By A Slight Mistake Chapter 32

Translator: Silver Editor: Namorax

「32 (Suwa Iori's Viewpoint- Part Two)」

When I learned Sagara had regained consciousness, I immediately went to the hospital.

However, only relatives were allowed to visit her.

I was stopped at the entrance of her hospital room after I was told she was mentally and physically stable, the memory of the incident stopping me from pressing the issue.

Considering that I was afraid my mother might kill me if I didn't apologize, it was somewhat anticlimactic that I didn't even see her.

The problems continued after that.

While I was updated on her condition, and that it was possible that she would recover, I was forbidden from seeing Sagara.

Even though I when to the hospital multiple times, I wasn't allowed to see her.

At the end of the day, I was told that her family wouldn't take time away from Sagara's recovery to listen to my empty apology.

When I asked why I wasn't allowed to apologize, they responded by asking what I was there to apologize for?

I couldn't answer that question, I'd merely though apologizing would've been enough.

I barely managed to say, 『I'm going to apologize for involving her in this incident』, but that was met with a deep sigh.

Everyone said I didn't know anything.

The incident was well known even at school, some people were happy that I was safe while others outright condemned me.

When Okabe, who'd been absent for several days after the incident, returned to school I tried speaking with him.

I wasn't the only one who had that idea though, as he was swarmed by people looking for answers.

But… Okabe said nothing to me.

No. He treated me as if I didn't exist.

Even if we pa.s.sed each other, he didn't even acknowledge my existence.

Given his rough temperament, I expected him to stare holes into the back of my head or receive a beating from him.

My head told me I should accept his punishment, regardless of what was done to me personally.

However, to be completely ignored was unexpected.

Even as I heard rumors of Sagara beginning rehabilitation, I was still forbidden from visiting her each time I visited the hospital.

Why was she going out of her way not to see me.

My attempts to apologize were met with rudeness.

That thought crossed my mind.

However, my mother wouldn't allow me to give up.

I later learned that my parents arranged to pay for Mizuki's treatment, offered to reserve spots in the most modern medical facilities, and brought in the best doctors in an attempt to ease the Sagara's wrath.

The unity of the Sagara family was well known, and they were in full-blown crisis mode after their princess was hospitalized. Rumors around the Sagara severing all ties with Suwa's business sent legitimate fears of bankruptcy throughout the board of directors.

The Sagara had dealt a significant blow to the Suwa family with rumors alone, even though the contracts were still being upheld.

If they were to withdraw for real, mother was afraid that it the Suwa would never recover from such a blow.

Furthermore, as the next head of the family, I would be held partially responsible for it.

If things continued as they were, the situation would only get worse once I took over.

I fully understood that.

The fact that I was sent away every time I tried to apologize was a sign of things to come.

I didn't know what to do.

One day, when I stopped by the hospital on my way home, it was my father that blocked my path.

I hadn't seen much of my father since the incident.

“Iori, I'll take you to see Mizuki-san. However, you can't talk to her. You can only view her from afar. Understand?”

I didn't know what he meant.

However, I could finally meet Sagara.

Since I had to see her, I nodded my head

I would grow to regret that choice.

Within the depths of the hospital's ground floor.

The rehabilitation center was located in this place.

It was set up there for ease of access and to prevent prying eyes from seeing the patients.

There seemed to be a way to get to the center without pa.s.sing through the receptionist area.

I listened to our guide's explanation as father and I followed after him.

“The rehabilitation area is off limits to everyone but authorized personnel. We'll be in the observation room next to the area, but don't raise your voice or make any loud noises. The patients here are already on edge, and they don't need any unnecessary stress.”

That was the request asked of us.

I thought it was presumptuous of him to make demands of the Suwa family, but I remained silent at father's prompting.

We pa.s.sed by the rehabilitation center before entering an inconspicuous door at the end of the hall.

There was one large gla.s.s window in the dimly lit room, the remaining walls were made of concrete.

Even though we were next door, no one in the rehabilitation area seemed to notice us in here.

“Is it a one-way mirror?”

Father answered my question in a whisper.

“Yes, that's right. We're only checking on one patient's progress. Because this relates to privacy, promise you won't divulge what you see here.”

“Of course.”

I answered him immediately.

“So, where's Sagara?”

I couldn't find anyone that remotely looked like Sagara Mizuki.

There were two children present, but both of them were boys.

One of them was in a wheelchair.

“That is Mizuki-chan.”

The guide pointed to the boy in the wheelchair that looked nothing like Saraga.

He lacked the plump cheeks and silky smooth long hair that Saraga was known for.

The boy was so thin he looked to be suffering from malnutrition.

“You lie, that can't be Sagara.”

“No. That is Sagara Mizuki's current state.”

The guide calmly reb.u.t.ted my denial.

“She was in critical condition for more than a week and was comatose for several days. Because she was dependent on an IV during that time she naturally lost weight. Since it wasn't possible to receive nourishment from proper meals her body began to feed on itself to sustain the healing process. After an extended period of not eating, the act itself becomes painful because the stomach is incapable of carrying out its functions. Therefore, food can only be given in small amounts.”

Was he responsible for this wing of the hospital or a doctor with other qualifications?

The man went on to explain Sagara's current condition.

“Her level of activity changes the size of her meals and the energy distribution. By training her weakened muscles, we can s.h.i.+ft the balance away from her broken bones.”

Father's expression remained unchanged, making it clear that he and perhaps the Sagara family had heard all of this multiple times.

However, my gaze remained locked on Sagara.

She slowly rose out of the wheelchair.

Another boy was there supporting her.

It was Okabe.

Even in this place, he remained by her side.

Although I couldn't meet with her, Okabe was right there with her.

It was extremely annoying.

I watched as Sagara and Okabe made their way over to a set of chest-high handrails.

After a few steps, Okabe placed Sagara's arm, which he'd been supporting, on the handrail.

The pair talked about something before he walked to the opposite side of the handrails.

I could only see her back from this angle.

A cus.h.i.+oned mat was laid out at Sagara's feet.

“What's that for?”

I asked what the two of them were doing.

“It's walking training. Because her right femur suffered multiple fractures, it took a long time to set the bones fragments. The effect that injury had on her meant that we couldn't start walking training until the other day.”

“Just walking?”

“Yes. It's just walking.”

“You consider that training?”

I couldn't wrap my head around relearning how to walk.

Walking was something that didn't even need to think about.

The guide smiled wryly when that thought crossed my mind.

“It seems you've never had a broken leg.”

“Yes.”

“That's good. Mizuki-chan had the largest bone in her leg, which supports her entire body, shattered into pieces. Naturally, it's impossible to walk with half of the required mechanisms out of commission, which in turn leads to muscle atrophy. Currently, Mizuki-chan can't stand under her own power.”

“No way!!”

I immediately denied what he said.

But father struck down my comment as quickly as I spoke it.

“It's true. This is the result of what you did. Take a good look.”

“…… I'm not the one that left Sagara in this condition. Those kidnappers that tried to take s.h.i.+ori are to blame!”

“It's you who got your benefactor involved. See for yourself why the Sagara family doesn't want your anywhere near Mizuki-chan.”

He grabbed my shoulder hand pushed me forward.

Sagara held onto the handrails as she took a clumsy step forward.

It was a slow process.

This couldn't be the Sagara who elegantly strode everywhere she went.

Her efforts didn't last long.

Sagara collapsed the moment she tried to put any weight on her right foot.

“Augh!!”

I winced in spite of myself.

Sagara, with only her left hand as a support, rose to a sitting position.

Okabe didn't move to help her.

Sagara grabbed hold of the handrail and lifted herself up.

That act alone took a considerable amount of time.

She was left gasping for air.

Once she caught her breath, Saraga raised her head and revealed a determined expression.

Even while drenched in sweat, she took a few steps, fell and rose again to take a couple more steps.

No matter how many times she fell, Okabe didn't step in to help.

“Why aren't you doing anything, Okabe!?”

There were other patients in the rehabilitation center.

Some of them had mild reactions.

No one seemed to care whenever Sagara fell.

“It's because this is training.”

A calm voice told me that.

“To be honest, none of the staff thought that Mizuki-chan could handle this rehabilitation program. I figured she would've given up a long time ago. She couldn't stand, walk, or move the way she wanted. I have no idea how much pain she's in. Mizuki-chan is a so-called young lady. I thought this would be unbearable for here. Yet, she betrayed all my expectation. She didn't complain or cry, she just stood up as many times as it took to finish her training. It's the same for Hayate-kun. He only tried to help Mizuki once, the first time she fell, but after Mizuki-chan refused to take his hand, he now takes that position and waits for Mizuki-chan to reach him. Both of them show a great degree of self-control.”

Our guide looked at my father as he spoke.

“They are junior high schoolers, they are only twelve years old. However, the pair of them are enduring something that most adults couldn't withstand. The girl who saved her friends was seriously injured and placed in a coma is now undergoing intensive rehabilitation.  There was a person who asked if they could cover this beautiful story. Do you think this is a nice story, Suwsan? Personally, I can't see the beauty in any of this. It's not easy. When I saw that blood-covered girl being carried in, I felt ashamed that she couldn't be saved. Of course, I did everything within my power to save her, but I could do nothing but leave it to fate. However, Mizuki chose to live. Right now, she is fighting to live. She's the young lady who's supposed to be living a good life, isn't she? Can people really find amus.e.m.e.nt in seeing her struggle with tooth and nail?”

“……The Suwa family will deal with that reporter.”

“I pray you do so.”

The man with the name 『Higaki』on his nametag stared directly into my father's eyes.

This man had some nerve to threaten my family with a reporter.

I later learned that the company the reporter worked was bought and subsequently crushed by a branch family after he earned the Sagara family's ire.

That man was aware of what was happening and brought it to my father's attention.

After a series of falls Sagara finally reached the end of the handrail.

She lost her balance the moment she saw Okabe's smile.

This time Okabe moved.

His arms reached out and supported Sagara before she fell.

The two of them silently gazed into each other eyes before they started laughing.

She seemed strangely happy.

It was an expression she'd never shown me.

While laughing, Okabe grabbed a towel and began wiping off Sagara's sweat.

A man in a white coat, presumably the doctor, brought the wheelchair over to the pair.

In that way, Okabe knelt down and told Sagara something that made her laugh happily.

After doing a little victory pose, the two shared a high-five.

Then she did the same with the doctor.

Sagara's expression was radiant.

The lifeless husk she had previously appeared to be seemed to have been a lie.

The three of them left the room with smiles on their faces.

I was left speechless in the observation room.

It was far away.

I began to understand.

I couldn't apologize to Sagara as I was now.

An apology from me would be meaningless words for my own self-satisfaction.

The type of apology I need to give her required more than just words.

I could never apologize to Sagara.

I didn't have the right to apologize to Sagara until I became a person she acknowledged.

My father brought me here to make me understand that fact.

I bit my lip as I ran out of the hospital.

Sagara was discharged from the hospital six months later.

To gain her approval, I ran for student council president and nominated Guren as vice-president and Sagara as secretary upon my victory.

Those were the only positions the president could nominate people to fill, the rest were decided by election.

While I was prepared for her to refuse the position, Sagara accepted the role as secretary and worked alongside me.

Did she finally accept me?

That's what I thought until Guren informed me that the teachers were allowing her to make up for her extended absence by working on the student council.

Sagara always pointed out my blind spots during our time on the student council.

She didn't just point them out though, Sagara took the time to instruct me so that I improved.

The student council reached unprecedented approval ratings during our tenure.

People said it was the result of my leaders.h.i.+p, but it was mostly the result of following Sagara's suggestions.

No matter how much I struggled, I couldn't match Sagara.

I couldn't get her to recognize me.

Even so, other people continued to praise me.

What should I do?

Thing persisted in that manner until the spring break following my graduation from junior high.

s.h.i.+ori rejected me.

Even though I didn't properly confess, “Sorry, I only see you as a little brother, Iori.”, is what she told me.

I didn't understand why she said such a thing.

Why didn't feel the way I did?

Did she not want me by my side?

Why?

I began high school without control of my emotions and was surprised once again.

Sagara, who only spent time with Okabe, suddenly started conversing with Tachibana and Ariwara.

Why wasn't it me?

How come n.o.body choose me?

Have I not made an honest effort to gain her acknowledgment?

Sagara is always correct, so the fault laid with me.

What should I do?

I couldn't find the answer…