[Clover (Green)]: You are a lucky person. In everyday life, you tend to experience slightly better luck than most—for example, occasionally finding small amounts of money or quickly recovering lost items. (Of course, it's just a little bit of luck.)
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"Yes, if Sakayanagi-san intends to apply for temporary discharge, it would be best to do it within the next couple of days."
"Mm, understood. Tomorrow should be fine—I'll get it done."
"Right. Based on the current progression of symptoms, he'll likely need a ventilator for assisted breathing starting in the second half of the year. Once that happens, applying for discharge will be much more difficult."
"It's been confirmed. The patient has no objections."
"Goodbye."
Sakayanagi Arisu listened as the hospital staff ended the call, but she kept the receiver pressed to her ear. The electronic beeping echoed in her ears, one tone after another—hollow and distant, like standing alone in an abandoned wilderness.
Though summer had arrived, a cold chill crawled over her entire body. She slowly placed the receiver back on the base, her fingertips brushing the cold marble tabletop. Then she exhaled deeply.
When Arisu arrived at the hospital today, she unexpectedly saw other people in Kitagawa Ryo's hospital room. She paused her steps and didn't enter right away, instead leaning against a wall painted with red roses, quietly listening to the sounds from inside.
The visitors were Ryo's parents. Though Arisu had only seen them a few times over the years, it was easy to recognize them. After all, no one else came to visit a child who had been confined to a hospital room since the age of seven.
But today, there was another voice inside—a sharp, childlike one. It startled Arisu for a moment before she remembered: it must be Ryo's younger brother, the one born during Ryo's first year of illness. He was around three or four years old now, a sibling Ryo had never met but who had indirectly replaced him.
"Onii-san, are you going to die?"
Arisu snapped back to reality just as she heard that line echo from the room—a child's innocent yet piercing question, one that silenced the entire atmosphere.
A commotion followed quickly. Then the hospital room door opened. A woman emerged, holding a small child in her arms. The child's mouth and eyes drooped, looking utterly aggrieved, a glistening layer of tears welling in his eyes, sniffling as if on the verge of a full-on wail.
"Auntie."
Since they had seen each other, Arisu politely greeted her. Over the years, she had accompanied her father to many formal gatherings and had impeccable manners.
"Oh, you're that girl from the Sakayanagi family."
The woman nodded. While wiping her child's nose with a handkerchief, she spoke casually:
"All these years, your family has done a lot for Ryo. As his mother, I'm very grateful."
Though she said the words, her eyes remained fixed on her child. She leaned close to his ear, whispering comforting words. In no time, the little boy smiled again.
After a short silence, the man came out as well. His attitude toward Arisu was noticeably warmer. But Arisu wasn't in the mood for small talk. She exchanged a few perfunctory words, then walked toward the hospital room.
The tapping of her cane echoed steadily against the floor. The man and woman silently watched as she stepped inside and gently closed the door behind her.
Perhaps realizing his parents' attention had shifted away, the child started crying again—his high-pitched wails expressing his dissatisfaction.
Now the hallway truly resembled the outside of a critical care ward in a hospital.
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Sakayanagi Arisu had planned a "long-distance trip" for Kitagawa Ryo. Although the term sounded grand, it was simply a drive to the beach with her father. Still, for someone who had spent nearly five years inside a hospital room, this was truly a long journey.
"If I hadn't agreed, I fully believe you'd have taken Ryo on a multi-train adventure by yourself," said Chairman Sakayanagi while driving.
Because of Ryo's condition, they chose to leave at sunrise, when the beach would be least crowded.
They had considered booking out a private section of the shore in advance, but both Arisu and Ryo believed people were part of the scenery—an empty beach felt too lonely.
Ryo scrunched his brows and made an exaggerated face, prompting the voice synthesizer beside him to speak:
"I'm not surprised Arisu would go that far."
He wore a large, comically oversized pair of glasses with a built-in infrared sensor in the upper right corner. The device tracked his eye movements, allowing him to select letters from a screen, confirm them, and have them spoken aloud via synthesizer.
It was the same technology used by Stephen Hawking in his later years battling ALS. Combined with Ryo's "Actor" and "Trickster" talents, which gave him exceptional fine motor control in his facial muscles, his typing speed was slow but sufficient for real-time communication.
"I sometimes want to go to the beach too," said Arisu, resting her chin on her palm as she sat beside Ryo. "I went a lot as a kid, but now Dad won't let me."
"I know he worries, but I just want to lean on the railing and listen to the waves."
Her father fell silent for a moment before replying with a hint of guilt:
"...I've just been too busy."
"That's not what Arisu meant," Ryo's synthesized voice interjected. "She just wanted to go on a solo summer adventure."
Though it was a robotic voice, Arisu could hear the mischief in his tone.
Chairman Sakayanagi, seeing his daughter's flustered expression in the rearview mirror, laughed heartily.
"So even Arisu can have childish dreams sometimes."
"..."
Arisu shot an annoyed glance around the car, then picked up Hotaru, who had been napping at her feet, and playfully tugged at the cat's head in mock revenge.
They soon arrived at the beach. Although it was early morning, there were already a few scattered visitors. Arisu and her father got out first. He retrieved a wheelchair from the trunk while she pulled out a large sun hat—not for herself, but to place on Ryo's head.
She watched as her father carefully lifted Ryo into the wheelchair. Though she wanted to help, she knew she'd only get in the way. Her heart condition had stabilized, but her body was still frail.
As the sea breeze swept over them, Arisu was reminded of her own weakness. Spending so much time with Ryo had made her forget she was sick too.
In the car window, she saw her reflection. Her pale lips only gained color when bitten, and even then, it quickly faded.
She reached out to grasp the wheelchair's handles but couldn't reach. Her hands fell back, slender and pale like the scallions she sliced in the kitchen.
Her father's strong hands gripped the wheelchair. Arisu simply walked beside them.
Even in summer, Ryo wore long sleeves. The fabric stretched down to cover the hands resting on the armrests.
Though Arisu had said she only wanted to view the sea from the railings, once she saw her dependable father nearby, she headed straight for the sand—the side closest to the water.
Waves kissed her ankles and welcomed her legs into the sea's embrace.
Perhaps it was her first time feeling this strange sensation, but even a gentle wave knocked her off balance, and she plopped onto the soft sand.
Startled, her father took a step forward. But seeing her laughing instead of panicking, he paused.
"Careful, Arisu!"
"I know!"
She laughed and dipped her hands into the sea, playing as if on Ryo's behalf too.
But soon, dizziness washed over her. The morning sun blazed down with unrestrained heat, and her long-deprived body began sending warning signals.
Chairman Sakayanagi rushed over and placed the oversized white sun hat on her head. As the shade cooled her face, she turned to look behind her.
Ryo sat quietly in his wheelchair under a raised parasol. The bottom half of his face peeked out, his mouth curved into a smile.
Hotaru didn't enjoy the salty sea. Instead, it curled up beneath the parasol on Ryo's lap.
"Phew."
Arisu exhaled deeply, wiped her hands with a handkerchief from her father, adjusted the brim of her hat, and returned to Ryo's side.
She didn't care what had happened yesterday in the hospital room. She simply pressed her palm against his cheek—salty and cool—and said:
"That was fun."
"I can tell you're excited," Ryo replied, gazing out at the golden sea.
"It's beautiful."
Waves crashed rhythmically on the shore like a heartbeat, foaming white before retreating again. Arisu stared at the waves beside Ryo. As she glanced at his profile, her own heartbeat grew louder—pounding like the ocean in her chest.
Only now did she understand what those childhood books meant by "thump thump."
It wasn't just the sound—it was a feeling, like a bell tolling.
Thump. Thump.
One hand rested on Ryo's shoulder. The other pressed against her chest.
She closed her eyes. The sea breeze lifted her hat.
Chairman Sakayanagi, noticing the wind take her hat, rushed to retrieve it.
He had gifted it to her years ago, and she treasured it dearly. Even a slight stain would upset her.
The hat spun through the air, carried toward the sea. Just as he nearly caught up, the wind reversed direction. The hat gently drifted back and landed in Ryo's lap, right atop a startled Hotaru.
Thump. Thump.
"Lucky it didn't fall into the sea."
The voice synthesizer echoed Ryo's sentiment.
Chairman Sakayanagi nodded in astonishment.
But Arisu barely noticed. Her heart pounded uncontrollably, as if words had lodged in her throat—too heavy to swallow or speak.
"My heart's beating so fast."
It sounded like a line of romantic confession. But when Arisu said it, tension filled the air.
Her father stepped forward in concern. Ryo also looked worried.
"Arisu?"
"No, it's nothing."
She took a deep breath. A blush swept across her pale cheeks. She shook her head at her father.
She knew her own body best—and she was always the obedient child who never pushed herself too far. So her father relaxed.
Then, Arisu looked at Ryo and smiled.
This wasn't a symptom.
This was simply an emotion.
And in that moment—
Sakayanagi Arisu heard no "murmur" at all.
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