"Tendouji... Sarina, may I call you Sarina?"
Having found her name on the medical chart at the foot of the bed, Kitagawa Ryo politely asked.
"Of course! Ryo can call me whatever you like!"
Even though several minutes had passed, Sarina Tendouji still hadn't calmed down. Her wide, round eyes made her look like an excited kitten.
Even if someone had paid a fortune for the closest seat at an event, no fan could have gotten as close to Kitagawa Ryo as she had right now.
After all, Kitagawa Ryo had debuted as a stage actor, not as a traditional idol who would hold various offline events like fan meetings or handshake sessions. In Sarina's memory, such interactions were rare.
Kitagawa Ryo also smiled as he observed his loyal fan here in the hospital. Although the medical chart listed her age as twelve, the long-term suffering from her illness had left her frail and small, almost the same size as Ryo himself. Apart from her large, sparkling eyes, there were no other noticeable secondary sexual characteristics, which was why Ryo hadn't been able to tell her gender at first.
"I heard from the doctor at noon that Ryo is here to film a movie, right?"
Sarina Tendouji blinked her eyes, asking with anticipation.
"We will indeed be shooting some scenes here."
Kitagawa Ryo nodded, then turned to look out the window at the lush forest.
"The scenery here is really beautiful, completely different from Tokyo."
"My dad and mom work in the heart of Tokyo."
Hearing Ryo mention Tokyo, Sarina puffed up with pride, but then she pouted and muttered softly:
"It's just... they rarely come to see me."
Kitagawa Ryo glanced around the room, quickly noticing the desktop computer and the private bathroom. He murmured to himself:
"Sarina's situation is actually quite common."
"Huh?"
Tilting her head in confusion, Sarina didn't quite understand what Ryo meant. He leaned on his chin and explained further:
"I've stayed in other hospitals before. Once, in a small rural hospital, six people shared one room. They didn't have private bathrooms like this."
"There was only one bathroom per floor, at the end of the hallway, right across from the doctors' office. Oh, and the trash cans were there too."
"During busy seasons, they even set up beds in the hallway."
Kitagawa Ryo sniffed the air. The room didn't have the sharp smell of disinfectant. Combined with Sarina's earlier comments, it seemed her parents had provided her with decent medical care.
"Actually, the whole hallway smelled awful, a mix of all kinds of unpleasant odors. But neither the patients nor the doctors seemed to care, or maybe they just couldn't afford to care. I even saw a doctor sitting at the office door eating instant noodles in the middle of the night."
"But by the time I left, I hadn't heard of anyone getting sick from it. Though sleeping on the office desk sometimes gave them a stiff neck."
Although Sarina felt that Ryo's description of such smelly details didn't quite match his image, she couldn't deny that she found it interesting.
Kitagawa Ryo had once been awarded the title of "someone who can make everyone in front of the TV laugh in ten seconds" on a variety show. Compared to other strange titles, this was one of his favorites.
Seeing Sarina smile at his words, he felt satisfied.
But soon, Sarina's expression turned wistful again:
"But I still wish my mom would visit me more often, to stay with me."
From the time she was admitted to the hospital, apart from her interactions with the young intern doctor, Sarina had spent most of her time in silence, confined to her room like a caged bird.
The difference between a frog at the bottom of a well and a caged bird is that the latter knows how vast the world is.
"I don't know what Sarina's parents are like, so I can't comment too much."
Kitagawa Ryo noticed that Sarina was very interested in his life both on and off the stage, so he continued the conversation, hoping to cheer her up.
"But I've met many other mothers."
"For this movie, I've stayed in four different hospitals, and during that time, I've seen many other patients' mothers."
"There was a twenty-year-old mother carrying her child to see the doctor, a thirty-year-old mother holding her child's hand, a fifty-year-old mother being supported by her children, and even a sixty-year-old."
Kitagawa Ryo spoke in a storytelling tone:
"But it was a sixty-year-old daughter helping her eighty-year-old mother see a doctor for stomach issues."
"The mother loved sunflower seeds, so the daughter used her dentures to shell them for her. The old woman didn't like wearing dentures, saying they were uncomfortable, and that eating with them felt like she wasn't the one eating, but the dentures."
"After shelling a handful, she would slowly chew with her last two teeth, taking a long time to finish."
Kitagawa Ryo imitated the old woman's voice perfectly, and Sarina couldn't help but laugh at the image.
"Since there are no beds for family members staying overnight in the wards, some mothers sleep on the floor in a corner. But when the ward gets crowded, even the floor space runs out, so they sleep on two chairs pushed together. Later, when it gets even more crowded, they only have one chair to sleep on."
Kitagawa Ryo sat cross-legged on the chair and leaned back:
"Like this, leaning against the wall to sleep."
"But more often, they hire professional caregivers."
"There was an old man whose children came to visit every morning at eight sharp, but they only stayed for a short while, about the time it took for the tea leaves in the caregiver's freshly brewed tea to settle a third of the way down. Sometimes they would take a symbolic sip, other times not."
"Later, the old man stopped having the caregiver prepare tea, saying it was a waste. He bought two boxes of strawberry milk instead, preparing a bottle with a straw every morning. His grandson loved it because his mom was afraid he'd get cavities, so the only time he could drink it openly was when he visited his grandpa."
Sarina Tendouji listened to these stories with great interest, propping her chin on her hand as she said:
"Ryo's new movie is definitely going to be amazing."
Just from hearing Ryo's descriptions, Sarina could imagine the passion he put into his work. But then her expression darkened again:
"But I won't be able to support Ryo when the movie first comes out."
Given Sarina's current condition, the hospital would never allow her to leave her room, let alone go to a movie theater.
"It's okay. When the movie officially releases, I'll personally send you a copy."
Kitagawa Ryo waved his hand with a smile.
"Don't rush to refuse. I'll need to trouble Sarina these next few days anyway."
At this point, Ryo hesitated for a moment:
"If it's okay, I'd like to stay in the same room as Sarina for the next few days."
Sarina, who had been expecting Ryo to say something strange, was completely caught off guard by this request. She even wondered if she had misheard.
She glanced suspiciously toward the door, half-expecting a camera crew and guests to burst in, holding a big sign that read, "Prank successful!"
But instead of a camera crew, a young doctor in a white coat slipped in, muttering to himself:
"So tired, so tired. I'll just take a quick break here first, and then..."
Before Gorou Amamiya could finish his sentence, he noticed Kitagawa Ryo sitting on the chair next to Sarina's bed. Since Ryo had already removed his hat, Gorou recognized him immediately as the child star he had seen in the documents that morning. He scratched his cheek in surprise and confusion:
"Huh? Weren't you supposed to arrive at three?"
"You must be Dr. Amamiya. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'll be troubling you for the next few days."
But Kitagawa Ryo stood up first, greeting him with impeccable manners.
"So it really is Kitagawa Ryo."
Gorou Amamiya nervously glanced outside the door, making sure no one else had noticed, then quickly closed the door.
Kitagawa Ryo took the opportunity to size up Gorou Amamiya. He was in his twenties, with a clear and handsome face, wearing square glasses. He had the distinct air of someone who had just transitioned from student life to the working world. Overall, he left a decent first impression.
Given the natural beauty of Miyazaki Prefecture and the need to attract investment, the movie had specifically reserved a supporting role for a local hospital. However, since the director preferred a semi-documentary style of realistic storytelling, they had decided to cast an actual young doctor for the role.
Of course, the more important reason was that the role only had a few scenes anyway.
It was essentially a cameo, meant to serve as evidence of the local hospital's support for the film in the behind-the-scenes footage.
On the way here, Kitagawa Ryo had already learned that Gorou Amamiya would be playing this role and had seen his photo, which was why he recognized him immediately.
Gorou Amamiya didn't consider himself a fervent fan of celebrities, and even if he were, he wouldn't be interested in a child star of the same gender. But having just seen Ryo's overwhelmingly impressive resume that morning, and now witnessing how down-to-earth he was as he chatted happily with Sarina, Gorou couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill toward him.
"No problem, no problem. If anything, I'm the one who's completely new to this."
Gorou Amamiya scratched the back of his head as he spoke. He had never imagined that he would one day be involved in the entertainment industry, and he was still a bit dazed by the whole situation.
"Dr. Goro, are you going to be in the movie too?"
Sarina Tendouji, who had been listening intently, widened her eyes. She had only heard from Gorou Amamiya that Kitagawa Ryo was coming and had no idea about this part.
"Haha... I'm just as surprised. I guess I'm being thrown into the deep end."
"Don't worry, you just need to play yourself. After all, Dr. Gorou is a doctor."
"Though I'm in obstetrics and gynecology..."
Gorou Amamiya added this last part with a wistful expression:
"Actually, I always wanted to be a surgeon. I've watched a lot of medical dramas, like Dr. Coto's Clinic and The White Tower. Back then, my favorite song was Nakajima Miyuki's Riding on the Back of a Silver Dragon. I dreamed of one day riding (wielding) a silver dragon (scalpel)."
[Note: The "silver dragon" here is a metaphor for a surgical scalpel — sleek, silver, and precise."Riding" or "wielding" implies mastering it — becoming a surgeon.]
But Gorou Amamiya quickly waved his hand:
"Never mind, never mind. That's all in the past."
Then he gestured toward Sarina with his chin:
"Speaking of which, we have a loyal fan of yours here."
"The first time I met Sarina, she was already recommending you to me."
"I'm truly honored."
Kitagawa Ryo smiled and shook his head. He glanced at Sarina, then turned back to Gorou Amamiya and made his earlier proposal:
"I'd like to add another bed to this room. Is that possible?"
"If Sarina agrees... the hospital..."
Gorou Amamiya, though unsure of Ryo's intentions, seriously considered the feasibility. But before he could finish, Sarina raised her hand:
"I have no objections!"
The little girl's eyes were practically sparkling.
"We'd also need her guardian's consent, since they paid for a single room."
"I'll have someone negotiate with them."
"Then it shouldn't be a problem."
Gorou Amamiya nodded. Kitagawa Ryo and Sarina Tendouji were just two children, and it was common for children's wards to have mixed genders. Besides, the entire hospital was keeping an eye on this situation, so getting the green light should be feasible.
After receiving Gorou Amamiya's response, Kitagawa Ryo nodded to Mr. Izaki, who was standing in the corner. Mr. Izaki immediately understood, stepping out of the room while making a call to contact Sarina's guardians.
To Sarina's surprise, it only took about three minutes before Mr. Izaki returned. He was about to speak to Kitagawa Ryo, but Ryo stood up first, pulling Mr. Izaki out of the room.
Given how little time it had taken, and the fact that Sarina hadn't received any calls or messages from her parents, Ryo already had a good idea of their attitude.
In that case, it was best not to let Sarina hear certain things.
Mr. Izaki, now understanding Ryo's intentions, leaned in and whispered:
"They've agreed."
"I just said that the children's ward was full and that we wanted to add another bed to your daughter's room... By that point, they were already saying 'uh-huh' to indicate they understood."
"In the end, they just reminded us to make sure the hospital refunds part of the hospitalization fee."
"Expected."
Kitagawa Ryo shrugged. Leaving their daughter in a hospital in Miyazaki, not hiring professional caregivers, and from Sarina's earlier comments, it seemed they rarely contacted her. This kind of perfunctory attitude was exactly what he had anticipated.
In fact, Ryo even suspected that if Sarina were ever in a real emergency, her parents might not even be willing to come.
Even though the conditions of Sarina's room and the fact that both parents worked in central Tokyo suggested that the Tendouji family was well-off—enough for Sarina to buy a lot of his limited-edition merchandise.
Even though it only took ninety minutes to fly from Tokyo to Miyazaki.
Kitagawa Ryo clasped his hands together, his lips forming a tight line as he muttered:
"I don't know much about medicine. How serious is Sarina's condition? That anaplastic astrocytoma."
"Not optimistic."
Mr. Izaki shook his head, looking out the window at the beautiful natural scenery.
"Besides, Ryo, you know that if there were any real hope, she wouldn't have been sent to a place like Miyazaki. The medical conditions here are clearly inferior to Tokyo's."
Kitagawa Ryo fell silent. He understood the implication behind Mr. Izaki's words.
Miyazaki's medical facilities were, of course, no match for Tokyo's. If anything, the only things Miyazaki had over Tokyo were its natural advantages—the "Land of the Sun," "76% forest coverage," and "tourist destination."
Thinking back to the desktop computer and the various merchandise in Sarina's room, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but laugh at himself.
This really did feel like the last bit of warmth.