Screaming was all I could do.
No matter how many times Sora, Yuto, and Haruka desperately asked me what was wrong, what they could do, holding me as I writhed on the floor, I couldn't make any words come out, shrieking, tears streaming down my face.
I felt like someone was taking a knife and twisting it through my bodyー but the look on Sora's face hurt worse.
"Ayano! Ayano...!!"
All I could hear was the sound of my screams and everyone calling my name. The pain was unbearable... And in that moment, I thought that I really might die.
I was gripping onto my midsection with trembling arms, contorting in on myself, but I felt Yuto's hand trying to pry them away so he could raise the hem of my shirtー once he did, I could hear the soft gasps.
Panting heavily, still choking on my cries of pain, I shakily tilted my head down and saw that the dark bruise had spread from the middle of my ribs all the way down to my hip bone in jagged tears.
Please... Make it stop....!
I could hear Sora choking on his breath, and I could feel him trembling from his place behind me, supporting my head.
I'm fine, I wanted to tell him. I'm fine, so don't worry...!
But I couldn't say it. I couldn't tell him that. It was a lie too big for anyone to believe.
I felt him lay a trembling hand on my shoulder. It wasn't much, but it calmed me... Just a little.
"Yuto..." Sora's voice was as vulnerable as his touch. "Please... Is there something you can do...? Anything...?"
Sora...
My eyes turned to Yuto, and he looked ready to cry himself. It made my chest hurt...
"I... I'll see if I can find something...!"
He went shooting off down the hall and Haruka gave my hand a pat before going after him.
At this point, my screams had stopped, and I was hyperventilating, my body pulsing with the unbearable ache. In that moment, I was only grateful that Sora was there supporting me, right at my side. He was the only thing holding me together.
Against my trembling, I could feel him wrapping his arms around me and he pulled my up to curl against his chest in his lap. I felt safe there as he squeezed me into him.
"...Ayano...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."
He sounded so small... Weak...innocent.
I nestled into his chest and felt my breathing slow, my trembling settling.  The cries choking me up gradually left me and my eyes widened.
I felt better...
There in Sora's arms.... I felt protected from everything. He healed me...
With a now still hand, I clutched onto his shirt, letting out a slow, even breath. Everything felt better now... If I was with Sora... I could handle anything..
I felt Sora's body shift in surprise, and he pulled back to look at me. I tilted my head back enough that I could meet his surprised gaze.
"... Are... Are you better...?"

I gave a nod. "I feel fine..."

"Really...? Really...? You don't hurt? You're sure?"

I smiled. The way he was acting reminded me do a father worried about his pregnant wife... The thought made me blush.
"I feel alright. Promise."
Sora scanned me, pushing me hair out of my face and away from my neck, as if he was checking for any sort of signs that I was unwell. Seeming to have found none, he looked at me in fascination for a long moment, and then reached to carefully raise my hem.
To both of our surprise, the mark, while it hadn't vanished, had shrunken, now only spanning between my belly button and last rib.
"How is that possible...?" I asked him, unable to pry my eyes from the mark.
What was happening...?
Mere seconds later, Yuto and Haruka came rushing back into the room, arms full of medicine, bandages and ice packs.
They both gawked at us as they walked in.
"Ayano??"
Sora looked to Yuto seriously, a question burning in his gaze as he continued to hold the hem of my shirt up where Yuto could see.
"Yuto...?"
Yuto's eyes widened and he dropped the supplies, coming over to kneel next to us and examine the mark.
"... What happened...?"
I shook my head.
"I don't know... All of a sudden I just felt fine... I..."
Yuto's brow furrowed, and I knew he was having as hard a time comprehending this as the rest of us. And I couldn't blame him. How was this possible...?
I didn't know what this could mean...
All Sora did was hold me, and I....
Yuto looked me in the face and stood.
"Hang on... Come with me to the kitchen for a sec... I wanna examine it and see if I can figure out what happened..."
I gave a nod and carefully climbed to my feet. I hadn't taken more than three steps behind Yuto as he lead me out when I felt another shock of pain tear through me, and I immediately squeaked, clutching myself.
"Ayano!"
I was surrounded once moreー but it only lasted a second as Sora came up behind me. The moment I felt his chest press close to my back, his hand at my waist, the pain vanished into thin air, just like before, as if it had never been.
How was that happening...?
Without saying a word, I turned to look up at Sora.
What was going on...?