Chapter 114: So, How About We Make Up? (Long Chapter)
Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture, Municipal Hospital.
Click.
Sakurai Kaiko pushed the door open, carrying tonight's dinner. Outside the window, the sky had surrendered entirely to the darkness, leaving only the city lights to pierce the night with their artificial glow.
Yet, very little of that light managed to reach the interior of this patient room.
Even with the indoor lights switched on, the combination of sterile white walls, white sheets, and patients clad in pale hospital gowns created a chilling, unsettling atmosphere. It was the kind of coldness that didn't just touch the skin but settled deep in the bones.
There were five beds in total. In each one lay a patient connected to an IV drip, their faces uniformly ashen and drained of life.
No one spoke.
Not the patients, and certainly not the family members keeping watch.
Kondo Yuika's mother was here too, occupying the innermost bed near the door. On the bedside table sat a few peaches; their skins had begun to darken, a silent testament to how long they had been sitting there, neglected.
Three days ago, Yuika's mother had finally been moved from the ICU to this general ward. The surgery had been a resounding success, but for now, she was only stable enough to remain conscious. It would be at least a few more days before she could even think about leaving the bed.
Under the pale, flickering fluorescent light, Yuika was slumped over the edge of the bed, using her arms as a makeshift pillow. Half of her small, slightly sallow face was visible; her eyes were clamped shut, underlined by prominent dark circles.
Kondo Yuika hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a week.
Hearing the door open, a woman whose face was etched with deep wrinkles and whose hair had begun to silver looked up from Yuika with an expression of profound pity.
"Auntie, are you feeling any better?"
Sakurai Kaiko glanced at the sleeping Yuika and nodded to the woman. She kept her voice barely above a whisper, her footsteps lightening as she approached.
"Better, Kaiko. I'm so sorry for causing you all this trouble... I've even interrupted your studies."
The woman's face clouded with guilt as she spoke in a frail tone. She tried to lift her hand to reach out, but even such a simple gesture seemed an insurmountable task in her current state.
"Auntie, please don't say that. Yuika and I have been friends since we were children, and my grades only improved because she helped me. I'm just doing something small and insignificant."
Sakurai Kaiko sat down slowly in the chair facing Yuika, carefully placing the meal box on the table.
She then gazed at Yuika, her cherry-colored eyes shimmering with a faint, lingering sadness.
"Yuika, Kaiko brought food..."
"Auntie, there's no need. Let her sleep a little longer. She hasn't rested for days." Kaiko gently stopped the woman from waking her friend, adding softly, "I have plenty of time. There's no rush."
She knew the woman wanted to wake Yuika so she could eat quickly, allowing Kaiko to head home and rest.
But Kaiko truly didn't mind waiting.
Every time she had visited before, Yuika had been wide awake, busying herself with a tired, hollow look in her eyes that was painful to witness. Now that she had finally succumbed to exhaustion, Kaiko wanted her to have every possible minute of peace.
The woman hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding. With a shaky, painstaking care, she reached out to brush a stray hair from Yuika's forehead.
"Oh, right... Kaiko? Do you know anything about this 'Chishima-sensei'? Yuika has been mentioning him constantly these past few days. She says he's helped her so much. When I ask, she just says he's a teacher who looks out for her..."
The woman's face was etched with worry. As a mother, she was terrified of her daughter wandering into a dangerous situation—especially now, when their family circumstances had become a heavy burden that threatened to crush her children's futures.
To her, the future looked like those distant city lights outside the window: a faint glimmer separated by a vast, pitch-black forest—unseen, incomprehensible, and utterly daunting to traverse.
Sakurai Kaiko blinked, startled for a moment. she glanced at the deeply sleeping Yuika, bit her lip, and said quietly: "I know him. But Auntie, you really don't need to worry. Chishima Akishin is a teacher at Sobu High. You might have actually heard his name before; he's the one who represented Chiba and won the Kendo Championship this year."
She understood why Yuika hadn't been entirely honest with her mother. Yuika didn't want her to know she had borrowed money from a teacher. For now, Yuika was maintaining the facade that the medical expenses were being covered by family savings.
And in all likelihood, she would have to borrow from Chishima-sensei again.
The truth might sound suspicious to a parent, but it was their reality.
Bibi's mental state was already incredibly fragile; Yuika couldn't risk her mother suffering another shock or the crushing weight of more guilt.
Even if the risk was small, she wouldn't take it.
Hearing this, the woman's murky eyes seemed to clear slightly.
"So it's that Chishima-sensei... I think I saw him in the newspapers."
"That's the one." Kaiko offered a small, reassuring smile. "And that's not all. Chishima-sensei is also an amazing chef. He runs his own Izakaya and it's doing very well. Yuika and I both work part-time there. He's always looking out for us, and he even pays us a very high hourly wage... Auntie, I can personally guarantee that he is genuinely a good person... Even my being here right now is thanks to him. He personally handled the leave of absence and even explained things to the school regarding this week's exams..."
Sakurai Kaiko continued to chat with the woman in low tones, sharing stories about Chishima Akishin and some of the more lighthearted moments she and Yuika had experienced back in Chiba.
Occasionally, the families from the other beds would glance over at them.
As Kaiko spoke, a faint smile finally touched the woman's face. She had always feared Yuika was suffering in silence in Chiba, especially since Yuika rarely talked about her personal struggles and the woman didn't want to pry.
Yet, as she looked down at her daughter, her eyes still held a flicker of sorrow.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Yuika was still out cold. The woman moved to wake her again, but Kaiko once more shook her head.
Then, Kaiko's phone buzzed—her parents.
Sakurai Kaiko stepped out for a moment, returning to the room a few minutes later. She whispered to the woman, "Auntie, I'm not going home tonight. I'll stay here with you both at the hospital."
"No, you can't possibly do that..."
The woman looked flustered. "You should go home, Kaiko. Your parents will be worried. As for dinner... I'll just have Yuika eat when she wakes up."
Sleeping at a hospital was a far cry from the comfort of a bed at home. There were no extra cots for family members. If Kaiko stayed, she'd have to sleep slumped over the bed just like Yuika.
The woman had wanted to offer half of her own bed to Yuika, but the girl had steadfastly refused.
Kaiko shook her head, smiling softly. "It's okay, Auntie. I already told my parents I'm staying. They aren't worried; in fact, they were asking about how you were doing and decided they'll come by to visit you tomorrow..."
Her parents had indeed said as much. The Kondo and Sakurai families had always been close, but because of her bond with Yuika, that relationship had grown even stronger over the years.
Kaiko remained. The woman tried to persuade her a few more times, but Kaiko wouldn't budge. Eventually, she gave up.
Another hour ticked by. By the time the clock hit ten, Yuika finally stirred.
She opened her eyes blearily, and the first thing she saw was Sakurai Kaiko.
"Good evening, Yuika."
"Good... good evening, Kaiko?"
Yuika bolted upright, her large eyes still shot through with red veins. She looked left and right in a panic. "How... how long was I out?"
"Three hours," her mother answered.
"Three... three hours?! That's way too long!"
Yuika frantically checked the IV bag. Seeing that there was still plenty of medicine left, she let out a long, shaky breath of relief.
Kaiko reached out to soothe her. "Don't worry, Yuika. The nurse came by to change the bag while you were out. They saw you sleeping and didn't want to disturb you."
"Thank goodness... Kaiko, what time is it?"
"It's ten o'clock."
"Ah, ten already!"
Yuika looked stunned, her gaze drifting back to Kaiko. After a two-second silence, her expression softened into one of realization. She asked hesitantly, "Kaiko... you still haven't gone home?"
She looked toward the window. Outside, only the distant skyscrapers emitted any light. The sky was an abyss, devoid of stars, as if the world had fallen into an eternal night.
I wonder if it'll rain tomorrow?
Glimpsing the meal box on the nightstand, Yuika pieced together what had happened. She had slept too long, and Kaiko, refusing to wake her, had simply waited by her side while looking after her mother.
Kaiko had been stubborn about taking over meal duties, cooking at home every day and delivering food for all three meals without a single word of complaint about the exhaustion.
Yuika couldn't find it in her heart to refuse, so she just tucked the gratitude away in a corner of her soul.
"Yuika, I'm staying here with you tonight."
Kaiko wasn't her usual bubbly self; she offered a warm, steady smile instead. "Come on now, Yuika. You haven't eaten dinner yet. Let's eat."
In that moment, Kaiko looked like a protective older sister looking after her sibling.
Yuika stared at Kaiko in silence, and then her mind drifted to Chishima Akishin. Her gaze turned slightly vacant—she truly felt like the luckiest person alive. Despite the suffering she faced, she had these two people by her side, helping her without asking for a single thing in return.
Monday.
In English, they call it Monday. But for students, Monday is never something to be celebrated. It's a day that usually elicits a heavy sigh at the realization that 'I have to survive another whole week of classes.'
The sun was slowly dipping into Tokyo Bay, making way for the evening. In the east, the sky looked as though a bottle of deep blue ink had been overturned across it. The city, bathed in the dying light of the sunset, took on a hazy, ethereal quality.
Akishin stood with his arms folded, listening to the conversation drifting from inside the Service Club room.
Shizuka, dressed in her signature long white lab coat with her hands tucked in her pockets, glanced at Akishin. She looked toward the window above and allowed a small smile to play on her lips.
"...Now what? I've already finished baking the cake."
Inside the Service Club, Yukino looked at the crimson sky through the window and sighed. It was nearly five o'clock; the school day was almost officially over. With the little time remaining before the final bell, they'd barely have enough time to even slice the cake.
Hearing Yukino's remark, Yui asked, sounding confused, "A cake? Why is there a cake?"
"Why? Yuigahama-san... isn't today your birthday?"
"Wait, what?"
"You haven't been coming to the club lately... and it crossed my mind. Besides, you could consider this a token of my gratitude..."
Yukino coughed once, turning her head to hide her obvious embarrassment. But before she could finish her sentence, Yui had already lunged at her.
"Yukinon! You knew it was my birthday?!"
Well, 'knew' might be a strong word; she had mostly deduced it from Yui's email address. The process wasn't the point, though. What mattered was that Yui was currently drowning in pure joy.
"Unfortunately, we've run out of time today."
Yukino pulled away, trying to escape the stifling heat of the hug. Yui resisted for a moment, but then something seemed to click, and she clapped her hands together.
Yukino used the opening to finally slip free.
"How about we celebrate outside of school?" After suggesting it, Yui hesitated. "But... I guess there aren't many good places nearby..."
Yukino looked surprised by the sudden proposal.
However, Yui didn't need her to worry. She gave a cheerful wink. "Leave it to me! Don't worry, I'll talk to the owner. The fact that you guys even made a cake for me makes me so happy... just leave the rest to me."
"Actually, it wasn't just a cake..."
"Is there a present too?!"
Yui's eyes sparkled.
Yukino had only just escaped Yui's clutches, but now they were glued together again.
"...Ah, right."
Yukino answered while pulling out a neatly wrapped gift.
It was the pink apron.
She then shifted her gaze toward Hachiman, adding with a small smile, "But, I wasn't the only one who prepared something, you know."
"No way..."
Yui looked at Hachiman, her expression a mix of hope and confusion.
"Ahahaha... I didn't think Hikki would actually get me something... since things have been... kind of awkward lately."
Hachiman and Yui's eyes met for a split second before they both immediately jerked their gazes away.
When Yukino wasn't around, Hachiman could pretend he didn't care. But now that Yukino was actively throwing the spotlight on him, it was clear she wanted him to resolve this once and for all—to finally face Yui.
That was so like Yukino.
Sometimes, she could be incredibly meddlesome in the most baffling ways.
As if sensing a presence, Hachiman glanced toward the door. There was nothing there. He shook his head, reached into his school bag, and pulled out a small gift box. He handed it to Yui with an air of practiced indifference, as if it were no big deal.
"This isn't just because it's your birthday."
He was still clinging to his usual, dishonest defenses.
"Thank you, Hikki!"
Yui took the small box, her face practically glowing with surprise.
Hachiman gritted his teeth. Even though the next words felt like they were being dragged out of him with a hook, he forced them out anyway.
"I've... thought about it a bit. Well, how should I put this... how about we just call it even on the past? The whole thing with me saving your dog, and the stuff you've been carrying around in your head... how about we just pretend none of it ever happened?"
Hachiman asked the question, though he didn't dare look Yui in the eye.
He kept talking, not leaving a single second of silence. "What I mean is... you don't have a reason to keep feeling bad. I might have been pretty banged up back then, but the insurance covered it, and the lawyer and the driver came to apologize afterward... So, from the very beginning, there was no need for you to feel pity or guilt."
"...Hikki!"
Yui's large eyes began to brim with tears.
Hachiman stole a glance at her, gritted his teeth again, and looked down at his shoes. "So... how about we make up?"
This wasn't just to fulfill Chishima Akishin's request. It was an act of atonement for his own mistakes.
"Hikki... do you have any idea? I've been waiting so long for you to say that..." Yui wept with joy, clutching the gift box to her chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
Outside the classroom, Akishin let out a long, slow breath. "See? It's that simple. Isn't that problem solved now?"
He fished a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, tucked it between his lips, and flicked a lighter to life.
He took a deep drag and exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke. Combined with his current pensive expression, he actually managed to look somewhat atmospheric.
Beside him, Shizuka's face went dark.
"Chishima-kun... why are you smoking?!"
Every single day he forbade her from smoking, even going as far as confiscating her lighters and ashtrays, yet here he was, carrying a pack around in plain sight.
Akishin caught the look on her face. A corner of his mouth quirked up as he exhaled another puff of smoke. "Did I forget to mention it? Shizuka-chan, I've actually been a smoker for a long time. I just don't do it very often anymore."
"Absolutely not. You are not allowed to smoke right now."
Seeing an opening, Shizuka lunged forward to snatch the cigarette.
Akishin nimbly stepped out of reach.
"Shizuka-chan, I can smoke, but you can't. Smoking is bad for your health."
"Then why are you doing it?"
"Would you believe me if I said this was the very last one?"
"Not for a second!"
And just like that, the two of them began a game of cat-and-mouse down the hall.
The three students inside the Service Club listened to the voices fading into the distance with bewildered expressions. Wait... were those two eavesdropping outside the whole time?
After making it all the way to the ground floor, Akishin's phone suddenly rang. He raised a hand to signal Shizuka to stop. The call was from Sakurai Kaiko. He picked up, and from the other end came Kaiko's voice, sounding uncharacteristically low and heavy.
"Chishima-sensei... please, you have to talk to Yuika. She says she doesn't want to go to school anymore."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
50 Power Stone = 1 Bonus Chapter (Up to 5 bonus chapters per week).
Read ahead and support the story on Patreon: patreon.com/FaaanzKun
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —