Kuro, a fox spirit

In the quiet confines of the hospital room, where beeping monitors and hushed whispers became his daily soundtrack, a young boy found solace in the glowing screen of his laptop. As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across his pale face, he typed anxiously. And when the work was done, the moon was already high, and the halls felt silent.

“Ah, finally finished. I hope Uncle will get a raise with this one. Now to send.”

*TAB*

After weeks of hard work, he could finally have a proper sleep. Putting his laptop aside, he let out a satisfied sigh and lay down. Looking at the white ceiling, it reminded him how this place had become his second home since he was ten. It was just a light pain in the chest for a few weeks, but due to his pride, he did not call for help from his parents. It was lucky that his younger brother found him fainted that night. The next thing he knew was this ceiling. But despite his physical limitations, the boy had found refuge in the realm of programming. It was through coding that he managed to escape the confines of his illness and prove to himself that he was capable of contributing to his family in meaningful ways.

*Brm.Brm.Brm*

“At this hour? Must be Akihito. Does he need help with studying? Wait. Uncle?”

*Bip!*

“Uncle. Thanks for calling. Wh-”

“Kuro! The project deadline is at the end of this month!!!”

“So you received it. Does my work need any improvement?”

“Ah, no, your documentation is fine. The note is clear and detailed, the code is well-organized as always. I hope my guys can wor-. Wait. No. No. No. The problem here is that your work is way too good and too soon! Just how much time did you pour into this?”

“Hey, it is not only me. Mr. Sakai, Mr. Nagamasa, and Miss Sakura also contributed to this for the past 2 months. Don’t put me on a pedestal like that.” “Seriously? Do you really think I don’t know my subordinates' writing style? Ah, those three… relying on a sick kid while they have healthy bodies.”

“Uncle…”

“Hah...looks kid. You've been pushing yourself too hard lately. And before you protest, I and your father already asked the nurse. Take a few days off. Play games. Read books. Chat with others. Anything. Do anything that can relax your mind. Just… Just rest, kid.”

“...”

“You should. No, you must.”

“Fine. I will. Anyway, thanks for your concern,” Kuro said with a defeated voice.

“Remember, rest.”

“Fine. You don’t need to keep reminding me like that.”

“After all, I want to continue writing my fic…”

“Hey Kuro, before we end.”

“Huh?”

The voice from the other side fell silent for a few minutes until Kuro decided to restart the conversation. But before that, his uncle continued, “Uhm, I know that I am not a man for big words, but I want you to know that your family doesn't see you as a burden. We will be here for you every to support and cheer you on. You have proven time and time again that you are capable, talented, and successful in the future. But don’t let your pride swallow you whole. Seek help if you face hard challenges.”

“Geez. Okay, I get it. Your nephew is already 18, uncle.” Hearing his uncle's tone turn soft and genuine care really surprised the teenager based on how straightforward he is.

“Haha, but under me and my brother's view, you four are just little girls and boys. So it is already late. Good night, Kuro. And stay healthy, I have a game of shogi planned this weekend and I need a partner.”

“Good night, Uncle.”

With those words resonating within him, Kuro closed the phone and set it aside. He let out a deep breath, feeling both gratitude and a sense of guilt wash over him. But then the boy realized that he had missed his daily medication. Reaching the small container of pills on the bedside table, he carefully popped open the lid of the pill container and took out his daily dosage. But suddenly, Kuro paused for a moment, then the next thing he knew was the scattering sound and the world turned black.

It hurt.

The young boy froze. He had expected the pain would come from his chest but instead, his head felt like it was splitting. His body right now was just like a puppet with cut strings.

Anxiety strikes the boy.

One minute. Two minutes. He tried to move his hand and open his eyes. But what awaited him was silence. And as Kuro attempted to move his body and his mouth once again, his vision returned. It was his room’s floor. The pills were scattered beside him. But as Kuro stand up to reach the phone, he found out that he was not receiving any sensation from the cold floor.

“Wait... What?”

And then he looks into his previous spot. There is a body in there and it is him.

As a natural reations, his lungs tries it hardest to graph the air while his legs lost their life and he fell to the ground. He had not panicked like this in a long time.

“Calm… Calm down Kuro. Maybe this is a dream… Yes… Maybe I just had a nightmare… Yeah, that must be it! I can’t … I can’t die, right?...”

But what was displayed in front of him said otherwise. As a man of logic, Kuro knew that he was already dead. The pain came from his head and his unhealthy lifestyle in the past two months suggested that he had a stroke. And based on the time of the end of the call and the time the clocks on the wall displayed, it was already 40 minutes, he had passed the perfect time for first aid. But with all that, Kuro believed that he could be saved. And while being occupied by his bright imaginary scenarios, the boy did not notice the presence of two figures behind his clustered self.

“So what do you think about him, Mel?”

Looking at the frightened boy below her, Melanoche cursed her sister in her heart for wasting her time. But after looking deep into Kuro’s memories, her face soften.

“Quite a surprise. He is a good candidate. It seems like your brain can still function.”

“Kek.”

The duo placed their hands on the boy’s shoulders. As if it had a soothing effect, Kuro’s attention returned and focused on the sensation in his shoulders. But before he could see what was behind him, something unexpected happened in the next moment.

A circle of weird symbols appeared under him and a beacon of red light shot forth from the floor and enveloped his surroundings. With everything gradually painted red, the young boy closed his eyes, unable to stare into the light. That brilliant illumination lingered for a long while before slowly fading away.