Two days later, Deya was moved to a regular room. Everyone was with her now.
"How's my brother?"
"He's fine. He's still in the ICU, but the doctors say the worst is over and everything will be okay. Tomorrow your teammates and friends want to visit you," Kira said gently.
"That old idiot doesn't take care of himself at all — he just grabbed me like a kitten and pulled me right out the window," Deya said bitterly.
"I know it hurts, but you shouldn't blame yourself. Your brother even saved me. I have no doubt he would do the same for any of you. You're like a daughter to him. I think each of us is ready to take risks for you," Miku said.
"That may be, but I'm not eager to see it," Deya said sadly.
"I know, but one day, when you hold your own child in your arms, you'll understand what I mean."
Hearing this, Deya barely stopped herself from touching the bandage on her face. She hadn't yet seen the consequences the accident had left on her, but the girl knew this would stay with her for life.
The next day, her basketball teammates came to see her. Deya was very happy to see them, and upon learning they had won, she was thrilled for the girls.
"Captain, when we heard you were fighting for your life, we just couldn't lose to those feathered chickens. We're glad you're okay, and we hope you can come back. Without you, the 'Wild Foxes' will lose some of their charm," Carla said. When it came to skill, she was second only to Deya.
But despite that, there were no conflicts in their team. Deya, who had trained almost since infancy, never acted arrogant and was always polite with them. There were times when she defended them from bullies and taught them a few self-defense moves.
Carla was sure that if Deya were a boy, most of the team would have fallen for her.
"Thank you, I'm really glad you made it, but honestly, I'm not sure I'll return."
"We'll be waiting for you."
When Deya was able to see her brother, she was shocked: while she only had a bandage on her face, her brother was covered in bandages from head to toe.
The thought that her brother had paid such a high price to pull her out of that car made the girl weep bitterly, and the thought of what might be under those bandages frightened her.
"You don't need to worry so much. This is a small price for your life. I'm very glad you're okay. It will take time, but I'll be fine."
"Aren't you afraid that one of your girls might run away when she sees what's under those bandages?" Deya asked. It was important to her, knowing she would blame herself if anyone close to her brother left because of it.
"If any of them leave, it will only mean I was wrong again about the person I let close. That will be my mistake, so don't worry about it."
"Do you already know Miku is here?"
"Yes. Recovery could take several years. I would have preferred her to forget me and move on, but apparently that's impossible. I hope her presence will help her move forward in the future."
"Will the girls have no time to look after me?"
"We've already discussed it. I offered to hire a nurse, but they decided to leave it to Miku, if you don't mind."
"Don't worry, I have no problem with that."
Time passed, and Deya spent most of her time in her brother's room. After this incident, her attachment to her brother multiplied several times over. Her friends constantly visited her, helping her cope with the fear.
The fact that Rocky was among those who visited made the girl very happy. Even though she was a very unusual child, Deya was still a girl. The thought of what she might see when it was time to remove the bandage terrified her.
Not only Ray's women and his friends helped the girl suppress her fear, but also her school friends. Unexpectedly, she realized she was very grateful for Rocky's support — part of her had thought he might distance himself after the accident. It was through the support and care of those close to her that she believed she could get through it.
But when she saw her face, Deya fell into depression, stopped eating, and said she didn't want to see anyone.
Faced with this, Ray's women gathered together to solve the problem.
Miku took the floor and said:
"I think it's best to leave this to Ray. He always knows what to say."
Kira said thoughtfully:
"You're right, he always finds the right words, but we're supposed to be his support. If we can't solve a problem like this, what kind of support are we? Any ideas?"
After thinking for a moment, Yuno said:
"Leave this to me."