Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 175 The Sudden Bad News

Two weeks have passed since I returned to Tokyo.

At 10:27 a.m., Shiina Maki took the washed clothes out of the washing machine, opened the door, and went to the balcony to hang the clothes out to dry.

While she was hanging clothes out to dry, the neighbor next door opened their door, and Akizuki Makoto also came out to hang clothes out to dry, carrying a basket full of clothes.

Good morning, Akizuki-kun.

"Morning."

After exchanging a nod and a greeting, the two continued with their tasks while chatting idly.

Shiina Maki accurately predicted Akizuki Makoto's daily routine, knowing that he usually started doing housework after 10 o'clock.

He usually hangs the clothes out to dry first, and then goes out to the nearby supermarket to buy ingredients for lunch and dinner.

"President Himeya is very busy. I wonder when the next group training camp will be?"

"Who knows? Let's take it slow and work things out. We can just ignore her for now."

Since the training camp ended, the Light Music Club has not had a single rehearsal session with all members together for the past two weeks.

Even when they arranged to rehearse together, Ji Yexue was always absent, leaving only the four of them.

With the summer vacation drawing to a close, Ji Yelong's physical condition was not optimistic, and the pressure on Ji Yexue was increasing day by day.

However, she could still manage, because every night, in the time she was preparing to go to sleep, she would call Qiuyue Cheng and chat with him for about half an hour.

This half hour was the only time they had any contact during the day.

The rest of the time, Ji Yexue basically doesn't look at her phone, so naturally she can't text and chat with Qiuyue Cheng or arrange to meet up.

For Ji Yexue, the half hour she looked forward to most each day was the time she spent with the baby.

No matter how tired you are, you will feel healed after hearing Makoto Akizuki's voice.

This is a small act of redemption, proof that Akizuki Makoto is willing to support her.

Although Akizuki Makoto has not yet truly expressed his feelings for her, nor has he mentioned wanting to establish a relationship or become lovers with her, there is no doubt that Akizuki Makoto has already accepted her.

Therefore, she was no longer in such a hurry, thinking that she should wait until she had resolved her own affairs before seriously confessing her feelings to Akizuki Makoto.

most……

On the day of the confession, I can also take care of the things that were interrupted before.

"Senior Ji Ye is very busy. I used to see her at school all the time..."

As Shiina Maki spoke with deep emotion, her cell phone suddenly rang in her shorts pocket.

She put down the clothes hanger, took her phone out of her pants, glanced at the caller ID, but looked completely bewildered.

"Why don't you answer?"

Qiu Yuecheng glanced at her and casually asked, "Don't worry about me, I'll be done drying and going back soon."

"Oh no, no, that's not what I meant!"

Shiina Maki quickly shook her head in denial, looking slightly troubled, and said, "I'm not answering because I don't recognize this number; it's unfamiliar."

"A telemarketing call? You can ignore it. Information leaks are a serious problem these days, so be careful and don't log into any strange websites."

"Is this a telemarketing call...?"

Shiina Maki looked at the phone number on her phone screen, pursed her lips, and finally decided to answer.

For some reason, she didn't feel like it was a sales call, because she had never received a similar call before, and she hadn't logged into any strange websites or leaked her information online.

Furthermore, even if you answer and find out it's a sales call, it's not a big deal; you can just hang up.

It would be bad if she missed the call because it wasn't a sales call but someone she knew.

Hello, who is this?

After the call connected, Shiina Maki spoke first, somewhat nervously asking about the other person's identity.

"Eh?"

The next second, she froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"W-what?"

"...?"

Makoto Akizuki looked at Maki Shiina with some confusion, and unconsciously put down the clothes in his hands.

"Okay, okay, I understand, I'll be right there... Thank you, thank you."

Shiina Maki quickly finished the call, and after she thanked him repeatedly, the call was disconnected.

As she heard the dial tone of the phone being disconnected, the hand that had been holding the phone suddenly fell limply to her side.

"How……"

Just as Akizuki Makoto opened his mouth to ask Shiina Maki what was wrong, he saw her turn her head, and her clear, bright eyes instantly filled with tears.

"Akizuki-kun...my mother...something happened to my mother!"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Akizuki Makoto was somewhat taken aback, but realizing that now was not the time to explain slowly, he said, "You, you first... no, let's go, let's go first. Didn't you just say you'd be here soon? Where are we going?"

He originally wanted Shiina Maki to go over quickly, but considering Shiina Maki's personality, he thought that she might make things worse because of her sadness and confusion.

Now is the time when he is needed. He has to help Shiina Maki, at least to stabilize her emotions first.

"At...at Adachi First Hospital."

Shiina Maki spoke in a trembling voice, reciting the address given by the other party on the phone.

She instinctively reached out and grabbed Akizuki Makoto's collar, as if grasping at her last hope, holding on tightly.

"Don't be afraid, we'll go there now."

After offering a word of comfort, Akizuki Makoto reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, patting it gently.

After that, the two set off immediately. They didn't even change their clothes, but simply changed from indoor shoes to a pair of sandals that were easy to wear outside. Then they hurriedly hailed a taxi on the roadside and headed to the First Hospital of Adachi Ward.

In the car, Shiina Maki told him who had called and what had happened to her mother.

"AIDS...late stage?"

Akizuki Makoto couldn't help but frown. If this disease was in its early stages, there might still be a chance to cure it, but in its late stages, there was basically no hope.

He wasn't surprised that Shiina's mother had contracted HIV, given that she worked in the sex industry and was constantly drunk with poor hygiene.

"What should I do, Akizuki-kun?"

Shiina Maki gripped Akizuki Makoto's sleeve tightly, sobbing as she asked.

At this moment, she was still terrified, her body trembling slightly.

Her only family in the world was her mother.

Although she chose to live separately from her mother, it does not mean that she will never see her mother again.

She still cared about her mother; the bond of blood was something she couldn't easily sever.

"...Let's go check on the situation and see what the doctor says."

Makoto Akizuki patted Maki Shiina's back, gently comforting her.

All he could offer was this insignificant consolation.

Birth, aging, sickness, and death are irreversible, and he was helpless in the face of this situation.

"No... I don't want anything to happen to my mother... That kind of thing... is so scary..." Shiina Maki murmured to herself, her emotions on the verge of collapse.

Akizuki Cheng patiently comforted her, gently patting her back in an attempt to calm her down.

Fortunately, until she got off the bus, Shiina Maki was only muttering to herself and did not have any extreme reaction.

"move."

After paying the fare, Akizuki Makoto took Shiina Maki's hand and got out of the car, hurrying towards the infectious disease department building where Shiina's mother was being treated.

Guided by the receptionist, they arrived at the department of the doctor who diagnosed Shiina's mother and met the doctor who had called Shiina Maki.

"Hello, you must be Shiina Maki, right?"

"Yes, it's me..."

When asked by the doctor, Shiina Maki nodded timidly.

The doctor turned his gaze to Akizuki Makoto and asked, "And who is this?"

"Hello, I'm Shiina's friend. I came with her and wanted to see if there's anything I can do to help her."

"That's right..."

The doctor nodded, cut to the chase without further ado, and said, "The situation is not optimistic. The patient suddenly collapsed on the street and was brought in. After our diagnosis, she was confirmed to have late-stage HIV."

"Can...can it be cured?"

Shiina Maki asked in a trembling voice. She didn't understand the seriousness of AIDS, only its harmful effects. As for whether it could be cured, she really didn't know.

The doctor said with some helplessness, "It can be treated, but it can only treat the symptoms, not cure them completely, whether it's in the early or late stages."

"Incurable..."

Shiina Maki muttered to herself, her already pale face now revealing an even greater sense of despair.

She could no longer hold on, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The tears that she had been holding back could no longer be contained and gushed out like a burst dam.

The doctor, who was used to this kind of scene, didn't say anything and sighed, "Please accept my condolences. With proper treatment, he will recover in one or two years, or at most three or four years."

Most cases of late-stage HIV infection occur within one to two years, even with aggressive treatment.

The complications that occur in the late stages are so painful that very few people can endure them.

"Condolences."

With a heavy heart, Akizuki helped Shiina Maki to her feet, unsure of what to say.

He understood how important Shiina's mother was to Shiina Maki, after all, she was her only family in the world.

and……

He also knew that something even crueler awaited Shiina Maki after this.

If Shiina Maki knew that his feelings had already shifted towards Himeyasuki and that they might become a couple at any time, then Shiina Maki would truly lose hope for the future.

"...No, with Shiraishi and Niijima with her now, it shouldn't be that bad, right?"

Makoto Akizuki felt that he was just being presumptuous. Perhaps Maki Shiina was no longer as obsessed with him as before?

Recently, their relationship has been uneventful, with no flirtation or ambiguity, and Shiina Maki has not taken the initiative to make advances towards him.

Moreover, Rie Niijima and Rin Shiraishi have become her good friends. They often get together. If it were them, they should be able to support Maki Shiina, right?

"...Alright, let's go pay the hospital fees and follow-up treatment costs first, and then I'll take you to visit the patient."

While Akizuki was pondering, the doctor had already finished explaining things.

"Okay, please give us a detailed expense statement."

Akizuki nodded, took the bill from the doctor, and his eyes widened slightly.

The above fees cover one week of hospitalization and one month of medication. The amount they need to pay is…

"One million five hundred and seventy thousand yen?!"

Shiina Maki glanced at the fee and couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand.

She couldn't possibly have that money; even if she emptied all her savings, she still couldn't afford it.

The cost of hospitalization is secondary; the main concerns are the high price of HIV medication and the complications caused by HIV.

"It's okay, let's go pay first."

Makoto Akizuki put away the list, gently patted Maki Shiina's shoulder, and indicated that she didn't need to worry.

If something can be solved with money, it's not a problem. He's not short of money right now.

He would give me 1.57 million yen, even if it were ten or a hundred times more.

Of course, he can afford to pay ten times the amount, but he'll have to figure out a way to do something about a hundred times.

"What...how could this be..."

Shiina Maki instinctively wanted to refuse, but then realized that she didn't seem to have any room to refuse.

If she refuses Akizuki Makoto's offer, how will she get the money?

Shiina's mother certainly doesn't have any savings, and the money she has on hand is not enough to cover the costs. In the end, she will have to borrow money from others.

Rather than asking Shiraishi Rin or Niijima Rie for money when they don't know the truth, it's better to ask Akizuki Makoto.

"It's alright, leave it to me for now."

Akizuki Makoto smiled and took Shiina Maki to the hospital's payment counter to settle the medical bills.

He's a popular writer now, and he has tens of millions of yen in savings.

After paying the medical bills, the nurse led them to the ward where Shiina's mother was located.

Pushing open the hospital room door, Shiina Maki saw her mother after a long time.

In that instant, she froze, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Compared to their last meeting, Shiina's mother had become even thinner and more haggard.

He used to be described as thin, but now he's so thin he looks like skin and bones. His haggard face is dull and lifeless, and his withered arms, exposed outside the blanket, are covered with many needles.

"Mother... Mother..."

Shiina Maki walked shakily to the bedside, gazing at her mother's haggard face, her heart filled with unbearable pain and sorrow.

"Keep quiet, the patient is still in a comatose state."

After giving a few instructions, the nurse quietly closed the door and left.

Akizuki Makoto stood guard at the door and did not go forward.

He originally intended to wait outside the ward, but he was afraid that Shiina Maki would get too emotional, or that Shiina's mother would argue with Shiina Maki after she woke up.

After all, it was Shiina Maki who abandoned her, and she probably still holds a grudge.

"Akizuki-kun, why did it turn out like this? Why..."

Shiina Maki cried out, unable to imagine that one day her mother would be seriously ill and bedridden.

"..."

Akizuki Makoto silently lowered his head and did not respond to Shiina Maki.

At this moment, what Shiina Maki needs is not a response, but an emotional release.

(End of this chapter)