Dani was still lying in bed, staring at the plain white ceiling of the hospital room, like a blank sheet of paper with no answers. The silence felt suffocating. His breath was heavy, but something more pressing than uncertainty weighed on him. What had just happened?
His mind spun, grinding like old gears forced to turn. Like a broken film, images of thick fog, a crying red-haired girl, and the stabbing pain in his eye and ear swirled again in his head.
"Was all that just a dream? But why did it feel so real... Even the pain... I can still feel it."
The sound of approaching footsteps stopped the whirlwind of his thoughts. A middle-aged man in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck—the doctor who had examined Dani earlier—entered the room. With a faint smile, the doctor walked closer, carrying a clipboard in his hand.
"Mr. Dani, you truly are a miracle," the doctor said softly, as if not wanting to disturb the silence still enveloping the room.
Dani turned slowly. The words pierced his mind like a thin dagger. "A miracle?" he murmured, almost voiceless. "What do you mean... What really happened, Doctor?"
The doctor took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed. "You experienced a very rare case of acute sensory nerve hyperfunction. Your left eye and ear suddenly underwent extreme pressure, causing bleeding. But, what's even more surprising is that this condition usually leaves permanent nerve damage or at least affects your vision and hearing function. Yet, somehow, you recovered completely... as if nothing ever happened."
Dani swallowed hard. The doctor's words were like dark clouds gathering in his mind. The diagnosis sounded logical, but... how was that possible? Why did all this happen to him? Why did he meet a girl named Neir in that place? What was the connection to all this?
Before he could think of an answer, the sound of quick footsteps followed from outside. The room door opened, and a familiar face appeared before him—his mother. The middle-aged woman arrived with swollen eyes and trembling steps, accompanied by the pretty nurse who had been startled to see Dani conscious earlier.
"Dani... thank goodness, Son!" His mother immediately hugged him tightly, her crying voice breaking like incessant heavy rain. The hug was warm, so fragile, like someone trying to piece together shards of glass that were nearly lost.
Dani, still confused, just let himself be hugged. A tightness spread in his chest, not from emotion, but from guilt that crept in quietly. "I'm just an unemployed guy, yet I keep burdening my family..." he mentally scoffed at himself. Even in this condition, his mind was filled with doubt.
"Mom... sorry for causing trouble," Dani said softly, almost whispering.
His mother shook her head quickly, still crying. "Don't say that, Son. What's important is that you're safe. You... you're my child..."
Silence crept back in, leaving only the sound of his mother's heavy breath, not yet fully calm. Dani looked at the doctor and asked, "When can I go home, Doctor?"
The doctor smiled slightly. "We'll run a few health tests first. If everything is fine, you can go home today."
---
Sometime later, Dani underwent a series of medical tests. The nurse who had looked panicked earlier now returned with a professional demeanor, but Dani couldn't ignore one thing. She was very pretty. Her hair was tied neatly, her smile was thin yet calming. Dani felt a little... awkward. He didn't know why he felt clumsier than usual.
"Mr. Dani, please take a deep breath," the nurse said while placing the stethoscope on his chest.
Dani obeyed. In his mind, he murmured quietly, "Damn... I was in a coma for a week, but now I'm getting flustered by this nurse..."
Several examinations were completed, and the nurse finally handed over Dani's health records. "Everything is normal, Mr. Dani. You are completely healthy," she said with a smile.
"Thank you, Miss... uh... Nurse," Dani replied nervously. The nurse just smiled slightly and left the room. Dani sighed in relief, while hiding the embarrassment tickling his heart.
---
His mother quickly helped Dani pack the simple belongings he had brought during his treatment. Dani glanced at his mother and whispered, "Mom, sorry... for causing trouble again."
"I already told you, Son. What's important is that you're healthy. Don't think about strange things," his mother replied gently.
As the two of them walked out toward the hospital's main entrance, Dani was stunned. In front of the door, a man in a shabby jacket jogged toward them, panting heavily. It was Susanto, Dani's close friend.
Susanto, still panting after running, stood before Dani with his usual grinning face. His shabby jacket was wet in several places from sweat and light rain.
"You finally woke up, Dan! I thought you... yeah, never mind. What matters is you're alive!" Susanto grinned, though his voice sounded breathless.
Dani looked at him flatly. "Huh, why do you look like you just finished a marathon?"
Susanto let out a dramatic sigh while patting his knees. "Long time no see, and you're still as snarky as ever, you shut-in. I just came from the restroom, Dan! My stomach hasn't been compromising since earlier. Suddenly you wake up, so I ran like someone being chased by debt collectors!"
Dani held back a small laugh. "You really haven't changed, To. So, whose car did you use to pick me up? It looks pretty antique."
Susanto pointed to an old cream-colored car in the parking lot. "This? Borrowed from Mr. Ari. I happened to fix his car. Borrowed it while I could, so... yeah, this is it. Not cool, but it still runs."
Dani smirked slightly. "You went to all that trouble just to pick me up?"
"Of course, you idiot! Did you think I'd leave my friend alone in the hospital?" Susanto retorted quickly, his voice slightly raised. But behind his curtness, there was a sincerity only Dani could understand.
Dani let out a short sigh. Instantly, a small warmth spread in his heart. In a world that kept turning its back on him, at least there was still Susanto. "Thanks, To..." he murmured quietly, almost inaudible.
"What? I didn't hear that," Susanto replied while placing Dani's small suitcase in the trunk of the car.
"Don't drag it out. Let's just go," Dani said, getting into the car.
---
The car drove slowly under the heavy downpour that tapped on the car windows like a melancholic rhythm played by nature. The streets of Temanggung that evening looked gray and quiet, like a faded old painting.
Dani sat in the back seat, leaning back with a blank gaze fixed on the raindrops on the window. Susanto and his mother talked in the front, their voices alternating with light jokes, but Dani was lost in his thoughts.
"Is this real? If so, Neir... where are you now? Are you okay? And why did all this have to happen to me?"
The question spun endlessly, like a broken clock hand still trying to move. His eyes stared outside, at the wet trees swaying in the wind. In the distance, his small house began to appear, standing silently amid the unending downpour.
When the car stopped, Dani looked at his mother for a moment. "Dad and Rendi are already waiting inside, right?" he asked flatly.
His mother nodded with a warm smile. "Yes, Son. They can't wait for you to come home."
Susanto turned around, opening the car door while chuckling. "Come on, I'll carry your stuff again if you want. But if you refuse, I'll shout 'Arrogant patient!' right here."
Dani shot him a sharp glare. "Don't pretend to be so caring!" he said, quickly getting out of the car. Yet, beneath his annoyance, a small smile was etched on his lips. Only Susanto could make things feel normal even when his heart was in pieces.
The rain was still pouring heavily, wetting the ground and filling the air with a cold scent. Dani stood for a moment in front of his house, looking at the old door. There was warmth waiting for him inside, but also... a mystery he couldn't yet answer.
"Neir... is this the beginning of something bigger?"
With slow steps, Dani followed his mother into the house, leaving the rain and all his confusion outside. Yet, deep in his heart, he knew this wasn't the end. This was the beginning of something he couldn't yet understand.
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