The First Patient.

Ren arrived at Takemi's clinic early the next day. Under Takemi's careful supervision, he spent roughly an hour undergoing various checkups and testing different medications.

After concluding their session, Takemi placed a blood sample into a machine, leaning back with a rare, contented smile on her face. 

"Everything's moving along better than expected. I've developed a less potent prototype of the medication. Now, it's just a matter of refining the formula.  Soon enough, we'll finally be able to cure Miwa." Takemi said with some excitement and a surprisingly warm smile on her usually stoic face.

"What's Miwa like?" Ren asked, which only increased the warmth in Takemi's smile.

"She's a sweet kid. She used to be full of energy, but she always made sure to follow any directions. She said she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up to help other people who were sick like her… Which is honestly pretty similar to how I became a doctor." she shared with a trace of nostalgia in her voice.

However, Takemi quickly redirected her focus back to Ren.

"I guess I probably have my dear Guinea Pig to thank for, no? I just so happened to have lucked into the only person in Japan with freakish blood. I'll make sure to take you over to meet her once she recovers. Knowing her, she'll probably want to thank you herself." she said, her tone lighthearted yet sincere.

Moving towards her medicine cabinet, Takemi began rummaging for something. 

"You mentioned wanting to learn more about medical procedures, right? I've ordered various supplies for you to practice with. For starters, stitching can be quite simple, especially if you're already skilled at sewing," she explained, pulling out several items.

Before she could continue, an urgent knock on the exam room door interrupted them.

Takemi and Ren emerged into the waiting area to find a distressed father and his young daughter, who was visibly in pain, holding her chest.

"Doctor, please, I need your help! My daughter was diagnosed with bronchitis, but the medicine they gave her hasn't helped her at all." the father explained urgency in his voice.

Takemi hesitated, taken aback by the situation.

"I'm sorry, a larger hospital might be better equipped for a comprehensive evaluation. I cannot provide a thorough examination here." 

Yet, the father's desperation only intensified.

"Please. She has a fever, and she hasn't been able to eat properly in days. She is starting to lose weight from not eating. And when I took her to the bigger hospital, they weren't able to help her at all.  They have a famous doctor doing the examinations like he is on an assembly line, and all he did was recommend that we keep using the medication."

A wave of conflict crossed Takemi's face upon hearing this. Ren looked at her, and he could tell that deep down she wanted to, but she was holding herself back.

As Takemi struggled with her decision, the sound of the girl's pained groan cut through the hesitation. Takemi paused, clearly battling with her conscience until Ren intervened.

He knelt beside the young girl, offering a reassuring smile.

"It's okay. Dr. Takemi will take care of you. She might seem a bit intimidating, but she's really kind," he reassured, lightening the mood momentarily until a coughing fit overtook the girl.

"That… fine. Alright, let's see what we can do," Takemi finally conceded, shifting seamlessly into her professional role. 

She knelt beside Ren, gently engaging the girl. She asked questions to her father, careful not to stress the girl further. 

After a brief examination and dialogue with the father, Takemi's expression melded into one of determination mixed with concern. 

Her face was slightly conflicted as she spoke up to her father.

"I believe I've pinpointed the problem. We have a couple of options. One is a medication that can lessen the symptoms, allowing us to observe and adjust treatment as needed. The other option is more radical—a treatment I've been developing. It's experimental but could potentially offer a cure."

The father's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope at her words.

"Really? Do you know what it is? What is the medicine?"

"It appears to be a unique strain of an infectious condition. The medication I've been working on was originally designed for another disease, but I believe it could be effective here too. However, I must stress it's still in the experimental phase."

The father's internal struggle was palpable, caught between hope and apprehension until Takemi's voice broke the silence.

"I might have been premature in mentioning the experimental treatment. We can start with the standard symptom-suppressing medication." she suggested, turning to Ren to ask him to grab it.

But the father hesitated, then voiced his deeper fear. 

"Do you…. Do you really think that the experimental one would work? If there's a chance the experimental treatment could truly help her, I... I can't stand by and watch her suffer any longer, knowing we didn't try everything."

Takemi paused, weighing her words carefully. 

"I do believe it should work. However, the treatment will be intensely uncomfortable for a moment. It's brief but necessary for the medicine to work."

After a moment of contemplation, the father gave a solemn nod of agreement.

"Ren, could you assist her to the bed?" Takemi instructed before she hurried to prepare everything needed for the administration of the medicine.

Ren gently guided the young girl to the clinic bed and then assisted Takemi in setting it up. The girl's discomfort was evident, escalating until Takemi carefully produced a crimson vial and syringe.

"This will be tough for a bit, but I need you to be very brave, okay?" Takemi reassured her with a compassionate tone, enlisting the father's help to keep the girl still during the injection.

As Takemi administered the medicine, her concentration was palpable. She observed the young girl wince and make a series of soft grunts of discomfort, an intense focus etched on Takemi's face. Soon, the girl's expression eased, her breathing steadied, and she slipped into unconsciousness, a serene calmness washing over her.

Beside her, the girl's father watched anxiously. Takemi meticulously monitored her patient, prepared for any unexpected reactions. However, the situation remained stable, with no unforeseen complications appearing.

Takemi, fully absorbed in her patient's care, frequently enlisted Ren's help for various tasks, from fetching to cleaning the medical tools. As the minutes ticked into an hour of vigilant observation, the girl began to awaken. 

Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing a momentary confusion as she took in her surroundings, and then her gaze found her father.

"Dad?" Her voice was soft, laced with uncertainty.

Her father leaned in closer, his voice laced with worry. 

"Yuki, how do you feel? Is there still pain?"

With deliberate slowness, Yuki placed a hand over her chest, inhaled deeply, and then exhaled. A moment of silence passed as she assessed her condition.

"No… it doesn't hurt anymore." she finally answered, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

The relief on the father's face was palpable as he embraced Yuki, a moment of pure joy between them. But soon, his concern shifted.

"How much do I owe for the treatment?" he asked, turning towards Takemi.

Takemi, momentarily lost in thought, redirected the conversation with a question of her own. 

"Just out of curiosity, who was her previous doctor?"

The father, puzzled by the inquiry, replied. 

"Shoichi Oyamada."

A knowing smile quickly spread across Takemi's face. 

"Is that so? Then consider the treatment on the house," she declared, a hint of mischief in her laughter.

"Are you sure?" The father was taken aback by her generosity. 

Takemi confirmed with a nod. 

"Please, just come by for a check-up every few days or if any symptoms reappear."

After a brief conversation with the father and daughter, they departed, leaving Ren and Takemi alone in the clinic.

Ren couldn't suppress a chuckle at Takemi's visibly lifted spirits.

"The medicine worked…" She said with a satisfied smile. "I knew it was supposed to work, but it is an entirely different thing to seeing it in action. Not only that, but it worked on that bastard's patient, which means I treated his patient without their permission." 

"How did it feel to treat a patient other than your resident Guinea Pig?" Ren asked with a joking tone as he saw Takemi's smile.

Takemi offered a playful roll of her eyes at the question.

"Not too bad, though I could do without my Guinea Pig playing my spokesperson," she retorted, her attempt at feigned annoyance dissolving into a smile. "But perhaps I'll let it slide this time, considering their usual cooperativeness."

The conversation took a more serious turn as Ren sat down, revisiting a previously untouched topic.

"You mentioned you didn't want to talk about it before, but I assume the boss that kicked you out of your research is that Oyamada guy, no?"

The lightness faded from Takemi's expression, replaced by both sadness and anger.

"Yes, he wanted the credit for discovering the cure. So, he took over at the most critical point and rushed the process. Because it got rushed, the medicine ended up not working and instead put Miwa in a coma." Takemi said as a frown began to form on her face.

"Damn," Ren responded.

"The bastard took over and hurt my patient. Then, he quickly pushed all of the blame onto me since I was the lead developer before. So I lost my reputation, got fired, and ended up here—in a small clinic with the title of 'the plague.'" 

It was clear that Takemi had a lot of anger and resentment for the man, yet her expression became softer as she continued.

"But maybe it's all for the best. I'm on the brink of a real breakthrough now. This medicine... it's nothing short of miraculous. If it can cure Miwa, everything I've endured will have been worth it."

"I'm glad I could help. Based on how much you care about her, she must really be something special." Ren said

Takemi seemed to drift into contemplation at Ren's words, her expression thoughtful. After a brief pause, she turned to Ren with a curious intensity. 

"Hey, Ren…. What are you?"

Ren was taken aback and unsure how to respond. 

"What do you mean?"

"Your blood... it's different every time you come here. Since the first time you came here after being attacked by your teacher, I have gotten something different every time I drew your blood." Takemi explained.

"Today, it was even more impressive than last time. Honestly, the only reason I was able to get the medicine to a working state today was that change. So, what are you?" She asked, her eyes focusing on Ren's.

Ren opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. There was a moment of silence as Ren tried to figure out the best way to answer the question until Takemi spoke up again.

"Well, I guess that doesn't matter. What matters is that you were willing to help me. So, from now on, this will be our little secret, my guinea pig. Just don't go giving your blood to anyone else if you don't want to get caught."

~Confidants~

Tae Takemi (The Death) Rank 4