Is There a Problem? - Part 2: Hope or Fear

Mika, the doctor's instructions in mind, followed him to the tomography machine and patiently waited for the procedure to begin.

***

After the tomography Saya had led Mika upstairs without providing any explanation, and now they sat together in Doctor Kota's office. 

"Did something happen?"

"N-no, it's not something important," Saya said anxiously.

"Are you sure? Your hands are shaking. You can tell me."

"W-well, after all, it's about you. I'm starting to explain."

Saya started to talk about what happened when Mika was in tomography:

"Meanwhile, Doctor Kota called out to me as I waited outside. 

"Saya, you can come inside if you want."

. "A-Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's not a problem, don't worry. He has been under my care for quite a while now."

 I said, "Oh, Th-Thank you," and entered the room. Through the glass window, I gazed at you, my curiosity piqued. "Does it take a long time?"

"No, it's about 15 minutes. With advancements in technology, we can get results much faster now."

"Hmm, I see."

Kota's smile directed at me

 "I can see you care a lot about Mika."

"W-What?"

"You were staring at him without taking your eyes off."

"N-No, well, yes, I care about him, but my mind was wandering."

"Hmm, alright then, hehehe," Kota chuckled, his attention shifting to the computer screen.

 As I tried to make sense of the information displayed on the screen, my curiosity got the better of me.

 "What are these?" I asked, pointing at the screen.

"These are the brain maps, in simple terms. They allow us to visualize the changes and information in different areas of the brain."

"Brain maps?"

"Yes, you can think of it that way. It helps us understand the changes and information in different regions of the brain."

"Hmm, I see."

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen. Each passing moment revealed more intricate details.

"The data displayed at the bottom corresponds to various regions of the brain, each conveying distinct information. For example, Mika's Neocortex is very active right now, which means he's thinking about a lot of things."

"And what about the emotional aspect?"

"You're curious about that, huh. We refer to it as the amygdala. Mika's tumor was on the left side of the brain. It could have led to various complicated situations, but luckily, it only affected his emotions."

My gaze shifted to Kota,

"Are emotions that insignificant?" I said.

"No, of course not, but in rare cases like Mika's, where there was a high risk involved during the surgery, it was important to preserve his emotions as much as possible."

"Is it important? When losing emotions is already bad, what else is there?"

"Epilepsy, aggressive behavior, sudden death, and many other negative outcomes. I didn't want that either, but sometimes the lesser evil is the best choice."

"Amygdala..." I recalled what Mika had told me in the morning, how he had mentioned the amygdala. 

"Yes, there's no need to focus on the other parts of the brain for now. This scan is just for a routine check-up, so I don't think anything bad will show up, don't worry."

A few more minutes passed.

"The scan is almost finished. We can start examining the results," Kota said, using the mouse to navigate through the images. I quietly sat next to him, observing.

"Let's see... We've opened the data related to the amygdala. Look, for example, this information shows us the volume and other details of the amygdala-"

Suddenly, Doctor Kota's pause caught my attention. He started examining the images more closely, a look of surprise on his face. Confused, I tried to understand his reaction as I looked at him. There was a momentary silence.

"Umm, Doctor Kota?"

He didn't respond, fully engrossed in the information before him, analyzing different brain regions on various screens. His expression revealed a deep sense of astonishment. I called out again.

"Doctor Kota?"

"Saya, just give me a moment. In fact, it would be better if you wait for me outside," his voice sounded nervous. My anxiety started to rise.

"I-Is Mika okay?"

"Saya, please go with Mika to my office and wait there. Don't ask any questions for now."

"O-Okay..." I left the room, " 

"Hmm I see..." Mika said. 

"So is this your reaction about yourself?"

"Kota will tell us what happened soon so you don't need to worry."

"I hope so."

About thirty minutes had passed when Doctor Kota came to the door after talking to another doctor, and as soon as their conversation was over, he entered the room.

"Sorry for the wait."

"It's alright." While Saya's hands trembled, Mika greeted him with composure. Her voice trembled as she asked,

 "Did something happen, Doctor?"

"Well, yes, I can say that. I don't want to scare or worry you, but... Frankly speaking, we haven't fully understood what I should say or what it means yet."

"What do you mean?" Mika asked.

"The situation is that, Mika, there has been a volumetric increase in your amygdala. It's not something to exaggerate, but your previously inactive amygdala has grown slightly, which is interesting."

"So? Is this situation harmful or beneficial to me?"

"Actually, we don't know either. I spoke with other doctors. Brain regions like the amygdala can potentially give rise to various complications. But at least I should mention that it's better than shrinking. If it had shrunk, everything would have been much more uncertain and worse."

"I see." Mika thought without displaying any emotions.

"What could be the cause of this?" Mika asked also looking at Saya. Her facial expression was hard to decipher. 

" If it's alright with Saya, can I have a private conversation with Mika for a while?"

"W-what? Uh, yes, sure." Saya's voice sounded sad and absent-minded. Her state surprised Kota as well.

After Saya left, Kota opened something on his computer. Mika was waiting for him to speak.

"Alright, tell me, Mika. Have there been any major changes in your life recently? Within your family, personal matters, or anything else?"

Mika contemplated for a brief moment.

 
"I don't think so."

He thought about Saya, but he didn't consider it to be that significant.

 "Are you sure? Anything at all. A dream, something you watched, or meeting new people?"

"Well, I'm not sure. Nothing significant happened in the past month, except for meeting Saya and her two friends."

"Hmm, I see. I'm witnessing this situation in you for the first time. Additionally, the increase in the volume of your amygdala was unexpected. When I asked other doctors, they were all surprised. In a way, you have regained your reputation here at the hospital."

"My reputation?"

"Yes, when we performed your surgery, four doctors went in together. It was a really challenging surgery. After it went successfully, everyone was amazed and happy."

"Hmm, I understand."

Kota suddenly became serious.

 "Anyway, listen to me carefully. Mika, this situation could indicate both positive and negative outcomes. For now, there's nothing major, so your next appointment will be next month. However, if this continues, you might have to come more frequently."

"Hmm, alright."

"I also want you to delve into the depths of your 'lack of desire' feeling."

"Delve into it?"

"Yes, I want you to think about what makes you not want certain things. You don't need to push yourself too hard, but I want you to observe and empathize with emotions, especially in moments when others experience intense emotions. You will do this under your control."

"I understand, but how will that help?"

"What I'm saying will remain between us; I don't want to raise false hopes by immediately sharing it with your family. But I will share it with you:

"Maybe we can bring back some of the emotions that have been affected by the enlarged amygdala."