A heart that gave up.

"Good morning. Yukiko Shirai-san."

"......"

She regained consciousness. But her heart did not return to this world.


"The rooftop suicide girl"


Her name was Yukiko Shirai. 17 years old.

She threw her body from the rooftop of a five-story building.


Why did she try to end her own life?

The true intention is still unknown.


The person in charge, Rtuko Iwamisita, called out to Yukiko Shirai. But no reply came back.


She had regained consciousness for a week now.

Fortunately, there was no damage to the brain, no aftereffects.


That means, she should be able to hear the voice of Rituko who called out to her, and the voices of the nurses.


The damage to her body was certainly big. She did not rupture any organs, but there was inflammation and damage from the impact.

The plan was to have another surgery on the damaged part tomorrow.


Her mother could only sit next to her bed and hold her hand.

And we could only do what we could for her now.


The next day, she had another surgery. When she woke up from anesthesia, Yukiko Shirai spoke for the first time.


"Why... am I alive?"


That was the first word she returned after trying to end her own life.

"What are you saying..."

Her mother said in a surprised, scolding way... I don't know how to express it, but I can say one thing for sure, that her feelings for her daughter's life being saved were in it.


Yes, a certain thing... That is, she exists in this world. That she is alive.

Rituko did not ask her why she did such a thing at all.

The same way, the nurses did not touch on that either.

They just nursed and treated her with the goal of making her recover as soon as possible from the current situation.


Was Yukiko Shirai a person who gave up?

That's why... she threw her body.


But she did not feel like she was denying living from the bottom of her heart even now.

"Maybe... Shirai-san was tired. So..."

Rituko said.


"When I look at her, I feel like I'm looking at you when you lost your sister."

"Me..."

"Yes, you."


"You were giving up on everything at that time. No, you were trying to give up. And you blamed yourself. You knew your weakness and felt your sister's feelings, because you could touch them a little."


"Mayumi's feelings... I can accept what you're saying with honest feelings now."

"Yes, I thought you would answer like that now. You... Ko-Kouichi have become more admirable than before... As a doctor, and as Tanabe Kouichi..."


"Yeah, it's kind of embarrassing. Why is that when Rituko is in front of me...? I feel like Mayumi has possessed you. I... will love Iwamisita Mayumi until this life of mine disappears. Even if there is no reality in my heart, I will love Mayumi for life."


"Yeah, I think my sister feels the same way. My sister's figure is gone now, but her feelings are still alive. In you, and in me too..."


As she opened the glass door of the floor as usual, Rituko stopped.


"Tomorrow, the promise with Madoka-chan."

"Yeah, sorry."


"No... A-And... The one who loved you... The one who is here... Is not only my sister..."


She muttered and closed the door.



◇Heart restored A heart that is restored EP0


Madoka Akishima whom I meet after a long time.


There is no trace of her life during her illness.

Rather, she is grateful for being alive now and seems to emit a shining light.


In the city, among the people who come and go, she found us two and greeted us with a big smile and a wave.

"It's been a long time. Madoka-chan."

"I'm really sorry for not keeping in touch. Dr. Ta-na-be. And Ritu-chan too."


"Ritu-chan?"

"You look well. Madoka-chan."


Rituko smiled and gently touched Madoka-chan's shoulder.

I don't know their connection. But looking at their expressions now, I can tell they are close to each other. Maybe there is also Mayumi's existence in these two...


But still, Madoka-chan's way of calling me when she is in a good mood does not change. I wish only Mayumi would call me like that...

Rituko teased me by saying "You're cute. Ta-Na-Be-kun." with a grin next to me.


"Hey..."

"What? You two are really close."

"We're not close like that."


"Well, it's perfect then. Let's go before we waste time."

She led us to the station.

Madoka-chan didn't say where we were going. And for some reason, she didn't talk after getting on the train.


...This line.


The scenery outside the car that I see for the first time in a long time.

How many years have I not seen this scenery...

The memories that come to mind from this train.

That is...


The best smile that she left me at the end and left this world. My mother's figure.

It's still burned in my eyes. The last summer of high school, the last day, the full smile of my mother.


The station we get off at, that station is also very nostalgic now.

Yes, this line, and this station are places I used to go to a lot when I was a student.


Now I only come by car. I don't ride the train anymore.


The destination is naturally drawn in my head.

But why?

Why did Madoka-chan take us to this place?


And how does she know this place?

After getting off at this station, Rituko's expression also became a little stiff.


Madoka Akishima. What are you trying to make me, no, us two do?

We passed through the ticket gate and left the station building, and felt a pleasant wind and the sound of leaves rubbing against each other.


Above that, there was a clear blue sky and white clouds showing their outlines as they did then.


Yes, this is where my mother sleeps. Where the cemetery is.


My mother's death anniversary is a few days away. I never made it to visit her grave on her death anniversary since I became a doctor.

But I always went to the grave where my mother sleeps.


The mother who gave birth to me in this world.


And the person who taught me not to forget my smile, that when I forget my smile in my heart, that's when I lose to myself.

That smile brought me and Mayumi together.

Everything started from my mother's smile.

And I grew up wrapped in her smile and love until she left.


The place where Madoka-chan's feet stopped. That was exactly where my mother's grave was.


"Madoka-chan"

I called her name softly from behind.


She squatted down quietly in front of the gravestone and put her hands together.


"I'm sorry. I came without bringing any flowers or incense. Dr. Tanabe Kouichi's mother. I'm Madoka Akishima. Dr. Tanabe has been very helpful to me. And now, I'm alive here thanks to Dr. Tanabe and his girlfriend Dr. Mayumi. So I wanted to thank the mother who gave birth to Dr. Tanabe first. It was very embarrassing to come alone... Mayumi-sensei is gone now, so I brought her sister Dr. Rituko and the person she wanted to see most. Dr. Tanabe himself."


She spoke as if my mother was there.


"Dr. Tanabe... I'm sorry. I brought you here without saying anything. But you know, I promised Mayumi-sensei too. If... I could get a heart transplant and live as myself from now on... I wanted to go to the place where Mayumi-sensei had the most feelings with him... That's here. The place where she taught him the best smile and gave it to him."


"That was here..."


"That's right. But you know, there's another reason. Mayumi-sensei is gone. I wanted to come with her if possible. But that's impossible now. You said it before, Dr. Tanabe. "Don't give up. If you give up, everything will end there." Mayumi-sensei used to tell me that a lot.


So... I didn't give up. And I met Dr. Tanabe. He also lost someone important and was about to give up, but I was just like him. We were both connected by Mayumi-sensei. And we stopped giving up. That's why we have now."


Madoka-chan said that and turned to Rituko.

"Now it's Ritu-chan's turn. You have to work hard and not give up."


"Me..."

"Yes, Ritu-chan was also about to give up."


"But..."

"Come on, you can't say it in front of Mayumi-sensei, can you? So now here... And you know, I promised Mayumi-sensei too. She's such a caring person. Well, that's why I and Dr. Tanabe have now."



It's Ritu-chan's turn now.


Ritu-chan's true feelings. Mayumi-sensei knew them too...


The answer was even in the notebook I left for Mr. Tanabe!




******

The copyright of this novel belongs to "Etuha Sakakihara さかき原枝都は".

Copying or resembling this novel is prohibited.


Click here for the original Japanese text

emergency doctor

https://kakuyomu.jp/works/1177354054883893123

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