“Which one should I choose?”
After thinking for a while, I picked up a cream puff and took it to the register.
Once I paid, I walked down the usual path and arrived at the familiar hospital room.
“Sarah, I’m coming in.”
I knocked and called out, and I heard a response, “Okay!”
“It’s been a while, Sarah.”
I entered the room and greeted her after a long time.
“It’s been a while, big bro. How have you been?”
Sarah was reclining on the patient’s bed as usual, smiling at me.
“That’s what I should be asking. Well, yeah, I’ve been good. Sorry I couldn’t come recently. I’ve been a little busy. Here, this is my apology.”
While placing my bag in the corner of the room, I put the cream puff I had just bought on the table.
Sarah’s eyes lit up immediately. She reached for the cream puff on the table, quickly opened the bag, and began preparing to eat.
“Big bro, when did you become so thoughtful?! Ah, I know! You’ve got a girlfriend! That’s why you’ve been busy. I wonder what kind of person she is…”
Sarah got excited on her own and couldn’t contain her enthusiasm as she took a bite of the cream puff.
“I don’t have a girlfriend. After I went out of my way to be kind to you, this is the thanks I get? I won’t bring you anything next time.”
“Ah! Sorry! Please don’t stop bringing stuff! So, um, is the reason you’ve been busy because of that?”
She glanced over at my bag, and after a little sway, it tipped forward.
“…”
“…”
Today, I came directly here from the dungeon, which meant I had brought the bag with cucumbers in it.
“…Well, I guess it’s fine since it’s you.”
I decided to come clean.
“Huh? What’s fine?”
“I’m going to show you what’s in this bag, but don’t make a fuss. It’ll be a hassle if anyone else finds out.”
“Eh, what? Is it something bad?”
If word got out about the cucumber, it would definitely cause trouble. But legally, it’s not prohibited, so it’s not like I or the cucumber would be arrested or killed.
As long as I don’t cause any unnecessary commotion, I don’t think I’ll have to deal with the police… probably.
“Okay, cucumber, come on out.”
I opened the zipper of the bag and pulled out the cucumber. Holding its round belly in both hands, I placed it near Sarah.
“What’s this cute, squishy thing?!”
“It’s called Cucumber. Probably a dragon. I found it the other day.”
“You found it… where?”
“Huh? Under a bridge.”
“Is that seriously a thing?!”
Sarah exaggerated her surprise, using her hands.
“Well, technically I didn’t ‘find’ it. One rainy day, it was under the bridge starving, so I gave it a cucumber I bought on sale at the supermarket. Then it followed me home.”
“Is that why you named it that?”
“Yeah.”
“…Big bro, you have a lot of moments like that, don’t you?”
Sarah spoke with a tone of disbelief. I felt utterly ridiculed.
“What do you mean by that?”
“You know, you just randomly put weird things in your pockets, or you put stuff in your mouth even if you can’t eat it… don’t you remember?”
“…”
I couldn’t deny it, so I just stayed silent.
“Sigh… I’m not trying to say anything about it. I just want you to live the way you want. Fortunately, Dad, who’s been missing, has been sending money for my hospital bills every month, so I won’t drag you down. Honestly, you can leave me alone… no, wait, that’d be lonely, so come by sometimes.”
“You don’t have to worry, I’m already living however I want.”
Sarah gave me a doubtful look.
How much does she not trust me? I’m still your brother, you know?
“Big bro—”
Sarah’s words were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Mr. Ishiguro, it’s time for your injection.”
The nurse bowed and began preparing. Since I had already hidden the cucumber back in my bag when the nurse approached, they didn’t act suspiciously at all.
“Well, I’ll be going home now.”
I left the room with a final “See you.”
“Maybe I’ll bring something next time.”
Since Sarah must be going through a lot with her treatments, I thought it might be nice to bring something for her as a little comfort every now and then.
I didn’t know that this would be the last time I would see Sarah in this hospital room as I walked down the white hallway, still debating whether I should get pudding or jelly next.
