Chapter 169: Kanae's Psychological Counseling
The moment they crossed the threshold of the Butterfly Mansion, Shinobu did not waste a single second. Without uttering a single word of explanation, she clamped her hand around Akira's wrist and practically dragged him straight down the hallway and into the Medical Department for a complete physical examination.
"I told you, I'm really perfectly..."
"Don't talk, and definitely don't move," Shinobu interrupted, her tone leaving absolutely zero room for negotiation as she pushed him onto an examination bed. "We will know exactly if anything is wrong once the exam is completely finished."
A short while later, the sterile quiet of the medical ward was broken by a loud protest.
"Hey, hey, hey! If you are going to examine me, then just examine me normally! Routine checks like drawing blood samples, taking my temperature, and checking my blood pressure are perfectly fine, but don't start pulling at my clothes!"
Shinobu merely raised an eyebrow, her hands resting on her hips as she looked down at him. "What are you being so coy for? Even I, a young woman, haven't said anything about it, yet you, a grown man, are suddenly getting shy? It is literally just taking off your shirt. It is not like I am asking you to strip completely bare..."
Despite his grumbling, it did not take long for Akira's highly specialized physical examination to conclude.
As for the medical results, Shinobu could only conclude that his physique was absolutely spectacular... wait, no. Her medical assessment was that his health was in peak condition. He was incredibly healthy, and none of his past injuries had left even the slightest trace of lingering issues or hidden trauma.
In short, there was absolutely nothing physically wrong with Akira's body.
However, those two specific instances of him completely spacing out for no apparent reason during their mission still weighed heavily on Shinobu's mind. It was completely unlike him to lose focus in dangerous territory.
After analyzing the medical data over and over to no avail, Shinobu finally gave up on the scientific approach. She crossed her arms and directly asked Akira what exactly had happened out there.
His answer was incredibly straightforward. 'I saw my grandfather.'Shinobu stared at him, her expression deadpan.'Hasn't your grandfather been dead for ten whole years? And you still have the nerve to sit there and say you are perfectly fine?'Akira tried to clarify.'I mean, I saw his Soul.'Shinobu's eye twitched.'That makes it an even bigger problem, okay?!'"Anyway, that is exactly how it happened. Shinobu officially diagnosed me with'Prolonged Grief Disorder caused by excessive longing for a deceased loved one.' And because it has been so many years since my grandfather actually passed away, she even went as far as to label it a severe, chronic case."
Inside a quiet, sunlit hospital room specially prepared for him, Akira sat facing Kanae. He let out a long, helpless sigh as he recounted the entire humiliating process of being officially diagnosed as mentally ill by her younger sister.
"Pfft..." Kanae finally could not hold it in anymore, letting out a soft, melodious chuckle as she covered her mouth with her sleeve.
The truth of the matter was entirely different. After holding a private discussion earlier, the girls of the Butterfly Mansion had unanimously agreed that Akira likely had absolutely no mental issues whatsoever. Arranging for him to stay in this isolated hospital room was merely a coordinated excuse to force him to sit down, stop working, and get some much-needed rest.
This was exactly why Kanae could act so relaxed right now. Otherwise, even if she were speaking to him strictly in the professional capacity of a psychologist, she would never have been able to smile so warmly while hearing about his supposed severe mental trauma.
However, the girls had all formed a tacit agreement to keep this little conspiracy an absolute secret from Akira.
When Makomo and Shinobu had come to visit the patient earlier in the day, they had both put on award-winning performances, looking deeply troubled and concerned. Mitsuri, fully aware that her acting skills were nowhere near up to par and terrified she would blow their cover, did not even dare to step foot in the room.
As for Kanao, she naturally wanted to seize any possible second she could spend by Akira's side. But her older sisters had unanimously vetoed the idea. They knew perfectly well that if Kanao went to visit him, she would absolutely be unable to hide the truth from him. She might even accidentally give the entire plan away just by looking at him, so she was strictly banned from visiting.
Honestly, if it were not for the fact that they feared Kanao might do something drastic out of genuine worry for Akira's health, Shinobu and the others might not have even told the quiet girl about their fake diagnosis plan in the first place.
Looking across the small table at Kanae, who showed absolutely zero signs of worry and only smiled at him with her usual gentle, affectionate gaze, Akira mentally connected the dots. Coupling her current demeanor with his experiences over the past few days, he easily figured a few things out.
"Kanae."
"Yes?"
"Is this fun for you all?"
"Hmm... if I were to use your own words, it would probably be... alright?" Kanae tilted her head slightly to the side. Her beautiful eyes curved upward, resembling the delicate crescent moon at the very start of the lunar month. The smile that had originally carried a faint hint of someone enjoying a good show slowly faded away, smoothly replaced by an expression that was even gentler, yet tinged with a distinct, obvious playfulness.
Akira did not offer a verbal response. He simply sat there, watching her quietly, his gaze steady and warm.
After meeting his deep gaze for a long, silent moment, Kanae finally could not help but look away, a faint dusting of pink appearing on her cheeks. She quickly stood up from her chair, moved gracefully behind him, and leaned her body against his back. Pressing her soft lips dangerously close to his ear, she spoke in a sweet, wheedling tone. "I am sorry. We really just wanted to give you a proper chance to relax."
Could it truly be said that she was the older sister? Compared to the sensation he felt when he had carried Shinobu on his back during their previous travels, Akira now felt a significantly heavier, much softer weight pressing firmly against his shoulder blades.
Even though Shinobu was not exactly lacking in that department—especially when contrasted with her overall petite frame—she still could not even begin to compare to Kanae's mature figure.
The distinct, soft pressure on his back, combined with that unprecedentedly coquettish tone and the deliberate puff of warm, sweet-smelling air Kanae intentionally blew directly into his sensitive ear, made it entirely impossible for Akira to maintain his usual calm composure.
"Kanae?"
He felt his body temperature steadily rising, a sudden rush of heat flooding his chest. Yet, he managed to maintain a fragile grip on his reason, his voice coming out slightly husky and filled with genuine confusion.
It simply could not be helped. The woman currently clinging to his back was a massive contrast to her usual gentle, deeply mature, and motherly self. After the initial thrill of the physical contact washed over him, his sharp mind immediately began to wonder if she was trying to express something deeper through this sudden change in behavior.
"Heehee, it is exactly just like Shinobu said... your ears are so sensitive..." Kanae completely ignored his questioning tone. She murmured softly to herself as her slender arms wrapped around his chest, tightening her embrace.
From the sudden strength in those tightening arms and the quiet, self-absorbed nature of her words, Akira sensed a very specific emotion. It was an emotion he honestly thought would never, ever appear in someone as thoroughly selfless as Kanae.
Or rather, it was an emotion that logically should have appeared in her heart a long time ago, but because she had always hidden it so perfectly behind her gentle smiles, he had foolishly assumed she was immune to it.
Jealousy.
Without interrupting her or making any sudden moves to break the embrace, Akira simply lifted his hand, placing it gently over Kanae's delicate fingers resting on his chest. He held her hand warmly, choosing to listen quietly.
No matter how capable she was, Kanae was still just a young woman. No matter how mature, steady, and responsible she acted in her daily life as the pillar of the Butterfly Mansion, she would inevitably care about certain intimate things.
"Even though I have been waiting patiently ever since you took Makomo's first kiss, yet here I am... oh my. Actually being jealous of my own younger sister. I really am such a bad older sister..."
"Kanae, you aren't..." Hearing the genuine self-reproach in her soft voice, Akira could not help but want to turn around and comfort her. But before he could finish his sentence, Kanae gently slipped her free hand around his jaw, pressing a soft finger directly against his lips to silence him.
"Are you trying to say something predictable like, 'Kanae is a good girl, it is not your fault'? Sometimes you really are quite silly." Her breath tickled his cheek as she spoke.
"I know exactly what you are doing, and you know that I know. You want to wait until my birthday to make it special, right?"
She paused, taking a slow, deep breath. "Actually, what I really want to say right now is that no matter how mature and steady I usually act for everyone else, I am still just a young woman. I get jealous. I get sad. I get moody. And sometimes, I just want to selfishly confide in someone who will listen..."
As she spoke those vulnerable words, Kanae slowly moved away from his back, stepping around the chair to stand directly in front of him. Without a moment of hesitation, she leaned forward, naturally settling herself directly into his open embrace. She reached out with both hands, gently stroking his face—tracing the strong jawline and the tired eyes that had long been deeply etched into her mind and heart.
"Then, what about you?" Kanae asked, her voice dropping to a soft, emotional whisper. "You are also just a young man. Devoting yourself entirely to trying to provide a safe, stable little world for all of us, carrying that massive burden all by yourself... that must be so incredibly exhausting, right?"
Only now, with her sitting in his lap, did Akira finally have the chance to fully meet Kanae's gaze. Looking deep into those beautiful pink-purple eyes, he realized the truth.
There was no actual hint of lingering jealousy or moodiness to be found in her expression. Her eyes were filled entirely, overwhelmingly, with a deep, deep heartache meant only for him.
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