Chapter 177:

Chapter 177:

The woman claimed that the man speaking was himself.

What kind of absurd nonsense is this?

Tadano looked at the woman with a bewildered expression, as if he didn't understand Japanese. Wiping the tears flowing down her cheeks, the woman spoke to Tadano.

——

"But still, I consider it fortunate that you understand why I'm so sad. And..."

"..."

"I was worried that I might be mistaken, but you are a good person. Despite appearing rough and unapproachable on the surface, you can tell after a little conversation. Whether before losing your memory or now, you are still yourself."

——

Tadano didn't want to interrupt her because the woman seemed to be speaking earnestly. However, just listening was frustrating. He continued to insist that he wasn't the ‘bad guy,' yet he couldn't remember anything at all.

But the woman didn't seem like she was lying.

Taking a deep breath, Tadano sighed.

——

"Am I unable to remember?"

——

There was no way. He knew who he was—the youngest person to pass the judicial exam, the top student at Donggyeong University, a prestigious school that attracted gifted students from across the nation. There was no way he could forget such an important part of his life.

But as he thought earlier, the woman didn't seem like she was lying.

——

"Really, can I not remember?"

——

Once again, Tadano thought, ‘There's no way.' Yet, looking at the woman's sorrowful expression made him consider, ‘Perhaps...'

The two conflicting thoughts tormented Tadano.

At that moment, someone pushed open the door of the ramen shop and entered. The man looked around, and then, upon seeing Tadano, rushed over.

——

"Tadano-kun! Are you okay?"

——

Tadano, engrossed in the woman, hadn't noticed the man approaching. He was taken aback by the sudden call.

——

"Headmaster? How did you...?"

"How, you ask? Haruna Yomi contacted me. She said she found my business card that you dropped."

"Haruna Yomi? Headmaster, do you also know this woman?"

——

When Tadano pointed at the woman and asked, the headmaster greeted Yomi.

——

"Are you Haruna Yomi?"

"Yes..."

"I see. I'm Headmaster Inagama Kenta from Donggyeong University, the one you spoke to this morning. Thank you for contacting me."

"Not at all. Well then, I'll be going. It's about time for me to start working."

——

After Yomi spoke to the headmaster, she promptly stood up. She didn't even spare a glance at Tadano. Perhaps she couldn't or simply chose not to.

Just as Yomi was about to leave with her bag, she looked at Tadano for a moment, as if there was something else to say.

——

"About what I said earlier... Can you remember anything at all?"

"..."

"Nothing, I guess. I see..."

——

Yomi sighed deeply. The sigh, reaching the depths of her belly, vividly portrayed how frustrated she was.

Before tears could well up in her eyes again, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Then, with a brighter smile, she spoke to Tadano.

——

"So, what if. What if..."

"..."

"If that man we talked about today is you... would you have become friends with me?"

——

Though her expression was bright and her voice lively, Yomi's eyes were filled with sadness. With those sad eyes, she gazed at Tadano earnestly.

Perhaps this question was the real question Yomi wanted to ask Tadano today.

Tadano didn't avoid the woman's gaze, nodding his head.

——

"I don't like ‘what ifs,' but if that ‘bad guy' you mentioned is me..."

"..."

"I would have gladly become friends with you."

——

Tadano's words were sincere. However, even as he spoke, his emotions remained unmoved, not a hint of sentimentality or wavering.

——

"Haha..."

——

Nevertheless, Tadano's words seemed to hold significant meaning for Yomi. Her eyes quickly reddened, and tears streamed down her face.

Wiping away the tears in haste, the woman spoke.

——

"Hehe... Tears keep coming. I wanted to leave with a smiling face."

"..."

"Thank you for saying that. Well then, I'll be going. If we meet again later... I'll make sure not to cry."

——

With those words, Yomi left the ramen shop. Tadano sighed silently while watching her receding figure.

Whew...

——

‘I have no idea what's going on.'

——

Tadano shook his head. As he did so, the headmaster helped him up, saying,

——

"Tadano-san, then do you recall the most recent event?"

"The most recent thing I remember... It's my parents' funeral. And I had a meeting scheduled with the headmaster for withdrawal."

"Do you happen to know the date of that day, the day of the meeting with the headmaster?"

——

Tadano responded promptly.

——

"It was October 23rd."

"October 23rd?"

——

Upon Tadano's words, the doctor pointed to the calendar hanging on the wall.

——

"Tadano-san, today is November 4th."

"...November 4th?"

"Yes."

——

The doctor spoke in a solemn voice and then showed Tadano several pictures. They were MRI images of the brain.

——

"This is an MRI image taken when you visited last time. I showed you this to assure you that your condition was significantly serious. Do you remember?"

"I have no memory. I came to this hospital and had an MRI. By myself?"

——

——

"Yes."

"That can't be..."

——

Tadano rubbed his forehead, trying hard to recall the past. However, no matter how much he tried, he had no memory of coming to this hospital.

The doctor waited for Tadano for a moment before continuing.

——

"For now, it would be best for you to stay in the hospital and undergo more detailed tests. Although you've stabilized somewhat now, we can't predict when another seizure might occur."

"A seizure?"

"Yes. When you first arrived in the ambulance, your condition was quite serious."

"..."

"I understand that this must be very confusing for you. Please rest for now. We'll start the tests tomorrow."

——

After a slight bow, the doctor left the room. The doctor's explanation was calm and kind, but Tadano still couldn't grasp what had happened.

——

‘...Did I go to Sapporo? And then, I fainted?'

——

The doctor wouldn't be joking about something like this, so it must be true. And the fact that it was ‘true' made it even more confusing.

Tadano stared blankly at the ceiling. Before long, drowsiness gradually overwhelmed him. Whether it was due to extreme mental fatigue or something injected into his arm through the IV, he felt incredibly sleepy.

He fell asleep.

The next day.

——

"...Ugh."

——

As soon as Tadano woke up, he clutched his head. Today, he felt a headache upon awakening. Perhaps it was due to recent stress, compounded by the passing of his parents and the consecutive difficult events.

——

‘But... where is this?'

——

Upon waking up, it wasn't his home but an unfamiliar hospital room. Sunlight was streaming in warmly through the window.

And the next day.

——

"...Ugh."

——

Once again, Tadano woke up, clutching his head. Today, he had a headache upon awakening. Perhaps it was due to recent stress, compounded by the passing of his parents and the consecutive difficult events.

——

‘But... where is this?'

——

Upon waking up, it wasn't his home but an unfamiliar hospital room. Rain has been pouring outside since the morning.

And so, day after day.

Tadano woke up on the same day, but the weather was different each time.

One day.

On an unusually warm and pleasant morning, Tadano woke up from his sleep. Regardless of the weather, Tadano felt a headache today—no, he thought, it's more accurate to say it's a headache ‘now.'

——

‘But where is this?'

——

Even today, when he struggled to open his eyes, he found himself lying in a hospital bed, not at home. It felt strangely familiar as if it were his house, but it was a hospital he had never seen before.

In a daze, he sat up on the bed. Then, from across the room, a certain woman spoke in a gentle voice.

——

"You woke up early today, Tadano."

"···?"

——

As the unfamiliar woman greeted him warmly, Tadano looked at her with curiosity.

——

‘Who is she to talk to me so amicably?'

——

At that moment, he saw the name of the woman lying in the hospital bed.

——

‘Haruna Yomi?'