The next day, the second day of the work experience began.
As on the first day, the students were gathered in a conference room at the hospital. There, they were met by the doctor who had led them yesterday, who shared with them the schedule for the day. He told the students that on the first day, they would have a classroom lecture with a textbook.
The students desks were lined with printed materials and textbooks.
"Um, I think you said you were going to visit the patient department today.........."
The chairwoman asked the doctor with glasses. This was initially told in advance as a three-day schedule.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but we've had a lot of patients today and it's not been easy. We'd love you to see it, but we don't want to inconvenience the people on site or the patients."
"I'm sorry, I asked you a strange question."
"No, no, no, thank you for asking."
The doctor with glasses smiled gently at her. In response, the chairwoman became embarrassed and turned her face down. Risa, who has taken a seat right next to her, is smiling happily at her. She was almost reaching for her phone to turn on the camera.
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Takeuchi, on the other hand, is not in the best of health. He is looking down at his desk with a sickly expression on his face. This is not the behaviour of a handsome man who is always sensitive to the gaze of others. Even if he is unwell, he rarely makes a public display of it.
"Takeuchi-san, are you okay ?"
The doctor with glasses, who had noticed the situation, approached him. As he was the son of the director, he naturally expressed his concern.
"What? Oh. It's all good......."
"If you're not feeling well, just let me know."
"Okay"
From then on, a classroom lecture was held at the hospital with the doctor with glasses as the tutor. While Ogino-kun and the chairwoman tried to look serious, Gabu-chan and Risa-chan looked bored as they watched the tutor. Nishino was the only one who looked at Takeuchi with a mysterious expression on his face.
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◇ ◆ ◇
At lunchtime on the same day, Nishino went to the hospital staff cafeteria to have his lunch.
When he took his seat, Gab-chanu was beside him. Yesterday, Rose would have been there too, but today she had left the conference room, which was being used for training, she left as soon as the lunch break began.
The chairwoman, Risa and Ogino-kun were also present. The students of Class 2A were sitting around a table and eating lunch together. For Nishino, who is starved for social interaction with his classmates, this is a very tasty situation.
However, there was no sign of Takeuchi-kun. Like Rose, as soon as the lunch break was announced, he left everyone and went off on his own. He said that he had some things to check.
"...... What's the matter with you? You've got a strange look on your face."
"What's wrong?"
"You look like you're in a bad mood. Don't you like the food here? "
Gabu-chan was sitting next to Nishino, chomping and sucking on his udon. After swallowing the noodle, his mouth was full of questions. To which the futsumen replies.
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"No, it's not. It' just a bit of a mess......."
"Have you found something unusual?"
"........"
The number of nurses eating in the staff cafeteria has decreased. Today, half the seats are empty, a change from yesterday, when most of them were occupied at the same time. That's why they were able to keep their places together, even though they were a large group.
But the others didn't seem to be bothered. If this had been their school cafeteria, they might have wondered about it. But as they had only used the cafeteria for two days, yesterday and today, they did not bother to question it.
"That woman ... don't you know where Rose went ? "
"I saw her go out."
"....... "
When he heard Gabriella's words, the futsumen showed signs of being troubled.
He put down the chopsticks in his hand and thought about what to do.
On the tray in front of him, there was a bowl of udon noodles that hadn't been touched at all, steam rising from it. The reason why it's the same menu as Gabu-chan is because she saw him order udon and ordered the same thing.
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"Sorry, I have to go to the toilet."
Before anyone could say anything, Nishino left the table. After leaving the cafeteria, he walked down the corridor of the hospital, passing the toilets near the entrance. He then walked out of the main entrance of the hospital. In front of the building there is a busy highway.
There was no one near the entrance that he wanted to see.
So he went to the back of the building.
There is a car park there which is not open to patients but is available to hospital staff. Along with this, he could see the hospital's kitchen door. However, the entrance is locked by a steel door and there is no one in sight. In one of these corners, Nishino found the blonde he was looking for.
"...... What is it? You keep calling me."
It was Rose in her school uniform.
She was with her phone, and was talking to someone.
The brusque tone of voice suggested that she was relatively familiar with the person. In order to find out more about the conversation, he slowly closed the distance so as not to be noticed. At her side, behind a vending machine set up for employees, Nishino sneaks a peek.
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" ...... Medical error ? "
Rose's words came as a shock. The expression on Nishino's face tightened. It was the first time he had heard the words, and he could naturally imagine the scene..
"A strange topic has popped up again ... "
"........"
She don't think there's a futsumen nearby listening in. Rose continues with her words, with the phone in hand
"Yes, we did. ...... I'm sure that's happened too. Yes, a footbath...... Yes, I think the patient's name was something like that too. I'm sure I'm not mistaken, because she did raise her voice during the treatment......"
Apparently, yesterday's work experience was a topic of conversation. The person to whom Rose was reporting her actions was, in all probability, Francisca on the other end of the phone line. Nishino concluded, and focused on her voice. Her face is serious.
" ...... No? You're in the clear. Of course not....... Okay, I'll follow your instructions this time. But that's not what this is about, is it?...... Yeah, right? That's the least you can do."
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During the lunch break, the reason why Nishino asked for Rose's was because he thought that as a consequence of Takeuchi-kun words, it might have become a problem between them. But as far he can listen, the situation seems to be much more serious than that.
After all this time, Nishino now understands why the cafeteria was strangely empty.
"I'd be happy to accept those terms. ...... Yes, I would. I've told you before, haven't I? I'm a friendless student in spite of my appearance. So please stop saying things like that, okay? ...... You're right. It's for the sake of my classmates."
"..........."
"I'm not like you, a woman who wants to play all the cards. What? ...... I don't know anything about that. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you. I can't take care of you that well."
Nishino knew that Francisca was investigating the students of Class 2A who attended the same classroom as [Normal]
It's easy to imagine that some information must have come to Rose's attention because of this. If it is a problem at the hospital where Takeuchi's father is a director, his classmates will not be at peace.
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However, in the middle of all this, Nishino felt a little bit of joy. It was Rose's words to Francisca. As she had said at the welcome party at the share house only a few days ago, she seemed to be working for her classmates. At least that's what she said to Francisca over the phone.
In fact, even now, Takeuchi-kun is nothing but a poisonous insect to Rose. But as far as he could see, she was doing a good job of hiding herself. Even when he was out of sight, she continued to act as if she really was.
As a result, Rose's reputation had risen a little in Nishino's mind. In addition to this, a new possibility has emerged in the mind of the virgin. As long as he is a man, and at the same time as long as Takeuchi is a handsome man, it is a matter which he must consider.
After all, this woman must be interested in Takeuchi-kun, he thought.
"...... Now, if you'll excuse me."
She put the phone away in her skirt pocket.
She then walked quickly towards the main entrance of the hospital.
"........."
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As he watched her, the futsumen thought.
In all the weeks they had known each other, he had never been able to believe that Rose would work for someone for no good reason. Even if she was spending time with her classmates, he thought, she must have a more specific reason.
In such a case, a male-female relationship naturally comes to mind.
If the word "medical error" is true, the consequences will naturally affect the director's son, Takeuchi. There is no telling what will happen to his promised future as a doctor. In the worst case, the family could be separated.
Solving this problem would mean saving Takeuchi's future.
"...... Tsundere, huh?"
It was a small murmur to himself, but it was the perfect thing to say.
◇ ◆ ◇
While Nishino is stalking Rose, the chairwoman stands by. She had finished lunch early and was hurrying down the corridor towards the conference room where the work experience training would take place. She has lost a lot of study time by taking part in this event.
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In order to make up for this, She decided to use her lunch break for self-study.
That's why she ate a quick bowl of soy sauce ramen for lunch.
She left Risa, who had ordered the pork cutlet set meal, behind when she returned.
"Oh my god, I've got my exams coming up ......"
She walks fast down the corridor, mumbling to herself.
Then she hears some voices coming from where she is going.
She turns the corner of the corridor and finds herself in a dead end with toilets and vending machines.
The area is off-limits to the public, so the voices must have come from the hospital. However, what the chairwoman saw was the hospital's official examination uniform.
A man was talking on a phone.
The distance from the corner of the corridor to the man's feet is a few metres.
He doesn't seem to notice her, because he is occupied with the conversation.
"........Ah"
Shimizu stopped walking when she saw the man.
It was the man who had rubbed her breasts in the practice yesterday. The rage that naturally flowed through her had taken her out of her consciousness.
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She moves her body and takes up a position to hide behind a corner.
"What are you doing here....."
She looks at him with annoyance. The chairwoman remembered that this was a restricted area. With the man's violent looks and behaviour, she guessed that it would be a bad idea tell him that. Shimizu had a strong sense of justice that she wasted no time in demonstrating. If this had been Risa, she would have ignored it.
"Right on time. We did it right, didn't we? ...... Oh, the whole hospital is buzzing this morning. Heh, heh, yeah, ...... That's right. Don't worry, I'll do that well. ...... I mean, what about you? "
Even without knowing the context of the conversation, it sounded very serious. The chairwoman naturally listened carefully.
"...... Okay. ...... Yeah, well, I'll leave you to it then, all right? ...... Oh, of course. I will make you regret that you lied to me. ...... Yeah, that's right. ...... It's the least I can do. It's rather soft. ...... Oh, no problem. I did it right."
The man had a smirk on his face and a disgusted smile on his face.
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He said he was doing something wrong.
"What are you going to do at Takeuchi's hospital? ......"
Strictly speaking, Takeuchi's father is one of the directors of the hospital, but for the chairwoman it seems a trivial thing.
Her sense of justice is affected by the fact that an unknown person has entered a place that is so valuable to her.
After watching for a while, the man ends the call.
He puts the phone into the pocket of his examination coat.
At the same time, a small piece of plastic spills out of his hand. It fell without making a sound into a trash can that had been placed right next to the vending machine. It seemed to have stuck to his hand and slipped out with him as he put the phone into his pocket.
The man didn't seem to notice this, and kept talking to himself.
"...... Well, let's get back to it."
".........."
The person ahead of her moves his foot and turns on his heel to leave the corridor.
The chairwoman, who has quickly pulled her head back, quickly rushes back down the corridor she came from. And then, after another corner, she hid herself in the shade and looked into the corridor.
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The man in the examination uniform, who walks with great determination, is unaware of her presence. He walks down the corridor nodding his head. Eventually he disappears into the hallway and the sound of his footsteps quickly fades.
" ...... Phew,"
Shimizu once again proceeded down the corridor. Her attention was drawn to a piece of plastic that the man had dropped.
"I wonder what he dropped."
The chairwoman was suddenly concerned about such a trivial thing. Normally, she wouldn't have paid that much attention to it. However, with the disturbing conversation over the phone, she couldn't help but be curious. And it's Shimizu's nature that she can't help but check.
"......."
She looked into the trash can and started to go through it, which contained plastic bottles and cans. It wasn't long before she found the piece of plastic in question. She found it sitting on top of a pile of empty cans and bottles. It was a small vinyl pack with a zip.
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Inside is something like a eyedropper.
" ... What's this?"
The chairwoman, who has just taken it into her own hands. Then a voice called out to her from behind.
"Chairwoman, what are you doing ? "
" ⁉ "
Shimizu's whole body shakes with fear when she hears the unexpected words.
When she turned back in a panic, she saw Risa-chan, who had walked up to her. It seems that she had finished her lunch of tonkatsu (pork cutlet) in a hurry and had followed the chairwoman. She looked at her classmate who was looking through the trash with a questioning look on her face.
In response, Shimizu quickly shoved the plastic bag in her hand into her skirt pocket. It wasn't a self-conscious action, but the fact that she had been picking through the rubbish made her do it.
"Did you throw something away by mistake? "
"What? Uh, yeah. Something like that. ......"
"I'll help you look for it."
"I'm fine! Don't worry about it. I've already found it. "
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"Is that so? I guess it's okay."
Shimizu stepped away from the trash can, making a list of excuses.
-I couldn't honestly explain the situation. I've only seen and heard one side of the story, and it's not one that I have any proof of. If it is a misunderstanding, it may cause embarrassment to the classmates. -
"Let's go back to the meeting room, shall we? Chairwoman, you're going to study during breaks, aren't you?"
" Uh , yeah."
"I'm actually studying hard for my next final."
"........."
She was not in love with her, but she liked her as a friend. It was impossible to ignore the smile on her face, so the chairwoman followed Risa's lead and went back to the room where the training was taking place.
◇ ◆ ◇
The afternoon session continued in the same way as the morning. In the afternoon, the same lecture was given as in the morning, with different people coming in and out to explain how the hospital works and what it does. Those who wanted to become a doctor and those who were related to the hospital, such as Takeuchi, listened attentively, while Gabriella, Rose and Risa looked bored.
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One of the seats in the room where the training was to take place became empty.
It was Nishino.
He had escaped the afternoon lecture for family reasons.
It was Rose who was worried about the situation.
After leaving the room, they went to a small space beside the kitchen door, facing a narrow alley at the back of the hospital, separate from the main entrance. It was also the place where Rose had called Francisca during her lunch break, as it was less crowded and more suitable for private conversations.
"What do you want to talk to me about? Rose-chan"
"Where did he go ? "
" ...... Are you talking about Nishino? "
" Of course it is."
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"No, I didn't ask him anything about that, either. I overheard him say something about a family situation, but he's always lived alone, hasn't he? I'm sure he was bored with his lectures and went to skip them for no apparent reason."
"..........."
Rose could not believe that a man who spent so much time with his classmates would skip a lecture just because he was bored. Today's lecture had been a very serious affair for him, along with the others.
This naturally reminded her of the problems the hospital was facing.
"You're not dragging me into your problems, are you?"
"..........."
Her casual question made Takeuchi feel nervous.
It was information that was currently being kept secret in this hospital.
"My problem? Is there anything in particular I should be concerned about?"
Naturally, he does his best to keep his mouth shut.
Even if it's a girl he's in love with, he can't say anything about it. But she was already aware of the situation at the hospital. The information brought by Francisca was more than Takeuchi knew.
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"Didn't you ask him to solve your problem?"
"......"
This caused Takeuchi to tilt his head. He wondered why Nishino had come up at that point. The other person in front of him, to what extent is he familiar with the situation in the first place?
"Um, Rose, why are you looking for Nishino?"
"......"
Rose's perception changed as she looked at the upset Takeuchi-kun. The other person in front of her doesn't know about [normal]. There is no possibility that he is moving on his own, because he is oddly indulgent to his classmates. She judged from this conversation that at least the person in front of her was not aware of Nishino's true identity.
"No, that's fine."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah."
" I don't know, but I'm glad you're happy with it."
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He refrained from saying anything else, fearing that she might react. He thought it best to end the conversation as soon as possible.
The time alone with Rose was precious to him. But it was the wrong time and place and the other person was talking about something disturbing. If anyone were to hear them, it would be a disaster.
On the other hand, there were those who watched them from the shadows.
"......"
It was Nishino.
On his way back to the hospital after finishing his business, he saw two people talking in an alleyway. From a distance, I could not make out what they were saying. But they smiled at each other and seemed to be on good terms with each other.
Maybe that's the reason.
He looked at the lovely smile on their faces and thought to himself.
"That woman, after all the things she said, still loves Takeuchi-kun......."
This was the frank opinion that came to the virgin's chest.
He is usually very confident, but when it comes to Takeuchi-kun, he is strangely humble. He is still a good looking guy for the futsumen to admire.
This is because, for Nishino, Takeuchi-kun is nothing less than the embodiment of ideal youth.
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It was the goal of life itself, at least when it came to heterosexual relationships.
"......"
He decides not to snoop any further. So he left before they could notice him. He took a short circuit around to the main entrance of the hospital and walked away without being noticed.
Meanwhile, Rose and Takeuchi continue their conversation.
"Are you willing to help us?"
"Help Rose and her friends? ...... What do you mean by that?"
It was a mission given to Rose by Francisca.
Now that Poisonous Takeuchi's innocence has been proven, the girls are working to secure his existence. However, because of the situation, they couldn't move too openly. This is the first step.
"...... You really don't know anything, do you?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm sorry about that, okay? I'm such an idiot."
"You'll be hearing from me soon. In the meantime, don't tell anyone about the accident, and don't say anything. If you don't, your life is going to be a disaster. If you don't mind, then do as you please."
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" ...... Wait, wait, wait. Rose, what is that all about?"
"That's all I want to say. See you later."
His face tenses up at the mention of his own secret.
The fact that he burned Rose's hand with his own saliva is still fresh in his mind. But the way she spoke to him made him feel that there was something more behind it than just being poisoned one way or the other.
"......"
Rose turned on her heel and strolled away.
Looking at his back, Takeuchi was confused.
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