The Winners Take It All | Chishiya [English]

The unplanned miracle

I should have known it was going to be an awkward phone call when my cell phone rang in the middle of the meeting.

I bit my tongue when I saw it was my father calling me.

He did that on purpose, right...?

"Hayashi-san? Why don't you answer the phone?" Tomoki-san wanted to know, and I nodded apologetically before pressing the green receiver.

No joke, I could have done without it - why didn't I turn off the ringtone?

"Ayuna!" he almost shouted through the receiver when I answered the call. I had to hold my phone away for a bit so that I didn't get any ringing in my ears.

I saw their questioning expressions... I quickly got up from the table, nodded again and then moved to the other end of the room. There was just too much going on in the hallways to go there now.

"What do you want!?" I asked hissing and I heard him take a breath. He was angry, without question.

"What's the point, child?! What do you mean you want to move out?! You're not capable of taking this step!", shit... Mother had apparently only told him today. I was surprised that she had kept it to herself for so long.

"That's not your concern," I replied coolly, "I'm twenty-one, father. Besides, I've lived alone before." There was a short pause.

"You're not capable," he was stubborn, you definitely had to give him that.

"Again. I told you that I don't want your stupid affection, you can save yourself the image of a harmonious family, you hear me? You had the chance, you didn't take it," my voice also apparently got louder, although it didn't really make a difference, because the four people at the table were looking at me curiously anyway.

"You've gone crazy! There we have it! I won't allow you to leave my house again!" damn it, he put pressure on my shoulders.

My suspicion was confirmed.

If I didn't move out now, I would never have the opportunity again.

"Yes, I will. And you won't stand in my way like you did back then," my voice began to tremble, he laughed on the other end.

"Now don't be a little child, you know full well that there is no more free capacity," I could practically hear the glee. He used a nasty trick...

"Yes, there are," a voice behind me made me look up. Hinata was suddenly at my side and picked up the phone with an apologetic look. "Ayuna is moving into my shared apartment, a place became available there yesterday," my jaw practically hit the floor and the relief almost made me collapse on my knees.

That wasn't true, was it? Did I really just get an opportunity for a lease?

That's right... Hinata had said something like that yesterday.

"What are you thinking? Who are you?" I heard him yell again. Hinata looked at me with a worried look and I simply nodded bravely before picking up the phone again.

"That's not important. You heard what she said. I'm going to move out as quickly as possible - and if you stop me, there will be consequences. Stop meddling in my life!", then I hung up.

Dead silence.

Then I threw my arms around Hinata's neck. "Thank you," I whispered quietly, and she happily returned the gesture.

"Not for that, I was still looking for a new tenant anyway, financing our apartment is pretty difficult for just two people," she smiled, and I briefly stumbled over her words, but then I quickly forgot my thought. Instead, I apologized again for the inconvenience, and we continued planning.

I noticed his looks pretty quickly. He seemed to be studying me, assessing me. It was as if he could read all the information without even having to ask me.

It made me curious.

"So, where were we? Ah, exactly! The daily planning. As you know, the main focus is on teamwork. The focus here is on the work of the doctor, i.e. Chishiya-san. He gives the instructions and determines exactly what is happening to the patients. He will be supported by the nursing staff, i.e. Obiki-san. You will be a duo, so to speak, throughout the entire time. Hayashi-san will support you by actively working with the patients to create mental support. Daiki-san will also work with the patients by meeting the requirements of Chishiya-san. You may already see that a network is being created. The patient's well-being is the priority. At the end, you will evaluate how the collaboration worked and whether it makes sense in the future to form 'team shifts'," Tomoki-san smiled at us, "So your semester break will take place in the hospital. You will have to adapt to Chishiya-san, who already has a fixed work schedule."

We looked at each other.

"It would be an advantage if you got to know each other a little beforehand. Daiki-san and Hayashi-san already seem to know each other well, so a duo is already well established. You must sort out the rest between yourselves. Oh yes! Before I forget," he pushed an index card towards each of us, "Here are the phone numbers of your responsible carers in the hospital. Each of you has a contact person you can always ask for help. But I'm pretty sure you all can do it without much help. All of you are already quite advanced in your studies and you're not stupid. So: Show what you're made of. I'll visit you regularly," Tomoki looked at all our faces again before smiling. That was the end of the preliminary meeting.

In fact, we all walked out together.

"And I can really move in with you?" I asked again as Hinata, and I strolled next to each other. She nodded before grinning.

"I still have to ask my roommate, but she definitely won't mind! You can come over in the next few days and see if you like it!" she replied and handed me her cell phone, "Here, enter your cell phone number, then I can contact you. I already have Obiki and Chishiya's numbers, I'm just missing yours!"

I couldn't believe my luck. Everything was going too well... Kuina had been right. Miracles always came when you didn't expect them.

I knew I would sleep well tonight for the first time.

Who knows, maybe a new chapter was just opening for me, which would bring me a lot of joy...