LOST TIME MEMORY Vol. 1

Chapter 7.3

They spent twenty minutes inside. Five minutes waiting, as there was only one person scheduled, but otherwise, there wasn't anyone else booked at the time. Shintaro spoke to an old man with declining white hair, glasses, and a gentle smile. The man listened patiently, as Shintaro explained what'd happened when he'd woken up and how much his head had hurt, before giving him an examination. The doctor examined his pupils and checked his head and the bump that'd popped up after Shintaro had banged his head against the floor. He applied some ointment on the bump and then prescribed him a more concentrated version of paracetamols. Stronger effects. With the same gentle smile on his face, he rose up and simply grabbed the medications from his own cabinet and shook their contents in the front of Shintaro.

"I can sell you these now for 50% off," he said, his chin slightly tilted up.

"Ugh, yeah. S-sure. Thank you," Shintaro told the old man.

His name was, in fact, Kusakabe. He ran the clinic with a very limited staff. He was kind, he liked listening, he went straight to the point with his prescriptions, and he always liked to look you right in the eyes. Which also always made Shintaro uncomfortable.

"You are very welcome. It is nice to see you again, Shintaro."

Shintaro knew him, prior to his shut-in period.

"I can see that you are very stressed. Your eyes lack sleep, but more than that they are even redder than what usually comes with a lack of proper rest. I think you need to take it easy for a while. Maybe take a few walks now and then."

Shintaro knew that Kusakabe was aware of what he'd been doing. His suggestions hadn't merely just been casual advice. Shintaro started feeling uncomfortable.

"You have the prescribed paracetamol here. Though otherwise, do try to stick to normal paracetamols for normal headaches. Drink plenty of water, sleep more, sleep in. It is summertime, so it is fine if you do. If, despite all of this, the migraine persists, call the hospital immediately. I would not usually say this, but in your case, when the migraine is so bad to the point where you feel the need to physically injure yourself to ease the pain- I want you to not be hesitant in calling for the ambulance. I did not personally examine anything too wrong about you, but something happening within your skull can only be checked with proper equipment that is only available in hospitals." The doctor gave a thorough explanation while twiddling his wrinkly thumbs. He never took shortcuts with his words.

"R-right," Shintaro barely had any questions to give after that, and he could almost tell the doctor must've thought the same.

"Do you have any other questions?" But Kusakabe still asked.

"No. I don't. Thank you for your help, doctor Kusakabe," Shintaro said as he stood up and gave him a bow.

The doctor, though he'd had a serious expression during his entire explanation, now gave him a smile. "You have changed quite a bit, have you not? Shintaro."

"Um... What do you mean by that...?"

The old man suddenly wrinkled his brows in deep thought, as if he was getting slightly lost in his memories. "I remember... I remember you being quite straightforward and rather rude last time. More 'standoffish'. I didn't imagine you'd be so very polite after only two years."

"Oh." Shintaro understood what the man was talking about. He'd noticed when Ene had shown him the street on the map that he'd been here once before. "I've... been different, yes."

"I see. I am not usually a person that pries or states his opinions on matters outside of medicine. But I do feel it sometimes better to... air out my thoughts than to regret. My reason for noting your behavior is that I am glad to see that you don't have any problems interacting with people. I don't know you very well, only from the err... how many times have you been here?"

Shintaro hesitated to say anything for a moment. "Only six times."

"Right. And each time you would recall with very precise memory what we checked for the last time, what I prescribed, and how some of the equipment and medicine had been replaced or added. Very excellent retention. I think you liked that word as well."

Furrowing his eyebrows and upping his guard, Shintaro still kept his mouth shut.

"I want to say that... You have become a better person. You have a bright mind. You have come out of your shell and stepped out here and you are on the right track. Please, keep moving forward. It is okay to take pride in yourself-

"Thanks. Here," Shintaro stood up straight and handed over the money for the medicine. At 50% off it was only 2500 yen.

Rather than accept it, he maintained eye contact and continued speaking.

"There have been too many deaths in this area. People I have cared for, dying before they could ever say they had really lived. I have known Ayano since she was a child. I have known her mother and father since they were children, as well. She would never have blamed you. Never. It was never your fault-"

"Then you don't know a fucking thing, do you?" Shintaro's eyes widened at his own words. He hadn't raised his voice. But he'd glared him down.

With shaky hands, he took the pills from the doctor and went out without another word. He really thought the guy ought to have just minded his own business, despite his own outburst. He was trying to move on. Nobody else needed to remind him of it.