Harumi immediately repeated exactly what her daughter had said on the phone.
Ryunosuke realized the situation was critical. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He kept grabbing tissues from the table to wipe them away—a dead giveaway of his guilt.
(Good grief! Haruka, you didn't mention you'd already called your mother. How am I supposed to spin an excuse now?)
He racked his brain for a way to deceive his future mother-in-law. But at that moment, Harumi softened.
"Fine, I don't want to meddle too deeply in your personal affairs. But you must be careful; if you ever dare to betray my daughter, I will make you regret it for the rest of your life."
Ryunosuke gave a strained laugh, signaling his understanding. Harumi told him to bring the person in question tomorrow; she wanted to see if the girl had any actual acting talent. Having reached an agreement, the two parted ways, as Harumi was an incredibly busy woman.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
After returning home, Ryunosuke shared the news. Chizuru pressed her lips together tightly. She had just received word that her grandmother, Ichinose Sayuri, didn't seem to have much time left. She didn't know if her grandmother could hold on until the filming was finished.
Her dream was to be an actress. She wanted her grandmother to see her achieve that dream before she passed, so that Sayuri could rest in peace without worrying about her anymore. Chizuru threw herself into Ryunosuke's arms, sobbing until tears soaked her cheeks.
"Is there still time? Before Grandma goes... do I still have time?"
She was referring to the three-month filming schedule; could her grandmother survive that long? Ryunosuke patted her back to soothe her.
"Stay calm. There's definitely enough time..."
"Mmm..." Chizuru said no more, simply burying her face in the man's embrace.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
The following morning.
Nakano Maruo finally had a free slot to see Chizuru's grandmother. As the top doctor in all of Japan, his schedule was grueling. Even life-saving surgeries had long waiting lists. Despite Ryunosuke using his connections, they'd still had to wait.
Fortunately, Maruo had reviewed Sayuri's medical records; her condition was still within his control, so the wait hadn't hindered her treatment. Maruo stared at the young man before him—the scoundrel who had run off with his daughter!
Maruo's time was precious; the fact that he had personally come here was a sign of great respect. Even if the Prime Minister of Japan had a terminal illness, Maruo wouldn't necessarily attend to him in person.
Maruo looked at the person in front of him and asked, "Are you Nino's boyfriend?"
"Uh..." Ryunosuke didn't know how to answer. He couldn't exactly say, "I didn't just run off with one of your daughters, but five," so he chose silence. Saying that would be a death sentence. Eventually, he admitted to being Nino's boyfriend.
Maruo nodded in satisfaction, then asked something else. "I heard from Nino on the phone that it's your mother who's critically ill? But this patient looks to be around 70. Did your mother give birth to you in her 40s or 50s?"
Ryunosuke felt awkward. "Something like that, haha!" He tried to bluff Maruo again.
Maruo didn't push the matter, instead delivering a blunt medical reality. "This woman is 72 years old. Her illness... my advice is not to treat it."
"Because even if she recovers, she can only last a few more years at most, maybe five. Meanwhile, you'll have to spend nearly three hundred million."
Ryunosuke's expression grew heavy. Maruo was merely being honest; the choice was between saving the money and letting the elderly woman go early, or spending a fortune for five short years.
Ryunosuke took a deep breath. "She still has a granddaughter she needs to support. To be honest, Father-in-law, I'm not her son."
Maruo nodded. He had already guessed as much; at that age, menopause was a certainty, making it impossible to birth a child Ryunosuke's age. There were exceptions, of course, but Maruo—used to snatching lives from the Reaper—didn't count on such slim odds.
Ryunosuke realized he couldn't hide it anymore. "I want that girl's grandmother to live longer, even if it's just five short years... so she can stay by her granddaughter's side."
Ryunosuke bowed deeply before Maruo. "So, please! Doctor Nakano! Please save her. I don't want to see that girl sad. Even if it's only five years, I hope her grandmother can stay with her a little longer."
Chizuru, who was eavesdropping inside the hospital room, felt her eyes grow moist. She approached her grandmother, who had also heard the conversation outside, gripped her hand, and whispered softly.
"I owe him too much... I can't even tell if this is love or just a sense of debt anymore."
The grandmother pulled her granddaughter close and stroked her back. "Silley girl, you're overthinking. If you like someone, don't worry about things like that—just keep him for yourself. If you feel so indebted that you can't recognize your own love, then you truly are my sweet but foolish granddaughter."
Chizuru hugged her grandmother tight. "But I really can't tell the difference anymore. I liked him at first, but now I'm just confused."
"Haaah..." The grandmother sighed. A granddaughter who was too independent wasn't always a good thing. However, she believed Chizuru would find her answer. Humans are complex creatures who need trials to grow.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Shortly after, Maruo suggested the patient be moved to his own hospital. After Ryunosuke paid the three hundred million treatment fee, he and Chizuru accompanied the grandmother to Maruo's facility.
Because Maruo's hospital was at full capacity, Grandma Sayuri was forced to share a room with a girl suffering from AIDS. But there was no need for alarm; they were placed far apart with a curtain for simple isolation. AIDS is only transmitted through body fluids or blood; breathing the same air poses no risk.
Once they arrived and settled the grandmother into bed, the sister and mother of the AIDS patient next door happened to pull back the divider. They all locked eyes.
The girl in the bed, Konno Yuuki, froze.
Ryunosuke also froze. Inwardly, he thought, (Why am I running into acquaintances again? Isn't this Zekken Yuuki from Sword Art Online? The world really is small!)
As Ryunosuke was thinking this, Yuuki stared at him with eyes that began to well up, before suddenly bursting into tears.
Ryunosuke was bewildered. "What is going on???"
Yuuki's sister, with tears in her own eyes, pointed an accusing finger at Ryunosuke. "We finally found you, you irresponsible man!"
Ryunosuke: "😐"
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