-Chapter 2-
Classes on Friday, May 19th had flown by in the blink of an eye. While her classmates around her were all putting away their notebooks and utensils as they prepared for their usual jobs or club activities, Yuko merely sat at her desk as it slowly dawned on her that it was already time for her trip to Central.
“Hey Yuko, what time’re you headin’ out?” her friend Chisa approached her desk and asked.
“I’m meeting Ms. Yamagata in the plaza about 40 minutes from now.” Yuko answered. “I should probably get back to my room and start packing anything I’ll need. I’m gonna be staying there overnight, after all…”
“I still can’t believe you’re going to Central…”
“Tell me about it.” Yuko sighed. “It still doesn’t feel real, even now…”
“Don’t worry so much!” Chisa patted Yuko on the shoulder. “It’s just a checkup, right? I think everything’ll be just fine. You’ll be back here before you know it!”
Chisa flashed Yuko an encouraging smile. After seeing her friend try to cheer her up like that, Yuko couldn’t help but smile in return.
“Thanks Chisa. I’ll be back on Sunday, so I’ll be sure to let you know all about the trip when I return!” Yuko answered, now gaining a sense of resolve.
“You better!” Chisa gave Yuko a thumbs-up. “You’re one of the lucky few who get to see Central again, so you gotta give me all the deets!”
“Yeah, will do!” Yuko nodded.
The two friends then briskly exited the classroom together. In front of the school, they each parted ways; Chisa heading toward the theater for her club, and Yuko heading toward the dorms to get ready to go. Once Yuko returned to her room, it didn’t take her long to pack her bag. After giving everything in her room one final check, she approached the doorway and turned off the light.
“I’m heading out…” Yuko quietly spoke to her empty room as she closed the door behind her. Knowing that she wouldn’t be back for a few days gave her a strange feeling, but at the same time it was also a kind of excited feeling.
“Time to go!” Yuko nodded to herself one last time, ready to set off on this small adventure beyond the eastern district.
---
“Why hello again, Ms. Maeda. All ready to go?” Mariko Yamagata greeted her student with her usual gentle smile. It was an expression that always helped Yuko relax, and this time was no different.
“Yep! I’m all set.” Yuko smiled, before noticing something behind Yamagata. It was a small two-seated vehicle that somewhat resembled a golf cart. Something like this was a relatively rare sight considering most people in the district just walked everywhere. Even the students passing by through the plaza couldn’t help but stare or glance towards it, wondering what was going on.
“I’ve made sure to borrow this so we could make a quick arrival. After all, Central is quite large in that it’d take a while if we ventured there on foot. Plus we have our bags.” Yamagata explained as she opened the trunk, offering it to Yuko to store her bag.
“Wow! Talk about convenient!” Yuko placed her bag inside, right beside Yamagata’s own, and then closed the trunk before hopping into the passenger seat.
“Well, we’re off.” Yamagata said, now sitting in the driver’s seat. She started up the engine and began to drive.
Leaving the plaza, the pair drove down onto the main path, making sure to drive slowly and watch out for anyone walking around. The district didn’t have any roads exclusive for vehicles, after all. All of the pavement here consisted of walkways. Yuko smiled as the gentle breeze brushed against her face. She looked to the side and watched as the trees passed them by. It was a pleasant ride on a beautiful afternoon.
Before long, the large wall that acted as a barrier between the eastern district and central came into view. At its center was a large metal gate, with a small station hut to one side. Yamagata slowly drove up to the window on the hut, stopping the vehicle to talk to the man inside.
“What can I do for you, miss?” the man asked.
“We have an appointment in Central.” Yamagata answered, presenting some paperwork to the man.
“Really?” the man’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He glanced at Yuko in the passenger seat before glancing back at the paper work he’d been handed. “One moment, please.”
The man walked back further into the hut. Peering inside, Yuko could see him taking up a telephone and making a call. Most likely, it was to confirm the arrangements described on the paperwork.
“Wow, they’re really serious about this, huh…?” Yuko wondered aloud.
“Indeed.” Yamagata replied, chuckling with a wry smile. “Does it seem a bit excessive to you?”
“Well, to be honest, I have always wondered why they keep such a hard cutoff of communication between Central and the four districts.” Yuko gave her honest feelings. “Even between the districts themselves, contact is minimal. We occasionally have events with the West district, but in all of my time here, it’s felt as though the North and South districts barely even exist. We never interact with them…”
“Yes, I truly understand where you’re coming from, Ms. Maeda…” Yamagata sighed, looking a bit wistful. “But alas, that’s just how things work here. They say it’s so each district can be fully autonomous. Despite technically being one institution, Starlight Academy really is more like five independent societies glued together, haha.”
“Yeah, it seems so…” Yuko nodded, giving thought to Yamagata’s metaphor.
A few moments later, the man returned to the window, handing Yamagata back her paperwork.
“Looks like you two are clear to go.” the man spoke. “Just have to check the trunk.”
“Go right ahead.” Yamagata motioned toward the back.
“Thank you.” The man exited the hut and walked around to the backside of the vehicle. After opening the trunk and confirming the luggage was the only thing inside, he promptly shut it again and returned to the hut.
“All clear. Have a good visit.” the man said as he fiddled with some controls inside. And just like that, the large metal doors began to part, opening the pathway to Central.
“Thank you.” Yamagata smiled before driving through the opened gate.
“Whoa… It really is Central…” Yuko muttered without thinking after taking in the view in front of her.
What stretched out before her eyes was an open field with fresh glistening grass. Some ways away Yuko could see a tractor at work, making sure to keep the grass in the field short. But most notable was the large array of tall buildings that stood at the center of this wide open space. There were plenty of smaller buildings too, but the core skyscrapers at the center really stood out considering its surroundings. It gave Central this feeling of being a busy city center that was cut out and placed in the middle of an open field.
Yuko began to realize how odd of a place it was, now that she was approaching it from the outside like this. But at the same time, seeing those familiar buildings caused a wave of nostalgia to wash over her.
“Ahh, it’s been a long time…” Yamagata spoke softly as she drove down the path toward said buildings.
“Oh, you’ve been to Central too, Ms. Yamagata?” Yuko asked out of curiosity.
“Yes, of course.” Yamagata smiled. “All of the training and studying I did to become a teacher took place here. But ever since getting assigned to teach in the eastern district, I’ve never had the opportunity to come back.”
“Wow…” Yuko was impressed.
“But even putting that aside…” Yamagata glanced toward Yuko. “We’re not unalike, you know. I grew up here when I was young, just like you. I also went to school in the eastern district.”
“Wait, really?!” Yuko was surprised. It’s not like the teachers talked about their pasts much, but after giving it some thought, it made sense that some of them would be alumni. Yuko just never really considered it before now.
“Yes.” Yamagata smiled. “I’ve basically lived here for as long as I can remember. At this academy…”
“No wonder you’re such a good teacher… You’ve been in our shoes.” Yuko stated, still impressed by the revelation.
“Oh my, that’s so kind of you to say.” Yamagata giggled. “Still, I feel I have a long way to go as a teacher.”
“Well, I know our class loves you, so we’ll always be there for you!” Yuko encouraged.
“Oh, you’re too kind.” Yamagata blushed. “… But still, thank you.”
With both now in a good mood over their small exchange, the duo’s vehicle slowly made it into the heart of the city. The green plains around them soon gave way to paved walkways and buildings of varying heights. A little ways away, Yuko noticed a small playground where children were playing, while some adults watched over them.
“I think I remember playing there…” Yuko whispered to herself. “This really is Central… It really takes me back.”
As they progressed down the path, Yuko couldn’t help looking back and forth at all the familiar locations she hadn’t seen in some time. Meanwhile Yamagata was glancing around trying to remember the route to the Central hospital.
“We should head down this way to reach the hospital, right Ms. Maeda?” she asked to confirm.
“Yeah, I think so! I remember it was down in that direction.” Yuko confirmed. “It was just past one of the Elementary schools.”
“Right, I thought so.” Yamagata nodded, turning the vehicle and heading in the direction they’d just discussed.
After traveling a small distance, and taking a few turns here and there, the two slowly came to a stop in front of a tall building. Right out front, a sign clearly labeled ‘Central Hospital’ could be seen.
“Here we are…” Yamagata sighed. “Based on our appointment, we should be meeting up with an official from Central HQ this afternoon, as well as the girl’s homeroom teacher. After that, I believe we’ll have our first meeting with the girl in question, mainly for introductions and to say our hellos. All of the main testing and such should be tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” Yuko nodded, mentally preparing herself for what’s to come.
“Well then…” Yamagata turned off the engine of the vehicle and stepped out. “Shall we head on in?”
“Yeah, let’s go!” Yuko exited the vehicle as well, stretching just a bit as she returned to her feet. Afterwards, she followed after Yamagata and the two made their way into the hospital.
After passing through two automated glass doors, a large central lobby stretched out before the two. There weren’t too many other people around; a couple of kids here and there, along with a few adults. Hospital staff could be seen passing through or coming in and out of the elevator on the opposite side of the lobby. The front desk was manned by two nurses who were already glancing toward Yamagata and Yuko, so the two swiftly made their way over.
“How may I help you?” asked one of the nurses.
“We’re here for a special appointment.” Yamagata explained, pulling out some special paperwork and handing it to the nurse.
“Oh, yes! We were expecting you.” The nurse quickly realized the situation after a quick glance of the papers. “Right this way, please.”
“Thank you very much.” Yamagata thanked the nurse. She and Yuko then followed after her.
As the group made their way down the various hallways, Yuko couldn’t help but continue to glance back and forth.
There’s no doubt about it… This really is the same hospital. Even though it’s been so long, these hallways, this architecture… it’s all so familiar. It gives me such a weird feeling. It’s nostalgic, but… uncomfortable.
Yamagata smiled in amusement at seeing Yuko so intrigued by her surroundings. But before long, the nurse stopped in front of a door.
“This is where I was instructed to bring you.” the nurse bowed. “It’s one of our spare offices, and everyone else is already here.”
“Thanks again.” Yamagata smiled at the nurse.
“My pleasure.” the nurse smiled in return before taking her leave.
Yuko glanced back at the nurse as she walked away, and noticed something peculiar in the process.
“Huh?” Yuko blinked.
“What is it, Ms. Maeda?” Yamagata asked.
“Oh, no it’s nothing…” Yuko quickly dismissed it.
Did I imagine that? It almost looked like someone just hid behind the corner of that hallway… Was someone watching us?
The thought only occurred to Yuko for a moment before she shrugged it off and followed Yamagata inside as she entered the office.
The room seemed like an ordinary doctor’s office. Yuko had vague memories of being in many similar rooms during her time here in the past. Inside were three adults: a mature lady with a relaxed expression wearing a lab coat, a stern-looking woman wearing what appeared to be casually formal attire, and a man wearing a black business suit who gave off the vibe of some kind of agent.
“Wait, you’re-“ Yamagata quietly gasped after taking note of the people in the room, before the man in the suit stepped forward and approached the pair.
“Hello, I’m an official representative of the Central main office. I’m here on behalf of Akihito Hoshikage to confirm your arrival.”
“Oh, yes, excuse me.” Yamagata quickly got a grip and addressed the man before her, who handed a clipboard to both her and Yuko.
“I must ask you both to read over and sign this document.” the man continued. “It is a simple document outlining the behavior expected of you two during your stay here in Central. It is of the utmost importance that you take these guidelines seriously.”
“Yes, of course.” Yamagata replied as she skimmed the document she’d been given. Next to her, Yuko did the same.
It really was a simple document. The thing it was most preoccupied with was keeping information on the eastern district classified when speaking with the children of Central. This of course applied to the patient girl they’d soon be meeting, but it appears that general contact with any other kids is perfectly fine, as long as any of this so-called classified information isn’t shared with them. Honestly, it was a bit more lenient than Yuko expected, and she was happy to have the freedom to explore Central at her leisure as long as she upholds these rules.
“Please note that Central’s security cameras are always active and regularly monitored.” the man spoke. “The security division is aware of your presence and will be keeping a special watch on you both, so please make sure to be careful in all interactions with the children, understood?”
“Yes sir, we understand.” answered Yamagata, as she finished signing the document. Yuko did so as well, and the two of them handed the clipboards back to the official.
“Thank you very much.” he bowed as he received the clipboards. “The rest shall be left to you. Please excuse me.”
With that, after bowing toward the other two people in the room, the man who worked for Central’s main office took his leave. Following his departure, the woman in the lab coat rose from her seat and approached the pair.
“Good afternoon. Thank you both for coming all this way.” the woman reached her hand out. “I’m Dr. Miyamori. I’m the head doctor currently in charge of Central hospital. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Oh no, the pleasure is all mine.” Yamagata returned her handshake. “This here is Ms. Yuko Maeda, the girl you’ve requested to meet. I’m her homeroom teacher, Mariko Yamagata.”
“Ah, yes. Hello Ms. Maeda. Do you remember me?” Dr. Miyamori now reached her hand out toward Yuko with a smile.
“O-oh, um… sorry, I don’t think I do…” Yuko timidly returned the handshake.
“Ahaha, I see, I figured as much.” Dr. Miyamori chuckled. “I’ve only recently become the hospital’s head doctor, you see. Back when you were a patient here, I was just an ordinary nurse, and you weren’t one of my regular patients. I did see you from time-to-time though, when we were short on staff.”
“Oh, I see.” Yuko felt a bit bad over not knowing how to respond the doctor’s familiar demeanor.
“Anyway, we have one more person here.” Dr. Miyamori turned toward the other woman in the room, who then rose to her feet.
“Hello, I’m the homeroom teacher in charge of Tsukiko Matsuura, the student in question. My name is…” taking a brief pause, the woman turned her gaze toward Yamagata. “My name is Eiko Shinohara.”
“So it is you, Eiko!” Yamagata suddenly shouted in excitement.
“Yes… I was surprised as well, when I saw the name of the teacher who’d be accompanying Ms. Maeda here today…!” a smile formed on Shinohara’s face. “Even though you’re standing right there, it doesn’t feel real… It’s been far, far too long, Mari.”
“Eiko!” in an instant, Yamagata leaped over to Shinohara, embracing her in a hug.
“Huh? What?” Yuko could only blink in surprise at the bizarre turn of events.
“Oh my…” Dr. Miyamori, too, could only look on in surprise.
---
“Haah…” Yuko let out a sigh after exiting the restroom.
After Yamagata and Shinohara’s unexpected reactions to one another, the two revealed that they were both close friend who grew up together in the eastern district. It was quite the coincidence for the two to meet again in a situation like this. During the whole thing, Yuko wasn’t really sure what to contribute to the conversation, so she asked where the nearest restroom was and took her leave.
“To think that those two knew each other…” Yuko pondered. “It must be nice, getting to reunite with a friend you haven’t seen in a long time…”
Yuko’s mind turned back to her own history in Central, and her close friends Chisa and Aoi. Of course, Chisa is in the same district as Yuko, so they haven’t really been apart. But Yuko couldn’t help but wonder how Aoi’s been doing, in whatever district she ended up in.
“It’d be nice to see Aoi again… Though, there’s no way she’d be here.” Yuko chuckled to herself before she began to make her way back to the meeting room. Although Yamagata and Shinohara wanting to catch up caused a bit of a delay, she really should get back soon so they can start going over the key plans and meet up with the sick girl, Tsukiko.
Yuko casually walked through the quiet halls. Central was a large area, and many people lived here, which is why having a hospital building like this was important. But at the same time, it’s not like large amounts of people got sick, so there usually weren’t too many patients at once. Yuko recalled that most of the usual traffic in the hospital was just people coming in for regular checkups. Though honestly, this floor seemed to be mostly offices and meeting rooms, so it’s not like there’d be many patients around here even if there were a lot in the building.
With these kinds of thoughts drifting through her mind, Yuko turned a corner, about to head back toward the earlier office, when suddenly…
“Ah…!” before Yuko realized it, her foot caught on something. “Waah!!” she immediately lost her balance and fell straight down to the floor with her hips in the air.
“Ow… what the heck?” Yuko was at a total loss over how she’d just tripped. She looked down at her ankle and saw an electrical cord wrapped around it. Just as she was wondering where that came from…
“Kyaa!” Yuko squeaked after a small foot stomped down on her butt, pinning her to the ground. Yuko turned to look at the one responsible, and saw a young boy she didn’t recognize.
“Hmph, so you’re the girl they called in, huh?” the young boy scoffed at Yuko in a condescending tone.
“Wh-who the heck are you?” Yuko was baffled by this situation she’d wound up in. It became immediately apparent that this kid must’ve known Yuko would turn this corner, and set up the cord to trip her.
“Wait a minute…” Yuko squinted her eyes more, taking a good look at the kid. “I saw you earlier! Now I get it, you followed us!”
“Heh, at least you seem to have some brains in there.” the boy scoffed.
Yuko remembered seeing this boy sitting alone in the lobby when she and Yamagata first entered the building. When the two of them were first guided to the office, Yuko had a vague feeling that they were being watched or followed, and she realized this kid must’ve followed after them.
“You may be older, but you’re really just as dumb as all the other kids around here.” the boy ranted as he continued to push his foot onto Yuko’s buttocks. “Just another stupid girl... You aren’t like Tsukiko at all, and there’s no way you’ll be of any help. Those doctors don’t get it at all.”
“What do you mean?” Yuko asked, annoyed. “And get your foot off me!”
“Why should I? Don’t want me to mess up those stupid polka-dot panties?” the boy snickered.
“Excuse you?!” Yuko then put all of her strength into her arms, and pushed her whole body up, knocking the kid off balance, forcing him to stumble back.
“Whoa there!” the boy wiggled around as here regained his footing. “Guess you aren’t too weak either.”
“Leave me alone, you pervy brat!” Yuko shouted with annoyance, before quickly recalling what he’d just said a moment earlier. “And what’s this about Tsukiko, anyway? Do you know her?”
The boy hesitated for a moment, but as he prepared to answer, the adults had all exited the nearby meeting room after hearing the commotion and approached the two of them.
“Haruto!” shouted an angry voice. After turning their way, Yuko realized that it was the teacher Shinohara calling out what she assumed to be the boy’s name.
“Oh crap!” with a comical look of panic on his face, the boy was about to turn and make a run for it. However, upon realizing this, Yuko quickly reached out and grabbed his ankle.
“Hey! No fair!” shouted the boy, Haruto, as he nearly fell over. He proceeded to desperately try yanking his foot from Yuko’s grasp, but the adults quickly arrived at the scene and Shinohara took Haruto by the wrist.
“Haruto, I told you to head back to the dormitory!” Shinohara scolded. “There won’t be any visitors for Tsukiko today because she has to meet with these important guests.”
“Let go, you old hag!” Haruto shouted, trying to pull free from Shinohara’s grasp. “This dumb district girl is useless! I’m the only one who can protect Tsukiko!” he was making quite a scene as he struggled to escape from his scolding.
“H-how many times must I tell you not to call me old?! I’m not even 30 yet!” apparently, this teacher had a temper as well, and she responded to the kid’s provocation with equal irritation.
“Like hell a grumpy old lady like you is that young! Don’t think we don’t see those wrinkles on your forehead!”
“And who do you think’s responsible for the stress that gave me these wrinkles, you brat?!”
As the two continued to argue, Yuko, Yamagata, and Dr. Miyamori could only stand there awkwardly, bewildered by the over-the-top teacher-student squabble unfolding before them.
This is going to be a long weekend…
Yuko had just arrived, and she was already exhausted.
---
“I’m terribly sorry for the behavior of my student.” Shionhara was bowing herself before Yuko.
“Oh, don’t worry about it!” Yuko waved her hands around. “Some kids are just like that, no big deal!” Truthfully, Yuko was still a bit flustered over how he treated her, but figured it’d be best to just let the whole thing drop for now.
“Still, you have my apologies. I behaved quite unflatteringly as well.” Shinohara still had her head bowed.
Earlier, after Shinohara and Haruto’s argument went on a little longer, she took him outside and finally convinced him to go home. With the sun finally starting to set outside, the group was now in the lobby, in front of the elevators. They were preparing to go visit the patient, Tsukiko.
“Allow me to explain. That boy is Haruto Kawashima.” Shinohara lifted her head. “He and the patient, Tsukiko Matsuura, have been close for a long time. Both of them are in my class, and I find myself a bit concerned. You see, they both haven’t quite made friends with the other children in class, so all they really have is each other.”
With the sound of a ding, the doors to the elevator opened slowly, and the group all walked inside as Shinohara continued her explanation.
“As for Haruto in particular, he’s always been a bit of a troublemaker. But ever since Tsukiko’s hospitalization, he’s been rebelling against the adults more fervently than ever…” Shinohara explained with a sigh. “Honestly, it’s become quite the headache.”
“Oh dear, I see…” Yamagata seemed saddened after hearing the story, feeling sympathy for the boy.
Yuko nodded along as well. She started to realize that because she was called in like this, Haruto probably couldn’t meet up with Tsukiko today. She felt bad about it, even though there wasn’t really anything she could do. After hearing about his situation, Yuko couldn’t help but wish she had asked if he could’ve come along with them. Tsukiko would surely be more receptive if a friendly face were nearby. But then again, given Haruto’s penchant for causing a scene, maybe it’s better this way. Yuko silently tossed such thoughts around while standing in the elevator with the others.
“Children his age tend to be dealing with a lot of mixed up emotions at once.” Dr. Miyamori spoke up. “Everyone has something they wish to protect, and if Tsukiko is such an important person to him, it makes sense that he’d want to reject this entire situation. We adults are easy to blame from his perspective.”
“I suppose you’re right, but still…” Shinohara rubbed her forehead.
“I’ve seen him visiting that girl almost every day.” Dr. Miyamori smiled. “The kid has a good heart. He just wants his friend back. So for his sake, too, we must do our best.”
Following Dr. Miyamori’s words, everyone nodded. At that moment, the familiar dinging sound chimed once again as the elevator stopped moving. The group had reached the 3rd floor, where Tsukiko’s patient room awaited. The group exited the elevator together and made their way down the hall.
“Now then, before we meet with the patient, I should go over the situation.” Dr. Miyamori began, as the group followed right behind her. “As I’m sure you’re aware, Tsukiko Matsuura is currently suffering from an illness we’re unable to identify. Based on the symptoms, it seems highly similar to the unidentified illness you suffered from several years ago, Ms. Maeda.”
“Yeah…” Yuko nodded. “We’re here because you’re going to run some tests on me to see if you can find a way to help her, right?”
“Correct.” the doctor nodded. “Those tests will all be tomorrow. Remember, this is just an introductory meeting.”
“Ms. Matsuura is already expecting us, correct?” Yamagata asked, for clarification’s sake.
“Indeed, she’s been made aware of the whole situation.” Dr. Miyamori confirmed, turning a corner in the hall along with the rest.
“Well, I’m kind of nervous, but I hope we get along.” Yuko said, trying to prepare herself for meeting another new person.
“She’s a peculiar girl, but not unpleasant. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.” Shinohara commented.
“Peculiar?” Yamagata tilted her head.
“Well, it may be partially related to the illness.” Shinohara answered with uncertainty. “Still, just try to get along and it should be fine.”
Yuko and Yamagata merely glanced at one another, unsure of what to make of such comments. Just then, Dr. Miyamori ahead of them came to a stop in front of one of the doors.
“We’re here. Is everyone ready?” the doctor asked, her hand already on the door.
The group all nodded together, and Dr. Miyamori returned a nod of her own, before slowly opening the door. The group of four all made their way into the room. It was a relatively small room, with a hospital bed, a desk, and some chairs. The curtains on the window were wide open, and the orange light from the sunset outside flooded into the room.
“Good evening Tsukiko, how are you feeling?” Dr. Miyamori asked, with a kind, friendly smile. “The sun’s really shining in here, should I close the curtains?”
“Hello, doctor.” the small girl in the bed replied in a soft, sweet voice. She turned to face the group. “I’m doing okay today. And don’t worry about the curtains; the sunset today is very pretty.”
“Very well.” Dr. Miyamori smiled at the girl, before moving to take a seat at the desk.
“Hello, Tsukiko.” Shinohara stepped forward, motioning to Yuko and Yamagata behind her. “As you can see, some nice guests have come to say hello.”
“Y-yes! I’m Yuko Maeda! Nice to meet you!” Yuko nervously introduced herself to Tsukiko.
“And I’m her homeroom teacher, Mariko Yamagata.” Yamagata gave a slight bow.
“Heeheehee, so you’re the girl they told me about.” giggled Tsukiko. “You’re very pretty. You look almost like a grownup yourself, if you were taller anyway.”
“Oh, uh… Thank you! Hahaha.” Yuko laughed awkwardly. Thinking back to her days in Central, Yuko recalled how rare it would be to ever see someone the age she is now. After all, Central is mainly filled with children and adults. Someone like Tsukiko getting to even meet someone like Yuko was a bit of a rarity itself.
“As I explained before, Tsukiko, Ms. Maeda here used to go to Central just like you do now. Back then, she was also sick, and it seems very likely it’s the same thing you have now. With her help, we may find a way for you to get better.” Dr. Miyamori explained with a gentleness to her voice.
“Okay, doctor. But if it doesn’t work out, don’t worry too much. Heeheehee.” Tsukiko answered in a bit of a carefree manner. Taking note of that, Yuko became curious, and decided to speak up.
“Aren’t you excited to get better, Tsukiko?” Yuko asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
“I guess so.” Tsukiko answered with a smile.
Yuko glanced at the others, unsure of what to make of such a response. Yuko thought back to her days in the hospital, when she’d be bedridden for days on end with pounding headaches and off-and-on fevers. It wasn’t pleasant, and she always wished to get out and return to her normal school life with Chisa and Aoi as soon as she could. Could a girl this carefree really be suffering the same illness?
“I mean, being stuck here in bed all day is a pain, isn’t it?” Yuko asked.
“Hmm…” Tsukiko lifted a finger to her chin, thinking. “Yeah, it hurt sometimes. But it’s not like I’m stuck here all the time. After all, at night I can go see mama and papa!”
“… Eh?” Yuko froze. Beside her, Yamagata even opened her eyes in surprise. Dr. Miyamori and Shinohara remained still.
To Yuko, what Tsukiko just said… didn’t make sense. Starlight Academy is a school for students with no home in the outside world, with most students coming in at an early age. That is what this place, Central, is for. Caretakers raise the young children, and they begin to go through schooling like any other child. There are adults all around whose job it is to look after and take care of the children of Central. Because of that, the concept of ‘parents’ is basically a myth to those who live here. Most children in Starlight Academy would have little to no memory of the people who gave birth to them.
Thus, Tsukiko’s declaration of ‘going to see mama and papa’ is something that shouldn’t even be possible.
“Now, Tsukiko…” Dr. Miyamori broke the silence, trying to speak as gently as she could. “Remember what we’ve talked about? Those are just dreams, remember?”
“Oh, yeah! Sorry about that, heeheehee.” Tsukiko simply laughed it off, like it was a small mistake. Yuko and Yamagata both awkwardly chuckled along with her.
“Haha, sounds like you have some nice dreams, Tsukiko.” Yuko tried to gather herself and keep up the friendly discussion.
“Dreams are weird, but lately they’ve been super fun!” Tsukiko grinned. “You were ‘sick’ like me too, right Miss? Then, did you dream too? Did you see it?”
“Huh?” Yuko’s eyes met Tsukiko’s. Tsukiko was looking Yuko straight in the eyes with a bizarre grin. Despite her grinning expression, Tsukiko’s eyes felt very cold. Yuko couldn’t help but feel intimidated under the gaze of those eyes. A weird feeling came over her, like a slight shiver running up her spine.
“N-no, I don’t really remember having any notable dreams while I was sick.” Yuko smiled wryly and shook her head.
“Aww, that’s no fun.” Tsukiko seemed disappointed for some reason. “Maybe I’m just special.”
“Maybe so, haha.” Yuko was totally lost.
After a bit of time, Dr. Miyamori spoke up.
“Well, I think our guests should probably get going now so they can settle in for the night.” she reasoned, rising from her seat. “We’ll have a long day tomorrow, so say goodbye, Tsukiko.”
“It was good to meet you, big sis Yuko!” Tsukiko smiled, reaching out her hand.
“Ah, yes, you too.” Yuko took hold of her hand and returned Tsukiko’s handshake, all while wondering where the ‘big sis’ attached to her name came from.
I guess she likes me?
Yuko wasn’t entirely sure. But despite some of the weird stuff she said, they seemed to get along well.
“And you!” Tsukiko held her hand out to Yamagata next.
“Oh my, why thank you.” Yamagata returned the handshake. “It was a pleasure meeting you, little Tsukiko.”
“Yeah! See you tomorrow!” Tsukiko waved as the group started making their way out of the room.
“See you tomorrow! Take care!” Yuko waved back.
---
After leaving Tsukiko’s hospital room, the group had made their way back down to the first floor meeting room.
“So now that you’ve met her, what are your impressions, Ms. Maeda?” Dr. Miyamori asked.
“I was… well, surprised. She seemed so cheerful and sure of herself. It’s hard to believe she’s even sick, let alone sick with the same thing I used to suffer from…” Yuko explained, as she stared at the floor.
“Yeah, that’s the kind of reaction I expected.” Dr. Miyamori sighed.
“It may be hard to understand, but it’s worth noting that such an exchange is very unusual for her.” Shinohara spoke up.
“What do you mean by that?” Yamagata asked, confused.
“At school, Tsukiko is a very quiet girl.” she began to explain. “As her teacher, this may be a bit wrong for me to say, but I got the distinct sense that she didn’t like school.”
“Oh dear…” Yamagata muttered.
“Even when she first became hospitalized, that didn’t change.” Shinohara continued. “Around adults such as myself or Dr. Miyamori, Tsukiko would speak very little, and often just stared off into space. That boy from before, Haruto, is her only friend. But even when those two are together, he does most of the talking.”
“But… that’s weird. She seemed really open and talkative with us…” Yuko said, confused.
“Why, yes… that’s…” Shinohara grimaced as she grew quiet.
“It all began with a dream.” Dr. Miyamori stated. Yuko and Yamagata turned to her, curious over what she meant.
“Like the dream she mentioned before? About her parents?” Yamagata asked, concerned.
“Right.” the doctor nodded. “Honestly, I’m unsure whether it’s a dream or a hallucination caused by her illness. Regardless, she seems to believe that she goes off somewhere every night to visit her parents. Or, whatever she believes to be her parents…”
“Ever since she started having those dreams, it’s like she’s become a completely different girl…” Shinohara commented. “It’s nice to see her so cheerful, but… it was a strange, and sudden change.”
“Indeed...” Dr. Miyamori nodded. “So, please know I understand your doubt, Ms. Maeda. But trust me when I say her symptoms are still just like yours. These dreams are a recent development, and they seem to be helping keep her stable, at least mentally. Her temperature goes up and down, but we can tell it’s not taking nearly as much of a toll on her as it did before. And even if her change in behavior feels abnormal, we feel her new cheerful demeanor can’t be a bad thing…”
“True. It’s better than laying around in bed all day feeling depressed. Especially for such a young girl…” Yamagata reasoned.
“Yeah, you’re right…” Yuko responded. “Oh, and don’t worry, doctor, I wasn’t doubting you or anything! I don’t know how to explain it… The feeling I got from Tsukiko…”
“Well, I’m sure tomorrow you can spend more time with her. I hope you two get along.” Dr. Miyamori reassured.
“Yes, I’ll do my best!” nodded Yuko.
“Well then, it’s getting late, so I’m afraid I must be going.” Shinohara spoke up.
“Ah, yes. Sorry to keep you here so late when you have your students to attend to.” Dr. Miyamori apologized.
“Oh right, you’re a teacher here, Eiko!” Yamagata held her friend’s hand. “Take care of your students! Let’s do our best together!”
“I-it’s no big deal, Mari…” Shinohara blushed.
Yuko merely watched the two from the side, before recalling how things worked for the younger students here in Central. Teachers would of course teach classes earlier in the day, but students also got together by class in the evenings for dinner. It was a lot more structured and organized compared to how things work in the eastern district, where students could plan their meals around their own schedules. Considering how young the kids in Central were, it made sense to keep them more closely monitored.
With that exchange out of the way, Shinohara had left the room, leaving the remaining three inside.
“Well, I’m sure you’re both tired.” Dr. Miyamori said, looking back and forth between Yuko and Yamagata. “We’ve got a small room prepared for each of you near the hospital staff’s residency wing. They’re rather simple guest rooms, but I hope you’ll find yourselves right at home.”
“My, that sounds lovely!” Yamagata answered with a smile.
“Yes, I’ll show you the way.” Dr. Miyamori opened the door, motioning for the two to follow behind her.
As the trio made their way back through the halls, they found themselves in the lobby once more. It seems that they had to cut through to the other side of the building to reach the residency wing. As the three passed through, they spotted Shinohara over by the front entryway.
“Wait, that’s…” Yuko muttered, noticing who else was over there.
“I swear, Haruto! You just never listen!” Shinohara was once again scolding the young boy Haruto, who apparently hadn’t actually returned home earlier.
“I just wanted to see Tsukiko, but you grownups and your dumb plans were just a pain!” Haruto answered, clearly frustrated.
That was all of the conversation they heard, as Shinohara had dragged Haruto outside. It seems she was going to bring him back to the student dorms herself. Well, they had to get together for dinner in a little while anyway. Yuko could only smile wryly at what she’d just seen.
Haruto and Tsukiko… Such strange kids…
As she continued to follow the adults into the other side of the hospital, Yuko found her thoughts preoccupied with the young pair. Perhaps it was because they were a small group who only had one another... Yuko couldn’t help but compare the situation to her own when she lived in Central, with Chisa and Aoi being her only friends.
But still, if I can… I want to help those two.
With this determination in her heart, Yuko finally felt she may be ready to face what lies ahead. Whether she may or may not be able to help in finding something to ease Tsukiko’s illness, she wanted to at least be there for the two of them, so they could know they aren’t alone.
[Chapter 2 END]
