By the time they finished talking.
Toru still did not manage to trick Yoyoko into his bedroom.
The kid didn't seem to look very smart, and he wasn't really into it.
Doing that to a minor is illegal.
————
[Late February]
The cold gradually faded away, and some early blooming cherry blossom buds quietly appeared on the branches, waiting for the spring breeze to arrive.
Since the last simulation ended, more than half a month had already passed.
During this time, Toru became the manager of Kessoku Band, helped film an MV, and uploaded it to the band's official account.
The recent video broke one hundred thousand views.
Their follower count increased by a few thousand, but most of them were casual passersby, the kind that would not buy live tickets.
Aside from that, the members of Kessoku Band had started doing street performances.
Toru helped reserve a few parks…
Overall, everything was going quite smoothly.
Except for…
A certain big sister who loved drinking alcohol.
Toru raised his head and looked at the Medical University Affiliated Hospital right in front of him, recalling what happened the night before last…
He had been lying at home, half asleep, when his phone suddenly rang.
Beep.
[Hello, this is the Affiliated Hospital of the Medical University. Are you a family member of Miss Hiroi Kikuri?]
[Yes, sir. We need to confirm with you first. Regarding Miss Hiroi's condition, the doctor recommends that she stay hospitalized for a period of recovery.]
When he heard the call from the nurse.
Toru froze on the spot.
Nothing like this had happened in the simulation.
He hurriedly asked for more details.
The nurse's explanation was very simple—
[Miss Hiroi fell while intoxicated and suffered a minor fracture to her lower leg. She needs some time to recuperate.]
Toru rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night to pay the medical bills.
Only after confirming that there were no major issues did he finally feel relieved.
Drinking until you break your leg, calling it unlucky would be accurate, calling it lucky…
At least it was only her leg, and not her head.
————
Toru pulled his thoughts back and entered the inpatient building.
He walked through corridors heavy with the smell of disinfectant, surrounded by all kinds of patients and their families.
Having been a doctor for decades, Toru was already used to this.
Hospitals were filled with vast amounts of hope…
And equally vast despair.
"There's really no other way? Doctor, please, I'm begging you, save my wife."
A middle aged man tightly held the doctor's hand. Toru could see the despair in his eyes, as well as the doctor's helpless sympathy.
Toru did not look any longer. He could not save everyone…
At least, not yet.
A few minutes later.
He pushed open a quiet room in the corner.
Toru looked at Hiroi Kikuri, lying on the hospital bed with her lower leg in a cast, and placed the gifts he brought beside the bed.
"Kikuri nee-san, are you feeling any better?"
"Ah, Toru, you finally came… Big sis is so bored right now, I want to go out and have fun."
Hiroi Kikuri had not drunk any alcohol these past two days.
She seemed much more normal overall.
Her happiness spiral had been broken, and now she looked rather listless.
Without alcohol to numb her, she recalled a whole pile of anxieties—
Worries about the future, money problems, population decline, wealth disparity…
"Do you remember the doctor's instructions? Patients are not allowed to move around, and no drinking."
Toru knew she wanted to drink, but with a fractured leg, alcohol would not help her recovery.
"Hospitalization is expensive. Kikuri nee-san, do not waste my money. Rest properly."
The moment money was mentioned, Hiroi Kikuri became much more obedient.
Toru's money did not grow on trees.
"I know…"
Hiroi Kikuri lowered her head and glanced at her lower leg. Since the injury was not serious and not a comminuted fracture, she did not feel much pain, only a slight numbness around the injured area.
"Have Shimizu nee-san and Shima nee-san come by?"
Shimizu Eliza and Iwashita Shima.
Hiroi Kikuri's two bandmates.
"Eliza has to draw a doujin for a convention. She came yesterday, but not today. Shima said I brought this on myself… Wuu wuu wuu, big sis is so hurt."
With a pitiful expression, Hiroi Kikuri said, "If I could just have a sip of alcohol, that would be great. Big sis wants to get completely drunk and forget everything."
This kind of fake pitiful trick might fool Yoyoko, but it would not fool Toru...
Ignoring her, he stood up and washed his hands at the sink in the private bathroom nearby.
Then he picked up a fruit knife.
Sat by the hospital bed and started peeling an apple for her.
"Did everyone from Kessoku Band come by?"
"Mhm, they did."
Hiroi Kikuri nodded, took the apple from Toru, and began nibbling on it in small bites.
Halfway through.
She seemed to remember something. "Oh right, big sis saw a super cute girl move into the ward next door yesterday."
"And then?"
Toru did not understand why she was bringing this up.
"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you."
Hiroi Kikuri remembered that Toru liked white haired girls the most.
If he happened to meet that patient, would he end up liking her?
"This is one of the best hospitals in Tokyo. She should be able to get treated properly."
"But I heard it's a congenital heart disease…"
Toru fell silent for a few seconds.
Heart disease was indeed troublesome. Finding a suitable heart replacement required many conditions to be met, and more importantly, there was no guarantee someone would be willing to donate.
Even if all of that was satisfied.
How many years someone could live after surgery was really hard to say.
With weak rejection reactions.
Ten years.
With strong rejection reactions.
Two years.
"I hope she can recover."
Toru kept this matter in mind, but he did not develop any intention to save her.
He felt that he was rather cold hearted.
If this heart disease patient were someone he knew.
Toru would do his best to save her.
But…
When it came to a nameless stranger, he did not have that thought.
Mencius said, when poor, cultivate oneself alone; when successful, help the world.
Thinking about it that way, he had yet to reach the mindset of a sage.
He was just an ordinary person.
"Toru, how long does big sis still need to stay in the hospital?"
"A month?"
"Then do all the band's lives have to stop?" Hiroi Kikuri did not want to keep the fans waiting.
Right, she could have Toru help out.
His bass skills were that good. He could totally handle those idiot customers.
"Toru…"
"Kikuri nee-san, I recently became Kessoku Band's manager. I might not have the time."
After spending so long together, how could Toru not know what Hiroi Kikuri was thinking?
Unfortunately, he did not have much free time.
"We do not need to hold lives every day. Go discuss it with Shima and the others…"
Hiroi Kikuri begged, "Big sis is begging you."
Toru thought for a moment. In terms of technique, he had no problem with SICK HACK's performance style.
However…
How much of his strength should he use?
Professional level? Master level… or Divine level?
As long as Toru made even a slight move, it would already be the limit of Shinjuku.
Life was truly lonely like snow.
Things like setbacks were, to him, something that could only be encountered by chance, never sought.