Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 109
109. Mari-nee and scene from the past that she don’t remember
Logged out in a hurry the previous day.
The next day, I didn’t even have breakfast or my usual morning rehabilitation session, as I had to go out with my younger siblings.
It wasn’t for anything special, just a routine check-up at the hospital.
Masato was driving, so I sat in the back seat with Maki.
The back seat was spacious, and the built-in display was showing news about fireworks festivals happening all over the country.
I asked Maki, who had carried me to the car, to help me with my seatbelt.
“Hey Maki, why am I being carried by you like this?”
“Because I get to be with you, Onee-chan! There’s no reason not to do it!!”
I didn’t think there was a reason, but when she said it so assertively… wait, am I the weird one?
“R-really… but I think I don’t need to be held like this.”
Maki was holding me in a way that kept my body horizontal, essentially a princess carry.
“If I hold you like this while sitting, I can keep absorbing Onee-chan essence safely and securely!!”
I felt like I heard her unsettling inner thoughts, but I wanted to believe I misheard.
Even Masato has carried me like this, and now Maki too.
Haha, my ‘faraway look’ skill seems to be growing even in real life.
…It’s okay if it stops growing now, though?
When we arrived at the hospital, Maki helped me change into examination clothes, and I was able to get my check-up right away.
In the past, I often had to wait a long time to see a doctor, but medical care has changed a lot in recent years, and now it’s rare for people to come to the hospital.
One of the reasons is the widespread use of devices that collect the necessary information for diagnosis, making remote consultations with doctors common.
Medications prescribed during consultations are delivered by drones, and light symptoms can be treated at home with devices like needleless pressure injectors.
As a result, the people who come to the hospital are mostly those with illnesses that can’t be fully examined with these devices or those in serious condition.
I guess I fall into the former category?
Other than my inability to move well, I’m not in any immediate danger.
The examination ended in less than an hour as usual, and while waiting for the results, we visited the hospital’s courtyard.
The hospital building is shaped like an H, with the left side being the ward and the right side the clinic.
The wide corridor connecting the two serves as the entrance, reception, and waiting area.
The courtyard is at the back, surrounded on three sides by the building, yet it somehow doesn’t feel dark due to the clever design allowing light to pass through.
In this space, azaleas were neatly planted in a circle, and the ground inside the circle was beautifully paved.
Amidst this artificial garden, a single sakura tree stood in the center, exuding a contrasting presence.
How old could it be… the trunk was so thick that it would take several adults holding hands to encircle it, and its countless branches spread majestically over the courtyard.
The leaves, grown strong under the summer sun, were a deep green, overlapping to create a pleasant shade.
Under that shade, an elderly woman was sitting on a bench.
Her long, white hair was tied in a bundle at the back of her neck, and she sat slightly hunched, gazing at the sakura tree with a calm expression.
As Masato pushed my wheelchair and we approached her, she unexpectedly spoke to us.
“Hello. It’s been a while since we last talked.”
Her tone was friendly, clearly indicating she knew us.
Uh, have we met somewhere before?
I tried hard to recall, but I couldn’t place her familiar face.
She was wearing the same examination clothes as me, so she must be a fellow patient here.
I was struggling with how to respond when Masato spoke up for me.
“Hello. It’s been a while, Homura-san.”
“You’ve grown a lot, Masato-kun. And you too, Maki-chan.”
While Masato replied, Maki peeked shyly from behind Masato, giving a slight bow.
Maki, who is usually fearless online, becomes shy in person.
As I was watching this endearing sight, I noticed Homura-san had shifted her gaze to me.
“You must be Mari-san. I’ve heard about you from the nurses… I’m really glad you’ve woken up.”
Her gentle expression radiated affection.
I could tell her words were sincere, which made it frustrating that I couldn’t remember her.
Sensing my confusion, Homura-san explained.
“Mari-san, when you were hospitalized, you stayed in a shared room, and I was in that room too. So, while you might not know me, I know a lot about you. Masato-kun and Maki-chan told me all about you.”
“A lot, you say…”
I had a bad feeling about this.
When I glanced back quickly, Masato averted his eyes as if he had predicted this moment, and Maki ducked her head.
…Looks like we’ll need to have a talk later.
As I silently vowed this, Homura-san covered her mouth with her hand and laughed softly.
“Please don’t be too hard on them. To those of us sharing that room, seeing them visit you every day, talking to you about their day, was incredibly encouraging.”
According to Homura-san, including herself, there were three other patients in the shared room with me.
All three had been hospitalized for a long time, and their families rarely visited, only occasionally speaking to them through a screen for a few minutes.
That sense of being forgotten by their families must have been very isolating.
Imagining how Masato and Maki must have appeared to them in such circumstances, I could only think it was a very heartwarming sight.
“Through the two of them, or rather the three of you, conversations started among us. We began preparing tea and snacks… those days were truly enjoyable.”
Hearing this directly, Masato and Maki blushed and scratched their cheeks in embarrassment.
I felt so proud of them and grateful for having such a wonderful family. I asked them to come to me, and I placed my hands over theirs.
“Thank you, Masato. Thank you, Maki.”
The words flowed naturally from my mouth.
Homura-san looked gently at the two who were blushing.
“It seems our promise might come true.”
“Promise?” I asked, and Homura-san nodded.
“The three of us talked about it. We promised that when Mari-san woke up, we would watch the sakura blossoms here together. Although now, I’m the only one left.”
She said this with a wistful smile and then returned to her room with the nurse who had come to fetch her.
Watching her retreating figure, I felt a deep emotion stir within me.
Just as this emotion turned into a wish and I was about to convey it to the two of them, Masato spoke up.
“We should take some longer walks. Staying in the apartment complex is getting dull, and I’ve found a nice, quiet place with a beautiful sakura tree.”
“I want to talk about the times I visited you, Onee-chan! It’d be more immersive if we did it while looking at the room you stayed in!! A webcam would make it even more real!!!” Maki added.
It was clear they understood my wish, but they refrained from explicitly stating who it was for.
“You two have really grown up,” I said, lowering my head to hide my teary eyes. They held my hands firmly.
A little while later, it was time to get my test results. Instead of returning the way we came, we decided to walk slowly, admiring the sakura tree. Ahead, we saw a man walking with a little boy.
The boy held a balloon, a rare sight these days, and was looking up at the man happily. They were probably father and son. The man’s gaze toward the boy was tender.
Just then, the boy tripped and let go of the balloon, which got caught in the branches of the sakura tree. The boy jumped to try and reach it but couldn’t.
The man then lifted the boy onto his shoulders, allowing him to reach the balloon. The boy’s face lit up with joy—whether because he got the balloon back or because he was on his father’s shoulders, I wasn’t sure.
It was an ordinary scene, but for some reason, it stirred my heart and made me feel uneasy. As I tried to understand why, my head began to ache dully, and the world seemed to lose its color. I started hearing sounds—something being struck, dishes breaking, and amidst the noise, a fragmented voice.
This voice…
“Onee-chan, are you okay?”
Startled, I looked up to see Maki gazing at me with concern.
I forced a smile and assured her I was fine, urging Masato to move on. We left the spot as if we were fleeing from it.