Bunkyō, Sendagi 1-Chome – Outside the Health Check Center, Neon Medical University
Since they couldn't eat beforehand, the group decided not to meet up at Kyousuke's house and instead gathered directly at the hospital entrance.
"Ugh, Kyousuke is so slow! Let's get this checkup over with already so we can all go stuff our faces!"
Sakura balanced herself on the edge of a sidewalk brick, arms stretched out like she was walking a tightrope.
It was perfectly flat, yet she wobbled as if on an actual wire.
"We just got here too early, Sakura,"
Unlike Sakura's liveliness, Shouko stood obediently under the hospital sign like a kid whose parents told her not to wander off.
She smiled and gently defended Kyousuke.
"Aw, Shou-chan, if you keep defending Kyousuke like that, I'll get jealous!"
Sakura jumped off her "tightrope," skipped over, and hugged Shouko tightly from behind, using her height advantage to nuzzle her affectionately.
"Have you lost weight lately? Hugging you doesn't feel as comfy as before."
"Mm—" Shouko's soft, chubby cheeks couldn't hide her bashful grin.
She let out a tiny sound but made no effort to escape Sakura's grasp.
She is wearing matching tracksuits and sporting similarly color her hair, though Sakura's was a shade darker the two of them looked like sisters.
Taller Sakura clung on like a clingy little sis, while Shouko gave off the vibe of a doting big sister.
"Sakura, don't tease Shouko every time we meet,"
Naoka, who had been scrolling through her phone nearby, finally chimed in.
'Dang it, that was my go-to move for motivation when studying gets rough!'
Her blue-violet eyes sparkled with a burning urge to reclaim her "energy booster."
"Too bad~ I'm gonna keep hugging Shouko all day even during the checkup!" Sakura declared without a hint of guilt.
"Still, why are we even doing a health checkup all of a sudden?" Naoka changed the subject with a slight pout.
She'd assumed it was a standard school checkup, but after looking into it, she realized the cost alone could cover weeks of part-time work.
"Because Kyousuke's rich and wants to blow money on random stuff?" Sakura said, raising one hand dramatically.
"Maybe Kyousuke-kun wants to give us the gift of 'good health,'" Shouko said with a thoughtful nod.
Given her own regular hospital visits for hearing checks, she had her own perspective.
"Shou-chan, you're just too precious. That was so sweet I almost cried,"
Sakura's heart was clearly struck.
She tightened her hug and began nuzzling her face into Shouko's hair like a happy piglet.
"Mm~" Shouko smiled helplessly, enduring it with good humor.
"But seriously, this isn't just a normal checkup it's super expensive. Genetic screening and high-precision testing?" Naoka understood Kyousuke's intentions but couldn't help worrying.
She'd grown up frugal, and all this lavish spending made her anxious.
"Hehe, price equals how much you care~" Sakura sang dismissively.
Of course, she knew exactly why this was happening.
Unlike Naoka, who was still a bit clueless, Sakura had already looked into what "precision health checkups" really meant.
They were early cancer detection screenings.
Genetic testing was one way to catch cancer early.
Pancreatic cancer… the king of killers.
And that's what she was going to die from. How terrifying.
But her voice never wavered.
With a big smile, Sakura buried her face even deeper into Shouko's hair, gently snuffling from side to side like a sleepy animal.
Warm morning sunlight kissed the three girls, their hair catching the light like strands of gold.
Even Naoka, usually the one sighing in exasperation at Sakura, had a grin brighter than the morning sun.
Not all hospitals in Japan operate on weekends, but clearly, this checkup center was one of the exceptions.
Maybe because it was the weekend, the place was actually busier than expected.
Almost everyone walking past glanced at the three vibrant girls and smiled at the wholesome scene.
Suddenly, Shouko stopped mid-sentence as she was playfully mediating between Naoka and Sakura.
Her eyes widened as she spotted a figure ahead, her brown irises instantly reflecting the approaching person.
Then her brows relaxed, her eyes curved into a happy smile, and her lips curled into a small grin.
With Sakura still clinging to her left side, she raised her right hand and gave a shy, beckoning wave like a lucky cat.
"Huh? Shou-chan, are you—" Sakura stopped mid-banter with Naoka and followed her gaze.
Across the street, waiting at the crosswalk, was Kyousuke.
"Oy! Kyousuke!"
Still not letting go of Shouko, Sakura threw up her hand and cheerfully waved, fingers splayed as she called out.
Hearing her, Shouko instinctively pursed her lips and opened them slightly, wanting to greet him too. But her shy nature held her back.
Her eyes flickered with hesitation and inner turmoil.
Thankfully, the light changed, and Kyousuke crossed over.
"Morning,"
With that neutral greeting, he didn't have to worry about who to address first.
He lightly tapped Sakura on the head earning a yelp from her then gently pulled her off of Shouko.
He gave Shouko a fond head-pat, then handed a bag over to Naoka.
"Behold! A super rare, personally autographed volume by the future hall-of-fame manga artist EGOIST-sensei."
"Treasure it, as its value will multiply hundreds of times in the future!"
As Naoka accepted it, Kyousuke spoke in a mock-grand tone.
"Good morning, Kyousuke-kun."
Shouko finally managed to speak, savoring the familiar feeling of his hand on her head.
Her eyes, half-hidden behind her bangs, twinkled with happiness. The soft smile that bloomed on her face was so dazzling it made even Kyousuke freeze up for a second.
"Shouko, your hair looks really nice today."
"Hehe~" Shouko clutched her small white handbag with both hands and laughed softly.
That simple praise seemed to fill her with joy.
"Pfft, Shouko's just got her hair down like usual! Or is Kyousuke trying to say she looks good no matter how she wears it?"
Sakura leaned over and playfully bumped his shoulder, teasing him with a mischievous grin.
"That's right. You too, Sakura. You look so stunning with your hair down that I can't look away."
He tapped her head again and replied smoothly.
When dealing with someone like Sakura, it was best not to overthink things just roll with her style.
"A beautiful day always starts with a compliment from Kyousuke~," Sakura declared dramatically, as expected.
"Kyousuke, why are there so many books?" Ueno Naoka asked, counting the stack—there were easily ten manga volumes in the bag.
"Oh right, I forgot I brought manga too," Sakura leaned over to peek inside.
"It's because you mentioned you have three younger brothers, Naoka."
"I brought copies for each of them, plus an extra one in case they want to share with their friends."
"For Shouko's side, I brought two for Yuzuru."
"And there's one for Aunt Yamauchi as well, but she probably won't read it, but I thought something like this, something with sentimental value, should still be gifted to her."
Seeing each of the three girls holding a manga in their hands, Kyousuke counted off on his fingers with a satisfied look.
'Kyousuke...' Naoka's hand paused just as she was about to open her copy.
A wave of emotions surged in her chest.
This feeling of being seen, of being valued brought tears to her eyes before she even realized it.
She quickly tilted her head back, blinking rapidly.
Her violet-blue eyes shimmered in the sunlight like rippling water.
Trying to sound nonchalant, she asked:
"I don't think I ever told you I had younger brothers, did I?"
"Shouko mentioned it last time, when we picked up Yuzuru to bring her to Tokyo. I actually wanted to bring your brothers too, but you weren't free that day," Kyousuke explained.
"Boys shouldn't waste time on manga. Studying is more important," Naoka said, turning slightly away, doing her best to keep her voice steady.
She had always assumed she was the least important person in Kyousuke's world but even things like this, he had taken into account, remembering her family.
'Really… do you even realize that the more you do things like this, the harder it becomes for me to stay away from you?'
"'Wishing Sakura eternal health,'" Shouko murmured under her breath, then handed the manga in her hand to Yamauchi Sakura.
"This one's yours, Sakura."
"'Wishing Shouko eternal health,'" Sakura read hers aloud as well, then looked up at Kyousuke with her amber eyes gleaming.
"Come on, Kyousuke, couldn't you be a bit more original? Every message is the same! Naoka, Naoka, check yours bet it's the same too!"
"'Wishing Naoka outrageous wealth,'" Naoka read quietly, looking at the familiar handwriting.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
'That style... it was so Kyousuke.'
"Hey, you're breathing all over my face. Move it," she said, pushing away Sakura, who had leaned in too close.
She quickly shut her manga.
"Jeez, stingy," Sakura muttered with a mischievous grin.
She clearly realized Naoka's message was different from hers and Shouko's.
Not that she minded.
Her teasing earlier was just her usual way of joking, she knew that was how Kyousuke really felt.
His message was sincere.
"Let's go, let's go! The sooner we finish the check-up, the sooner we can feast. I'm starving! Today we're draining Kyousuke's wallet dry!"
Shoving her manga back into the paper bag, Sakura grabbed Shouko's hand and headed toward the health center like she was off to a festival instead of a medical exam.
"I mean, I really am healthy… maybe just Sakura and Shouko should go?" Naoka followed behind, her voice still tinged with hesitation.
Even if it was a gift, this whole thing still felt wasteful to her.
"Oh come on, I already told you it's just Kyousuke indulging his spending impulses."
"You wouldn't understand the urge to share happiness after a big payday, Naoka."
"Just go with it," Sakura turned and grabbed her arm, completely carefree about how much money Kyousuke was spending.
Why?
Because even though her own wallet held less than fifty thousand yen total, if Kyousuke ever needed it, she'd empty her secret stash hidden in her dictionary and hand over every last yen.
That's what it means to "spend within your means" and right now, Kyousuke had money.
If he didn't, she'd get a part-time job at a convenience store to support him.
"Don't overthink it, Naoka," Shouko said with a gentle smile, looping her arm through Naoka's.
"Seeing you healthy makes Kyousuke happier than any amount of money could."
She didn't feel guilty either.
After all, Kyousuke had once saved her entire life.
Compared to that, going for a health check-up was just a small part of her lifelong gratitude.
And she could feel his concern from the message in the manga, it was clear he genuinely worried about her hearing, so a proper check-up was the least she could do.
"Honestly, I couldn't think of any other way to celebrate, since I don't really have hobbies. That's why I asked you all to come with me."
"Just coming along and not complaining is already a huge help. Some of these tests aren't exactly a walk in the park, you know."
"I'd hate to become one of those rich guys who just throws money around for no reason," Kyousuke said as he walked up behind Naoka and gently placed both hands on her shoulders, nudging her forward.
"As if! You'd never waste money like that," Naoka replied immediately. Her heart warmed even as her wallet-conscious mind still winced a little.
"Oh, wasting money? That's my specialty!" Sakura chimed in. "Once we're done here, let's splurge together, Kyousuke!"
Laughing and chatting, the group stepped into the clinic's main lobby.
Unlike typical hospitals, this one didn't feel heavy or oppressive.
It was a high-end facility, with lots of greenery and a calming atmosphere.
There were no endless lines or rushed exams, everything was by appointment, which made it much more comfortable.
A nurse in uniform came to greet them as they entered.
After checking their reservations, she guided them to the changing rooms.
For this kind of check-up, they had to change into special examination clothes, blue for men, pink for women.
The clinic even provided disposable underwear and slippers.
Each person's exams were scheduled at different times to avoid overlap, especially since women weren't allowed to wear bras during some of the tests.
Kyousuke's first test was the one he was most anxious and oddly excited about: the PET-CT scan.
It might sound strange to say he was looking forward to it, but this test would tell him whether Sakura still had any tumors in her body.
Think of PET-CT as an upgraded version of a regular CT scan.
It does carry some risk, and it can cause cancer if done too frequently.
Otherwise, Kyousuke might've bought a machine himself and scanned Sakura every single day.
Of course, doing one scan wouldn't suddenly cause cancer, it wasn't like getting checked would give you the thing you were worried about.
After finishing the PET-CT scan, Kyousuke followed the nurse out of the examination room, heading to the next test.
Just as he stepped outside, Shouko walked up to him.
Her hair had been tied back into a neat ponytail, but for some reason whether it was the sterile hospital atmosphere or something else.
She seemed a bit more pale than before.
He was about to ask how she was feeling, but before he could speak, Shouko caught sight of him and quickly put on a bright smile.
She raised both arms in front of her chest and gave him a little "you got this!" gesture.
This silly girl...
Kyousuke couldn't help but smile.
He stopped walking, turned toward her, and raised his right fist with a matching "fight on" expression.
And just like that, it was as if someone had injected adrenaline straight into her.
Shouko visibly perked up, her face regained color, her steps grew lighter, and she even hurried ahead of the nurse to enter the examination room first.
As Kyousuke disappeared from view, Shouko let out a small breath, like she'd finally relaxed.
Even though she'd been the one reassuring Naoka earlier, truthfully, she was terrified of hospitals.
Sitting down on the chair, she listened as the doctor asked which arm she preferred for the contrast injection.
Her eyes drifted toward the tray holding the syringe, and she silently whimpered to herself, 'Can't I just... not use either arm?'
Sensing her unease, the doctor didn't rush her.
Instead, he patiently explained what the contrast agent did, and why it was necessary.
Shouko understood.
She really did. But understanding didn't make her any less afraid.
Meanwhile, Kyousuke hadn't left just yet.
He walked up to the observation window and stood there quietly, watching her through the glass.
Inside the room, Shouko was still trying to calm herself when she noticed a familiar figure in her peripheral vision.
Instantly, all her fear melted away.
She lifted her right arm and, without waiting for the nurse, rolled up her sleeve herself.