The Lying Counselor’s Eloquent Reasoning - Chapter 4

Afterward, she returned home and went with her mother to a university hospital a short distance away. Yet, as usual, no results were forthcoming. After running a number of tests, the doctor concluded that skin grafting might be the only treatment available. That sounded rather far-fetched. The transplant would involve the skin of the entire body, which would naturally be a huge financial and physical burden, and it was unlikely that donors would be readily available.

However, on the way home, Tomomi’s mother remarked to her. “Skin graft. I wonder if I can have my extra skin given to you?”

Tomomi was taken aback by that statement.

“What are you talking about? That kind of thing is typically provided by the deceased.”

“Oh, it’s not so bad if it’s only a slight amount. There are times when they remove a small piece of skin from the back or hips of a living person and transplant it to another person. I’ve seen it done on television before. It was about a girl who was severely burned in a fire…”

“Don’t take that seriously. It’s absurd. Those stories are all fabricated to impress the audience anyway.”

Tomomi was displeased with her mother’s idea, and she raised her voice further. The suggestion of giving away a part of her own body was an act of a devoted mother. It made her want to vomit.

“Well, it can’t be total gibberish, surely. It’s on TV. Nowadays, if you broadcast something scientifically wrong on a program, you’ll be flooded with calls for protest, right?”

Her mother didn’t seem to be aware of her exasperation. Tomomi grew more and more irritated.

“Shut up! Even if that was possible, I would never acquire your skin! Such things are normally done between family members who are bound by blood! You’re different! You and I are strangers!”

“T-That’s true, but??” Her mother’s face immediately grew pale.

“I’m going to make a detour. Why don’t you go home by yourself?”

Seeing the expression on her mother’s face, even Tomomi felt somewhat apprehensive. Leaving behind the words, she swiftly departed from there.

However, having fled from her mother, it was impossible for Tomomi to have anywhere to wander. For a while, all she could do was meander around the unfamiliar streets surrounding the university hospital by herself. The time was past four in the afternoon. Contrary to what Tomomi was thinking, it was a clear and refreshing day, and the somewhat weak sunlight of the early autumn afternoon was illuminating the trees and buildings along the streets.

Eventually though, Tomomi boarded the train and headed for a certain place. While walking around by herself, she was reminded of the man’s words.

Yes, that man who gave a glance at Tomomi’s skin and left a remark; this is not a significant matter, and it can be cured quickly.

Although he was a man with a shady vibe, and there was no reason to trust his words, she felt like she was grasping at straws.

Even so, when she made her way to the place where she encountered the man, that old building was nowhere to be found. On the third floor of the building, there was supposed to be a “Uroma Counseling Room”.

What is going on? I’m sure I am in the right place…

There, Tomomi retrieved the pocket tissue that she had kept in her bag. It was one that had been handed out in front of the station a while ago. It should have included a piece of paper advertising the man’s counseling room.

Even so, upon taking it out and checking it again, no such advertisement was evident. Rather, it turned out to be a discount coupon for a nearby beauty salon. How could… this be possible? It certainly had the location of that fishy counseling room written on it. Tomomi became increasingly confused. This was exactly what it felt like to be pinched by a fox.

Speaking of it, that strange person seemed to have mentioned something about being qualified to enter this room?

Could it be that this is a place where you can only go if you have those qualifications? It’s a membership-only place where only exclusive guests can enter, and it’s usually hidden away…

But even as she contemplated this, she couldn’t understand why even the pocket tissue advertising paper had been altered. That was certainly the one that had been left in Tomomi’s school bag for a long time. In the first place, it was odd that the location of a secret members-only club was written on a tissue distributed in front of the station.

Was it possible that I was hallucinating at that time? Gradually, Tomomi began to doubt the fact that she had visited that room yesterday. Looking back, she realized that the man in that room had a distinctly unworldly air about him. His speech was also kind of peculiar.

Yet, no sooner had she thought about this, Tomomi saw the unworldly figure of the man.

The supposedly illusory man was simply making some purchases at a convenience store. He was still dressed as he had been yesterday in his white coat. And Tomomi had just passed by that convenience store.

T/N:

Pinch by a fox – with a flabbergasted look/with a look of utter amazement