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Chapter 243: Make Her Shy, Increase Affection!
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 06:07:01 +0000 UTC"Hello, Karasawa-san. I'm Minami Shouji—this should be our first time meeting, right?"
It was clearly phrased as a question, yet carried a tone of certainty.
A very peculiar way of speaking.
And yet, coming from this black-haired boy who had suddenly appeared in her hospital room, there didn't seem to be anything strange about it at all.
It was as if his speech carried some kind of subtle magic, making one naturally overlook any inconsistency or abnormality in his words.
Indeed, this was the first time Minami Shouji had ever met Karasawa Yuka.
Both in simulation and in reality.
To meet her in person, he had even gone so far as to enlist Miss Yamada's help.
The effort it took to get here… he couldn't help but sigh in reflection.
But, fortunately, Karasawa Yuka was still alive.
She hadn't succumbed to illness.
Which meant—there was still time.
Minami Shouji's eyes carefully scanned the middle-aged woman before him.
She sat partially upright on the hospital bed, wearing a simple blue-and-white patient's gown.
It was obvious—in her youth, Karasawa Yuka must have been quite the refined beauty, a delicate and demure type.
Though time had left its traces on her face, one could still glimpse the charm of her former elegance.
But now, even that elegance seemed to be withering under the erosion of illness—like the flower on the nightstand beside her bed, slowly fading away.
Lips pale as paper, cheeks sallow like wax.
Even though Karasawa Yuka appeared to be merely middle-aged, she now bore the pallor of one who had already stepped into the twilight of life.
Minami Shouji couldn't help but silently remark on his good fortune.
Thankfully, he had summoned Mirai in advance.
If not, with Karasawa Yuka's current condition, it was doubtful she could survive this winter.
As Minami Shouji quietly assessed Karasawa Yuka, she too was observing him, her gaze sweeping up and down.
Handsome features, composed speech—based solely on first impressions, he certainly matched the image Akane had painted of "Shouji-kun."
And yet...
How did he find this place?
Why was he here?
The inpatient wing of Tokyo General Medical University Hospital was no ordinary place someone could just wander into. Its security measures were stringent.
She frowned slightly, just about to voice her doubts when she saw Minami Shouji calmly remove the withered flowers from the bedside vase, replace the water, and insert a fresh bouquet of white lilies he had just bought.
His movements were fluid and practiced, almost like a master of floral arrangement.
"Karasawa-san must be wondering how I got here," Minami Shouji spoke as he finished arranging the flowers and took a seat in the chair that Akane had occupied earlier. "But in truth, such trivial details don't matter much to you right now."
Karasawa Yuka was silent.
Indeed, it didn't matter.
To someone standing at the threshold of death, how this young man entered her hospital room was the least of her concerns.
What she truly wanted to know was—
Who was this Minami Shouji?
If he truly was the one Akane adored, then as her foster mother, Yuka had every right—and duty—to evaluate him for herself.
With that in mind, she focused intently on his every move.
Any ordinary young man, under such scrutiny from an elder, would show signs of discomfort or anxiety.
But Minami Shouji was different.
His demeanor was natural, his tone calm and unwavering.
"I imagine Akane has told you about our relationship, Karasawa-san?"
"She has," Yuka replied with a nod.
There was no point in hiding it.
Akane's feelings for Minami Shouji were obvious, deep and unwavering—anyone could tell from the way she spoke about him.
"Since you know that much… then we can get straight to the point."
Minami Shouji's smile faded, replaced by a solemn expression.
He spoke with clarity and conviction:
"There's no need for pleasantries or idle chatter. I came here only to ask one thing—do you want to live on, to keep living together with Akane?"
Yuka blinked, not quite grasping his intent.
But if the question was just that—
"Of course I do."
She answered without hesitation.
Naturally.
If given the choice, no one would wish to die.
Even more so, she wanted to see Akane grow, mature, become independent…
She wanted to live.
That was her deepest wish.
However—
The spark in her eyes dimmed.
Yes, she wanted to live…
But her body no longer had the strength to do so.
Because of the illness ravaging her...
"What if I told you that I could cure your illness and help you regain your health?"
The boy spoke again.
But what he said this time made Karasawa Yuka instinctively part her lips in shock.
"W-What...?"
Astonishment.
Then confusion.
And finally, all of those emotions turned into anger.
Karasawa Yuka felt as if she was being mocked.
Yes.
There was no joy, no thrill of salvation, only pure indignation.
Cure her illness? Restore her health?
Did Minami Shouji truly understand what he was saying when those words left his lips?
Did he know the reality of her condition, as someone who had been hospitalized in the inpatient ward for so long?
Her attending physician had clearly stated—she needed surgery, one with a 90% chance of coming out as a corpse.
Did this boy even grasp the weight of his own words?
To so flippantly say "I can cure you" to someone terminally ill was the height of disrespect—a cruel joke.
For a patient already despairing, such words were careless and irresponsible.
And yet, Karasawa Yuka forced herself to remain calm.
Because this was Minami Shouji.
The one her beloved Shinjo Akane held closest to her heart.
Given that, she had no choice but to restrain her emotions.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and gave him an out:
"Forgive me, Minami-kun. Right now, I don't have the energy for this kind of joke—"
Before she could finish, Minami Shouji cut her off.
"I'm not joking."
He was still saying this!
Her fists clenched involuntarily.
"Minami-kun... do you even realize what you're saying?"
She released her grip, sighed deeply, and spoke:
"My attending physician told me—there's no hope. All that's left is to prolong my life a little."
"I don't want to hear you say things like 'I can cure you.' Those words... they cut deeper than you know. Even my doctor—"
By this point, Karasawa Yuka had already begun to sound defeated.
She knew her condition.
She knew she would never recover.
To hope again—only to be crushed again—that was a cruel cycle.
However—
"I'm not asking about your doctor's thoughts," Minami Shouji said, his black eyes gleaming as if they could pierce her soul.
"I'm asking about yours, Karasawa-san. What do you want?"
His calm voice, like a distant song from her hometown, struck something deep inside her.
Her thoughts...
What she wanted...?
Hearing those words, Karasawa Yuka fell silent.
The answer wasn't difficult.
In fact, it was simple—so simple it could be spoken in just one sentence.
"I want to live. I want to see Akane grow up. I want to see her mature step by step. I want to see her marry the one she loves... I want to live. I really, really want to."
As she spoke, the tears she had managed to hold back came pouring out again.
Yes.
There was no shame in wanting to live.
But wanting to live... is so hard.
At least, for her it was.
Karasawa Yuka covered her face, sobbing, sighing deeply.
Then—
"I understand, Karasawa-san."
A warm, clear voice whispered in her ear.
Startled, Karasawa Yuka looked up.
At some point, Minami Shouji had reached out his hand, gently stroking her back with a kindness too deep for words.
Karasawa Yuka instinctively thought of Shinjo Akane.
She remembered—Akane would also do this.
Whenever Yuka was feeling down, Akane would gently pat her back, comforting her softly.
"It's okay if you don't want to believe me, Karasawa-san."
Minami Shouji's voice was calm.
"Just think of it as being fooled by me—and take this."
A capsule filled with blue granules appeared in front of her.
Normally, a patient like Karasawa Yuka had a strict regimen for medication.
More than that, she absolutely couldn't take drugs from outside the hospital.
And yet, hearing Minami Shouji's voice...
As if under a spell, Yuka reached out and took the capsule from his hand.
Could this really let her keep on living?
Could she really stay by Shinjo Akane's side?
Her thoughts collided, a whirlwind of hope and fear.
And in that swirling storm...
Karasawa Yuka made her decision.
She accepted the water Minami handed her.
And along with that blue capsule, she swallowed all her lingering hesitation.
Even if there was only the slimmest chance… she would fight for it.
The effects of the drug were fast.
Barely a minute or two after taking the capsule, sleepiness overtook her.
Just as she was about to fall into slumber—
Minami Shouji's familiar voice echoed in her ear.
"When you wake up, I hope you won't tell Akane that I was here."
Those were the last words she clearly heard before sinking into deep sleep.
Minami watched her as she slept peacefully and let out a breath.
"First, make Grandma Karasawa feel anxious with your words. Then, when her emotional defenses are shaken, push harder—speak the thoughts she can't admit aloud... Dad, no wonder Mom said you were super popular in school. I learned a lot."
Standing nearby, Mirai—who had watched the entire interaction between Minami Shouji and Karasawa Yuka—sighed with admiration.
Honestly, most adults would never take a suspicious capsule from a stranger.
But Minami Shouji had zeroed in on her deepest desire to live, and used it to guide her into accepting the medicine.
Seriously—
"I feel like any girl would be terrified of a guy like you, Dad. You're a heart-stealing rogue!"
"Don't make me sound like something I'm not." Minami Shouji rolled his eyes and patted her on the head.
He'd just risked it all to convince Karasawa Yuka.
Meanwhile, his daughter was sitting back and adding nothing but sarcastic commentary.
Still, it was fortunate that Karasawa Yuka had the will to live.
Without that, this might've been impossible.
Mission complete.
Seeing her sleep so soundly, Minami Shouji finally relaxed.
Though he constantly grumbled about his "weird simulator-chan," he trusted the items she provided.
This was a Universal Recovery Pill—he was sure Karasawa Yuka's condition would improve.
Closing the door gently, Minami Shouji and Mirai made their way to the elevator and left the hospital's inpatient ward.
"Hey Dad, why didn't you just ask Mom to bring you in? Why take the roundabout route with Yamada-mama's help?"
Once they left the heavy atmosphere of the hospital, Mirai's demeanor brightened, and her words flowed freely.
She pouted, "If Mom saw you cure Grandma Karasawa, her affection for you would skyrocket! Why miss such a golden opportunity?"
Mirai couldn't understand her father's logic.
Everything could've gone smoother if he just asked Shinjo Akane for help—and even earned bonus affection by saving Yuka.
Why didn't he?
Minami Shouji didn't turn around, but he answered quietly:
"I don't want your mom to feel indebted to me. And I don't want to raise her affection with cheap tricks."
He exhaled into the cold air.
"Because this… is simply something I had to do."
Saving Karasawa Yuka—this was his responsibility.
She raised Shinjo Akane with love and care.
And that, to him, was the greatest gift he could ever receive.
At this moment, using Karasawa Yuka's condition to increase Shinjo Akane's favorability toward him—
That wasn't something Minami Shouji would ever consider.
It went against his values.
"Hmm?"
Hearing Minami Shouji's reply, Mirai furrowed her elegant brows, then her delicate face lit up in sudden realization.
"Ohhh—I get it now, Dad! This is what they call tsundere, right?"
"…If you say one more word, I'll have Yamada-san throw you out of the house. Then you'll know how cold Tokyo nights are in winter."
