>What if Shiori Lost Her Voice
>It felt like the longest 30 minute wait.
>At last, you saw Shiori dragging her feet out of the doctor's office. She walked towards you with her head down, hiding her eyes behind the front hair.
>Instead of stopping, she hurried right past you and dragged you forcibly towards the elevator.
>Neither of you emitted a sound on the drive back.
>You weren't sure what to say. Shiori, however, hasn't been able to speak for quite a few weeks since the surgery on her vocal chord.
>As soon as you arrived home, Shiori again rushed out, this time into the house.
>You quickly followed, just in time to see Shiori smashing her streaming microphone onto the floor.
>Her normally bright eyes are now covered in a red tinted veil of disappointment, anger, and defeat.
>Tears rolled down her cheek, leaving a trail of reflections before finally finding their way to the white ribbon on her dress.
>Shiori reached for her work phone and just before she could throw it towards the wall, you stopped her and embraced her into your arms.
>She was trembling. You could feel the ups and downs of her chest as Shiori tried to breathe in air while sobbing uncontrollably.
>She was like a broken record machine, with her fingers being the worn out needles that scratched, scared, and sank into your back with undiscriminating force, and yet unable to sing out a single note.
>You just held her, sinking along with her into the bottomless pond of silence.
>Shiori, finally exhausted, leaned her head fully onto your shoulder with her eyes closed.
>She could really use some rest now, you thought, whatever the doctor said can wait another day.
>You carefully bent down, bridal carried Shiori into the bedroom, and gently laid your princess down.
>She seemed to be fast asleep, which is fortunate. You sat beside her, stroking away at her now all messed up hair.
>Her hair had almost turned entirely white. Even though you know that was just the hair dye falling off, it still feels insufferable. It is as if you are losing Shiori, strand by strand, to something, to nothingness.
>Suddenly, you caught a glimpse of her lips moving.
>Even with the slightest movements, even though she probably was just unconsciously muttering, you have been on the receiving end of that exact sequence of syllables so many times that you instantly recognize what Shiori is saying to you.
>You felt a bittersweet relief and whispered to Shiori the exact same words:
>"Love Forever."
