The Lying Counselor’s Eloquent Reasoning - Chapter 20

The next morning, Tetsuo immediately tested the medicine that was given to him by Uroma. Just as he heard the children’s voices from the kindergarten, he swallowed the medicine and focused on the children’s voices as he was instructed. Disappear, disappear.

The effect was immediate. Instantly, the sound of children’s voices echoing from outside the window ceased to be discernible. Yes, only that annoying sound. The sound of the television and the ticking of the clock was still audible.

“This is amazing!” Tetsuo exclaimed involuntarily.

“Oh, what’s the matter, honey?”

When his wife curiously asked Tetsuo about it, he rushed to cover it up by saying, “It’s nothing”. According to the man’s account, this drug was supposed to be available only in the black market. Even though he had been with his wife for a long time, it was unwise to disclose it casually. There might be some dangerous ingredients in it that would violate the law.

“Hey you, how are the kids sounding today?” Tetsuo asked his wife again. Just to be sure.

“It’s the same as usual. They seem to be having fun playing in the kindergarten yard today.”

“Well, they’re playing, huh?”

His wife could hear them, but he could not. The effect of the medicine seemed to be positive. Tetsuo grinned again. He was finally free from the noise that had plagued him for three years. How could he not be delighted?

From that day on, Tetsuo’s life became much more comfortable. Even after taking the medicine, he could hear everything except the children’s voices without any problems. Moreover, the effects of the medicine wore off in about three hours, but usually he could take one pill and not hear the children’s voices for the rest of the day. Even though there was a kindergarten nearby, it was only reasonable that the children would not be singing and screaming all the time.

In the midst of these days, Tetsuo’s mind became slightly more relaxed, and a change occurred. In the past, he used to feel uncomfortable merely by the sight of a young child on the street or in a store, but that feeling has disappeared. In fact, he even developed a somewhat tender feeling toward them. Tetsuo was content with this change in himself. He felt as if he had reached a higher stage as a human being. At the age of 76 years old, that is.

His sole concern was that he would run out of medicine at some point. It was apparently something that could only be acquired through black market channels. The next time he went to get it, it might not exist anymore. Perhaps the remainder in this bottle would be the last. The thought of that gave Tetsuo a very unsettling feeling. Yet, strangely enough, the medicine in the bottle showed no signs of diminishing, regardless of the number of times he took it. It was as if each time Tetsuo drank, the medicine in the bottle was secretly replenished. It couldn’t be, but this was a drug from the black market after all. It would not be surprising if there was some special trick to it… For the time being, Tetsuo opted not to dwell on it. Even if he thought about it, he couldn’t understand it, and it was a hassle.

But eventually, Tetsuo’s noise-free and stress-free life came to an end. This time, the source of the noise was his wife. Yes, one day, she started practicing karaoke at home. She had gotten a karaoke set from somewhere.

“Hey, idiot! Why are you singing in the house! Stop it!” Tetsuo, naturally, protested to his wife.

“‘Karaoke is popular among the neighbors these days. That’s why I have to practice too. I heard it’s good for preventing dementia.”

His wife, like water off a duck’s back, shrugged off Tetsuo’s complaints and resumed her endless singing. It was too loud. If her singing was good, it would be better, but she was an amateur, and her voice was unnecessarily loud and noisy. Even with earplugs in, it was still noticeably loud. Or rather, with earplugs, the sound of his own pulse echoed in his ears, creating even more annoyance. Even the television sound became inaudible. Tetsuo’s annoyance was growing worse and worse.

Damn, since this is happening…

One day, Tetsuo finally made up his mind. He intended to use the medicine that Uroma had given him against his wife’s singing voice. Since all he had to do was take it and focus on the sound he wanted to be gone, he figured it would be effective against that as well. For Tetsuo, his wife’s singing voice was much more damaging than the voices of the children from the kindergarten.

The effect of the medicine was remarkable. Within seconds of taking it, the sound of his wife’s singing disappeared. Even if she was practicing karaoke in the same house. Tetsuo smiled with pleasure. Being able to choose which sounds to turn off was a very convenient medicine, he thought. He wished he had learned how to use it sooner.

But Tetsuo had completely forgotten. When he had asked for the medicine, Uroma had warned him about it.

Yes, he had mentioned it. Never use the medicine for anything other than the children’s voices. If used incorrectly, it would have terrible side effects.

The significance of these words soon became evident to Tetsuo. From the day he used the medicine on his wife’s singing voice, Tetsuo’s hearing gradually began to change.