Chapter 2

"Not bad." That was what Toshio said to Seishin first thing in the morning as they entered the recovery room and looked at the monitor. "Her condition's stable. At least she didn't get worse."

Seishin nodded. To this point all deaths had been annoucned at daybreak. It was likely it did worsen at night. That she made it through the night was no doubt good news for Yasumori Setsuko. The problem was--Seishin thought. What was the cause of that?

Last night nothing particularly out of the ordinary had happened. Not a single strange thing occurred but that might have been the very reason Setsuko's condition was stable. Neither Toshio nor Seishin had the means to test whether that was the case or not.

Setsuko was still sound asleep. Her breath in sleep was restful, her sleeping face at ease. Toshio tried to speak with her but she showed no sign of opening her eyes.

"Oh my, Ricchan, good morning."

As Ritsuko opened the side entrance, Kiyomi was just coming down the back stairway used by staff members. She had a tray in hand. On the tray was assembled a meal for the hospitalized patient.

"Good morning. Is that Setsuko-san's meal?"

"It looks like she isn't feeling up to eating yet, though."

"How is Setsuko-san?"

"There's no change from yesterday but her vital signs are stable. Perhaps it was best to have her hospitalized."

Is that so, Ritsuko murmured entering the locker room. Yasuyuo was changing into the white uniform. It was nothing to make Ritsuko and the others stay overnight for, Toshio said. Since there's no need for a night shift, I'll just ask you to take turns preparing the meals, he said.

"Yasuyo-san, do you think it's really all right for us not to work the night?"

"Isn't it fine? The doctor said we didn't need to."

"That is true, isn't it?"

Ritsuko nodded but remained unconvinced, and Yasuyo too seemed to have an uncertain expression. In the end Toshio himself did end up looking after her but that didn't decrease Toshio's burden. Eventually it would, so it was said but even without that between running out for house calls and looking over hospitalized patients, Toshio couldn't have much time to sleep.

In truth, at the morning meeting, Toshio was acting terribly sleepy. There was no particular report on Yasumori Setsuko's progress. When Mutou asked about her condition, he only answered that she was stable.

Before noon a patient with the disease had come in. Ritsuko could now recognize it at a glance. To the point where she didn't even need to interview them. That strangely flaccid expression, eyes that looked possessed. Toshio examined them appropriately, confirmed that their condition wasn't pressing, and made an appointment for them the next day while sending them off. Ritsuko tilted her head. Usually, he would have certainly ordered a chest and stomach X-ray, yet why wasn't Toshio ordering that?

"Uhm... Doctor, the XP?"

Ritsuko said, but Toshio said it was fine. Indeed, while the disease had gotten worse, the X-rays had yet to confirm an internal bleed. It might have been useless. Toshio might have decided that it wasn't internal bleeding himself. But Ritsuko couldn't help but tilt her head at him ceasing to do the usual tests without explanation.

"I wonder if the doctor hasn't given up?"

The one to say that during lunch was Satoko.

"It can't be," Kiyomi laughed. "He's not that kind of person."

"But he's doing fewer tests."

"With as many cases as he has, the plan isn't to investigate any more is it? With Setsuko-san hospitalized, he's focusing on treatment and how it progresses. Indeed, Setsuko-san's condition is stable."

"It's good if that's all it is," Yasuyo sighed. "But, well, we can't help nitpicking. Shouldn't we say something?"

Satoko nodded in agreement. That was when Towada who had gone out to eat returned to the break room.

"Welcome back."

"I'm back. ---Say, I heard a strange rumor at creole, but."

"A strange rumor?"

"Yes. So, Kanemasa's---Kirishiki-san? There's talk that he has his own doctor, isn't there? He was called Ebuchi, was it?"

"Was that the name I'd heard? And?"

"In Kami-Sotoba---Uhhm, along the national highway, there was an open lot next to the Kusunoki Gas Stand, wasn't there? The convenience store lot."

"Ah, there was one of those, wasn't there?"

Ritsuko nodded. The convenience store first came to the village about two years ago, and while Ritsuko and others had used it and found it quite convenient, half a year passed and it closed, perhaps not making enough profit.

"It seems a bit ago some construction started out there. It seems to be being remodeled. A Mizobe construction company had come in, see, there's a sign board or some such. The board with what's being built written on it."

"Ah, one of those."

"And they said that Ebuchi Clinic is written on there."

Ritsuko blinked.

"That's---then, perhaps the Kanemasa's doctor is opening a clinic after all?"

"Isn't he, they were saying at Creole, all worked up over whether the Junior Doctor knows or not."

Yasuyo made a sullen face. "He's not really the type to say something is his territory, but. Certainly, it is rude not to say anything about it to the doctor."

"Isn't it, though?"

"Isn't it good?" Kiyomi threw in casually. "If the patients get spread out a little more, that will help us out, too."

That's right, Yuki nodded.

"But does Ebuchi-san know the situation in the village, I wonder? If he goes into business without knowing, isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"To go all this time without a word to the Junior Doctor, he really shouldn't have. If he'd said something to him, the doctor would have said something then."

Ritsuko faintly furrowed her brows. She thought that it was dangerous for a doctor to open business without knowing there was an epidemic spreading through the village. That said, at this stage could Toshio casually throw that out there? Nobody but the staff knew yet. If he carelessly notified him, it would flow out into the village. Even without that, the people of the village seemed to suspect something.

"Wonder if he planned to do that from the start," Mutou said tilting his head. "---I mean, just, that Ebuchi doctor or whatever he's called. Maybe he moved all the way out here thinking to run a clinig."

Yasuyo had a dower face as she replied "Beats me. If not, he might have seen that there are an awful lot of sick folks about and gotten the idea. In either case, when she hears about this, the Madame is going to explode, no doubt. Before that happens, it might be good to let the Junior Doctor hear about it first."

That's true, said Kiyomi with a sigh.

"---Ebuchi-san is?"

When Yasuyo told him, Toshio's eyes widened.

"So it seems! Ebuchi Clinic is written on it, but I suppose there's also the chance that it's a different Ebuchi from the one at Kirishiki-san's place."

Toshio groaned. "There's no chance of that. That's way too much of a coincidence."

"It might be good to pass on a word to him about the disease in question, don't you think?"

That's right, Toshio answered but he didn't seem to take it too seriously. Seeing that demeanor of his, Yasuyo started to feel the unease that Satoko had expressed.

"Doctor, how are matters with Setsuko-san?"

"How? Not bad."

"Not like that. Have you decided on a definitive treatment plan?"

"Not particularly, but. ---Why?"

"Everyone is worried about you, Doctor. Suddenly having her hospitalized. And on top of that, the doctor being the only one on duty is too much, isn't it? And on top of that, pulling the Junior Monk into things too. You aren't having him perform medical procedures are you?"

"There's no way I'd have him do them," Toshio said as if it were unthinkable. "Do you really have that little faith in me?"

"It's because you aren't acting as faithfully as you would on an ordinary day. If that's not the case it's fine, but it's still strange to have him around, isn't it? Sato-chan was worried you know. Asking why you weren't having us help but are having the Junior Monk help."

"Ah... that's, not because it's like that."

Yasuyo peered up at Toshio. "Doctor, you've had fewer tests run, haven't you? It looks like you aren't being very consistent, to us."

Toshio tilted his head and gave a vague nod. "Ah... is that it. Mm, yeah, I have."

"So, what is it?" Yasuyo asked, though Toshio dodged the question.

"I can't really say yet. It's a matter of intuition. Yasuyo-san, calm everyone down for me somehow. I'll explain it as soon as I can explain it."

"You'd best be serious?"

"I am serious," Toshio said, half begging her. "And, about the Ebuchi Clinic thing?"

"Don't speak of it to the Madame, am I right?"

"Mm. It'll eventually get around to her but I'd be thankful if we can hold that off. Until the construction's done would be nice, but. If we don't, she won't be able to help talking about stopping the construction."

Yasuyo sighed. "Yes, yes. I know all too well."

"Sorry for the trouble."

Yasuyo let out another exaggerated sigh and left for the waiting room. Toshio let out a similar sigh.

Anyway, when it came time for lunch he returned to the house. His gait was unsteady due to lack of sleep. Dragging his feet along towards the living room, he saw an unusual face.

"---Kyouko."

Oh my, said Kyouko turning around to face him. His state was clear to see. "Well, you really do look tired, don't you!"

"What's wrong, for you to be here?"

"Mother-in-Law called for me," Kyouko said, sitting on the sofa and crossing her legs. "Saying that you were saying for me to come back."

"---That I was?"

Toshio turned towards the dining room. He could hear Takae making lunch preparations.

"Lately, I've been completely exhausted at work, she should at least be here at times like this, you were, raging, she said. Close up the shop and come back, she said, and so threateningly, too, so I did!"

Toshio threw himself down onto the sofa in frustration. It was true he was completely exhausted but that was all the more reason not to want Kyouko in the house. In the middle of a crisis like this, just thinking of trying to interpose himself between Kyouko and Takae made him feel depressed.

"....Go on back. I don't really need you here. Even if you're here I can't fuss over you. It's really busy."

"Looks like it," Kyouko said with a bitter sigh. "But even so, it's not like I can just turn around and go right back, is it? I mean, I hung the sign out at the shop! Saying it'd be closed a while."

Toshio groaned. "See how my mother's mood is, then you can leave when it's appropriate"

"I'd do that even without your say-so."