Volume 5 Chapter 23 At the Hospital
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ten minutes passed. Outside the school, the rising wail of an ambulance cut through the air.
Hirose had done what he could for her visible injuries. But an impact like that was unpredictable; there was no telling if she’d sustained a concussion or internal fractures.
He could have kept her in the infirmary for observation, but she needed a hospital. He’d made the call, and Takanashi Hirose had stayed by her side until the paramedics arrived.
The school was in an uproar. As students watched with hushed, anxious faces, the EMTs rushed the stretcher inside and carefully loaded Aya onto it.
Hirose climbed into the back to go with her.
”Hayase, don’t you have club practice?” Hirose asked. “I’ve got this. Go on ahead.”
”I know, but… I saw it happen,” Hayase replied, her voice shaking. “Aya-san is our classmate. I can’t just leave! I want to help.”
”Are you sure?”
”Yes. I’ll call the coach. Just let me do something!”
”Alright,” Hirose said after a pause. “In that case, can you head to the office? Explain what happened to the staff so they aren’t flying blind.”
”On it!” Hayase promised.
The rear doors slammed shut. The siren hit a high note as the ambulance peeled away.
Back at the school, Misaki headed straight for the faculty room. The school nurse only knew part of the story; Misaki needed to tell them the rest herself.
* * *
”Nn… ugh…”
”Aya-san!” Hirose called out.
Aya’s eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was Hirose leaning over her bedside. She looked around blankly, the sterile white walls and the hum of the monitors failing to register at first.
”…Ow.”
The healing magic had knit the skin, but a jagged throb pulsed in her jaw. Her mouth felt wrong-a hollow, terrifying space where her front teeth used to be. The remaining ones felt loose, ready to fall out at a touch.
”Aya-san… this is my fault,” Hirose muttered. “I’m so sorry.”
”……Oh. That’s right,” Aya whispered. “I remember.”
The memory returned in flashes. While she was out, the doctors had run a full battery of scans. No brain damage, no broken jaw. She’d been lucky-the only permanent loss was her teeth.
Aya let out a long, shaky breath.
”Did I… did I actually help, Takanashi-kun?” she asked.
”Yeah. You shielded me. I’m fine because of you,” Hirose said.
”Good… then it was worth it…”
She stared up at the ceiling, her strength deserting her as she sank into the thin hospital mattress.
”So… about the…”
”Your teeth? Yeah,” Hirose said, finishing her thought.
”I haven’t really processed it yet,” Aya said quietly. “I’m not panicking, I just… I’m confused.”
A heavy weight of guilt settled in Hirose’s chest. There was only one thing he could offer her now.
”I’m going to make this right. I want to be your strength, Aya-san. If you’re ever struggling, please, lean on me. Please.”
”Lean on you?” she repeated. She didn’t seem to grasp the weight of his promise, but she gave a small, tired nod anyway. “Okay. I will.”
Before long, her parents burst into the room. Hirose braced himself, expecting them to lash out. He was the reason their daughter was disfigured, after all.
But the anger never came.
They told him that Aya had always been like this-possessed by a stubborn sense of justice that wouldn’t let her ignore someone in pain. Since she was a toddler, she’d been coming home covered in scrapes from playing the hero.
This was different, of course. This was a life-changing injury. But they told him, with a gentleness that hurt more than a scolding, that it had been Aya’s choice. He didn’t need to carry the whole world on his shoulders.
* * *
Since there were no major issues with her body, Aya was discharged that evening. The school granted her a day of medical leave to recover.
–That night.
Aya stood alone in the dark bathroom, watching the sink fill with water. She lowered her face toward the surface, the movement stiff.
”Ugh… I can’t… I can’t go back to the pool like this,” she whispered.
A sharp pain lanced through her gums. The water stung the raw nerves, and she jerked back, gasping.
Miraculously, her face looked perfect in the mirror. The Beauty¹ gift had left her skin flawless. But the pain was real, and her mouth wouldn’t move the way she needed it to.
If she couldn’t breathe properly, she couldn’t swim.
”Haha… ha… sigh…”
A hollow, broken laugh escaped her. A single tear fell, hitting the water with a soft splash that sent tiny ripples across the basin.
The regional tournament was in four weeks. Swimming wasn’t a sport you could win without practice. And as a third-year, this was her last season. Her last chance.
–The following morning.
A new shadow fell over the school.
Okada Rikuya had never made it home the night before. His parents had called the school in a panic. He was missing.
—
Summary:
Aya is hospitalized after shielding Hirose from an attack, resulting in the loss of her front teeth. Despite her physical trauma, her ‘Beauty’ gift heals her skin perfectly, creating a cruel contrast with her internal pain and dental loss. The chapter ends with the ominous news that Okada Rikuya has gone missing.
—
Trivia:
- Aya is a third-year student, meaning this is her final year for competitive swimming.
- The ‘Beauty’ gift healed her external wounds but could not restore her teeth.
- Aya’s parents are surprisingly understanding of her self-sacrifice due to her history of playing ‘hero’.
- The next swimming tournament is exactly four weeks away
—
Character Insight:
Aya’s identity as a ‘heroic’ figure is validated by her parents’ backstory, but the loss of her teeth directly threatens her ability to swim and her self-image. Hirose’s guilt is driving him toward a deeper, more protective commitment to her.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author highlights the irony of an ‘S-Rank Beauty Gift’ that provides a perfect facade while the user suffers from functional impairment.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Misaki – The class representative and a member of the tennis club. Misaki is known for being outspoken and blunt, preferring to say exactly what she thinks. Have a milk tea colored long hair ponytail, and a large, conspicuous mole near her left inner thigh.
• Okada – Male student and registered Adventurer. Popular with girls due to his dungeon progress. Leader of the Strong-Arm Guild. An E-Rank adventurer and high school senior. Received Appraisal at sixteen. Has a short temper and uses his status to attract women. Uses a combat Gift that makes his fists glow.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply