Chapter 178:
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‘Haruna Yomi… Haruna Yomi… The name sounds familiar, but where have I heard it before?’
——
However, he couldn't recall exactly where he had heard it. Tadano looked at himself with a slightly puzzled expression, and the woman smiled lightly, speaking.
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"How's your condition today?"
"You know me?"
"I do. You might not remember me."
——
With a wistful look in her eyes, the woman gazed at Tadano. Then, she picked up her diary and approached Tadano.
——
"Today marks our 100th encounter. And every single day is recorded in my diary. If you have time later, please read it. It's a bit embarrassing, so don't show it to anyone else."
"···?"
——
To the woman who spoke to him so frankly, Tadano looked at her strangely. It might have been an uncomfortable gaze, but the woman continued to smile without losing it.
Placing a thick diary next to Tadano, the woman said:
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"Can I ask you for one favor?"
"You're asking me for a favor? Why?"
——
Tadano replied coldly to the woman's words. Waking up in an unfamiliar hospital for the first time and having a random woman talk to him had already left him confused and irritated.
But even then, the woman seemed unperturbed, maintaining her smile.
Lowering herself a bit, the woman sat on the edge of the bed, locking eyes with Tadano.
——
"I'm having surgery today. It's a very difficult procedure with a high chance of failure. That's why I'm scared. Not of dying, but of not being able to see you again."
“···?"
"So, just as a bit of encouragement, could you say something like, ‘Let's meet again tomorrow'? If I hear that, it feels like I might see you again tomorrow.”
——
The woman smiled, but her lips trembled slightly. It was a phenomenon that occurred as she tried to hold back her smile.
For some reason, the woman seemed sad.
If it were someone else, they might have offered words of encouragement to a woman saying such things.
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“···.”
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The current Tadano was not someone who would care enough to console someone like her.
Tadano continued to treat the woman as if she were a strange person.
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"Are you perhaps having a headache? Or maybe confusing me with someone else?"
“···.”
"I don't understand what you're saying, and I'm not interested in whatever it is."
——
After quickly saying this, Tadano pushed the woman aside. Then he went outside the room, grabbing a passing nurse and asking.
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"Hey, where am I? Why am I here?"
"Oh, Mr. Isagani, the patient is up. Please wait a moment in bed. The doctor will come to see you."
——
Despite Tadano's forceful attitude, the nurse responded casually, as if Tadano's attitude was familiar.
The nurse's response was so natural that Tadano was taken aback. Since he didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble, Tadano followed the nurse's advice and returned to the bed where he woke up in the morning.
On the bed was the woman's diary.
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“This wasn't taken.”
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Tadano briefly considered placing it on the opposite bed, but the current Tadano wasn't as emotionally soft as to offer such kindness. Tadano, much like brushing away dust, swept the diary from the bed underneath, treating it almost like throwing away garbage.
The woman across the bed watched him. Though she could have been angry at the act of discarding her diary like trash, she simply smiled.
That was when it happened.
Drip, drip.
The hospital room door opened, and a group of doctors and nurses entered. It was quite a large group, and most of them turned towards the woman, while only a few approached Tadano.
One of the doctors who approached Tadano spoke in a friendly tone.
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"Hello. I'm Inoshita Honda's attending physician, Tadano Kenji."
"My attending physician?"
"Yes. I understand you may be very surprised, but please listen calmly while I explain."
——
The doctor explained various things. It was said that there was currently an issue with Tadano's brain, leading to memory loss.
Though Tadano couldn't easily accept this, the doctor showed a recorded interview scene and then fell silent. Confirming the records of the past 100 days and that today was January 31st, Tadano gradually became aware of reality.
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‘…I have amnesia.’
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Becoming aware of reality didn't mean he felt relieved. Instead, his chest became more congested, and his breathing grew heavier.
However, being a rational person, Tadano didn't act out or express anger. What he needed now was time to accept reality.
As Tadano grappled with reality, the doctors began to leave the room. Their reflections shimmered in Tadano's hollow eyes.
Following them, the woman in the bed opposite Tadano, supported by the nurses, also left.
During the time Tadano absentmindedly stared at the woman.
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“···.”
“···.”
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Tadano, who was staring blankly, met eyes with the woman. As his unfocused eyes sharpened, the woman approached him and spoke.
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“Let's meet tomorrow.”
“···.”
“I heard the weather will be nice tomorrow.”
——
Tadano couldn't respond to the woman's words. He hadn't fully accepted the situation he found himself in, and more than anything, he didn't understand why this woman was treating him so kindly.
As Tadano remained tight-lipped, looking at her, the woman gave a faint bitter smile. Then she picked up her diary from the floor, placed it beside him, and spoke.
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“You don't have to read this, but please don't throw it away. It's a request.”
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Again, Tadano said nothing. In response, the woman, just like before, smiled wryly at his lack of reaction.
The nurse who had been observing them from behind spoke.
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“Miss Yomi, it's time to go.”
“Yes. I'm sorry. I just wanted to say goodbye.”
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The woman followed the nurse and, for the last time, spoke to Tadano.
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“See you tomorrow, Mr. Tadano.”
——
With those words, the scene quickly transitioned. Tadano alternated between sitting and lying on the hospital bed, staring blankly out the window. He didn't engage with anyone. The only interaction he had was the mundane conversation with the doctor in front of a camera.
A day passed, and the night grew deeper. But today, Tadano experienced too much. Was it because of that?
As time passed, sleep refused to come, and instead, his mind became clearer. He tried closing his eyes, counting sheep, and even taking deep breaths, but sleep eluded him.
Sighing, Tadano changed his position in another attempt to sleep.
Then.
Thud.
Something snagged Tadano's foot.
——
‘A book… Is it the diary that woman left behind?’
——
Initially, he thought about kicking it away, but then he recalled the woman's words. She said he didn't have to read it but asked not to throw it away.
Tadano casually tossed the diary onto the small table next to the bed.
However, at that moment.
Thud! Splash!
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"···!"
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Because he forgot that he had placed a water bottle on the table, Tadano accidentally knocked it over with the diary. The water spilled over the diary, and although he quickly lifted it from the water, the diary had already been soaked for a while.
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‘Oh, no.’
——
He didn't care much about the woman, but damaging someone else's belongings was not something he intended to do. Hurriedly, he wiped away the water, but nearly half of the front side of the diary was already soaked.
Tadano opened the diary, intending to dry the paper before the moisture spread.
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‘Why would she unnecessarily give her diary to someone else?’
——
After scolding the innocent woman once, Tadano assessed the condition of the diary. Unfortunately, the pages were wet due to the clumsily placed water bottle, and the ink from the pen used for writing seemed to be water-soluble, making the text illegible.
Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to find pages where the writing was still somewhat readable. He didn't intend to read it; he just wanted to preserve whatever was left in decent condition.
However, in doing so, he naturally started reading the diary.
——
[January 31, Clear weather.]
Today, I write in my diary while looking at Mr. Tadano, who is sleeping across from me.
The weather is clear again today. Yesterday, it rained as if the sky had a hole, but today seems to be sunny again. I don't believe in superstitions or jinxes, but seeing the good weather on the day of the surgery, I can't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
I wonder how Mr. Tadano's condition is today. He has always been gentle when the weather is nice, so I expect him to be the same today.
Today marks the 100th day of seeing that man sleeping across from me, and it might be the last day. The man I happened to meet at the ramen shop has become quite significant in my life.
Today is not only the day of my surgery but also a meaningful day. That's because, before my surgery, I will give the diary to that man. Whether he reads this diary and regains his memory or simply ignores it and throws it away, I don't know, but giving him the diary makes me excited.
As I write this, Mr. Tadano seems to be waking up. As always, let's ask him about his condition today.
Oh, and…
Today, I want to ask a question that I've always wanted to ask.
Which is sadder: not being remembered by the person you love or not being able to remember the person you love?
(A somewhat melancholic question, but I'm really curious)
——
As if it were a twist of fate, Tadano could only read the last page of the diary. However, even that last page had some spots soaked with water.
Tadano's attention kept returning to the woman's question that was near the end.
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Which is sadder: not being remembered by the person you love or not being able to remember the person you love?
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He couldn't understand why his gaze kept focusing on this sentence. But Tadano continued to read this sentence repeatedly, and each time, an indescribable emotion surged within him.
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‘Why is this happening?'
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Tears rolled down his cheeks. Tears for reasons even he couldn't comprehend.
Tadano wiped away the tears with his hand. However, the tears wouldn't easily stop.
It took a while for the tears to finally cease. Only when Tadano managed to calm down did sleep start to overtake him. Both his body and mind were exhausted from the intense crying.
With the diary by his side, Tadano fell into a deep sleep, and that became his last memory.
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