Madoka Kaname felt a bit dazed due to a strange dream she'd had the night before, but even so, she noticed something unusual about her close friend.
"Sayaka, did something good happen?"
Madoka sudden question caught both Sayaka Miki and Hitomi Shizuki off guard. Hitomi blinked, then rubbed her forehead with a helpless smile.
"Actually, I've been wanting to ask Sayaka that too, but I didn't expect you to beat me to it, Madoka."
"Eh?! Is it really that obvious?"
Facing her friends' inquiries, Sayaka looked a bit embarrassed but ultimately nodded.
"When I went to visit Kamijo-kun at the hospital yesterday, it seemed like he was preparing for some kind of 'surgery.' Maybe he's finally decided to move on from the past?"
As a former classmate of the three girls, Kyosuke Kamijo—with his exceptional talent—had always been a frequent topic of conversation among girls their age. However, opinions on his choices were mixed. Many felt he shouldn't dwell on the past and should look toward the future, while others admired his persistence.
Regardless of the stance, as his medical leave stretched on, people had begun to gradually forget his existence.
Sayaka Miki undoubtedly belonged to the latter group. Although she never spoke of it to others, she never denied her feelings for him. Her affection stemmed from the confidence he displayed while playing the violin—a level of maturity and self-assurance far beyond their peers that drew her in instinctively.
To her, the violin was merely a catalyst; she didn't truly care whether he played it or not.
The other two were quite surprised to hear Sayaka news. They hadn't expected such a sudden turn of events, but as kind-hearted girls, they were genuinely happy for Kyosuke change in heart.
"Then let's go visit Kamijo-kun after school, okay?"
Since Madoka knew her friend well, she figured Sayaka might be too shy to suggest it herself, so she brought it up directly. Naturally, the other two didn't object, and they agreed to head to the hospital together after school.
Time is a strange thing; the more you want it to pass quickly, the slower it feels. Sayaka, thinking about Kyosuke all day, was called out by her teachers several times for zoning out in class, which was quite embarrassing. Fortunately, because her image as an athletic girl was so well-established, the teachers weren't too angry; they simply reminded her to pay attention.
After school, Sayaka jogged toward the school gate. Seeing Hitomi and Madoka, she gave them an awkward smile.
"Sorry! Did I keep you waiting long?"
"Heehee~ It's okay! But Sayaka, you can't zone out in class anymore. Kazuko-chan was pretty annoyed, wasn't she?"
The "Kazuko-chan" Madoka referred to was actually their homeroom teacher. Since the teacher was close friends with Madoka mother and they had known each other since Madoka was a child, Madoka liked to call her "Kazuko-chan" in private.
"It was alright... but that new teacher is really something!"
"?" x2
Knowing Sayaka was trying to change the subject, the two were indeed curious about the new female teacher. Everything about her—her looks, aura, and clothes—suggested she wasn't just an ordinary teacher. The fact that she had started teaching at their school at such an odd time during the semester naturally piqued everyone's curiosity.
"When I was called over by 'Kazuko-chan' just now, Professor Olga boyfriend happened to come to pick her up. He was very young and wearing a white coat—he looked like a university researcher? Anyway, Kazuko-chan's whole face was twisting with envy..."
Sayaka expression became extremely nuanced as she spoke. For some reason, while their homeroom teacher wasn't bad-looking, her luck with men was abysmal; she rarely had a boyfriend for more than a month. At least half of the reason Sayaka spent so much time with the teacher was because the woman would complain to her about her love life.
Speaking of which, is it really okay for a teacher to complain to a student about their relationships?
The three junior high girls chatted and laughed about recent school events, and they soon arrived at Mitakihara Municipal Hospital. Sayaka led the way to Kyosuke room with practiced ease. Their luck was good; Kyosuke was currently in the room, chatting and laughing with his family.
Over the past six months, Sayaka had visited Kyosuke frequently, so she was very familiar with the changes in him. The look of a person who had lost all will to fight had vanished, replaced by a strong sense of confidence. It made Sayaka feel as though the Kyosuke she once knew had finally returned.
Because of this, the three didn't enter immediately, choosing instead to wait outside for a moment. But just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from around the corner of the hallway.
The three girls instinctively looked over, and then————
"Eh?!"
Sayaka let out an exaggerated cry before realizing she was in a hospital and quickly covering her mouth. Passing nurses and patients gave her strange looks before continuing on their way; there was no real drama to see, after all.
At that moment, the man nodded to the three of them and walked straight past.
It wasn't until he entered Kyosuke room that Sayaka finally lowered her hand.
"What's wrong, Sayaka?"
"That doctor just now... he's Professor Olga boyfriend! I had no idea he was a doctor at this hospital..."
In Japan, "doctors" belong to the upper crust of society; both their social status and economic power are far beyond the average person. However, young doctors often have little presence due to Japan's rigid hierarchical thinking, usually spending years building Senpaiity behind a "big name." Yet, Lancer casual attitude and the respectful behavior of Kyosuke family suggested one thing: he might actually be Kyosuke primary physician.
At that moment, they didn't think much more of it, simply marveling at how young the doctor was. Lancer looks were the "slow-burn" type rather than the "instantly stunning" kind, and since he hadn't made a deliberate effort to contact them, there was naturally no interaction.
However, no one noticed the slight narrowing of Lancer eyes as he entered the room. To him, his "plan" was clearly beginning to move onto the right tracks.