It seemed that every memory of Chiose Noshiro led back to a hospital.
Hmm… somewhere along the way, the hospital had become a place Taki visited with Chiose all the time.
Taki sat beside Chiose while her frail girl got her IV drip.
"The first time you rescued me, it was at a hospital too. If you ever found out, you'd definitely hate me."
"Hm?"
Today, Chiose had no hearing aid to help her.
Chiose Noshiro tilted her head, with no idea what Taki was talking about.
[Never mind. I just wanted to know if Little Chiose is feeling better.]
"I don't feel like throwing up anymore… I just don't have any strength."
[No strength? I'll take you somewhere with good food in a bit.]
"No, the moment I think about food, my stomach turns again… I'm so tired. Can I lean on you for a while?"
[Of course.]
And so Taki Shiina's shoulder became a pillow for her crow girl.
Chiose's weight against her was so slight that it left Taki deeply unsettled.
Since who knew when, Chiose had been getting lighter and lighter. It was as if she might really waste away into a balloon and drift off the face of the world.
"Ms. Shiina, could you come over here for a moment?"
Hard soles clacked against the floor as Ms. Haizuka, the attending physician, walked up to Taki.
She wore a mask, so only her golden eyes showed, and it gave her an air of cold, unapproachable severity.
But Taki had no time to care about that.
"Yes!"
After settling the fragile Chiose in place and leaving her own small bag behind as a cushion for her, Taki let Ms. Haizuka lead her to a corner where Chiose couldn't see them.
"Excuse me! Are Little Chiose's test results back?"
"Mm… how should I put this? Ms. Shiina, you may need to put more thought into things from now on."
"Huh?"
Taki blinked in confusion.
*
Taki blinked blankly.
"You mean… anorexia?"
What the hell was anorexia?
Anorexia… why would that word show up in her everyday life?
This couldn't be right.
"That's right, anorexia. Has Ms. Noshiro been under constant strain without getting any rest? Have her eating habits been irregular for a long time?"
Dr. Haizuka was like a butcher wielding a chainsaw, steadily driving Taki toward the edge of a cliff.
"Y-Yes, she has…"
"Being under a heavy load for so long can certainly cause this. I think you should make sure she rests more."
I…
"We'll set up a plan to restore her weight, along with medication and counseling. It's a hassle, but you don't need to worry. It isn't very serious yet."
"Yes! Thank you, Doctor."
As if remembering something just before leaving, Dr. Haizuka turned back and went on:
"Whatever you do, don't let her stay under high pressure. And her diet… if she plays in a band, then put it on hold. The toll and stress of every performance will crush her."
"Okay! But…"
How did the doctor know Little Chiose played in a band?
Before Taki Shiina could ask, the doctor slipped into the shadows around the corner and vanished.
Taki Shiina was left alone, reading the medical chart over and over.
"How could this happen… something like this, it's terrifying."
She poked her head out from the corner. Chiose was still sitting not far away, getting her IV.
Taki's eyes were practically glued to the white-haired girl.
*
[Feeling better?]
"Fruit."
[Hm? You want fruit?]
"Mm…"
[We'll pass a fruit shop on the way, so I'll buy you some. But Little Chiose, there's something I need to talk to you about.]
Once she'd gotten enough glucose into her, Taki took Chiose and headed home.
It was another busy day in the city. People came and went, and nobody paid any attention to the sorrow of two girls.
[Little Chiose!]
Taki's sign language had long since reached perfection. She tapped Chiose's shoulder first, and only then steeled herself to say what had to be said.
[You have anorexia. Um… we probably can't hold band practice for a while.]
"Huh?"
Anorexia, huh.
This time, the skill had really handed me quite a spectacle.
To Taki, Chiose's puzzled look was adorable, but this was clearly nothing to be happy about.
[Just rest up for now. I'll tell everyone about your condition… they'll all understand.]
"What? We can't perform? Then…"
Panic, anxiety, dejection. Taki Shiina couldn't quite describe what she saw in Chiose's face.
Maybe for someone like Chiose, who had spent most of her life pushing herself, relaxing was far harder than working herself to death?
[It's only a pause for a while. It's okay. Be good.]
Taki rubbed Chiose's little head. The warmth was wonderful. Holding her girl's hand, she led her across the road, and when they passed the fruit shop, she didn't forget to go in and pick out a few bunches of grapes for her.
"Grapes are so expensive. My living allowance is about to run dry again."
Taki grumbled under her breath about the absurd fruit prices. Her gaze swept past Chiose, and she noticed her girl hanging her head, looking unhappy.
[Little Chiose, what's wrong?]
"Taki, my stomach feels so empty. It's really uncomfortable."
As she spoke, Chiose rubbed her little belly.
There wasn't an ounce of fat there. Taki wished from the bottom of her heart that Chiose would put on a little weight.
She was such a wonderful little cook, so how could she not manage to feed herself up?
Honestly…
"Taki… can we really not perform anymore?"
Chiose blinked her pitiful eyes helplessly, but Taki Shiina's heart, forged like iron, would never be moved by them.
[Right. Absolutely not. For at least two months… no, for half a year, Crychic is going on hiatus.]
"Huh? But next month there's a really important show. Every famous girls' band in the area will be there… haven't we all been looking forward to it for ages?"
[Still no. I wanted to tell you this when we went for your hearing check last month! Your hearing is declining too fast. You can't keep wearing your hearing aid so often. Chiose's condition really isn't looking good. So take a break, for my sake.]
"But, but…"
[No buts. If you don't listen, your body will feel even worse. Little Chiose doesn't want to feel worse, right?]
Taki coaxed and cajoled her with every trick she had.
But Chiose stopped speaking. A strange light flickered in her eyes, and only she knew whether she'd taken in any of Taki's persuasion.
[Huh? Why so quiet? Are you feeling sick again?]
"Mm… urp…"
At the roadside, the black-haired girl patted the white-haired girl's back while the white-haired girl retched miserably into the storm drain.
In truth, there was nothing left to bring up.
Chiose was only coughing up water, along with the medicine she'd taken at the hospital.
"Honestly, and you were still trying to tough it out like that."
Little Chiose, you idiot. Honestly.
Sometimes your stubbornness and persistence are something even I can't quite understand.
I really wish you'd take better care of yourself.
____
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