With one hand, she infused chakra, using her own control to suppress the nerve endings. With the other, she made an incision, activating Byakugan for certainty. She usually activated Byakugan only in exceptional cases, for treating very influential shinobi, but Kenshin appealed to her, so she wanted to give him the best treatment she could manage.
Kenshin saw Byakugan activation for the first time and watched, mesmerized, as Hitomi's face wasn't disfigured at all—rather, more beautiful. The bulging white veins added extra charm to the mature woman, and she looked magnificent.
Hitomi was focused on the treatment, ignoring external distractions. She was the most experienced iryonin in the hospital and long accustomed to people staring at her Byakugan. Many considered it ugly, and the only unpleasant thing was that Kenshin seemed the same.
She quickly made the precise incision, clamped several major vessels with chakra, and extracted the bone fragment.
"The hardest part's over. Now seal the wound and fuse the bones a bit," Hitomi said with a smile, and to keep the conversation going, asked, "So how'd you end up running into thunder wolves? Your body has no chakra at all..."
"I came here with my brother and two relatives..." he began, and after a few minutes, recounted the entire "official" story.
Hitomi smiled politely and didn't pursue the topic. Raised in the aristocratic Hyuga clan, she had impeccable manners.
As she set the bones and healed the tissues, Kenshin kept up light conversation, not pushing but strengthening their rapport. After half an hour, the superficial treatment of the left arm was done, and Hitomi expertly fitted him with a simple but functional splint.
"Tired? Hang in there a bit longer. Your right arm seems less damaged than the left—it'll be quicker," Hitomi said with a smile. Kenshin couldn't get enough of her beautiful, sensual face, and involuntarily smiled each time at the small wrinkles at the corners of her eyes when she enthusiastically talked about her work.
Hyuga Hitomi, meanwhile, shed all the stress accumulated over days and enjoyed chatting with this young but far from foolish guy. She loved working in such a bright, friendly atmosphere, and the no-longer-young woman felt none of the day's fatigue.
Fifteen minutes later, both of Kenshin's arms were splinted, and Hitomi admonished him instructively. "So, fractures will heal in about a month. You're to avoid any strain on the arms, and come see me daily, or your left arm will never fully recover. Such bone fragments are replaced by cartilage, and if not treated properly, you'll lose function. Got money?"
Kenshin was shocked by the barrage of information from this kindest woman.
"Money?"
"Yes, treatment's 1000 ryō, plus 200 ryō per visit starting tomorrow," Hitomi stated seriously. In reality, she'd given him a huge discount. By regulations, it was 2500 ryō plus 500 per visit, but she liked Kenshin and was even willing to treat him on credit, not wanting to see such a wonderful guy become disabled.
"Ah, yes, sure, I have it. Here, take it," Kenshin said with a smile, handing her 1200 ryō.
"Good. Now you need sleep. I'll check on you in the morning," Hitomi said in a voice sweet as honey.
"Good night, Hitomi-san," Kenshin said, settling comfortably into the hospital bed.
"Good night," she said, and left the room.
Hitomi's sweet voice and tender expression turned to icy tone as she addressed the iryonin assistant at the registration desk. "Still sitting around doing nothing?!"
"Ah!" he yelped in fright, dropping a thin book from his hands. "No, of course not, Hitomi-sama. I just sat down!"
"Changed dressings in eight?" she asked coldly.
"N-not yet, doing it right now!" the youth exclaimed in panic, bowing repeatedly and fleeing toward ward eight.
"Worthless slacker!" Hitomi snapped after him, and involuntarily glanced toward ward eleven. Her gaze instantly warmed, and the tall, strong-willed woman felt like a young girl again, winked at by a handsome guy.
After Hitomi left, Kenshin could no longer stay conscious and fell into blissful sleep. He was so drained he didn't wake even from the loud door slams by that same shameless iryonin assistant, who behaved like a bull in a china shop.
By nine a.m., Hitomi was back at work and first decided to check on Kenshin's ward but didn't wake him, just gazing at his serene face for a few seconds. In her long life, Hitomi had never had close friends, but looking at this youth, crazy thoughts kept popping into her head, which she immediately scolded herself for. "What's wrong with you, Hitomi?! Snap out of it! Acting like a silly academy girl!" she told herself, turned, and left the ward to get to work.
An hour later, Kenshin finally woke but felt wrecked. He could have slept another day and night, but mustered strength to get up. Rising from the bed, he was surprised to find the huge bruises on his back and stomach had yellowed and caused no discomfort.
A minute later, the door opened, and Hitomi entered elegantly, smiling and lingering too long on Kenshin's bare torso. She immediately chided herself and lifted her eyes to his handsome face.
"Good morning, how do you feel?" Hitomi asked in her sweet voice, blushing slightly. She didn't understand what was happening to her, why her voice changed on its own.
"Morning, Hitomi-san, been better. Your golden hands' work?" Kenshin asked, pointing to his stomach and back.
Hitomi just smiled and nodded, unable to tear her gaze from his beautiful brown eyes. "Well, ready for another session?" she asked with a smile.
"With you, Hitomi-san, I'm ready for anything!" Kenshin declared, smiling back.
"Such a flatterer..." Hitomi said, smiling tenderly. In her long medical career, she'd been flattered or openly courted many times, but those attempts ended at best in rude rejection, at worst a resounding slap. No one had the right to hit on her—even if unloved by her clan, she still carried the blood of the great Hyuga clan.