A few days ago, the attempted assassination of Togawa Sakiko, the eldest daughter of the Togawa main family, sent dangerous ripples through the financial world.
The outside world had no knowledge of the details of that terrifying moment. But that very afternoon, Togawa Sadaharu, the current head of the Togawa conglomerate, obtained permission for 'Adjudication' after concluding a meeting with an influential figure.
The investigation and execution of 'Adjudication' were naturally handled by the subordinates of that influential figure, and only his direct orders would prevent other observing forces from raising any objections.
The assassination attempt was quickly classified as a conspiracy orchestrated by several core executives within the Togawa branch family, who had long harbored ill intentions towards the main family and coveted its power.
Immediately following this, a swift purge targeting the Togawa branch family began. The masterminds of the assassination, along with all participants and those with knowledge of it, regardless of their status, were completely eliminated within days, erased from reality.
The matter thus returned to peace.
============
The smell of disinfectant wafted into his nostrils.
Yuutenji Minoru snapped his eyes open, the blinding white light instantly making him dizzy. Intense pain surged through his limbs like a tide, causing him to let out a painful groan.
"Am I… alive?"
This thought, tinged with the bewilderment of having survived a catastrophe, dispersed his dizziness. He struggled to get up, but his body felt as heavy as lead, completely unresponsive.
His gaze moved downwards with difficulty—
What met his eyes were arms and legs encased in thick plaster casts. Several electrode pads, pulled off during his unconscious struggles, lay scattered on the pristine white sheets, their connecting wires dangling limply.
"That car that rushed over…"
"Was I enveloped by Chance, and ultimately, by chance, got into a car accident?"
Confused fragments of memory assailed him.
He remembered the dazzling headlights, the deafening crash, the tearing pain as his body flew through the air… With that degree of impact, how could he have only suffered fractures? And still be awake?
"Surprised?"
A calm, gentle voice suddenly echoed in the quiet hospital room.
Minoru sharply turned his head, the movement pulling at his injuries, causing him to gasp in pain.
Beside the bed stood a young doctor in a clean white coat.
He was tall and slender, with slightly disheveled brown curly hair, and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His eyes, behind the lenses, were curved in a gentle smile. His hands were casually tucked into the pockets of his white coat, his posture relaxed.
Minoru swore he had never seen this face before. But the moment their eyes met, an indescribable sense of familiarity coursed through his entire body like an electric current.
That feeling… it was a mix of unforgettable agony, boundless despair, and… at the end of that abyss, the only starlight-like salvation he had grasped!
That deeply buried, indelible memory was instantly activated.
"Yuutenji…" The young doctor leaned slightly closer, his voice still calm.
"Are you happy now?"
These words were like the final key unlocking the memory box.
"It… it's you!" Minoru's voice was hoarse and trembling, the immense excitement and disbelief making him desperately try to prop himself up.
It was that voice, the person who had pulled him back from the brink of hell!
Although his appearance was completely different, this feeling could not be wrong!
A slender, steady hand gently pressed against his bandaged forehead, stopping the young man's futile struggles.
The touch carried a familiar, reassuring warmth, instantly calming his intense emotional fluctuations.
"Don't move, your injuries require rest."
The "doctor's" tone carried a hint of imperceptible reproach, yet it conveyed even more concern.
The warmth from the fingertips, however, strangely evoked the twists and turns Yuutenji Minoru had experienced on his journey. Tears could no longer be held back, streaming down his cheeks.
The doctor's gaze swept over him and landed on another bed against the wall in the hospital room.
On that bed lay a man.
His all-black attire formed a stark contrast with the pristine white sheets. He was eerily still, motionless, his chest showing no rise or fall, like a carefully placed, soulless husk.
"This time, I originally intended to take you away."
The doctor's gaze returned to Minoru's face, and he smiled blandly.
"However… there's a suitable substitute now."
A substitute?
Minoru followed his gaze to the man in black, his heart filled with confusion. But at this moment, his mind was completely consumed by the excitement of reunion and his benefactor's words, leaving him no time to ponder.
"Yuutenji," the doctor's voice softened even more, like a breeze sweeping across the heart, "go find happiness."
He lowered his head slightly, his gaze behind the lenses seeming to penetrate the depths of Yuutenji Minoru's soul, carrying a compassion that understood past suffering.
"This time, don't get lost."
Minoru had a lump in his throat, a thousand words in his heart that he couldn't express.
Finally, under the doctor's calm yet immensely powerful gaze, Minoru only nodded forcefully, sobbing.
============
The hospital room door gently closed behind him, shutting out the suppressed sobs from within.
The corridor lights were cold white and bright, illuminating the doctor's young, gentle face.
The compassionate warmth on his face receded like a tide, returning to a cold calmness.
He very naturally pulled out a hard-shelled folder with slightly worn edges from his white coat pocket—it was clearly not his own.
He skillfully opened it, ignoring the complex medical records at the front, and his fingertip quickly slid to the last page with contact information.
He took out an unmarked, inexpensive mobile phone, and, matching the number, precisely pressed the dial button.
The phone rang only twice before being quickly answered, and a middle-aged woman's voice, clearly tired, came through the receiver:
"Moshi moshi? This is…"
"Hello, Chihaya-san, isn't it?"
The doctor's voice instantly switched, becoming gentle, professional, and possessing a strange magic that could soothe people's hearts.
"This is Tokyo University Hospital…"
There was a clear pause on the other end of the phone, followed by more rapid breathing.
"Ye-yes! Doctor? Is Yuutenji-san…"
"Please rest assured, Chihaya-san."
The doctor's voice was steady and reassuring, like an injection of a tranquilizer into a panicked heart.
"I'm calling to give you good news. Yuutenji Minoru has just regained consciousness and woken up."
"Yes, Chihaya-san. Please rest assured, his vital signs are stable, he is conscious, and currently appears to have no severe neurological sequelae. Although he will need some time to recover, his overall condition is very optimistic."
The doctor's voice was like a gentle spring breeze, patiently soothing the other party's anxiety.
"You can find a convenient time, such as tomorrow afternoon during visiting hours, to come to the hospital to see him. There's no need to be too nervous; what he needs now is rest and positive emotions."
"This is what we should do. Please don't blame yourself too much, it was an accident."
The doctor gently comforted her again, understanding the driver's unease and guilt—even though all investigations indicated that the accident was entirely not her fault. It was the unconscious Yuutenji Minoru, as if driven by some invisible force, who suddenly rushed towards her car.
"…My name?"
The other end of the phone seemed to cautiously inquire about the doctor's name.
Upon hearing this, the young doctor gently pinched the plastic name tag pinned to his chest. He lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling on the clearly printed black text on the name tag.
"I am Kujou…"
He clearly, syllable by syllable, pronounced the unfamiliar surname.
"Kujou Akira."
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