An Old Sweet Story About Rebirth

Shane leisurely flipped a page before answering, his voice casual, “I’m looking at your work.”
Tyler’s face shifted from red to pale, and his words tangled in his throat. “You… How… Why…”
He wanted to say, How do you have this book? Why are you looking at something so childish?

But in his embarrassment and surprise, the words got stuck in his mouth.
Despite the incoherence of Tyler's half-sentence, Shane understood exactly what was going on.
With his trademark calmness, he answered Tyler’s unspoken question. “It was Emily who gave it to me.”

“She said it was a book you drew for her, that it was really good and interesting, and that I should be sure to read it.”
Tyler’s ears turned crimson. He struggled for words, finally managing to force out, “It… it wasn’t meant for anyone else!”
The book was something Tyler had drawn when he was younger, a makeshift comic based on the “Doraemon” stories.

A long time ago, his mother had brought home a copy of Doraemon from the city. Tyler had loved it, and little Emily, who couldn’t yet read, loved it too.
By the time Emily began to learn how to read, their family no longer had money for books. So she could only flip through that single comic over and over, always asking Tyler what happened next, what new gadgets Doraemon had, and what adventures they went on.
Seeing his younger sister’s eager face, Tyler began drawing his own “stories” for her. On the back of his notebooks, he drew a crooked Doraemon, telling Emily, “This time, Doraemon uses the Anywhere Door to take Nobita to a really fun place…”

As time passed, his drawings improved. The crooked characters started to have better expressions, and the stories grew more elaborate.
Eventually, Tyler decided to bind the pages together, creating his own “book” — one that only Emily would read.
He never imagined that Emily would give it to Shane.

Shane, noticing Tyler’s discomfort, calmly added, “Emily just wanted to show her brother’s friend how talented you were.”
Tyler felt his face burn even hotter.
He bit his lip, muttering again, “It wasn’t meant to be shown to anyone else…”

Shane simply nodded. “I understand.”
Then, he closed the book and handed it back to Tyler with a soft smile. “Of course, you can keep it. I do like Doraemon.”
Tyler blinked, taken aback. “...?”
Shane’s smile widened slightly. “So, when you want to show me something again, just lend me the book.”

Tyler stared at him, caught off guard. How could he be so casual about this?
He took the book, still in a daze, but thought to himself, This book doesn’t need any other readers. It’s only for Emily.
 

****
Shane hadn’t seen this book in his previous life.
Back then, Emily had told him about it, saying, “Big brother drew a Doraemon comic just to make me happy! It was so good!”

“That was probably his very first work,” she had said, proudly.
Later, when Tyler went to Greenville to work, Emily went off to boarding school, and the book was left behind in the old house in Milltown. It had been ruined in a flood during a heavy rainstorm.
But now, Shane was seeing it — the innocent, earnest drawings, the passion in every stroke.

Though he only saw the beginning, Shane knew there was more to come. He believed that one day, Tyler would open this book again, and this time, he’d be the one to read it under the soft light.
 
****

The car finally arrived at the hospital.
As previously discussed with the doctor, Emily only needed a minor surgery — a catheterization procedure to insert a “plug” into her heart. There was no need for a full chest operation.
The surgery was scheduled for the following day.

Despite knowing the procedure was low-risk and that they had a highly experienced doctor, Tyler couldn’t help but feel his heart tighten as Emily was wheeled into the operating room. His eyes went wide, and his arms instinctively wrapped around himself.
He whispered in his mind, It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s just a small surgery. Emily will be okay…
But what played in his mind were the images of his mother, during her final days.

It had started as what seemed like a simple cold, just a fever.
His mother’s lips were cracked and dry, but she smiled and said, “I’m fine. Just take the medicine, and I’ll be better soon.”
But she never got better.

Tyler shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. It won’t be like that. It won’t be like that.
But another voice whispered in his head: Really? Will it really be different this time?
Tyler’s head drooped, his fingers digging into his arms with such force that they almost pierced his skin.

Just as his body started to tremble uncontrollably, a hand gently rested on his shoulder.
The voice, once so commanding, now sounded warm, almost soothing, like someone comforting a frightened animal.
“It’ll be fine.”

“Emily is in good hands.”
Tyler didn’t look up, but the tremors in his body gradually eased. He whispered, “Mm.”
Shane’s voice spoke again, this time softer. “By the way, you applied to Greenville University, right? What major did you choose?”

Tyler looked up, slightly caught off guard. “Computer Science.”
Shane nodded. “Is that because you like it?”
Tyler blinked. “Like it?”

For Tyler, the concept of “liking” something felt too extravagant, too far removed from his reality.
He shook his head. “I just heard that it’s a good field, and that it pays well.”
Tyler’s face flushed, and his words stumbled over each other. “You… How… Why…”

He wanted to say, How do you have this book? Why are you looking at something so childish?
But in his embarrassment and confusion, the sentence hung in the air, unfinished.
Surprisingly, Shane understood Tyler’s unspoken question. Without missing a beat, he replied calmly, “It was Emily who gave it to me.”

“She said it was the book you drew for her, that it was really good and interesting, and that I should be sure to read it.”
Tyler's face turned even redder, and he stammered, “It… it wasn’t meant for anyone else!”
The book was something Tyler had drawn when he was younger, a makeshift comic based on Doraemon, the popular Japanese manga.

His mother had brought a Doraemon book home from the city when he was younger, and Tyler loved it. Emily, who was too young to read, also adored it.
As Emily grew older and started to read, their family’s financial struggles meant there was no money for new books. Emily had to settle for reading that same Doraemon book over and over, constantly asking Tyler what happened next, or what new gadgets Doraemon had.
Seeing how much Emily loved the stories, Tyler began drawing his own comics for her, creating his own versions of the Doraemon adventures. He would draw simple versions of the character on the back pages of his notebooks, creating stories for her to enjoy. Eventually, Tyler even bound the pages together to create a little “book,” made just for Emily.

He never expected that Emily would give it to Shane.
Shane, noticing Tyler’s unease, added gently, “Emily just wanted to show her brother’s friend how talented you are.”
Tyler could only manage a small, embarrassed murmur, “It wasn’t… meant for anyone else…”

Shane nodded thoughtfully. “I understand.”
Then, to Tyler’s surprise, Shane handed the book back to him with a calm smile. “Of course, you can keep it. I like Doraemon as well.”
Tyler blinked, unsure how to respond. “...?”

Shane’s smile widened slightly. “So, if you ever want to show it to me again, just lend me the book.”
Tyler stared at him for a moment, processing. How could he be so casual about this?
He took the book, feeling slightly dazed. This book was only for Emily, no one else. It was something special between us.

 
****
Shane had never seen this book in his past life.

Back then, Emily had told him, “Big brother drew a Doraemon comic just to make me happy! It was so good!”
“That was probably his very first work,” she had said, beaming with pride.
But when Tyler left for Greenville to work, and Emily went off to boarding school, the book had been left behind in the old house. A flood during a storm had destroyed it.

Now, Shane was finally seeing it — those innocent, earnest drawings, each stroke filled with Tyler’s youthful sincerity.
Although he had only seen the beginning, Shane knew that one day, Tyler would open this book again. And this time, it would be Shane who would read it under the soft glow of a light.
 

****
The car reached the hospital.
As the doctor had explained earlier, Emily’s surgery was a minor one — a catheterization procedure to insert a heart “plug” with no need for full chest surgery.

The surgery was scheduled [N O V E L I G H T] for the next day.
Despite knowing the procedure was routine and that the doctor was highly experienced, Tyler couldn’t help but feel his heart race as Emily was wheeled into the operating room. His hands trembled, and he instinctively hugged his arms to himself.
He whispered in his mind, It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s just a small surgery. Emily will be okay…

But what haunted him were the memories of his mother in her final days.
It had started as what seemed like a simple cold, just a fever.
His mother had smiled through cracked, dry lips, telling him, “I’m fine. Just take the medicine, and I’ll get better soon.”

But she never did.
Tyler shook his head, trying to push the painful memories away. It won’t be like that. It won’t be like that.
But another voice, a quiet and doubtful whisper, asked, Really? Will it really be different this time?

Tyler lowered his head, clutching his arms so tightly that his fingers dug into his skin.
As his body began to tremble with the weight of his fears, a steady hand gently landed on his shoulder.
The voice, warm and soft, like someone comforting a scared animal, said, “It will be fine.”

“Emily is safe.”
Tyler didn’t look up, but the tremors in his body began to subside. He whispered, “Mm.”
Shane’s voice continued, this time softer. “By the way, you applied to Greenville University, right? What’s your major?”

Tyler was momentarily caught off guard. “Computer Science.”
Shane raised an eyebrow. “Is it because you like it?”
Tyler blinked, not entirely understanding the question. “Like it?”

At that moment, “liking” something seemed like an extravagant thought for Tyler. Something too far out of reach for someone like him.
He shook his head. “I just heard that it’s a good field and that it pays well.”