As soon as Chisato spoke those words, the air in the hospital room froze for a moment.
Youko averted her gaze from Chisato's face. It was clear that she hadn't expected such an answer, and as a result, she looked a bit uneasy.
Fortunately, a sound from the other side of the hospital room broke the awkward atmosphere.
Kazusa pushed open the door and walked out of the bathroom.
Seeing that her mother was awake, she quickly approached her.
"Mom, are you feeling unwell? Or do you want some water or something to eat?"
Youko shook her head and, almost imperceptibly, glanced at Chisato. She didn't mention what had just happened.
"I've been sleeping for so long that I feel groggy. Help me up so I can walk around a bit."
"But Dr. Takayanagi said you need bed rest and shouldn't go outside."
"Then I'll just walk around inside. I don't want to keep lying down anymore."
This time, Kazusa didn't refuse her mother's request.
She carefully lifted the blanket and supported Youko's back, helping her sit up.
Meanwhile, Chisato also came over to help, moving her legs to the side of the bed.
As he was crouching down to put slippers on her feet, Youko suddenly froze for some reason.
She first looked at her daughter, who was draping a coat over her, then lowered her gaze and stared at Chisato.
Her expression gradually became one of disbelief—mixed with something subtle and complex.
That expression, at first faint, became increasingly evident.
But the reason for it wasn't what had happened when she first woke up—the seemingly rude action Chisato had taken.
After all, he was the beloved boyfriend of her precious daughter. Maybe his actions just now were unintentional.
Perhaps a bug had landed on her lips in the hospital room…
No, that was unlikely. In a high-end hospital room like this, insects shouldn't appear. The place was sterilized and disinfected daily—there was no space for them to survive.
Then it was probably a piece of lint or something that had stuck to her lips, and Chisato had just reached out to remove it.
It just so happened that she woke up at that exact moment, leading to the misunderstanding.
In any case, even though Youko was already at the age of motherhood, she still had the tsundere heart of a young girl.
There was no way she would accept Chisato's so-called explanation about snoring.
But… What is happening now?
The heavy, suffocating pressure in her chest—was gone.
The constant, dull pain in her head had also vanished in an instant.
It felt like that exhilarating relief after a long, playful night during a vacation in Hawaii, waking up naturally the next morning, completely refreshed.
Not only that, but the areas where she had felt intense pain from the slightest touch—her shoulders and joints—were now completely free of discomfort.
To be honest, when she saw their movements, she had already prepared herself to grit her teeth and endure the pain so she wouldn't make them worried.
But in the end, she felt their gentle touch—without any pain at all.
It didn't hurt… at all.
Chisato had been so careful that when his fingers touched her ankle, she even felt a slight tickle.
"…Kazusa, Chisato, could you… let go for a moment?"
The unusual sensations she was experiencing made Youko widen her eyes in realization. A possibility crossed her mind.
Ever since she was diagnosed with leukemia, she had constantly fantasized about this possibility, wishing it could come true.
But she was a firm materialist. She understood that miracles born from imagination would never happen in this world—let alone to her.
Yet now, what she had longingly gazed out the window and daydreamed about countless times while lying on her hospital bed—had actually happened.
Her first reaction was shock. Then, she forcefully suppressed the excitement rising within her, eager to confirm it for herself.
But her reaction only made Kazusa worry. She hesitated before withdrawing her hands cautiously.
"Mom… did we hurt you?"
Youko shook her head.
"No, I just want to stand up by myself."
She didn't explain further. She wasn't in the mood for that right now—her full attention was on sensing her own body.
Once Chisato also stepped back, Youko pressed her hands against the bed. She took a deep, almost trembling breath, then moved her legs forward.
The moment her feet, clad in slippers, touched the ground, they felt steady. Then, engaging her leg muscles and core, she exerted a little force—and effortlessly stood up by the window.
Throughout the process, her body showed no issues.
Every organ and joint worked in perfect harmony. The parts that used to resist even the slightest movement with excruciating pain—didn't send back any negative signals at all.
Youko looked down and raised her hands. She curled her fingers into fists and opened them again, repeating the motion slowly and mechanically.
Even with the IV needle still inserted in her left hand, she ignored it.
"Mom…"
Kazusa anxiously stepped closer, wanting to say something but hesitating.
She didn't understand why her mother was acting so strangely all of a sudden. The expression on her face was too complicated to read.
Seeing this, Chisato finally felt completely at ease.
There was no doubt—the miracle drug had worked.
Youko no longer had to suffer from illness. And Kazusa no longer had to endure the sorrow and pain.
At that moment, the nurse pushed open the door and walked in. When she saw Youko standing straight beside the bed, she immediately rushed over in a panic.
"Touma-san! You shouldn't be getting out of bed in your condition!"
Youko snapped out of her thoughts and slowly took a deep breath.
She turned her head slightly—not responding to the nurse, but instead asking on her own,
"Is Dr. Takayanagi still in the hospital?"
The nurse was momentarily stunned. She had been caring for Youko for a while now.
But ever since she was hospitalized, not once had she seen her looking so full of energy, her complexion so healthy—her entire presence radiating vitality.
Could it be… that having family by her side had improved her mood?
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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