“Is this the kid?” inquired a woman wearing a white doctor's coat, with a stethoscope draped around her neck.

"Yes, doctor," responded the nurse who had just administered my routine medication, and hastened her exit from the room.

“Alright. Thank you, you can leave me with the boy now.”

While lying on the hospital bed, I feigned sleep, listening intently to their conversation outside the door.

This scenario was all too familiar for me, as I've been confined to this hospital for most of my life, the only reality I know from when I first started speaking. The only time I could recall going beyond these walls was when I was transferred to different hospitals to get a better treatment.

I was suffering from a rare disease for which the doctors still couldn't figure out the treatment. And because of that, nearly every month, a new doctor would arrive, hopeful of achieving a breakthrough by curing me, only to face disappointment and never return.

Beyond that, something changed, and it became evident that everyone in the hospital, including the nurses, was deliberately avoiding me. Despite their silence, I understood the reason behind this sudden isolation, even though no one dared to tell me directly. But I knew…

I could already tell my parents have finally decided to abandon me, as they hadn't visited me for over weeks. Of course, at some point, they would have reached their limit and given up when my treatment requires a huge amount of money with no hope of ever getting well. I was a bad flower that could die anytime when touched and now I just needed to wait for it to finally wilt.

As usual, I planned to just slip this visit off by pretending to sleep like this because all of these doctor visits were always annoying for me.

“I know you are awake. Why not have a chat with me?" A playful voice chimed near my face.

“⸺Heh!” I yelled in surprise but realising I swiftly muffled my own mouth. Of course, she couldn’t possibly know that I was awake because I was covered from head to toe in my blanket.

“I got you. Haahaa…”

For a second I thought this doctor wouldn’t stop laughing at me until I lifted the blanket from over me and looked at her.

A beautiful woman with a carefree look on her face smiled at me. She had large light eyes, long waist-length dark hair tied loosely, hanging on her right shoulder with bangs. Under her doctor’s lab coat, she wore a long black skirt.

Seeing her hold a thick slate with dozens of my medical records I didn’t need to take any guesses.

“So, what do you want from me?” I asked still feeling a bit embarrassed after getting caught.

For a moment she blinked and then she smiled again. “As I said I just wanted to talk to you?” She repeated.

“What’s there to talk about? Everything about me is already written on those papers. I have nothing new to tell you.” I had no reason to keep telling all my problems to her because I had already told it to dozens of doctors already.

“I did read it, but I don’t think there’s everything written about you here. That’s why, I came here to talk.”

Is she really a doctor, at least I had presumed her one from her attire, but maybe I could be wrong.

The woman stands up straight and holding the clipboard close to her chest she looks straight at me.

“Maybe I should introduce myself to you first. I am Kaori Kondo and from today on I am looking forward to being your doctor.”

Maybe I was too quick to jump to the conclusion. But unlike other doctors who straightaway started to take my interview like I was their some kind of experiment… did she really only come here to talk to me.

“Don’t you want to know what’s going to happen to you from here on out?” Kaori asked.

Her words caught me by surprise. But as if I had a choice over any of this.

“What is there to think about? There is no cure for my disease. So, it’s bound to happen one day… right.” I spoke furiously knowing that no one could change anything.

The woman instead of getting angry at me for lashing out, bends down on her knees and starts rubbing her hand on my hair briskly.

“What are you doing?” I was unable to understand what was going on.

“It’s your fault for looking so cute. I told you they didn’t mention everything in these papers.” Doctor Kaori said in a mischievous voice with the full intent of teasing me.

“Stop it.” I tried to get her hands off me and got back.

“You really don’t act like a kid of your age should. Don’t you get bored sitting all day here all alone?”

“I have never been to school so I don’t have any friends. But sometimes the nurses do teach me here. So, there’s that.” I replied awkwardly as if I did not want to accept what she said. Even trying to walk outside to the corridor my heart would give out and I would faint.

“I see. Maybe I know someone just like you who would want to be friends with you.”

“Really!? But there is no way I can go out to meet them.” I already had given up the idea of getting some friends. It was even rare for me to talk to a kid of my age. Usually, it would only be limited to those when I had a room partner for a few weeks who just got his hands or leg broken or twisted while playing.

But after that I never got to talk to any of them, most probably they would have forgotten all about me by now.

“Don’t worry. I will make sure it happens.”

I think what she said really made me feel happy for a while. But knowing that I was abandoned by my parents, I wouldn’t be surprised if others tried to give me false hope.

“I will wait…”

“Thank you, Kenta.” Doctor Kaori looked extremely optimistic to succeed at her promise.

Maybe she was different. And while I do not harbor any hope for myself. Maybe I will just wait for a little long, ⸺until she gives up on me as well. I looked down at my feeble hands as they barely tried to grip the blanket wondering how much time I really had.

“I am not going to give up on you. If you are ready to wait after talking with me just for a little, I am sure I will be able to help you. I promise you, one day I will cure you and you can go to school and have fun just like any other kid.” Doctor Kaori declared with full determination.

Did she read my mind, there was no way. Until now everyone would look at me as if I was some kind of disappointment and then look away. But why was she trying so hard? What would be the meaning of doing all of this?

“You know what let me tell you a secret!” Kaori came close to my ears and I made sure I was hearing everything right.

“The food in this cafeteria is so bland. Won’t you share with me some good chocolates you might be hiding with you?” Then Kaori placed her hands in front of me as if trying to make a deal.

“Of course, I don’t have anything like that.” I shrieked.

“But shouldn’t children be eating a lot of chocolates?”

“Well, I don’t.” The disappointment hit me hard and I was so serious about what she was going to say to me.

“If that’s the case, I can get you a whole lot of them.” Kaori offered.

“What are you saying? Shouldn’t as a doctor you should tell me to only live on boiled lentils and mashed potatoes alone.”

“I would never do anything horrible like that to a kid and stop them from eating chocolates.” Kaori held her mouth in astonishment as if I was the one being rude here.

Is she really a doctor or just trying to pretend to be one? What kind of doctor offers their patient chocolates?

That was how my first interaction with Doctor Kaori came to an end. As the following day arrived, I had no way of knowing whether she would come back or not.

All I could do was keep on staring at the door. And just a slight movement of the door moving would leave me agog.

All because she made a promise that I would get to meet someone. Until then I had no idea that the person I was going to meet would be none other than Doctor Kaori's own child ⸺a girl.

“Hello, Kenta. Doing well today? I've brought someone special to meet you?”

Doctor Kaori announced, her daughter standing modestly behind her.

"Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Sachi."

***

NOTE FOR READERS:

I know this chapter might had come as a surprise to you all. And you may have a lot of questions by now. But instead of satisfying all of your curiosity I want you to wait till the next two chapter comes out and I pull the rug from under your feet. Because what's going to come will amaze you all.

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