Case Record

My plan was to become an infection investigator to prevent things like that… To escape the weight of death by working in an office instead…

“W-well. I’m investigator I-Isayama Tore, and this is…” I tried to address the dark spot in that dimly lit room.

“I-investigator Katy Shimizu, Division 3. Case number seven hundred and twenty-two, April 2nd, 2308,” she finished, as if she’d never spoken aloud before.

Following company protocol, Katy and I were tasked the next morning with recording our first report. All we had to do was record a summary of what happened with Joshua Cam for the registry and the central office…

“R-result: f-failure.” I read Shinpei’s notes as best I could.

I can’t see her, but I’m sure Katy’s already glaring at me…

“A-after the initial visits by Division Delegate S-Shinpei Y-Yamamoto, the final visit ended with the intervention of…”

You can do this, Isayama. You’re a grown man!

“Of the quarantine team from D-District 1.”

From afar, echoing through the building’s glass panes, we could hear Shinpei’s infernal coffee machine.

“T-the client refused from the start to c-cooperate with any implant companies…” she read, too.

Why do we have to do this together, and alone?!

…

Once the ordeal was over, I managed to sneak out of the office for a bit. I had personal matters to attend to…

After a couple of disinfectant sprays in the metro, I stood at the doors of a very familiar place: Jiguroka Hospital.

I entered through the visitors’ gate, got sprayed on each and every part of my body, and took the elevator up to the tenth floor. Once there, I walked to the door with the name “Hikaru Tore.”

“Warning: You are about to enter the room of an S-Flu patient. Do not approach within three meters of him.”

Before going in, I put on gloves and a mask.

“Hi, Dad. You’re looking good.” I smiled as I walked in and set a box of chocolates on his table.

“Huh?” He raised his head, confused.

“How are you feeling? Are they treating you well?”

My father had been hospitalized for a couple of weeks. With no choice but to return to the workforce, I was lucky to find a job as an investigator with Cellos quickly; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to keep him there.

It’s incredible how fragile we humans are… And how fast that thing…

I looked at him. He was lying down, covered with a blanket. Pale.

He’d lost weight in those days. His body, even with implants in his spine and torso, seemed to be struggling a lot.

“W-who are you?” he asked weakly.

“Me? Your son, Isayama. Don’t forget me so quickly, or I’ll tell them not to give you dessert…” I joked casually, lowering my mask to appear at ease.

“Oh, right. Isayama. How’s the job search going, son?” He cleared his throat. His hand trembled a bit.

“I’m pleased to inform you, Mr. Tore, that your son debuted yesterday as a contagion investigator for the Division 3 of Cellos Robotics.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” He tried to sit up. Meanwhile, I made sure his plants were well-watered. “How’s it going?”

“How’s it going…?” Joshua’s face flashed in my mind, moments before he died. “It’s going well. I’m learning a lot.”

“I see… Damn it, my legs have fallen asleep again…”

I chuckled a little with him. At the same time, a man in a lab coat burst into the room.

“Oh, I didn’t know Cellos Robotics had started visiting my patients’ rooms to sell them implants…” the young man commented.

“I didn’t know this hospital had such rookie nurses,” I retorted, shaking hands with my old trauma partner and good friend, Tatsumi Kageyama. “How’s life on the front lines, Tatsumi?”

He looked more mature. I didn’t know what had become of him, but the months of experience had done him good. I was glad to know that, after what happened in February, everything had gone smoothly for him.

I found funny to think that, had I stayed, I might have become a proper doctor myself.

“Good, though maybe not as good as you. It’s been months since I last saw you, Isa, but you seem different. I’m glad you took my advice…” He smiled.

“Credit where credit’s due… So, how’s my old man behaving?”

“I hear that, aside from chatting too much with Ayaka and the younger nurses, he’s behaving just fine.”

“Hey, I can hear you…” my father murmured weakly.

“I’m glad. Seeing that Mr. Hikaru Tore is doing well, I think I’ll take my leave…” I winked at my father. “Tatsumi, walk with me outside?”

“Sure.”

The mood changed the moment I closed the door. Once outside, I couldn’t hide my concern any longer.

“H-hey, Tatsumi. How are things really going?”

By the coffee machine, I waved my wrist hologram over the reader to order a long black coffee, no sugar.

“Not very well, Isa…”

“I see…” The conversation turned dark immediately.

The silence while the coffee brewed gave me time to savor that sadness.

“We’re putting all available resources into it. Yamaguchi-sensei himself is taking care of him—he’s my mentor now…”

“In other words, he’s in the best hands…” I said, looking down as I took the cardboard cup.

“I don’t know what’s going on, Isa. Despite all our efforts, his infection is advancing so quickly…” Apparently frustrated, he let his gaze drift out the window.

I soon did the same.

“Don’t worry. I know neither you nor he will give up…”

There was a gloomy atmosphere that I didn’t like; I didn’t want my reunion with Tatsumi to feel that way.

Not even with all those implants can he fight it. What would become of me, with just my hand…?

“Isayama, we’ll do everything we can. I promise you.”

“I’m counting on you.” I tried to smile before leaving.

“I mean it—I won’t sleep until your father’s condition improves. I swear it!”

“No need to swear. I trust you.” I tried to smile again.

“Isa…”

“Well, I’m heading back to the office. I need to continue my training…” I walked alone toward the elevator, glancing back one last time along the way. “Oh, and make sure he doesn’t eat all the chocolates at once—that man’s a glutton.”

“Glutton? Hikaru Tore has never eaten chocolate while here…” Tatsumi reasoned as I walked away.

I didn’t hear what he said.

“In fact, he’s never asked for anything sweet. He always said it tasted strange…” He looked out the window one last time. “Wait a second…”