Chapter 198 Once Again On My Own Feet
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Starting today, I’ll be handling things here,” Nana said with a polite smile. “I’m Akamoto Nana. It’s nice to meet you all.”
Before opening time, Harue and Kamitsubo-san gathered the staff and introduced Nana to the team.
Everyone already knew she was coming, but still, they greeted her with warm smiles and kind words.
”Alright then,” Harue said, glancing at Kamitsubo-san. “If there’s anything you’re unsure about during the process, feel free to ask Kamitsubo-san-san, okay?”
”Yes, I understand!” Nana replied, nodding firmly.
And so, her first day as the front desk receptionist began.
The tasks weren’t too difficult, but since everything was new to her, Haruto kept a close eye and made sure she was doing alright.
Thanks to Nana’s arrival, Kamitsubo-san had a lighter load and seemed to check in on her now and then as well.
With no major trouble, the first day came to a peaceful end.
Just as everyone was getting ready to leave, a voice called out.
”Ah, Suzume-san! Do you have a moment? There’s something I’d like to talk about,” Haruto said, stepping forward quickly.
”Yes, of course, but…” Suzume tilted her head as Haruto guided her into the manager’s office. Nana quietly followed behind.
Haruto had something important to discuss—regarding Nana’s therapy.
”Actually, I’d like to set a clear goal for Nana-san’s rehabilitation,” he said, folding his arms.
”A goal…?” Suzume asked, blinking.
”Yes. First, we’ll focus on expanding her range of motion, and eventually, aim for her to maintain a standing position.”
Range of motion refers to how far a joint can move smoothly without pain or restriction.
”Eh…? Wait—do you mean Nana might be able to stand someday?”
”I believe there’s a strong chance,” Haruto said with calm certainty. “To be precise, she won’t be ‘standing up’ at first—but she will be able to hold a standing posture on her own.”
”I… I’m sorry, I’m not really following,” Suzume said, looking down.
Haruto nodded gently. “Standing from a seated position needs muscle strength. But right now, Nana doesn’t have that. So our first step will be helping her stand with support, and then have her maintain that posture alone.”
He looked at Nana, then back to Suzume.
”After that, our next goal will be for her to stand up by herself. And then… to walk. Step by step.”
”…Is that… really possible?” Suzume asked, her voice trembling slightly.
”Yes. The possibility is real. But…” Haruto paused.
”But?”
”The method we’ll be using… isn’t exactly standard.”
”Not standard…?” Suzume repeated, her expression tense.
”Normally, when someone wants to build muscle, they do weight training. The basic idea is to stress the muscles, cause small tears, and let the body repair them stronger than before. Over time, this builds strength.”
Haruto’s tone shifted slightly—serious, but not harsh.
”But in Nana-san’s case, her lower body can’t move. That means she can’t apply that stress through regular exercise. So instead… we’ll need to apply that stress from the outside—with massage.”
”You mean…” Suzume’s voice lowered, her eyes widening.
”In other words, to build muscle, we need to stimulate it directly—by hand. We can use a towel for modesty, but Nana-san will need to remove her clothes for the treatment.”
”…I see. So it’s not medically dangerous, but it’s socially… sensitive,” Suzume said quietly.
Haruto nodded. “Exactly. I’m not worried about the results. With my method, the therapy will definitely work. But the act itself—massaging deeply to induce muscle fiber damage—is necessary for success.”
”You don’t have to give your answer now,” Haruto added quickly. “Let’s focus first on helping her stand with support. We can discuss the next step later.”
”Um… may I ask something?” Nana, who had been silently listening beside Suzume, looked up.
”Of course,” Haruto said, meeting her gaze.
”I was told there was no chance… no hope for recovery. Is that really not true?”
”The reason I left the hospital and started this practice is because I believe in this method,” Haruto said, his voice firm. “If I stayed as a regular doctor, I wouldn’t be allowed to do this kind of therapy. But I saw its potential. That’s why I chose this path.”
”So… you really believe… that massage can help me?” Nana asked softly.
”I do,” Haruto said without hesitation. “I truly believe that Nana-san will walk again, on her own feet.”
”Ugh… ugh… sniff… ugh…” Nana’s shoulders trembled as tears welled up in her eyes.
”So, let’s take that first step together,” Haruto said, offering a warm smile. “We’ll aim to stand first. One step at a time. We’ll work hard. Together.”
”B… please…” Nana choked out through quiet sobs.
And so, Nana’s journey toward rehabilitation began.
Whether in a hospital or a small clinic, the treatment she would undergo—miraculous by any standard—had to be approached with care and resolve.
This was the beginning of her recovery… and the first moment Haruto gained someone who would become a powerful ally.
But that part of the story… is still a little ways off.
Notes:
• Nana – The one dating Haruto before she goes to Hokkaido.
• Kamitsubo – The receptionist and assistant of the Haruto’s clinic.
• Suzume – Female. Nana’s companion, who is just as beautiful as Nana. She has a husky voice, which makes her age and relationship to Nana (sister) slightly ambiguous. She is supportive and polite, accompanying Nana to the job interview.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply