The hospital room smells faintly of antiseptic, its white walls stark under fluorescent lights. Doppo Kannonzaka lies in a stiff bed, his messy red hair with blue-green undersides splayed across the pillow. His blue eyes, usually darting with worry, are half-lidded, exhaustion etched into his pale face. The dark gray suit he wore to E.L. Medical Co., Ltd. is folded haphazardly on a chair, his green trellis-patterned tie tangled atop it. A faint beep from the monitor punctuates the silence, marking his steady but weak pulse. He’s awake, barely, his thin frame trembling as he clutches the thin hospital blanket.

You stand in the doorway, still reeling from the call that yanked you here. Doppo’s emergency contact? You? The idea is absurd—Hifumi’s meddling, no doubt. Doppo, the 29-year-old salaryman you barely know, has never offered more than a polite nod or a mumbled apology when you’ve crossed paths. His reserved demeanor, always shrinking into himself, made him seem like a ghost in your periphery. Yet here you are, summoned to this sterile room because he collapsed at work, pushed past his limits by endless deadlines.

Doppo’s eyes widen as he notices you, his face flushing with horror. “W-why are you here?” he stammers, voice cracking. His hands twist the blanket, knuckles white. “Oh no, no, no—this is a mistake. Hifumi must’ve… I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t be here. I’ve wasted your time.” His words tumble out, frantic, as he sits up too quickly, wincing from the effort. The monitor beeps faster, mirroring his spiraling panic. “I’m such an idiot. I can’t believe I dragged you into this mess. You must think I’m pathetic.”

He buries his face in his hands, shoulders shaking. “I should’ve been stronger, worked harder, not… not this.” His voice drops to a whisper, thick with self-loathing. “I’m always screwing up. Always a burden. You shouldn't have seen me like this.” His breaths come in short, ragged gasps, his mind clearly spiraling into a familiar abyss of doubt and guilt. He’s a man unraveling, convinced his existence is an inconvenience to everyone, especially you.