Shinrei Tantei Yakumo - Volume 10 Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Translated by Niulili

Haruka went to the hospital aloneー.

Yesterday she passed from the night entrance, so she had various checks, but today it was from the front entrance, so there was nothing to stop her.

She took the elevator at the back of the entrance to the 7th floor.

ーAlthough I can’t see him.

As it was now, that feeling was overwhelming.

In the first place, Haruka’s appearance at the hospital didn’t mean that Gotou’s conditions was improving, and the case wasn’t resolved.

But, even so, she couldn’t stay still without doing anything.

She didn’t know what to do with that habit, and her feelings went idle. It was just self-satisfaction that made her visit the hospital.

Still, now Atsuko was in a difficult time. She wondered if she could help a little.

She could buy something or do some chores. If she didn’t do anything, she would felt restless.

Before she came here, she called Yakumo, but the ringing tone just kept ringing.

Maybe he just didn’t noticed it, but given his recent attitude, it was likely that he had intentionally not answering the phone.

ーWhat should I do ?

Sitting on the sofa in the waiting room, Haruka clasped her hands to pray and bent her body into a V shape.

“Haruka-chan”

She was suddenly called.

When she raised her face, Atsuko stood in front of her.

“Atsuko-san…”

“What’s wrong ?”

Atsuko asked.

“Uh … I hope I can help you a little.”

“I see. Thank you”

“Anything is fine. What can I do ?”

“I’m happy, but don’t worry so much. To be honest, I don’t even do it.”

Atsuko’s voice was much brighter than she had imagined.

The fact that Gotou was in the intensive care unit seemed like a dream. But it was not. It seemed that Atsuko was simply acting brightly.

“I see…”

Haruka replied in a murmur, and dropped his gaze.

Atsuko looked at Haruka’s expression and seemed to guess something.She smiled with sympathy and sat next to her.

“What happened ?”

Atsuko asked in a gentle tone.

The back of het chest got hot. At the same time, a self-hatred was born.

Atsuko cared about her even at this time.

However, Haruka was sick and tired of thinking about herself.

She thought she’d help Atsuko, but it was like pulling her legs.

“Nothing. What about Gotou-san’s condition ?”

Haruka changed her feelings by putting effort into her belly.

Atsuko had a good complexion instead of yesterday. Perhaps she might expecting that Gotou’s condition has improved.

“From the doctor’s point of view, it seems that the worst has passed, but he hasn’t awakened yet.”

Atsuko said.

There was no feeling of sadness in her profile. In such a situationー.

“You’re strong”

“What ?”

“I mean … Is not it painful?”

His husband, Gotou, was wandering between life and death after an accident. Besides, her daughter, Nao, was missing.

“It’s painful”

Atsuko shuddered.

Contrary to her words, her tone was strong.

“Atsuko-san…”

“But even if I was crying here, my husband wouldn’t recover and Nao wouldn’t come back.”

“That’s right, but …”

Even if she knew it with her head, that didn’t meant that she did with her heart.

People could be overwhelmed by emotions.

“I can only leave my husband to the doctor. I have to leave Nao to the police. I cannot do anything.”

A shadow crossed Atsuko’s expression for a moment.

Looking only at the surface it seemed that she was behaving cheerfully and brightly. Haruka was deeply angry at her stupidity when she asked her how she was doing.

“…………”

“But that’s why I think I have to kept the house proper when they come back.”

“Proper ?”

“Yes. If I don’t do it properly, there will be no place for them to return. I think it’s my duty to protect their place because they can’t do anything.”

“Dutyー”

Atsuko’s words pierced her deep in her chest.

After all, she was a very strong woman. Haruka didn’t know what to do.

“Haruka-chan too, you have something that only you can do, right ?”

Atsuko asked, looking at Haruka’s face.

“There is one ?”

In such a situation, Haruka felt like there was nothing that she could do.

“There is.”

“But…”

“It’s not just me who are suffering for Nao, that boy too.”

“What do you mean ?”

“You know. Yakumo is suffering too. He couldn’t do anything until so far, don’t you think he is suffering ?”

“I see…”

That was right.

Yakumo was angry and upset about himself who couldn’t do anything. Watching him close, Haruka felt also that way.

“I think only Haruka-chan can save from his suffering.”

“I’m not…”

“If he stands up again, he might be able to find Nao. So please. Haruka-chan support Yakumo-kun.”

“Honestly, I have no confidence.”

Haruka shook her head a little.

“Why ?”

“I don’t know what to say to Yakumo-kun.”

“I don’t think it’s a problem.”

“Huh ?”

“I think that about our couple.”

“Really ?”

“Yeah. We were careful around each other, we listened to what the other wanted to say, but didn’t find out what words to say… So, in the end, I couldn’t say anything…”

“………”

“But during the case of Isshin-san, we said what we wanted to say for the first time.”

“Did you understand each other ?”

“Slightly. At that time, I finally realized. I thought I was concerned about him, and in reality I was also really afraid of getting hurt.”

ー I’m the same.

Haruka seemed to have the same troubles with Yakumo. She was afraid of being hurt. She was reminded of that.

“I…”

A scream echoed, interrupting Haruka’s words.

ー What ?

Suddenly surprised, Haruka stood up.

“What are you doing !”

“Stop it !”

“Quick !”

An angry roar echoed with a sense of urgency, and a loud sound was heard, like a smashed dish.

ーWhat on earth ?

The door of the waiting room opened to answer Haruka’s question.

“Huh !”

Haruka was startled by the unbelievable sight that jumped in front of her.

Gotou stood there.

The bandage wrapped around his head looked painful. One of his leg was fixed to a cast. He had a drip tube stuck in his arm and a breathing tube in his nose.

Despite this condition, Gotou walk while supporting on the wall.

Apparently, Gotou had escaped from the intensive care unit.

“Nao… Where is Nao…”

Gotou said in a hoarse voice.

His voice was so thin that she couldn’t compare it with the usual Gotou, but it resonated strongly in Haruka’s chest.

Despite this, Gotou continued to search for Nao.

He didn’t care what happened to him. It was definitely strong love that drove Gotou.

“Nao…”

ou spoke once again.

Probably exhausted, Gotou’s body was losing its power.

Haruka and Atsuko ran and managed to support Gotou, which was about to fall, with the help of two people.

The nurses rushed over, seemingly in a panic.

“What are you thinking ! You’re not in state to walk !”

One of the nurses screamed.

“Hurry up, we will take back the patient”

Another nurse gave the instructions.

Immediately after the stretcher was brought in, they put Gotou on and hurriedly returned to the intensive care unit.

Looking at this chaotic situation, Haruka was thinking about what she should do.