Chapter 18: How to Spend a Holiday

Saturday afternoon. I was heading to a certain place.

A large white-walled building located in the center of the city. Looking at the large "University Hospital" sign, you can understand where this is in an instant.

I enter the entrance and head to the elevator.

I get on the elevator surrounded by several nurses, press the button for the third floor, and wait to arrive.

Escaping from the cramped space, I head to the inpatient ward. The scent of disinfectant and the sound of carts. This space, cut off from daily life, feels like another world in a way.

When I enter the inpatient ward, the floor changes from sterile tiles to wood-grain flooring, and there are more patients walking around. I stopped in front of a certain hospital room and knocked.

「Come in~」

「I'm coming in.」

Inside, a girl was sitting on the bed watching TV.

Long black hair and a small frame. Round chestnut-colored eyes that opened wide when they caught sight of me.

I smiled gently at the girl who seemed ready to jump at me.

「Onii-chan! You came.」

「Yo. You look well, Yume.」

Tsukishiro Yume. My one and only little sister.

Yume suffers from a heart condition and even now as a middle school student, spends her days confined to this hospital room.

When I have free time on weekends, I visit her like this.

「Here, I bought the pudding you like.」

「Yaay! Itadakimasuー!」

Seeing Yume's expression relax as she eats the pudding makes me feel warm inside.

When I glanced at the TV that's still on, I saw the news playing. Stock prices and accidents in the city, it seemed rather boring content for a middle school student to watch.

「Were you watching TV? …You watch the news.」

「Yeah. I want to know at least a little about what's happening outside... How about Onii-chan? Did anything interesting happen at school?」

「Interesting things, more like nothing but trouble...」

「Eh? What what? Tell me! A girl? Is it a girl?」

While pulling away Yume as she pressed closer, I pictured the face of a certain lying beautiful girl in my mind.

When I told Yume about the turbulent week that had ended, her eyes sparkled and she laughed.

「Eh~!? What's that! It's like a romantic comedy!」

「It wasn't that cute. Thanks to it, I became famous at school...」

「Good for you. Onii-chan didn't have any friends. You should use this as a chance to make lots of friends.」

「...Little sister of mine, you should wrap things like that in more delicate language...」

「But it's true. It's not like you're hospitalized like me.」

...My little sister seems to have grown quite tough. Yume's words, knowing no restraint, pierce through my heart.

It's not like I prefer having few social relationships. I just don't know how to make them.

「But if that happens, it'll be tough... Honoka-san won't stay quiet, right?」

「Ahh... well, yeah.」

When Honoka's name came up, I stumbled over my words a bit. Yume wasn't kind enough to let that slide.

「...Onii-chan, something happened with Honoka-san, didn't it?」

「Something, what do you mean?」

「Something is something. ...Anyway, someone probably said something to you again, right? Make up quickly.」

「...Yes.」

To be lectured by my little sister, I've become quite the pathetic older brother. I should probably reexamine my actions once more.

「I'm going to get my heart fixed quickly and come home, so make up before then, okay?」

「I'll do my best. …Is there still no donor?」

「Nope. But it's okay. One will be found eventually. I just have to keep living until then.」

Yume put her hand on her chest and smiled strongly. Her bright smile always radiates the same brilliance.

「...I see. Then I need to stay healthy until then too.」

「And make up too. …So, how far have you gone with Shigure-san...?」

「...Do I've to talk about that?」

「Yes.」

▼▽

After finishing about an hour of love talk, I left the hospital room.

I stretch to loosen my stiff body. I was thinking about playing a bit before going home when I caught sight of a familiar short haircut swaying at the edge of my vision.

「Oh my.」

「Uwah.」

Fate really is an unpleasant thing.