Doctor Yuki

[Private Hospital]

Once there, they patiently waited for the doctor to attend to Hideaki, occasionally bickering about whose fault it was for the chase and subsequent fall.

In the meantime, Hideaki was given an orthopedic walking stick to not fall while walking.

Shortly after, a young doctor arrived. He had short black hair and was wearing square thick black glasses that were covering his dark brown eyes. His buttoned up shirt under the lab coat was neatly folded into his pants.

Once he saw Hideaki, he couldn't believe his own eyes.

'I can't believe Miyahara Hideaki is here! It must be fate - or a miracle - that he showed up right when we're finalizing everything!'

A small, vicious grin crept onto his face.

'Thank goodness I'm not working at the public hospital anymore. We almost had him back then if Watanabe hadn't interfered and signed him off so quickly. But now, after that scandal at Tokyo General Hospital, with everyone being transferred from there, and with Watanabe arrested, I can finally handle this the way it should have been from the start. Hahaha!'

Upon seeing Hideaki, he greeted him with a bright smile.

"Good evening, sir! I'm Doctor Yuki.
I'll be your doctor today.
Please allow me to guide you to the examination room," he said warmly.

Seiji stood up and motioned Hideaki to go "C'mon."

With that, Hideaki rose carefully from the seat.

Seiji followed them into the examination room, positioning himself near the wall, silent and observant. He had no intention of interfering — but leaving Hideaki alone was not an option.

>>>

The doctor opened the doors, revealing a typical examination room where patients received treatments.

"Here. Have a comfortable seat. I will examine your leg, and then we will proceed with the next steps of treatment," Doctor Yuki said, gesturing toward an available chair.

Hideaki cautiously made his way to the chair, his eyes darting around the room, occasionally glancing at Doctor Yuki to assess his intentions.

The doctor settled comfortably in his own chair and began studying and examining Hideaki's twisted ankle. "Hmm... Yes," he muttered softly, lost in thought. "You definitely have a severe sprain, and I suspect there might be some ligament damage. We'll need to keep you here for a few days for proper treatment and monitoring."

"Keep him here? For a sprain?" Seiji asked.

"It's not just a sprain. The ligament damage needs careful management to ensure he wouldn't develop further complications. It's best to be cautious," the doctor explained. "We will provide him with proper medical care, food, and everything he needs until his leg will be fully healed. Don't worry." Doctor Yuki explained.

Seiji nodded.

"Is it really necessary?" Hideaki asked, not believing that he had to stay at the hospital again.

"I'm afraid so. But don't worry. Everything will be fine." Doctor Yuki assured him.

"...Alright..." Hideaki acquiesced and sighed, resigned to his fate.

***

After that, doctor Yuki left, leading Seiji to the hospital's lobby.

There, he calmly sat on one of chairs - his mind immediately began to analyze the situation. Hideaki's injury and the upcoming days.

'With proper treatments, the leg should recover quickly. He'll be in the hospital for a few days, and that means I'll have to adjust - arrange meals, make sure everything's in order at the apartment, just like it was the last time he was at hospital...'

Seiji thought, tapping his fingers lightly on his phone. His mind worked through the logistics.

'Once he's out, I'll need to keep an eye on him. And make sure he doesn't do anything foolish,' he mused, leaning back in his chair and began browsing the Internet.

He checked the time, as he considered his next move.

'It's getting late. I need to head back home.'

He let out a heavy sigh. His memories drifted to Hideaki.

'What do I have with him...'

After a moment, Seiji's gaze drifted for the last time toward the doors where Hideaki had gone.

His expression remained neutral, but there was a faint hint of an exasperated smirk.

"Well," he muttered, not quite to himself, "See you in a few days, you feral gremlin."

With that, he stood up, brushing off his shirt and turned toward the exit, already running through a mental checklist of things he'd need to manage while Hideaki was holed up in the hospital.

***

Doctor Yuki turned to Hideaki.

"Everything is settled. You'll be discharged in a few days. Now, please come with me to your new room. Afterward, we'll conduct X-ray examinations and other essential tests."

Doctor Yuki guided Hideaki to his room using a wheelchair.

During the passing days, he diligently followed the doctor's instructions. He was determined to recover quickly.

[During the treatment days]

Seiji sat in front of his work computer, staring at the blank screen. A cup of freshly made hot coffee was next to his keyboard.

'It's been another day... I wonder how he's holding up.'  he pondered. 'He hasn't typed to me since then, and he loves to spam me with unnecessary messages. Maybe he needs a rest. After all - police chase, kills, stress, and on the top of that his twisted ankle... it might taken up a tool on him.'

He paused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, but he made no move to type.

'Huh. I never realized how... strange that would feel.'

Seiji let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his chair, glancing out the window and then drifted back to the monitor, still blank.

'Before Hideaki came, it was fine. It was quiet, undisturbed. I didn't have to worry about anyone. Even when he went to the hospital for the first time I didn't feel much bothered with it. But now, it feels like something's missing when he's gone.'

He paused for a moment.

'Why am I thinking like this?'

He frowned slightly.

'This isn't like me. I don't usually get caught up in these things.'

A flicker of frustration crossed his mind.

'Is it because I'm the only one he has at this moment?'

Seiji couldn't quite explain the thought.

He snorted and smirked dryly.

'Ridiculous. I must be losing my mind.'

He shook his head and took a sip of his coffee.

'All this because the house got a bit quieter.'

He leaned back slightly, brows furrowed.

'But... Annoying or not... The apartment feels less like a place, and more like a box when he's not in it.'

His gaze shifted toward his phone.

'I'm probably just overthinking things. It's not like it matters much. I'll just wait. It's a simple sprain. Nothing life-threatening. He'll be fine.'

With another sip of his coffee he stretched out slightly and then turned his gaze on his monitor.

After a while of staring at the blank page of the coding program he glanced back again at his phone. With a sigh he took it and typed a message to Hideaki:

"How's it going you little gremlin?"

'Damn. I've gone soft.'

He muttered in his mind.

[Friday]

Over the following days, Hideaki underwent various examinations, from monitoring, pain management, and physiotherapy sessions to ensure proper healing and to prevent further damage.

All this, while occasionally typing to Seiji.

'I wanna get out of here already...' Hideaki thought, glancing at his phone. His fingers hovered over his message history with Seiji.

'I wanna go back ho—'

He froze.

'Is... is S-Seiji's apartment my... home now?'

A bitter scoff left his lips.

'Tch. No way. My house is in Kyoto. N-not some nerd's apartment.'

But the thought wouldn't leave him.

'I've been living there... Eating his food. Sleeping on his couch. Having him nag at me like I'm some annoying—'

He clenched his fists, teeth grinding.

'No! No, that doesn't mean anything. It's just... it's just temporary. I d-don't need that place. I don't need him.'

But his mind wouldn't let go.

He remembered Seiji moving around the kitchen, silent but efficient. Seiji frowning at him with that annoyed look whenever he did something dumb. Seiji watching him with those quiet, sharp eyes that always seemed to saw right through him.

His fists shook.

'Tch! Why the hell am I even thinking about this?!'

He wanted to blame the hospital air, or boredom, or just his own frayed nerves. Anything but the truth creeping up from somewhere deeper.

'I just wanna get out. I just wanna... go back... to—'

He cut the thought short. The anger that gave him comfort started to slip through his fingers like sand.

'I wanna go back. To the apartment. To...warmth.'

He inhaled sharply, squeezing his eyes shut.

'Why?'

He tried to shove the question away. His breathing grew uneven.

But even under the frustration, even under the irritation and denial — he already knew.

It wasn't about Seiji being special. It wasn't about trust. Or feelings. Or any of that sappy crap.
It was about how how loud it was, inside his own head, without someone else's voice to cut through it.

He bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to sting.

'Stupid damn brain. I don't need him. I... d-don't... I just... I just need something to... to... Shut me up... that's all. That's all it ever was.'

He inhaled sharply.

'Stupid Seiji. Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

He clenched his teeth.

---

As the last examinations were in progress, the doctors meticulously took notes after each procedure, leaving Hideaki wondering...

'What's going on? Did they discover some hidden illness I didn't know about?' He observed the doctors closely, searching for any hints.

Doctor Yuki wore a satisfied smile as he scrolled through the gathered data.
"Mhm! Everything is in order! Great job, Miyahara-san!" he exclaimed, smiling at Hideaki.

Hideaki attempted to return the smile, but it felt forced. He didn't enjoy feigning emotions.

"Now, there's one more thing to do. I was informed this morning that we need one more examination, just to be a hundred percent certain that everything is fine with your leg... Would that be alright with you, Miyahara-san?"

"Uh... Y-Yeah, I suppose so. If it ensures I'm ready to go, then why not?"

"Excellent! Now... Let's return to your room. The examination will take place after lunch. We will come for you," Doctor Yuki said.

"Okay, then..." Hideaki replied. He rose from the chair, slowly making his way back to his bed.

As Doctor Yuki disappeared behind the doors, Hideaki was already laying back. Suddenly his phone buzz. It was a message from Seiji.

Seiji: "You alive, you little gremlin? How's it going?"

Hideaki scowled at the message but decided to reply.

Hideaki: "I'm fine. They're doing one last check-up, and I'll be out today."

Seiji: "Good. Let me know when you're ready. I'll come pick you up."

Hideaki: "Okay. I don't know how long it will take.. so be there after your stupid work. OR ELSE, I'LL KILL YOU FOR NOT SHOWING UP!!"

Seiji: "How exactly are you planning to kill me if we don't meet?"

Hideaki's irritation flared. He hated when Seiji got smug.

Hideaki: "SHUT THE HELL UP!! GET READY, OR I'LL GET OUT OF THIS BED AND COME AT YOU WITH A KNIFE!!"

Seiji smirked as he read the response. 'Heh, he's already worked up.' he thought, shaking his head with a small chuckle.

He gazed at the clock.

'Guess I'll see him soon enough,' he mused, putting his phone away and turned back to programming, settling in for the wait.

***

Following lunch, Doctor Yuki approached Hideaki, who appeared bored as he scrolled websites through his phone. On the table next to him were empty bowls after food.

Yuki put on a friendly smile, catching Hideaki's attention, "Hello, Miyahara-san. It's time for our final examination."

Hideaki glanced at the doctor "A-alright..."

"Good. Hehe," Doctor Yuki chuckled warmly. "Now, please follow me."

And with that, the doctor led Hideaki through one of the hospital corridors...

The path they walked felt lengthy and the entire area exuded an air of unfamiliarity.

As he neared the doctor, Hideaki couldn't shake off the sense of suspicion that surrounded him. Minutes turned into more minutes, and the journey seemed to have no end in sight.

Finally, after a few more steps, they arrived at the metal doors leading to the designated room.

'A metal door? What the hell do they want me to do there?'

Hideaki pondered. Then he felt a cool breeze emanating from beneath the doors, further fueling his curiosity

'What the hell is this place?'

Doctor Yuki's gaze fixed upon the metal door, a gentle smile gracing his face. Then, he turned to Hideaki, adopting a more serious tone,

"The room is located downstairs. Due to ongoing renovations in certain areas of the hospital, we had to relocate some rooms," the doctor explained calmly.

'Huh...? Renovations? But I didn't hear any sounds of drilling in walls or construction here... What is he fucking taking me? For a fool!? What the hell is happening here!?' Hideaki thought paranoically.

"Let's go." Doctor Yuki said and upon opening the doors, he slowly went downstairs.

Hideaki looked at the metal doors,

'It all looks like an entrance for some horror movie...'

Despite his reservations, he decided to carefully follow the doctor down the stairs.

'If someone will attack me out of nowhere down there, I will fucking kill him right away... Tch!'

As everyone followed each other the doors suddenly closed themselves with a hearable loud metal creak. The dimly lit surroundings were illuminated by only a few wall lamps, making it difficult for Hideaki to discern the next steps on the staircase.

But then, suddenly, a force struck the back of Hideaki's head. He barely had time to contemplate what had happened before succumbing to unconsciousness...