C18

Chapter 18: The Mind's Examination

In front of the hospital reception.

His mother took an envelope out of her bag.

"Please."

Handing over the referral letter given by the internal medicine department where they had visited yesterday, its contents were checked, and the reception procedures proceeded smoothly.

"Since it's your first visit today, it might take a little time."

"Yes."

His mother nodded.

Beside her, Reo waited quietly.

A place different from yesterday...

Even in the same hospital, the department they were seeing today was different.

Psychosomatic medicine.

It wasn't that he didn't know the name.

He had the recognition that it was a place where people carrying psychological distress went for consultation.

Yet, he had thought it was a place with no relation to himself.

(I don't know what will be checked.)

However, thinking about it wouldn't give the current him any answers. Reo stopped digging any deeper and decided to look only at the situation right in front of him.

"Please wait in the waiting room."

Following the receptionist's guidance, the two moved to the chairs.

◇

The psychosomatic waiting room was a calmer space than he had imagined.

Bathed in white and pale colors, quiet music played softly in the background.

The chairs were also arranged so that people's gazes wouldn't easily meet, and strangely, the presence of other people didn't bother him.

There was a sense of consideration designed to let everyone spend their time quietly—people glancing down at their smartphones, people reading books, people sitting with their eyes closed quietly—almost no one turned gazes toward each other, and very little talking could be heard as each quietly passed their own time.

Reo looked around and gazed blankly at the figures of the people waiting.

His mother sat beside him without saying anything, not forcing conversation as she waited quietly.

After a while, a voice echoed from reception.

"Reo Tachibana-san."

As Reo stood up, his mother followed and rose from her seat.

Ahead of where they were guided, a single examination room came into view.

His mother opened the door and proceeded before the doctor waiting beyond. Thus, Reo's examination quietly began.

◇

His neatly trimmed hair was mixed with a few strands of white, hinting at his age, yet his gentle eyes and calm expression carried a strangely unconstrained atmosphere that made Reo naturally unburden his shoulders.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Fumito Kawahira, the doctor in charge."

It was a calm voice.

Kawahira bowed softly toward the two of them.

"Reo Tachibana."

Reo returned a short greeting as well.

"Thank you."

Kawahira nodded softly, as if to put them at ease.

"First, would it be alright if I listened to some things with just Reo-kun and me for a bit? I'll also want to confirm a few things with Mom later, so I'll ask again then."

His mother directed her gaze toward Reo and nodded quietly.

"Understood."

Giving Reo one more look, she hid the worry lingering on her face and left the examination room without a word.

The door closed. Before long, the returned silence left only the presence of two people in the room.

Kawahira prompted Reo to sit in the chair, then seated himself on the opposite side.

On the desk sat a medical chart and a pen.

Yet, he didn't start asking questions right away.

A few seconds.

He observed Reo's appearance.

(...Hmm, he's calmer than I expected.)

Patients visiting psychosomatic medicine for the first time often show strong anxiety or tension. But the boy before him showed little change in expression.

(There's no need to forcefully try to ease his tension.)

Without rushing, Kawahira carefully chose his words.

"Thanks for coming today. It's your first time here, and I'm sure there are things hard to talk about, but you don't have to force yourself to talk about everything, okay? Take your time, and let's check your current state together."

Reo gave a small nod.

Seeing that reaction, Kawahira picked up his pen.

"Well then, let's check a few things."

He dropped his gaze to the chart.

"How did you spend your time after returning from the hospital yesterday?"

Reo answered shortly.

"I was lying down in my room."

Kawahira nodded once and dropped his gaze to the chart.

The pen moved quietly.

"Were you able to sleep last night?"

"Yes."

The response was short.

He didn't immediately move to the next question.

Dropping his gaze to the chart, he took a brief note.

(He's able to converse and answer. Though, whether he's choosing his words carefully or simply doesn't have the bandwidth to talk much yet... I'll need to watch and see a bit more.)

"Can I also ask you a bit about before your physical condition broke down? Do you remember around when it was that you last slept properly?"

Reo paused for a moment.

"About 4 days ago."

Kawahira's pen stopped for a split second.

(4 days... No, since he slept yesterday, if you only look at the period he couldn't sleep, it's close to 3 days. To brush this off as mere sleep deprivation is a slightly concerning state. It's possible the burden on his mind and body is heavier than he himself realizes.)

Without changing his expression, Kawahira looked at Reo.

"During that time, you mean you were hardly sleeping at all?"

"Yes."

Reo answered matter-of-factly.

Kawahira gave a small nod.

"I see..."

Kawahira's voice was quiet.

It was a voice that calmly accepted Reo's words, as if organizing them.

(He's able to speak calmly. He can answer questions...)

Even so, people cannot be fully understood just by what is visible on the surface.

Kawahira continued recording.

"Were you able to eat?"

"Yes."

"Was your appetite any different from usual?"

"Normal."

Kawahira nodded slightly.

"How do you usually spend your time at home?"

"Playing games in my room."

"I see."

Kawahira simply nodded once. He didn't try to forcefully pull words out of him. Whether he didn't want to talk, or didn't feel the need to talk—he still lacked enough information to judge.

"Let's change the subject a bit."

With that, he lifted his face from the chart.

"Can you also tell me about school?"

Reo's gaze moved slightly.

Kawahira caught that change.

(The boy who had barely moved until now just wavered for the first time.)

Still, he didn't step any further than that.

"Right now, do you feel like going to school?"

"I don't want to go."

It was an answer without a shred of hesitation.

Kawahira nodded softly, as if reassuring him.

"I see."

Accepting Reo's answer as it was, he didn't immediately ask for a reason, but after a slight pause, continued quietly.

"Did something happen at school?"

Watching Reo's demeanor, Kawahira added the words mildly.

"If it's something you don't want to talk about, you don't have to force yourself, alright? But to understand your current state, it would help if you could share as much as you're comfortable with."

◇

(Something happened at school...?)

...Could it be

Has the story about the fake confession already reached the school side?

Did someone in the class talk?

Or did it spread through a different channel?

I don't know...

Only, considering the reason Mom dragged him all the way to a psychosomatic clinic, that possibility was entirely plausible. If it were just losing physical health from lack of sleep, it should have ended at the internal medicine department. If there were another reason strong enough to warrant recommending psychosomatic medicine... something might have been communicated from the school side.

(Thinking about it that way, it also explains how I got connected to psychosomatic medicine without being questioned about the reason for my sleep deprivation... right?)

Does that mean while I was absorbed in the event, the problem of the fake confession progressed in a place I knew nothing about?

Reo organized the information inside his head.

And then—

"......I was confessed to."