Chapter 5.1

"Ritsuko-san, would you like to come to lunch with us?"

Isaki Satoko, pulling on her coat, poked her face into the treatment room.

"Today I brought my own lunch. Go on ahead!"

Then, we'll be going, said Satoko waving her hand along with Shiomi Yuki. Giving them a smile, Ritsuko cleaned up the area around the treatment bed. As she took stock of the remaining supplies, oh, she suddenly remembered that today was Wednesday.

In the treatment room separated by one closed partitioning wall, Yasuyo was cleaning up. Ritsuko called to Yasuyo. "Yasuyo-san, have you seen the the Maebara Obaa-chan?"

Yasuyo was returning the changing bin to its place as she replied; "Maebara Setsu-san? No, I haven't!"

"I didn't think so."

Ritsuko sighed.

"Did something happen with Setsu-san?"

"She came on Saturday for her medicine. I couldn't give it without the doctor giving her an examination, so I told her to be sure to come on Monday, yet Monday and Tuesday both passed without her having come by, I was just thinking."

Yasuyo laughed out "Oh, it's because she hates injections. Well, it isn't like we can put a rope around her neck and drag her in, after all."

Yasuyo lightly patted Ritsuko who sighed 'That's true' as she headed out one step ahead of Ritsuko. Coming out of the meeting room into the hallway, she caught sight of Seishin peeking in through the side entrance.

"Oh my, Junior Monk."

Sliding open the partitioning door, Seishin politely bowed his head.

"My apologies for interrupting you during the lunch hour but, the salve has run out and so I had come to ask for more. May I?"

Yasuyo laughed. "I don't mind at all. Please, come in. --How is the head monk? In this heat, he must be getting down."

"In spite of the heat he is well. It does not seem his appetite has declined."

"My, that's good to hear. It must be because of the Madame taking such fine care of him." Yasuyo went towards the waiting room. "Come in. I'll bring you some tea in a minute."

"Please don't fuss over me. ---Ah, and we do not have much of the vulnerary cover remaining, but..."

Yes, yes,Yasuyo nodded as she knocked on the waiting room door. "Doctor, the Junior Monk is here."

"Ou," came a careless voice from within. Yasuyo opened the door; inside, Toshio was facing the desk buried in a pile of books.

"If you will wait just a minute. In the mean time, please soothe the doctor down. All day long, his mood's been off."

Leaving behind the wryly smiling Seishin, Yasuyo returned to the hall. Toshio raised his face from the book, cigarette still in his mouth.

"I can't believe it. My own nurse is talking crap about me like that just out of the blue."

Seishin smiled, refraining from commenting.

"And? I'll tell you in advance, if you're here about how they finally moved in, it's a popular time for it."

Told that as soon as he entered the waiting room, Seishin blinked.

"What, that wasn't what you were here for? ---It's that house. Seems like a moving truck came, didn't it?"

"Aa---seems so."

"Thanks to that business's been unusually booming today with people coming in with idle gossip. No, booming as usual, I should be saying, huh?" On the desk before Toshio was a thick, large sized open book. "That someone saw a truck, about what kind of car it was, that the storm doors were open and they saw some curtains. I'm sure from all that that since this morning the hill's been crammed with sight seers."

Seishin gave a light smile, 'I see.'

"What I can't believe is that it's been no small number that left their front row seats to come all the way here to tell me about it. If they wanna gawk, they could just stay there until the master comes out for the curtain call but no. For some reason they all have to come in here, are they formally reporting the minutes to me or something? Do they think I've got any interest in that kind of thing? The whole bunch of them..."

Seishin didn't say anything in particular. Nor was Toshio really expecting a response, so Seishin knew from years of association with him.

"The Master of the house still hasn't shown himself it seems. The owner's particulars are unknown. It seems their name's Kirishiki but, there's no sign of them putting up a nameplate on the gate. Their cars are a white foreign car and the servant has one wagon-like car. Sorry to say, the old lady that came to report that didn't seem to know the make and model. They have duplex curtains, and you can see a lamp by the window, and then----what else was there?"

"I get it." Seishin ceased to force a smile. In these situations he knew of the villager's burning curiosity all too well.

"Telling me to stop must mean you didn't come to hear about this. ---So, what's up?"

"Father is out of his ointment. Also, vulnerary covers."

Toshio gave a large exhale of cigarette smoke and leaned back deeply in his chair, looking up at the ceiling.

"Wonderful. We're back around to the everyday again, in other words."

"What are you pouting about?"

"Why the hell would I be pouting?"

Seishin smiled and shook his head.

"Did any more reports come in after that about Yamairi?"

The other day, when he had come to ask about it, Toshio had said that they were still waiting on part of the results.

"I'm happy to report it was a perfectly normal response," Toshio laughed. "It's still not complete but, it seems they've arrived at that conclusion one way or another."

"Acute liver failure?"

"For Old Lady Mieko, yeah. The police didn't think it was a death caused by anything external either, but that said there's no mention of any infectious diseases or anything, so they probably want to wrap it up as neatly as they can."

"I see..."

"But damn, there's something messed up about the people here. They do know that in Yamairi three people, three, died? I wonder if it's the time to be sticking their neck into the livelihoods of some move-ins. The bunch of them wanted to ask about this and that until yesterday, then a truck comes and it's like whatever about that."

"Everyone thinks of it as someone else's problem."

"That's exactly what it is. But, everyone can die. Like there's such thing as a death that's just someone else's problem," Toshio said breathing a sigh. "When a dead body was found, a fuss kicked up like some kind of festival. No matter how much I try to research the real cause of death, they want to pervert it into a forced double suicide. Or do like the Itou's Ikumi-san and stretch to call it a curse or black magic. It's so serious, it's so serious, they say, they make a face like their own fate is sure to be caught up in it too but, something that serious, important, is just something that gets forgotten in the face of one house, one move-in."

Seishin gave a forced smile. "Everyone is bored. Change is something they welcome. They know it themselves, that really it's nothing at all. Rather, it's precisely because they know that that they're getting what pleasure they can from it to stave off their boredom."

Good grief, Toshio breathed a sigh. Of course, what Seishin had noted was something that Toshio already knew.

As Seishin moved to leave after receiving the medicine, Toshio again took up his medical bag and stepped out of the hospital. Seishin gave him a dubious look, causing Toshio to turn a challenging eye to him as he stepped out of the back entrance.

"I have to check on the Gotouda Baa-san's condition, don't I? After all she's still got the funeral after this. She's at that age and all, and then there's this heat, she looked like she was being done in," Toshio said, thrusting a finger at Seishin. "So I'm telling you, don't get the wrong idea that I'm some volunteer doctor overflowing with compassion. I just want to see if there's any need for medical treatment for one of my patients, just so you know."

Seishin's wry smile slipped out despite himself. As he stepped onto the Maruyasu saw mill lumber yard, Toshio's voice rose; 'whassis?' Following his line of sight, on there was a person walking along the road on the edge of the hospital grounds. His age was approximately mid-twenties, and he took notice of Seishin and the other man, suddenly smiling and bowing his head.

"I finally found someone. ---Excuse me, where am I?" the young man asked brightly. Toshio stood in shock as the man approached.

"Let me guess, I think you're someone from the Kirishiki family, but."

"I am. Nice to meet you."

"In that case, keep going down this road until you come to another one. Take a right turn onto it and then if you go right again you'll be at the bottom of the slope."

Ah, that's it, the young man mumbled. "I am sorry for having troubled you. ---Ozaki-san, isn't it?"

Toshio raised a brow; the man looked towards the building beside the road.

"I had seen the two of you coming out of there towards here. This is the Ozaki Hospital, isn't it? And I see that only one of you happen to be in a white coat and carrying a medical satchel."

Toshio looked to Seishin. "Looks like we've had a master detective move in, oi." He said, then to him. "As you have most brilliantly deduced, I am Ozaki. Technically I'm something of a doctor so if something happens, by all means. If you can call me while there's still work for me to do, I'd appreciate it. If there's no part for me, it'll be him you're going to."

He tilted his head. "Is this gentleman also a doctor?"

Seishin shot a glare at Toshio's joke, but Toshio flippantly laughed it off.

"Nah, he's a monk."

Ah, Tatsumi laughed. "I see, you, sir, are from the temple atop the mountain! I am called Tatsumi."

"I am Muroi."

Toshio invited Tatsumi in, opening the gate of branches they had just come through. "Well, how about some tea at least? You don't wanna stand around here getting bitten by the bugs, right?"

"But, your house call?"

"What're you saying. It's not like I was called out specifically. The people here seem to like the monk better than me, so I just thought I'd try to cut in before the monk's turn, that's all. I've got time. Besides," Toshio laughed. "I don't have enough burning curiosity to go sightseeing when someone moves in but, now that I've finally met someone who lives there, I'm not devoid of curiosity enough to just see him off without a word."

For some reason the big mass of people that gathered made me nervous, Tatsumi said. "It isn't that I hate it in particular but, somehow I'm not sure just how to handle them."

Opening the sliding dust door to the waiting room, Seishin and Tatsumi knelt down. Toshio sat down on the ground cross legged, lining up the three glasses of barley tea on the tray brought in before by the surprised looking nurse Ritsuko.

"There's no other entertainment in this village. They'll be treating you like rare breeds for a while. It'd be best to keep that in mind."

I see, Tatsumi laughed. "I thought I would go investigate what the village has and doesn't. So, I went out the back door and walked along a slim path that didn't seem to have anybody on it. I thought that if I followed it around far enough it would come out to the village, but."

"It's not that it doesn't come out at least. Actually, this is right where it comes out at."

"Ah, then, it was good that I had taken that road."

"The road that goes in front of your place, that one's a woodland path that eventually goes up the mountain. It doesn't go anywhere in particular, it just disappears into the mountain. If you go down the side road, it comes out at the back of the paddy fields at the back of the sawmill. You'll just come to some foot paths between the fields but, it is in fact a road."

Tatsumi bit back a smile. "Indeed, it is."

"Country roads are a mix of forest paths and farm roads and paddy field roads and all that. Well, you'll get used to it quick. As long as you don't go over the ridges, no matter where you walk from where, you'll end up in the village.

"That is a positive point, isn't it!"

"Let's set aside that kind of flattery. It's not exactly good or bad, it's just the country. What're you doing, moving all the way out here to the country like this. ---From now on, you're going to be asked this by everyone here and there, so it'd be better to prepare your answer."

Tatsumi gave a simmering smile. "It was not my decision, so, maybe I should say that I do not know, myself."

"That won't fly. Aren't you a member of the Kirishiki household too?"

"If you mean that I live in their house. But, I am but a simple servant."

Heh, Toshio blinked. "You're not family? I was sure Tatsumi sounded like a first name, but."

Tatsumi smiled lightly. "Kirishiki Tatsumi, eh---Not bad at all. But, Tatsumi is my surname. I am but a simple live-in servant. I'm in charge of physical labor or perhaps you'd say the general handiman."

"Mind if I ask about the family set-up?"

"There is the Master, the Madame, and the young lady. You could say the Master is retired. He was formerly the president of a company but just last year he retired."

"And on to a life of dignified luxury? That's an enviable story. How old's Kirishiki-shi?"

Saa, Tatsumi tilted his head. "I've not formally asked him but about his mid-forties, I think?"

"That's young. For retirement, I mean."

"So it is. The likes of myself wouldn't know the intricacies of the situation but, if I hazard a guess, it might be that a current stock holder who inherited his shares can't do much with the company. It's just, the reason that he made such a sudden decision was for the Madame, his wife and the young lady, his daughter. This may be related to why they had moved but, the two of them are quite frail."

"An illness is it?"

"Yes. That is why it was best to seek a peaceful, quiet place to move to. And, as there had been nobody living on this property, the asking price was fair, I'm told."

"I get it. ---This is something I'm asking more out of a sense of obligation as a doctor than out of curiosity but, what's wrong with his wife and daughter?"

"Are you familiar with SLE?" Tatsumi said, Toshio making an unusually serious expression.

"I know it. ...I see, that's tough." Perhaps sensing that Seishin was tilting his head at least in his thoughts, Toshio explained. "It's a type of incurable disease. There's a skin affection, joint pain, and then kidney and heart failure too, wasn't there? I know there's light sensitivity, too, isn't there?"

"That's right," Tatsumi nodded. "That is why, when they do go out from time to time, they are heavily dressed in hats, coats, and gloves. Especially on summer days like this, yes? But, being in the city, that's painful. Even though there are so many places to go out to, they cannot go out as they'd like. So it may have been better to move out to someplace where there was nothing at all to do, to live in quiet peace in the house, but, my, how rude of me."

Toshio laughed. "That's just how it is."

"And for some time now, I believe the master had wished to withdraw. Where we were, various matters were piling in and weighing on him, leading to such a decision, I'm sure. Passing on the company, sorting out business. It's just, he does so love his house, so."

"So he had it reconstructed. I see, if it wasn't for those circumstances, he probably wouldn't move out to the sticks like this."

But, Tatsumi said. "It is indeed a small place but, it seems to be to everybody's liking. The Lady is very happy that there's a hospital. Although, we do have a doctor, but."

"A doctor? In the house?"

"Yes. He is an elderly gentleman called Ebuchi-san, but. He passed on his hospital to his son and had retired some time ago. The gentleman sees to the care of the Madame and the young lady. He doubles as the young lady's home-tutor in a way as well, kind of."

"How old's the young lady?"

"She is thirteen. Technically she would be a first year middle school student but, with her illness, school is generally, well, you know."

Yeah, Toshio mumbled.

"But, even if we have a doctor, it isn't as if we have the equipment. If she suddenly takes a turn for the worse and her illness becomes a matter of life and death, it's reassuring to have a hospital so nearby. Actually, when we'd heard from Takemura-san that there was a hospital here, it seems the decision to move was sealed."

"That's a heavy responsibility on me," Toshio said with a strained smile. "I'll take care to study up."

"We'll be depending on you."

"Then, there's the three in the family, you the servant, a doctor, summing up to five people?"

"There's one housekeeper. A sum of six people."

Hmm, Toshio hummed as Seishin looked to his wristwatch and stood.

"Then, I must be going. I have work to do."

Toshio explained to Tatsumi who looked up questioningly. "We had a death in the village. So he'll have to head off to the funeral. On the way to saying my condolences, I thought I'd stop in on the surviving younger sister. She is an old girl, she's sure to be feeling down."

Well then, said Tatsumi standing up quickly. "My apologies. Keeping you caught up in talk."

"It's fine. If you're all right with this kind of cheap tea, come in to drink again."

Thank you, Tatsumi said bowing his head. He showed a very cheerful smile as he spoke. "I'll have to be getting back too! Sorry again for the intrusion!"