Chapter 75.

Flustered by the unexpected change in scenery, I got out of the car when I understood everything. I’d been zoned out the entire time while I was driving just now and I was dragged into some sort of strange mental state. Maybe it was similar to entering that state of zen I’d heard of or something similar. At least, that was the only explanation I rationally conceived was possible with my limited imaginative prowess.

I quickly caught up to Adele’s side when I finally realized her legs had recovered to a certain degree during the time she rested them in the car.

“What is it? Aren’t you ignoring me?”

“Sorry, I’m just exhausted and I zoned out just now. I couldn’t really hear you for some reason.”

She turned her head in my direction, there was a somewhat noticeable hint of concern and guilt in her eyes. When she realized I was staring back, directly into her eyes, she turned the other way almost as quickly as she glanced at me.

“Well, you’re an idiot after all, Mister. I told you to rest many times, didn’t I? It’s not my problem if you developed brain damage from lack of sleep and rest.”

“Yeah. It’s none of your concern, so don’t worry about it.”

“You…”

It appeared she wanted to say something, but she changed her mind and stopped midway through.

We made our way into the hospital, checked in and waited patiently for about an hour before a nurse called on her.

I followed closely behind until we reached an examination room where the nurse who led the way there gestured for Adele to step inside. She obediently followed as instructed and entered the room without putting up much of a fuss. I stayed outside and awaited the arrival of the doctor. It wasn’t a coincidence I went to this hospital. It was because this was the hospital where a doctor who knew about Adele’s condition worked.

When the nurse left, Adele called out from inside the room, “aren’t you going to come in?”

“Sorry, I have to use the washroom, I’ll be right back.”

“You really will return, right? You’re not going to just leave me all alone here without saying anything, right?”

It hurt a bit to respond, those were my exact intentions.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do that.”

I lied.

I was just a filthy liar.

I won’t return.

I naturally had no need for the washroom either. I only intended to find the doctor to explain the situation before I took my leave. We surely would never meet again after this, that was what I’d decided long before we arrived here.

I steeled my heart and wandered through the medical ward until I found who I was searching for.

Dr. Phil.

It’s a coincidence, just a coincidence. It’s not thee Dr. Phil, but one that coincidentally shared his name. He also happened to be a suave bald man with unbridled charm that no god could restrain, but that was just another coincidence.

When I peered inside his office, I found him with his eyes glued to medical records spread out across his desk in deep thought over something.

I knocked on the door and called out, “Excuse me, Dr. Phil.”

He raised his head and squinted suspiciously in my direction as he examined me closely.

“What is it young man?”

“Do you remember me?”

“Have we met before?”

“It’s been about five years.”

“Five years? Five years… Ah. Mr. Genovese? Long time no see. What brings you here today?”

“Well…”

“Is this related to her?”

“Yes. It is about Adele. She’s just been admitted here and I was hoping you could take a look at her.”

“She’s here?! How is that possible?! That can’t be-”

“She’s really here.”

“Are you pulling my leg? If so, I don’t appreciate such ill natured jokes young man.”

“She escaped and I stumbled upon her, but can you please examine her? It seems like she’s recovered significantly. Although it seems like she has a case of amnesia. Her legs were also giving her a bit of difficulty as well and I was hoping you could also check up to see if they were alright.”

“You sound rather concerned for her contrary to what I’d expect. Did something happen between the two of you again? How does that make you feel?”

“Shut up with the ‘how does that make you feel’ rubbish.”

“Ehem. Sorry, force of habit. Things that I find interesting, I can’t help but probe.”

“I feel like shit. I want to sleep. Does that answer your question and satiate your damn curiosity?”

“Hahaha. You still have quite the bad temper.”

“I don’t have a bad temper, it just annoys me when I’m asked how I feel about things.”

“You’ve never liked to open up or express yourself to others after all. You just bottle up everything and run away.”

“I’m not the one here for a mental exam, Adele is, so just leave me alone.”

“You should really find a mentally stable woman who you can open your heart to.”

“There’s no such person. Any woman I encounter will inevitably turn out to be a lunatic. That’s just how things work for me.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah old man. That’s how all four of my relationships after Adele turned out.”

“Hahaha. Is it? You have quite the interesting luck there.”

“Yeah, bad luck.”

“Also, about the things between me and Adele, can you please not let her know who I am? I don’t want to get involved any further with her.”

“You’re running away again when she may have recovered?”

“I’m not running. I just don’t have the right to be with her. I betrayed her in the past, turned my back on her and never once paid her a visit since then. I moved on and tried to find happiness with other women on my own. I ended up encountering only psychotic women in the end. It was what I deserved. It’s just a curse that has been placed on me. I don’t deserve to find happiness, but Adele does.”

“She deserves to find happiness? The psychopath who admits to willingly killing her family due to not being loved enough by them?”

“She does. At least, I believe she does.”

“Did you lose a few screws in that head of yours after dating too many crazy women?”

“Haha. I want to deny that, but lately I don’t think I can.”

“Well, you appear to be mentally stable enough if you can hold a conversation normally with me like this.”

“Anyway, just promise me you won’t reveal anything about me or the past Adele to her. She likely doesn’t remember you either, so just act like it’s your first time meeting her. If she is in fact mentally stable now, I hope that you will support her and allow her to live a normal life now. I don’t want her to be sent back to that mental asylum.”

“Mr. Genovese, that is a very difficult request you’re making with no merit in it for me.”

I grit my teeth and painfully uttered a name I hadn’t brought up in a long time with a low voice, “Maria Yayoi.”