The first time I heard Kusanagi sing on the balcony, she was wearing this white tank top. Undergarments are very private and intimate things, and Kusanagi even bit me twice for it.
I stared intently for a few seconds.
Their relationship was really that good?
"Jian, you still have this shirt."
Inohara, with her long legs bare, was excited and happy. "But it's gotten loose. I'll get you a new one."
"Why are you wearing my pajamas?" Kusanagi frowned. "Take them off quickly."
"Isn't this the one I gave you? So you like it so much you even use it as pajamas."
Kusanagi's tone was flat. "This size is too big, so it can only be pajamas. I'm just too lazy to change."
"You're so contradictory," Inohara scoffed.
"..."
Inohara pulled out a dining chair, picked up a piece of red watermelon with her fork, and glanced at me intentionally or unintentionally. "Miss Nozawa, it must have been hard for you to prepare so much, and all of it Kusanagi's favorite."
I was startled and instinctively replied, "You're welcome."
"Hey, what are you standing there for? Come and eat," Kusanagi's cool hand tugged at me.
"Oh, okay." I came back to my senses, pulled out a chair, and sat down. I wasn't standing there blankly; I just didn't know what to do.
I always thought Kusanagi's friends were like Momozawa, cheerful and bright, who loved to laugh and play. Their way of teasing each other was also interesting. But this Inohara felt different.
She cared a lot about Kusanagi and was very aware of Kusanagi's physical condition, but her gaze at me always carried a sense of judgment, and a hint of unclear hostility was woven into it.
She deliberately mentioned that Kusanagi's pajamas were a gift from her. Is it bad to speculate about others like this?
I was sitting in the outermost seat, and Inohara was in the very middle. There was an empty seat between us. The dining table was square, so Kusanagi could only choose to sit next to one person, leaving the other separated.
Usually, the seat in the middle was always taken because it was closest to the kitchen stove. Now that Inohara occupied it, I naturally moved to the side.
Who would Kusanagi sit next to? I looked up.
Kusanagi naturally pulled out the chair next to me, casually crossed her legs, and said indifferently to Inohara across the table, "If I had known you were coming alone, I wouldn't have prepared so much. Let's reschedule the rehearsal for tomorrow. They both aren't free today, and we can't practice with just the two of us."
She sat next to me.
I took a sip of water, my eyes subtly lifting at the corners.
"Can't just the two of us practice?" Inohara's tone was imperious. "I'll do the drums, and you play the guitar and sing acapella."
"That's also possible," Kusanagi said. "We'll talk about it later."
"Let's eat first. Inohara-san hasn't had dinner yet, right?" I quickly pushed the most expensive dishes towards her. After all, she was a guest, and I couldn't be rude.
"I want sushi, Jian, help me pick some." Inohara didn't even lift an eyelid. Was she ignoring me?
Jian, this way of addressing her was both intimate and unique.
In Japan, names are extremely meaningful. The relationship between people can almost be judged by a name, and calling someone by their given name is a very intimate act.
The confusion and doubts in my heart grew a little stronger.
"No, get it yourself." Kusanagi glared at her impatiently. "Did you lose your hands or your feet?"
"I want to sit next to you." "Does it matter where you sit?"
After saying that, she occupied the seat to Kusanagi's left, and she and I squeezed Kusanagi in the middle, like two door gods. It was quite awkward.
"I want sushi rolls," Inohara insisted. She leaned against Kusanagi's shoulder, her apricot-colored long hair intertwining with Kusanagi's soft black short hair, a stark contrast that caught my eye.
Apricot hair is too flamboyant and prone to fading. Black hair looks better.
"What's gotten into you suddenly?" Kusanagi couldn't resist her and poked Inohara's face somewhat strangely. "Have you changed your personality?"
"Are you going to get it for me or not?" Inohara delivered her ultimatum.
..."Alright, what else do you want?" Kusanagi had no choice but to bite the bullet and do as she was told, picking several items for her with Inohara's chopsticks.
"I want this too, and that too."
I glimpsed it out of the corner of my eye, then silently averted my gaze.
I thought Inohara was a very aloof type, but it turns out she's so clingy in private. She's cold and beautiful in appearance, and she plays the drums—it's great to have a friend like that.
She even knew to use the other person's chopsticks, quite hygienic. And she poked her face, I think this girl was quite happy about it.
I used my fork to separate the fish, biting into it as if it were Kusanagi.
One bite wasn't enough, so I took another.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment. Only the clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard at the table. I chewed quietly, while Inohara beside me smugly picked up a piece of sushi and ate it with relish.
After Kusanagi finished picking food for Inohara, she turned and looked at me for a while, then said clearly, "Miss Nozawa, do you want sushi?"
"No, thank you." I didn't even lift my head.
"Hmm?" Kusanagi was a little surprised by my coldness, but she didn't get angry. She propped her chin and seemed lost in thought.
"Really not?" She seemed to have thought of something, with a hint of teasing in her tone.
"No." I can pick it myself, I don't need you.
Kusanagi still picked up a sushi roll with her fork and placed it in my bowl.
Spreading the love? I raised an eyebrow at her. She looked at me too, and we stared at each other for a few seconds.
...I couldn't stand her gaze and was the first to look away.
Suddenly, a faint, sly smile appeared on her lips.
...What's so funny about picking up a dish?
I glared at her. Didn't I say no?
Her smile deepened, and her eyes scanned up and down. She picked up another piece of fish for me. The softest part of the tuna belly, richly marbled with fat—the best part was right there.
A little bit clung to the tip of her chopsticks. After retracting them, she naturally dabbed her lips.
She used her own chopsticks.
Ignoring the slight anxiety in my heart, I forked the sushi roll and fish, swallowing them with a flushed face and effort.
This dinner ended in a strange atmosphere.
Kusanagi helped clear the remaining dishes. She went upstairs to tune her guitar.
I was clearing the leftover food, while the tall girl stood by with her arms crossed, seemingly wanting to say something.
The white tank top was loose and shapeless on her; her tall figure made her appear even leaner. Kusanagi looked cooler wearing it.
"Inohara-san, was dinner to your liking?" Seeing that she had something to say, I spoke first, unsure why she was still here.
I wasn't very familiar with her, but I had learned a bit about her personality during the last camping trip. I only knew she was a quiet, rather aloof girl. Now, I'd add that she's particularly clingy to Kusanagi.
"Whether it suits my taste isn't important." Inohara folded her arms. "Did Miss Nozawa make all these dishes?"
"Yes, Kusanagi-san has a sensitive stomach, and Mr. Kuroki specifically instructed me to pay extra attention to her diet. I personally prepare dinner every day."
Inohara was noncommittal. She nodded earnestly. "So you know Kusanagi has a sensitive stomach. Then her eating barbecue was Miss Nozawa's dereliction of duty."
My hand paused while washing the dishes. Kusanagi seemed fine during the camping trip and had no adverse reactions after eating barbecue.
It seemed she was here to demand an explanation.
"I'll be more careful next time." I smiled apologetically. She was treating me like Kusanagi's maid.
Inohara glanced at me, and seeing that I wasn't angry at all, she continued to ask in an indifferent tone, "How long has Miss Nozawa been in Japan?"
Called upon again, I had to put down the wet fork. "It's almost four months now."
"Miss Nozawa's Japanese is much better than I imagined. Communication is very fluent, and her level is quite high."
Suddenly praised, I was very surprised. "Ah, really? Thank you."
Inohara's eyes were deep. She suddenly smiled, "It doesn't seem like you need Kusanagi to teach you at all?"
I was stunned. How did she know about Kusanagi teaching me Japanese? It didn't sound like a compliment; there was sarcasm in her words.
I stopped washing dishes, pursed my lips, and still offered her a gentle smile: "Miss Kusanagi indeed helped me a lot, and she has already finished teaching, so there's no need to trouble her anymore."
"Already finished teaching? That's for the best," Inohara said indifferently. "I can introduce professional language teachers. I'm not sure what level a medical professional needs, but it should be enough to teach Miss Nozawa."
My head started to ache a little. She was subtly trying to put me down, implying my level wasn't good enough.
"Thank you, but there's no need for a professional teacher." I felt a bit embarrassed, sensing the malice from the underage girl.
"You're welcome." Inohara secretly pinched her palm. Did this person not understand the implied meaning? Then she would be direct. Her probing at the dinner table earlier seemed to elicit no reaction from this woman, but her suspicions still hadn't been dispelled.
"I'm not one to beat around the bush. I did want to talk to you about something today."
Inohara leaned against the windowsill. She had a maturity beyond her years, and her voice was low: "What do you think of Kusanagi?"
The faucet in the sink ran loudly, splashing onto my glove by accident, and my wrist immediately got soaked.
My heart skipped a beat. I quickly took off my gloves, simultaneously thinking about how to answer Inohara.
What about Kusanagi?
She's a mischievous child on the outside but soft on the inside. My relationship with her is just that of ordinary cohabitants. Inohara should know that.
What other relationship could Kusanagi and I have?
Is she worried I'll take Kusanagi away as a friend, a girl's possessiveness acting up?
"Do you think Kusanagi is very beautiful, or that her family is very rich, or that she sings very well?" Inohara's tone was inscrutable.
"Inohara-san, are you having a disagreement with Miss Kusanagi?" I paused for a moment, then began to seriously consider. "What you said are indeed Kusanagi's strengths, but my impression of her isn't actually like that."
Inohara's gaze fixed on me. "Then what is it like?"
I thought for a moment and said, "Her health isn't great, so you must have taken great pains to look after her at school. Her personality isn't that easy to get along with either. If she made you angry, Inohara-san, you must have been the one to be tolerant, right? When I was your age, I also had a few very close friends, but later we drifted apart for various reasons. Thinking about it now, I feel a great pity, as that time was the most carefree and unrestrained period."
Inohara clearly hadn't expected my answer. She only noticed the phrase "drifted apart" in my words, so she replied unhappily, "Kusanagi and I won't drift apart. My parents work high-paying jobs in Tokyo, and our band will debut in the future. Our family can also provide financial support. She and I will always be together."
"You'll always sing together, that's really good." I curved my eyebrows.
AI Model: gemini-3.0-flash
Inohara was stunned for a moment, her brow furrowed. How did she feel like this woman had suddenly taken control of the conversation?
"I didn't have a falling out with her." Inohara's expression looked slightly uncomfortable. "Let's put it this way, I'll be blunt: if you're willing to move out now, I can find you a house several times better than this one, and I'll cover the costs."
My brow twitched, but I quickly suppressed my emotions. "There's no need, thank you. I promised Mr. Kuroki that I would take good care of Kusanagi, so I will fulfill my duties during this time. We can talk about moving out later."
"Later?" Inohara keenly caught the opening in my words. "Does that mean you'll move out eventually, that you'll leave Japan?"
The question was a bit sharp, but I pursed my lips and answered honestly, "I came to Japan to study abroad. Once my studies are over, I will return to China."
Inohara showed a look that said 'as I thought,' and a hint of relieved joy surfaced on her cold, elegant face. "Then please experience as much of Japanese culture as you can, Miss Nozawa. It will be a memorable experience for when you return to China."
I felt an inexplicable bitterness in my heart, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why.
"As her friend, I am naturally grateful that Miss Nozawa can look after her for a while."
"Mm, that's true." I smiled and looked down to continue putting on my gloves.
"I will be with Kusanagi; I will always be by her side." Inohara blurted this out suddenly before heading straight upstairs, leaving the first floor quiet once again.
Not far away, Tokyo Tower was brightly lit, while only the faint, crisp sound of a guitar drifted down from upstairs. I stared at the stream of water in the sink, saying nothing.
Inohara's words felt like a heavy blow to my heart, leaving it both heavy and empty.
She was showing off.
If I left Japan, I would no longer have any connection with Kusanagi, and the time we spent together would slowly fade and be forgotten. But she, as a Japanese person and a member of the band, was Kusanagi's lifelong friend; the difference in importance was obvious. Getting too close to Kusanagi had provoked her friend's resentment, so it seemed only natural for her to come and warn me. Whether she became a world-famous singer in the future or inherited the Kuroki family's company, her future was bright and clear.
After my studies, I would return home to a hospital position arranged by my family—a respected 'iron rice bowl' job where I could see my whole life ahead of me. I would be the 'good child' and 'excellent talent' in the eyes of adults, marry a man from a similar background, raise a girl or a boy, and follow the path most people take.
My original intention for studying abroad was to become exactly that kind of person.
So, nothing would change, for either her or me.
Early autumn had arrived. The south wind of late summer and early autumn brought the scent of maple forests and wormwood. Late summer and early autumn in North Manchuria is a beautiful season, the coolest and most comfortable time of the year.
Kusanagi and Inohara had practiced singing for a while last night. Even though their voices were beautiful, it still drew a complaint from the neighbor. A large white notice was posted on the door, reading 'No noise after 10 PM!' This forced me to visit them with fruit to apologize.
I explained that the child at home was preparing for a cultural festival. Only then did the neighbor's anger subside, and she even chatted with me for a while about parenting, saying her child had just started elementary school and was quite a troublemaker. She even gave me a box of Yingde Black Tea.
Black tea, huh? When brewed, it looks a lot like a period.
But have I really reached an age where calling Kusanagi a 'child' doesn't feel out of place? I feel a bit discouraged.
Today, several older chief physicians gathered in the cardiovascular department office. In a rare moment of leisure, they were chatting about their children's schools and studies.
"He's in his first year of high school at the nearby Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School. I can't believe he's grown so much; I'm almost fifty already." The chief of cardiac surgery said with deep emotion. "I wanted him to follow in my footsteps and study medicine, but he's unwilling. He's just obsessed with astronomy; I've spent a lot of money on telescopes."
"Kids always have their own hobbies and interests; it's normal. Mine likes listening to music, has a whole bunch of headphones hanging on the wall, and follows some girl band every day. Their grades aren't stable either, fluctuating all over the place."
Incidentally, Kusanagi's school is a national high school with a deviation value of 78. The higher the deviation value, the more elite the school. That girl really is outstanding in that regard.
Hearing these middle-aged men talk about parenting, I couldn't help but feel like I was fated to deal with 'kids' today.
Are girl bands really that popular among high schoolers that even the chief's son is so obsessed? It's not like I'm in a position to judge; with a girl's uniquely cold voice looping in my headphones, I guiltily closed the interface.
"Miss Nozawa, have you finished organizing the medical records today?" The head nurse seemed to have just returned from outside; beads of sweat were visible under her cap, and sweat stains seeped through the outer sleeves of her wide gown.
"They're organized, and I've also finished the morning's practical session notes."
The first time I saw bloody flesh being sliced open, I found myself remarkably calm. I followed the entire procedure, observing the operational details without the slightest ripple of emotion in my heart.
Even the surgeon was quite surprised, saying he had taught many interns and it was rare to see one so composed during their first practical. He personally guided me through the incision. The choice of surgical incision varies by location; it should be as close to the lesion as possible, adapt to local anatomical and physiological characteristics, and follow the direction of the skin tension lines and the direction of the incision's movement. This ensures firm healing.
"Student Nozawa, you must first fix the skin. The belly of the blade should be perpendicular to the skin. Cut through the subcutaneous tissue in one go. When you reach the deep fascia or muscle sheath, make a small incision first, use hemostatic forceps to separate and stretch it, and then you can snip it open."
I followed his instructions, adhering very carefully to the teacher's standards with quick, decisive movements.
"Muscles need to be separated along their fiber direction using the handle or your fingers to minimize damage. Do you remember all this?"
"I remember. Next is dissection." I nodded; these steps were already ingrained in my mind. "In this situation, sharp dissection should be used. Use a scalpel or scissors for tight tissues. Blood vessels need to be clamped with forceps or ligated before being cut."
The chief of cardiac surgery was very satisfied. "What about hemostasis?"
I carefully observed the wound. "Packing with pressure or suturing and ligation will do. Other hemostasis methods aren't applicable here."
"You have a very solid foundation." A male nurse chimed in from the side. "It's not easy for girls in our line of work. Some lose their strength after standing for a few hours, and some don't have the stomach for it, wanting to vomit after looking for a while."
I adjusted my mask with the inside of my elbow. Actually, I wanted to say that nothing is easy for girls; life in society is full of difficulties. I thought the employment environment in China was already muddy, but I didn't expect Japan to be even worse. This made it even more important not to be looked down upon, whether because of my gender or my status as a medical intern. I had to be the very best.
"I think it's fine. Standing all day isn't a problem; I can do over 300 sit-ups." I said, "As for making incisions and suturing, I have no problem with that."
"Oh? Student Nozawa, you're very confident for your first practical." The chief placed suturing materials on a sterilized tray and pointed to the needles inside. "There are three types of suture needles here. Which one is suitable for the current situation?"
This was a basic question; perhaps because I'm a girl, he asked something relatively simple.
"For skin suturing, we choose the triangular needle. This type can also be used for tough tissues like tendons. The other two are round needles and spatula needles; the former is used for the peritoneum and internal organs, while the latter is an atraumatic needle with the suture attached to the tail." I paused, then added, "Non-absorbable sutures like silk, cotton, or nylon can be used externally, and the patient just needs to return for stitch removal. Absorbable Vicryl thread can also be used, but only for intradermal suturing."
"Mm, your theoretical knowledge is solid, but practice is another matter." The chief took off his medical gloves and gestured to the nurse. "Come, you do the suturing."
As an intern participating in clinical practice for the first time, it naturally wasn't my turn to do it, but I watched the nurse's suturing technique closely from the side.
Hmm, he's using the 'figure-of-eight' suture, which is a type of simple suture. In this case, interrupted or continuous sutures could also be used; there's not much difference.
That was about it for the practical notes. To be honest, it was simpler than I imagined, though maybe it was just the basics. That was the whole process I recorded. Aside from being treated slightly differently due to my gender, everything else was fine.
"Miss Nozawa, now that the records are done, would you like to go see my son's high school cultural festival? Since you're from China, you probably haven't participated in this kind of Japanese event before, right?"
The head nurse smiled kindly. Her skin was very well-maintained and firm; it was impossible to tell she had a child in high school.
"You actually have a son in high school? You look so young; I couldn't tell at all."
All women love compliments, regardless of which country they're from.
"Oh, Miss Nozawa, you're such a smooth talker!"
"Is it the Tsukuba University National High School? That's quite a coincidence; I was planning to go there today too. My landlord's daughter goes there."
"We're at the Komaba High School affiliated with Tsukuba University. It's a boys' school, so it's probably not the same school as your friend's, but they're not far apart. We can go together."
"Now?" I blinked, already thinking of how to refuse. "But I'm only wearing my white coat today; I forgot to bring my casual clothes."
I had wanted to go home and change first.
I have a long dress I wore for my undergraduate graduation. My friends and classmates all said I looked great in it. I was secretly shy for a long time back then, and since then, I've brought it out for important occasions to make a good impression.
Come to think of it, what will Kusanagi wear for the cultural festival?
That striking teenage beauty of hers is still vivid in my mind.
I specifically wanted to prepare, put on some makeup, and dress up a bit before going to Kusanagi's school to see her. I wanted to be worthy of her, so I wouldn't look too inferior standing beside her.
"Oh, it doesn't matter! Just wear your white coat and come with me. Although we're usually forbidden from going out in them, there's special treatment during the cultural festival."
The head nurse gave me a gentle smile. "Let's go, we're leaving now. My husband is driving us there."
Special treatment?
I didn't even have time to refuse before I was sitting in her husband's car a few minutes later.
I looked at the white coat I was wearing. Is it really okay to show up at Kusanagi's high school dressed like this?