding to the aura of authority radiating from him. His eyes were calm and still, examining the condition of the young man on the bed.

The doctor immediately approached and began checking the medical equipment around him.

In his weakened state, the young man groaned softly, his gaze fixed on the small nameplate on the man's chest. "Nakano Maruo" the name didn't evoke any memories.

"How are you feeling?" Maruo asked in a calm voice, his fingers deftly checking his pulse and other vital signs.

The young man tried to respond, but only a faint murmur came out. His head was still filled with confusion, as if a thick fog was blocking his memory.

"I... where am I?" Finally, he managed to utter words that sounded weak.

Maruo looked at him for a moment before finally answering, his voice calm but full of caution.

"You were found behind my daughter's restaurant. Your condition was very serious, your body was covered in blood and you were unconscious. The person who called the ambulance was my two daughters who happened to find you."

Remembering the other party's body had many scars, Maruo suspected the other party was part of a gang.

The young man stared in confusion.

What did he mean?

Restaurant?

Blood?

All that information sounded foreign to him.

"I'm going to ask you some questions." Maruo continued, his voice turning professional, like a doctor accustomed to handling situations like this.

"This is just to make sure of your mental state after waking up from a coma. Do you know your name?"

Previously, he had reported it to the police. But surprisingly, there was no information about this young man in the civil registry database.

That was impossible!

In the modern era, it was almost impossible for someone to roam around without an identity.

Maruo was worried that his daughters would be involved in a major problem related to this young man.

"..."

The young man furrowed his brow, trying to remember. But his head felt empty. Not a single name came to mind.

"My... name?" He whispered, confusion deepening on his face.

"I... don't know."

Maruo looked at him calmly and explained the situation the patient was experiencing.

"You suffered a very serious injury. It's a miracle you're still alive now. Your head was hit hard enough to cause amnesia. That's probably why you can't remember anything right now."

"..."

The young man fell silent for a moment, pondering the explanation. Then, suddenly, like lightning striking, a name came to his mind.

"Kamiki... Eiji... That's my name."

"Good, you remember your name. But what about other memories? Can you remember what happened before you were found? Or anything about your past?" Maruo nodded slowly and continued the questioning as well as the interrogation.

Eiji tried to force his thoughts, but all he got was emptiness. No matter how hard he tried, other memories wouldn't surface. There was only that one name, nothing else.

Feeling frustrated, Eiji grabbed his head, which was starting to ache, as if something was pressing from within.

Maruo, realizing this, gently patted the young man's shoulder.

"Don't force yourself. Amnesia like this can be temporary, but recovery takes time. You need to rest a lot."

Eiji looked down, trying to calm his mind, which was full of confusion and unanswered questions. He only knew one thing now: he was Kamiki Eiji, and the rest? Still locked within the thick fog.

After Maruo left, the room fell silent again. Only the soft sound of medical machines connected to his body could be heard, reminding Eiji that his body was not fully recovered.

Soon, the door opened slowly again, and a nurse entered with a tray in her hand.

"Your lunch is here." Said the nurse with a gentle smile, trying to make the atmosphere more cheerful.

"I heard from Maruo-sensei, you're still too weak to eat on your own, so I'll help feed you."

Eiji just nodded weakly, his eyes fixed on the tray containing a bowl of warm soup, rice, and a few pieces of vegetables. Honestly, he had no appetite, but he knew his body needed nutrients to recover faster.

The nurse sat next to bed, picked up a spoon and carefully blew air on the first spoonful of soup before feeding it to Eiji's mouth.

The taste of the food... bland. Even a little bitter. But Eiji didn't complain at all. He just opened his mouth, accepting spoonful after spoonful calmly.

"Maybe it doesn't taste good, right?" The nurse asked with a awkward smile. "Hospital food is rarely delicious, but at least it can help you recover faster."

Eiji remained silent, only nodding slightly in response.

The nurse seemed to realize the silence that dominated their conversation, and she tried to break the ice.

"You know? Many patients often complain about the food here. They say, 'How can I get better if the food tastes like this?'."

She chuckled, hoping to elicit a response from him.

"..."

However, Eiji just listened without saying anything. His gaze remained empty, his eyes only focused on the spoon that slowly approached his mouth every time the nurse fed him.

It wasn't because he didn't want to talk, but his mind was too full of confusion and unanswered questions. Even the nurse's voice trying to cheer him up felt distant, as if he was listening from behind a thick layer of glass.

After a few spoonfuls, the nurse spoke again, this time in a softer tone, "Of course, every patient has a unique story. But I believe, with time, you'll remember everything. The important thing is, you have to stay positive."

Eiji nodded again, but inside, he wasn't sure what to be positive about. His name might be back, but everything else was still dark.

After the last spoonful, the nurse smiled again, this time more satisfied.

"Okay, you've eaten enough for today. I'll be back later to check on you again. Rest peacefully."

Eiji nodded once more, his eyes slowly closing as drowsiness began to creep over his body. Meanwhile, the sound of the nurse's footsteps fading away felt further and further, and he sank back into silence.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something very important..." He muttered in a low voice.