CH 26

Chapter 26 – Members of the Fukuzawa Family

“―Dad, why are you here all of a sudden?”

Currently, we were in front of a single family home. Kanna and I were still in the car, while Jouichirou and Sasaki had stepped out.

There was a man standing right before Jouichirou. He was the eldest son of the Fukuzawa family―Akito.

With a slim build and clean, invigorating facial features, he was the kind of person who belonged in the ‘handsome guy’ category.

“My bad. I came by because there was some business I had to attend to.” (Jouichirou)

“Didn’t we arrange for me to come over the day after tomorrow? It wasn’t okay to just talk about it then?” (Akito)

“Not really, but… are you busy?” (Jouichirou)

“No, just a little sleep deprived, I guess. I had a big surgery yesterday.” (Akito)

“Hm? You didn’t have to stay with the patient?” (Jouichirou)

“No, since I was the surgical assistant for that case. What is it that you have to do, by the way? If we can handle it the day after tomorrow, I’d like to get a bit more sleep.” (Akito)

“Hmm. Maybe I’ll just go home then. It’s too bad, I had a surprise for you.” (Jouichirou)

“Eh? A surprise? What do you mean?” (Akito)

“Hm? Are you curious?” (Jouichirou)

“No, but anyone would be curious if you put it that way.” (Akito)

Jouichirou’s also a bit ill-natured, hmm? Or rather, he seems to like his share of pranks. Well in this case, it’s not just a mere prank though.

“Then let me show you. Listen. Don’t freak out, alright?” (Jouichirou)

“W-Why do you have to make it sound so scary… I mean, Dad. You seem to be in a really cheerful mood, and your complexion looks good, too… Just what happened?” (Akito)

“You’ll know after seeing this surprise… Sasaki, please.” (Jouichirou)

“Certainly, Master.” (Sasaki)

With a courteous bow, Sasaki slowly opened the door of the car. When the person inside stepped out of the car, Akito stared wordlessly.

“Eheheh. Hi there, Onii-chan!” (Kanna)

“…….” (Akito)

“H-Huh? O-Onii-chan?” (Kanna)

“….! Eh? Ah? Huuuh? …K-Kanna, is that you…?” (Akito)

“Yeah! It’s me!” (Kanna)

“No, but… are you kidding me…? You’re…walking?” (Akito)

“On my own two feet! See, look!” (Kanna)

With that, Kanna spun around a few times to show off.

“A-Am I dreaming…?” (Akito)

“Nope, this is certainly real. Akito… Kanna’s body is back to normal.” (Kanna)

“K-Kannaaaa!” (Akito)

“Hyaaaa?!” (Kanna)

Crying out loudly, Akito suddenly ran up to Kanna and hugged her.

“Really!? You’re really all better now!?” (Akito)

“….Yeah. Sorry to make you worry all the time… I’m fine now.” (Kanna)

Kanna tightly returned his embrace.

“Thank goodness… Thank goodness…!” (Akito)

This was what they called manly tears. Just like Jouichirou had a while ago, he was shedding tears and rejoicing over Kanna’s recovery.

“B-But how!? Just a week ago, she was in a wheelchair, and then… Suddenly, she….!” (Akito)

“About that… There’s someone who cured Kanna.” (Jouichirou)

With Jouichirou’s words, I quietly stepped out of the car from the door on the opposite side.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Torimoto Kentaro. I’m traveling as a Restorer.”

“Restorer…?” (Akito)

“I’ll tell you more about that in detail later. But before that, there’s one more child I need to bring here.” (Jouichirou)

“…! Inaho, you mean?” (Akito)

“Exactly. Sorry to trouble you Sasaki, but could you pick up Inaho for me?” (Jouichirou)

“Certainly. Young Lady Inaho’s house is right in the neighborhood, so I will be back with her right away.” (Sasaki)

With that, Sasaki climbed into the car and drove away. We went into Akito’s house and were led to the living room.

There, I met Akito’s wife, Nanao, and his three-year-old son, Kento. Since everyone here obviously already knew each other, I introduced myself to them, and they invited me to take a seat at the table.

“Dad, how did he cure Kanna? I still can’t believe it.” (Akito)

“I told you. Wait a bit longer. I’ll have to explain it to Inaho anyway. I don’t want to have to explain twice.” (Jouichirou)

It was natural for him to be curious as a doctor and an older brother, and he continued to eagerly glance over at me.

“But Kanna is really…” (Akito)

At the moment, Kanna was holding Kento and playing with him. Sol was with them, too. Akito and Nanao were looking at that scene with tears in their eyes.

“I’m really glad… that Kanna-chan can be happy again.” (Akito)

Nanao went to answer the door, and soon, she came back to the living room with another person in tow. It was a woman who strongly resembled Minako.

“What did you call me over here so suddenly for, Dad?! I had night shift, so I’m tired!” she complained as she came up to Jouichirou. But Jouichirou was laughing with a wide grin on his face, which must have irritated her as she continued, “What are you laughing about?! Nii-san, say something!”

“Inaho. Look over there.” (Jouichirou)

“Eh? What do you me—!?” (Inaho)

When Inaho turned her head in the direction that Akito had pointed, her face froze, just as Akito’s had not long ago. As if she had seen something unbelievable, she was stuck in place for several seconds.

“……K-Kanna…?” (Inaho)

Inaho managed to utter her name, and Kanna turned to her with a sweet smile on her face.

“Onee-chan, I’m all better now.” (Kanna)

“Kanna!” (Inaho)

Just like Akito, she ran up to Kanna and hugged her, feeling her face, arms, and legs.

“You’re Kanna, right? Eh? No way? Your legs? You can stand? But how?” (Inaho)

“H-Hey, Onee-chan, it tickles!” (Kanna)

“You… You’re really… all better?” (Inaho)

“Yeah, sorry to make you worry… I’m fine now.” (Kanna)

“…Kannaaaaaa!!” (Inaho)

Inaho wrapped Kanna up in her embrace once more and started to sob loudly. As we watched the two sisters, we all had pleasant, wholesome smiles on our faces.

After crying for a while, Inaho wiped her eyes and suddenly turned to look at Jouichirou.

“Dad, can you explain what exactly is going on?” (Inaho)

“Yeah, Dad. Please, quickly explain to us about this person.” (Jouichirou)

“Eh? Oh my god, we had a visitor? I-I’m gonna go use the bathroom real quick!” (Inaho)

Finally noticing my presence, Inaho hurriedly rushed off to the bathroom, perhaps concerned about her face, which was covered in tears and ruined makeup.

After a few minutes, she came back to the living room, and at last Jouichirou began to explain to them.

“Let me introduce you once again. This is Torimoto Kentaro-kun. He is a Restorer who has been traveling around Japan.” (Jouichirou)

“Umm… What’s a Restorer? I’ve never heard of it.” (Inaho)

Inaho pointed out the obvious question.

“As the name implies, he’s a person who has the power to restore any part of a living being to its former state.” (Jouichirou)

Previously, I had given Jouichirou permission to tell his family members about my ability.

“Is it something like… regenerative medicine then? No, it’s impossible for Kanna to be healed in just a few days. You should know that as well, Dad. Kanna’s disability was untreatable with modern medicine.” (Akito)

“Exactly. When I saw her about a week ago, her lower body paralysis hadn’t shown any signs of improvement.” (Inaho)

“Inaho’s right. Even if there was a regenerative treatment, her disability wasn’t one that could show this much recovery within a few days.” (Akito)

As expected of those in the medical field, their viewpoints were absolutely correct.

“Right. Of course, I was thinking the same way as you two. But first… just hear me out.” (Jouichirou)

After that, Jouichirou told everyone about how he met me at Kikyou Kindergarten and about Ryosuke.

“That’s absurd…! How could such a miraculous medicine exist in this world…?!” (Akito)

Naturally, Akito reacted just like Jouichirou had when I first told him about my power. Inaho didn’t say anything, but she glanced at me as if she were looking at someone suspicious. Her reaction was quite natural.

“But in fact, that medicine does exist, and it’s undeniable… that Kanna has been restored.” (Jouichirou)

No matter how suspicious or unbelievable it may seem, as long as Kanna was actually cured, they would be forced to believe that something divine was at work here. Everyone remained silent as they stared at me.

I closed my eyes, thinking that it was about time to say something, when…

“―It doesn’t have to be normal.” (Kanna)

Kanna spoke suddenly, causing everyone to turn their attention to her.

“My recovery doesn’t have to be normal. I don’t care if it’s strange. I mean… I’m better now. Torimoto-san healed me! That’s all that matters to me! I’m really happy right now, after all!” (Kanna)

Her smile was like a sunflower, unclouded by the slightest stormy sentiment.

Seeing the girl’s expression, the tension in the room immediately slackened.

“…I guess that’s true.” (Inaho)

“Inaho?” (Akito)

“Nii-chan1, it’s exactly as she said.” (Inaho)

“Eh?” (Akito)

“Even if it is a power that’s beyond our understanding, the reality is that… she can smile once again. That’s all that matters to me… no, the whole family, right?” (Inaho)

“……I guess..so. Yeah, it’s exactly as you said. Kanna… are you happy?” (Akito)

“Yeah! I’m happy!” (Kanna)

Accepting his conflicted feelings, Akito smiled gently and said, ‘I see,’ before turning to me and bowing his head.

“Torimoto-san, thank you so much for curing my little sister’s disability.” (Akito)

Immediately after, Inaho followed up in the same manner.

“Not at all. As Jouichirou-san explained, I only sold the medicine with business purposes in mind.” (Torimoto)

“But that doesn’t change the fact that Kanna can walk again because of you. So… thank you.” (Akito)

Maybe it was because they were quick on the uptake or good at reading the air, but Akito and the others didn’t pry any further about my power after that.

After spending the evening with them, I returned to the Fukuzawa residence with Jouichirou and Kanna, who seemed happy to have been out of the house for the first time in a while. But when we arrived at the gate of the house, there was a car stopped in front.

It seemed that the Fukuzawa family had a visitor… Seeming to notice our presence, a man hurriedly stepped out of the car.

“Is that… Arisawa-kun?” (Torimoto)

When I asked him if he was an acquaintance, Jouichirou assented and continued, “He’s a doctor who works at the same hospital as me. He was supposed to be off-duty today… It seems he’s looking for me. You all go back into the house without me. Sasaki, I’ll leave it to you.”

Jouichirou got out of the car, and Sasaki drove the car into the estate.

“I wonder if something happened at the hospital,” Kanna casually wondered aloud, but that Arisawa person did look rather anxious. Maybe an emergency case came in which they needed Jouichirou for.

Kanna and I went straight into the house, and Minako came out to greet us. Shortly after, Jouichirou came back into the house with a grim look on his face.

“Sorry Minako, I need to go to the hospital right away.” (Jouichirou)

“Did something happen?” (Minako)

“A huge number of patients were brought in. They need my help.” (Jouichirou)

“Is it related to monsters?” (Torimoto)

When I asked that, Jouichirou nodded.

“It seems that the community center near the hospital was turned into a dungeon.” (Jouichirou)

….What?

I knew where the hospital that Jouichirou worked at was. The community center near there was…

It’s that community center, isn’t it?

I suddenly recalled the community center where I had bumped into Totoki.

“That community center should be an evacuation site. To think that it was turned into a dungeon… Minako, I’ll leave the rest to you.” (Jouichirou)

“Yes, my dear. Please take care.” (Minako)

“Good luck Papa!” (Kanna)

Jouichirou hurriedly responded to their goodbyes and left the house once more.