Chapter 206: Too Many Visits for One Patient.

The first thing Noah heard was a steady sound coming from some nearby machine.

He slowly opened his eyes, seeing a white ceiling, so he looked around, spotting a curtain to his right and a small screen beside the bed.

For several seconds he didn’t understand where he was.

’What happened?’

He tried to sit up, but a voice stopped him.

"Noah!"

Emma appeared immediately at his side.

She had a worried expression that partially disappeared when she saw he had woken up.

"Finally!"

Noah blinked.

"Mom?"

Emma hugged him carefully.

"You had us so worried!"

Noah took a few seconds to react, after which he recognized Sarah, who was sitting near the window, and Ava was there too.

The two of them stood up when they saw he was awake.

"How are you feeling?"

Sarah asked, and Noah looked around.

"Fine..."

His voice sounded a bit weak.

"I think."

Ava approached immediately.

"Does anything hurt?"

"No."

"Your head?"

"Neither."

"Your chest?"

"I’m fine."

"Can you move your hands?"

Noah raised both hands and Ava examined them.

"And your legs?"

"Ava."

"What?"

"I already said I’m fine."

She frowned.

"That’s what you said before you passed out."

Noah fell silent and then remembered what had happened.

The movie theater, Stella, the romantic film, the protagonist trying to meet her ex-boyfriend, and that scene where she crossed a street without looking.

After that... nothing.

Noah slowly lowered his hands.

’I fainted.’

Sarah approached the bed.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Noah looked at her.

"I was watching a movie."

"That’s what they told us."

Emma pulled away from him a little.

"A girl called emergency services when you lost consciousness."

Noah remembered Stella.

’So it was her.’

Sarah continued.

"They contacted us from the hospital after they brought you in."

"Ah."

Ava crossed her arms.

"Why did you faint?"

Noah didn’t answer immediately, since that was a good question and one he couldn’t answer himself either.

He remembered the headache, the feeling of distress, and those strange images that had appeared in his mind.

’What was that memory?’

Emma noticed he remained silent.

"Noah."

He reacted.

"Yes?"

"Did something happen while you were watching the movie?"

Noah hesitated.

He could tell them about the dream or the strange images, but he didn’t know what they meant either.

Besides, explaining that he had remembered an unknown girl while watching a movie would probably only worry them more.

"I’m not sure."

Sarah frowned slightly.

"Were you feeling bad before?"

"A little."

"How?"

Noah thought.

"My head started to hurt."

Emma watched him.

"A lot?"

"At first, no."

"And then?"

"It got worse."

Sarah sighed.

"You should have said something."

"I know."

Ava came even closer.

"Had you eaten?"

"Yes."

"Did you sleep well?"

Noah hesitated.

"More or less."

Ava pointed at him.

"That means you didn’t."

"Not necessarily."

"Of course it does."

Emma intervened.

"Ava, let him rest."

"I’m just asking."

"You’re interrogating him."

Ava looked at Noah, who smiled slightly.

"Thanks for worrying."

That seemed to calm her, though only a little, while Sarah sat down beside the bed.

"The medical staff said you were stable."

Noah looked at her.

"So can I leave?"

"First they have to finish checking you over."

"I understand."

Emma adjusted his pillow.

"And you’re going to rest when we get back."

Noah sighed.

"Yes."

"No going out again today."

"All right."

"No staying up late."

"Okay."

Ava raised a hand.

"And no dates."

Noah looked at her.

"What?"

"Clearly it was a date that caused this."

"It wasn’t the date."

"You fainted during one."

"That doesn’t mean..."

Sarah intervened.

"Ava."

She closed her mouth and Noah let himself fall back against the pillow.

’This is going to be complicated.’

After a medical check-up, they explained that he would remain under observation for a while longer.

They hadn’t found a conclusive cause for the fainting, but they wanted to make sure the symptoms didn’t return.

Noah accepted; he didn’t have many alternatives, but while he waited, he checked his phone and there were dozens of messages.

Yume, Luna, Iris, Aria, Ren, Hikari, and even Stella.

Everyone was asking about his condition, so Noah opened the group chat.

[I’m awake.]

Yume’s reply arrived immediately.

[NOAH!]

Then another one appeared.

[ARE YOU OKAY!?]

Noah typed.

[Yes.]

Luna replied.

[What did the doctors say?]

[They’re still checking me.]

Aria sent.

[Which hospital are you at?]

Noah hesitated.

’Don’t tell me...’

Before he could answer, he received another message from Ren.

[We already know where you are.]

Noah froze.

’How?’

Iris continued.

[See you there.]

Noah stared at the screen.

"..."

He slowly put the phone away.

Something told him his room would stop being peaceful very soon, and he wasn’t wrong, because approximately half an hour later, someone knocked on the door.

Sarah looked up.

"Come in."

The door opened and Yume appeared first.

"Noah!"

She entered hurriedly.

Luna appeared behind her, then Iris, Aria, Ren, and finally Hikari.

Noah’s eyes widened.

’They all came.’

Yume went straight to the bed.

"How are you!?"

"Fine."

"Does anything hurt!?"

"No."

"Can you breathe!?"

Noah looked at her.

"I’m answering you."

"That doesn’t mean you’re completely fine!"

Luna approached.

"Yume."

"What?"

"Let him talk."

Yume took a deep breath and then sat beside the bed.

"All right."

Emma smiled when she saw them.

"It’s good that you came."

Aria gave a small bow.

"Of course."

Ren also greeted politely.

"Good afternoon."

Sarah observed the group.

"I suppose you found out what happened."

Luna nodded.

"That’s right."

Iris looked at Noah.

"You worried us."

Noah smiled.

"Sorry."

Iris lowered her gaze to her phone.

"It’s fine."

Ava, who remained near the bed, watched all of them with obvious distrust, especially when Yume took one of Noah’s hands.

"Well."

Ava crossed her arms.

"You’ve already confirmed he’s alive."

Yume looked at her.

"Yes."

"Then there’s no need for you to surround him."

Luna answered calmly.

"We’re visiting him."

"I see."

Aria smiled.

"That’s precisely why we brought a few things."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Things?"

Yume reacted immediately.

"That’s right!"

She pulled out a bag she was carrying.

"I brought you a gift!"

Noah blinked.

"A gift?"

"Yes."

Yume opened the bag and inside was a fairly large box.

Noah took it.

"What is it?"

"Candy!"

Noah opened the box.

There were cookies, chocolates, hard candies, and several packages of sweets, at which Noah looked at Yume.

"Did you buy all this?"

She smiled.

"I thought you needed to recover some energy."

Luna observed the contents.

"That’s not a recovery diet."

Yume frowned.

"I didn’t say it was a diet."

"There’s too much sugar."

"Because they’re sweets!"

"Exactly."

Noah tried to intervene.

"I like them."

Yume smiled immediately.

"See?"

Luna sighed.

"Just because he likes them doesn’t mean he should eat them all."

Yume crossed her arms.

"So strict."

Noah closed the box.

"Thanks, Yume."

She smiled happily.

"You’re welcome."

Then Luna approached.

"I brought something too."

Noah looked at her.

"What?"

Luna placed a bag on the table and began taking out objects.

First a bottle of water, then packets of oral rehydration solution, a small pack of tissues, a digital thermometer, a notebook, and finally a box of herbal teas.

Noah observed everything.

"Luna..."

She continued.

"I also prepared some recommendations."

She took out a sheet of paper and Noah received it.

There were schedules, rest times, instructions for staying hydrated, and some general recommendations to avoid exhaustion, always as long as the medical staff agreed.

Noah looked at Luna.

"You prepared all this?"

"Exactly."

"When?"

"After I found out."

Yume observed the table.

"That looks like a pharmacy."

Luna looked at her.

"I didn’t bring any medicine."

"Then what is all that?"

"Useful things."

Iris looked up.

"The thermometer is useful."

Luna nodded.

"Thanks."

Noah smiled.

"Thanks, Luna."

She came a little closer.

"I want you to rest."

"I will."

"Really."

"I will."

Luna looked at him for a few seconds and then nodded.

"Good."

Iris was next, so she took out a small bag and Noah looked at her.

"You brought something too?"

"Yes."

She handed him a package and Noah opened it.

Inside was an adjustable phone stand, a portable battery, and a gift card for a videogame platform.

Noah blinked.

"Iris."

"What?"

"Why this?"

She answered with complete naturalness.

"You’re going to be resting."

"Yes, but..."

"So you can play."

Noah looked at the portable battery.

"And this?"

"So you don’t have to get up to look for a charger."

"And the stand?"

"To play while lying down."

Noah fell silent and Iris looked at him.

"It’s practical."

Noah smiled.

"Yes, pretty much."

Iris nodded.

"Good."

Ren observed the gift.

"That was very thoughtful."

Iris took out her phone again.

"I also picked some games that don’t require too much concentration."

Luna looked at her.

"He should sleep."

Iris replied.

"When he’s not sleeping."

Luna thought for a few seconds.

"That’s acceptable."

Noah sighed.

’At least they reached an agreement.’

Then Aria approached.

She was carrying an elegant bag, far too elegant, and Noah started to worry before she spoke.

"Aria."

"Yes?"

"What did you buy?"

She smiled.

"Something small."

Noah narrowed his eyes.

"I don’t trust that description."

Aria ignored the comment, so she placed a box on the table that had an impeccable finish and the logo of an exclusive brand.

Noah observed it.

"What is it?"

"Open it."

Noah obeyed and inside was a limited-edition smartwatch.

Its design was elegant, and it also included several activity and health tracking functions.

Noah observed it for several seconds and then looked at Aria.

"How much did it cost?"

She smiled.

"Don’t worry about that."

"Aria."

"Yes?"

"How much?"

"Its price isn’t important."

Noah felt a bad premonition.

Ren looked at the watch and then sighed.

"Aria..."

"What?"

"You bought the exclusive model."

"Of course."

"The limited production one?"

"That’s right."

Noah looked at the watch again.

"How much did it cost?"

Ren leaned toward him, told him the figure in a low voice, and Noah froze.

"..."

He looked at Aria again.

"Are you crazy?"

Aria blinked.

"Why?"

"With that money I could buy several computers!"

"Then we can buy you one too."

"That’s not the point!"

Aria smiled.

"I wanted to make sure you had something of good quality."

Noah observed the watch.

"But..."

"Besides, you can track your activity and check some general measurements."

Luna raised an eyebrow.

"That could be useful."

Aria looked at her.

"Exactly."

Noah brought a hand to his face.

"Thanks, Aria."

She smiled, satisfied.

"You’re welcome."

Ava watched the entire scene with an increasingly less pleasant expression.