The weekend had finally arrived. A part of Saeko had been looking forward to it, while another part dreaded it.
The first day was a blur of speeches on various topics; long, monotonous, and draining. Sota never left her side, sitting through all of them despite having no reason to be there. It didn't take long before his head found its way onto her shoulder, fast asleep. And she, though her face burning red, did nothing to stop him.
The evening wasn't much better. Conversations revolved around work, the air thick with medical jargon.
Mr. Aoki, as usual, took centre stage. "You know that indescribable feeling when you save someone's life…" He trailed off, then turned to Sota with a smirk. "Oh, wait. I always forget; not everyone here works in medical field."
"Don't be mean, Aoki," snapped Mrs. Hoshoda, the Chief of Psychiatry.
"You're right." Mr. Aoki's grin widened. "I suppose I'd feel just as out of place if he started talking about his area of expertise. What was your degree in again?"
Sota's expression remained unreadable, his gaze sharp. "I don't have one. I work as a stuntman."
A beat of silence. Then, the murmurs started. Mrs. Hoshoda raised an eyebrow, not in judgment, but curiosity.
"That's actually pretty cool," someone whispered.
"Yeah, not everyone needs to save lives to be valuable," Mrs Hoshoda agreed.
Aoki's smirk wavered. His irritation barely had time to surface before Saeko delivered the final blow.
"Still, he was the only one who managed to save one of patients' life in a hospital full of degree-holding doctors."
Mr. Aoki's eyes darkened.
"Him?" someone asked.
Pride gleamed in Saeko's gaze as she recounted the story; how Sota, fearless and determined, had climbed up to stop a desperate patient from jumping. How, afterward, he hadn't just walked away but had created a training regimen to help the man rebuild his strength, offering him a purpose beyond survival.
She kept talking, her voice steady, her admiration unmistakable. It wasn't until the teasing started that she realized just how passionately she had been speaking.
"I wish my wife still talked about me like that."
"There's nothing sweeter than a young lady in love," Mrs. Hoshoda smiled.
The words hit her like a slap. Heat flooded her face as she stammered, trying to backtrack, meanwhile Sota was watching her with that intense, unreadable look.
Aoki quickly steered the conversation away as soon as he sensed an opening.
"Anyway, isn't that Fujimoto and his wife?" he asked, as a beautiful lady appeared at Mr. Fujimoto's side and hurried over to greet them.
Just then, everyone began to whisper.
"Does she really want to come back to be the director of that private hospital like before the accident?"
"I wonder how effectively she'll do her job, given her condition," People continued murmuring.
"She'd never be able to do anything without her husband. If it weren't for him..."
Saeko furrowed her brows. What were they talking about?
"Fascinating," Mrs. Hoshoda sighed. "Looks like today's gathering is full of people struggling with self-esteem issues and envy. Maybe I should've given a lecture on that instead."
At her words, the murmurs instantly fell silent.
"Please, everyone, let me introduce my wife," Mr. Fujimoto said, his gestures slightly exaggerated. The lady bowed in front of them.
Mr. Fujimoto instantly turned toward them with an excited smile.
"This is Saeko and Sota," he said, signing.
In response, the lady signed something enthusiastically.
"She hopes you can get to know each other better this weekend," he translated with a wink.
Despite their shock, they managed to greet her with a polite bow before Mr. Fujimoto moved on to introduce her to others.
"Wait, did you know his wife is deaf?" Sota asked, leaning closer to Saeko.
"I didn't…" she whispered.
"It makes so much sense now. It always seemed strange for a doctor to know sign language just like that." And probably that's why he said our concert wasn't her thing, he realized.
"Seems like you don't know much about Fujimoto," Mrs. Hoshoda said, looking at Saeko.
"I have been working with him for a while, but I didn't know that much about his private life. He always bragged a lot about his wife, but he never mentioned…"
"They had a car accident around three years ago. Their son was severely injured and is still in rehab, trying to walk again. His wife suffered a head injury, and despite their best efforts, they had to accept she would never regain her hearing. They both worked hard to go on. Fujimoto learned sign language and transformed their home to make life easier for her and their son. On top of that, he took on most of the work in raising their children, always going above and beyond."
"I would have never expected him of all people to face such difficulties…" Saeko gaped, guilt flooding her.
"Why? Is it because he's always so jovial? Don't be fooled. Not every smile comes from a lack of problems. Some choose to smile despite them. I suspect you understand that well, Sota Yamada," Mrs. Hoshoda added, turning her attention to him with a knowing smile.
Sota raised an eyebrow but said nothing. This lady creeps me out for real; she acts as if she can read people like a book.
Saeko lowered her gaze, lost in thought. How many times have I made the same mistake and let appearances deceive me?
It was heartwarming to see Mr. Fujimoto with his wife. He treated her so gently, doting on her like a young man infatuated with his first love. Was it possible for people to maintain such love even after many years of marriage? Saeko wondered, her gaze drifting in their direction. Throughout dinner, they had plenty of opportunities to get to know one another. Mr. Fujimoto eagerly translated and helped them discuss many topics.
Saeko asked a lot about the hospital she would be directing starting next week, while his wife inquired about Saeko's work and experiences, as if genuinely interested. Or perhaps it was just politeness.
"Mr. Fujimoto, your wife is truly amazing. It's an honour to meet her in person," Saeko said, after she excused herself.
"I'm sure you've heard all sorts of rumours about how much my wife depends on me," Mr. Fujimoto responded. Saeko flushed in embarrassment, as though she were somehow to blame.
"It's funny, though. To be honest, I feel like I'm the one who needs her more. She may need help in many ways, but there are countless things I depend on her for. She's the reason I can wake up in the morning and smile. So, don't you dare judge who needs the other more just based on appearances. It's never that simple," he said, with a knowing look.
Sota sighed. It seemed like he was hinting at something. What was going on with everyone?
After dinner, Saeko and Sota settled into some chairs at the bar. The low hum of the evening crowd surrounded them, the soft clink of glasses and quiet chatter filling the air.
More and more decorative women began gathering around the bar, eyeing Sota, but all he really seemed to care about was Saeko and her wild, loosened hair. Lately, she had been letting her hair down more often.
Saeko turned toward Sota, leaning slightly in his direction, with a noticeable tension in her posture.
"I've been meaning to talk about something," she started, her anxiety growing. Sota stiffened for a moment.
"Look, our adorable couple is hiding here. Do you have some space for me, too?" Mr. Aoki appeared, pulling a chair next to Saeko. As he sat down, he was so close that he slightly brushed against her.
With one smooth motion, Sota grabbed the chair under Saeko and pulled it closer to his own, then rested his arms behind her.
"Now, we have," Sota said, making Saeko flush visibly. "Is there a reason you prefer my company to the doctors'?" He asked with a cocky smile.
"As a matter of fact, I have an important question for Saeko," Aoki insisted.
"Alright, let's get this over with," she said impatiently.
"Wow, wow, what's with the attitude?" Mr. Aoki scoffed, clearly offended.
"I'm sorry. It's just… I hoped we would have some privacy," Saeko replied.
"Come on, it's conference weekend. You couldn't have seriously expected to spend it alone together."
"Well, at least in our room, we would have some privacy," Sota shot back.
Saeko tensed immediately at the idea.
"I'm afraid you won't have much of that either…" Aoki said with exaggerated regret. "The reason I was looking for Saeko is to steal her away for tonight."
"Huh?" was all she managed to say. Sota's posture immediately shifted, growing even more hostile.
"Don't get me wrong," he chuckled. "I thought it would be a great idea to bring my niece along since she's so interested in pursuing medical studies. But she's still a kid, and after hearing some creepy story, she's now completely terrified. She won't even consider spending the night alone in her hotel room"
"And what does that have to do with Saeko?" Sota asked, his tone sharp.
"Well, I was wondering if she could sleep in my niece's room," Mr. Aoki said.
"Why don't you stay with her? You're her uncle," Sota countered.
"Well, we're not that close. And besides, I'm a man. It would be inappropriate."
"Isn't there anyone else who could stay with her?" Saeko asked, crossing her arms.
"Well, she got really attached to you today," Mr. Aoki said with a sly smile.
Saeko exhaled sharply. "Fine," she muttered. "Just give us a moment."
Mr. Aoki, looking satisfied, walked off, leaving an agitated Saeko behind.
"So…" she started, but all the courage she had built up vanished.
"You shouldn't let him push you around like that," Sota cut in before she could even get to the point.
"He's my boss. He could fire me anytime if I don't please him."
"And how far would you go to please him?" Sota cocked an eyebrow, leaning in slightly.
"Don't be disgusting! I can't afford to mess with my job."
"And what if you found a nursing job somewhere else?"
"It would be irresponsible to throw away a stable position for the unknown."
"You deserve a place where you're actually valued. Mrs. Fujimoto, she seemed really interested in you. Wouldn't you consider applying to the private hospital she will direct soon?"
"I would never fit in a place like that," she muttered.
Sota's expression darkened.
"Don't you dare sell yourself short. Not in front of me."