Chapter 5
As Minamino and I headed to the entrance, we saw a woman—could it be Minamino's mother?—collapsed on the floor.
"Mom!? What's wrong? Are you okay!?"
Minamino ran over in a hurry. Her father had left, as I'd heard, so it was indeed Minamino's mother. But the situation was more pressing.
"Wai— …Your fever is really high. Hey, Mom, are you okay!? Mom!?"
Seeing someone collapse was shocking for me as well, but Minamino's panicked voice seemed to clear my head. At Minamino's words, her mother lifted her head. Maybe due to the fever, her eyes weren't focusing properly.
"Chinatsu...? Sorry, I'm feeling a bit unwell... I got off work... and came home early. But somehow... my head's spinning..."
Saying that, she collapsed again, completely limp. Holding her, Minamino attempted to lift her, but her physique seemed similar to her mother's, and she couldn't support her completely weakened body.
"Mom? Eh, wait… Mom?"
"Sorry, Minamino, let me help her up... Does your mom have any chronic conditions or take any medication?"
Saying that, and fully aware of any potential rudeness, I slid my arm under her armpit and lifted her mother up, supporting her neck. Her fever was definitely intense. This wasn't good. I remembered a time when my father was still alive and his flu had worsened to a severe state. It brought back those memories.
"Th-thank you. I think she doesn't have any chronic conditions or medication... But she's been working too much lately, to the point that there are always nutrient drink bottles lying around."
"Nutrient drinks... I wonder if your mom is eating properly... No, more importantly, her fever is really high. Minamino, is there a general hospital around here?"
"Um, yeah, the closest one is Shimin Hospital along the highway.
"Got it."
As I said this, I used a transport app to call a taxi to our location and used a map app to locate the hospital. It seemed to take about 7 minutes. Considering this, I thought it would be quicker to wait here for the taxi rather than calling an ambulance. I called the hospital, giving instructions to Minamino during the ringtone. In a situation like this, it was better to have her do something rather than just being flustered.
"Minamino, if you can, can you get your mom's health insurance card or anything like that? Maybe it's in a designated place, or it might be in her wallet. Look for it."
"O-okay."
With that, I informed the hospital about the situation and our plan to take a taxi. Just as a taxi was conveniently passing nearby, I received a notification that it was arriving for pick-up. I tried to lift Minamino's mother in a princess carry manner, but she was quite heavy. Despite thinking I was reasonably fit, carrying one person outside like this was a different matter.
"Minamino, I contacted the hospital and called a taxi... Sorry to be showy about it, but it seems like I can't carry her alone. Can you lend a hand so we can support her shoulders and go like this?"
"Um... I found the health insurance card! Sure, and thanks a lot, Satou."
As Minamino said that, she immediately slipped her other arm over the opposite shoulder and together we supported her, standing side by side.
"...Chinatsu, sorry... and you (?) too."
Even though her consciousness seemed hazy, it seemed like it wasn't completely gone. Minamino's mother murmured weakly. I reassured her that everything would be okay, and Minamino and I opened the front door together, getting into the taxi. The sweet atmosphere from just a few minutes ago had completely evaporated.
◇◆
Paying the taxi fare, I helped Minamino's mother get out of the taxi. Minamino ran ahead to the hospital's reception. Afterward, due to suspicion of an infectious disease, we were guided to a different entrance. Since Minamino's mother couldn't walk on her own, she was transported on a gurney. Minamino and I followed behind.
After a hurried diagnosis, Minamino's mother was admitted to a private room that happened to be available. Although it didn't seem to be an infectious disease like influenza, the doctor informed us that it was a result of exhaustion, malnutrition, and a high fever caused by pneumonia from a worsened cold. Bringing her to the hospital immediately was the right decision.
I stepped out of the hospital room so that the nurses could set the IV up and assist with changing clothes and wiping her body. Then, I took a seat on the bench they had there while they took care of those tasks.
Although I hadn't been consciously aware of it before, there was something that flashed through my mind.
The smell of the hospital.
Scenes not belonging to this hospital, but to another, spread behind my closed eyelids. I realized I wasn't particularly comfortable in hospitals a little bit.
"Satou... Are you okay?"
Amidst these thoughts, a slightly concerned and anxious voice called my name.
"Yeah, I'm fine. How's your mother?"
Shaking my head, I tried to shake off the clinging nightmare. As I opened my eyes and responded, Minamino hesitatedly continued.
"Yeah, she regained consciousness for a bit... She wanted to thank you as well…"
"Eh, is she fine?"
"Mm, she said she's fine, though... In fact, she'll take some medicine soon, and it'll make her fall asleep due to its effect... Also, she's strangely clear-headed right now, and maybe it's because of that, but she seems to have some thoughts about me bringing a boy to the house when she wasn't there... I didn't manage to find a good excuse... So, if she says something, I'm sorry."
"I see, got it."
If that's the case, it's probably better to act quickly here and explain than to have a prolonged conversation. Thinking that, I conveyed my understanding, stood up, and followed Minamino into the hospital room, entering after her as she opened the door.
—————
(5/7)
Well, that's one seriois cockblock. Fine, I'll accept it for now
ReplyDelete