"Ding, ding, ding." A phone rang from the pocket of Hashimoto Arina's uniform, interrupting the intimate atmosphere between the two.
Hashimoto Arina took out her phone. A complicated look flashed in her eyes as she glanced at Bai Chuanxia, but she quickly covered it up, hung up the call, and put on a smile. "Let's go on a date tomorrow."
"A date?" Bai Chuanxia looked at her suspiciously. Hashimoto Arina's sudden eagerness made him uneasy.
"Of course, we're dating, after all~" Hashimoto Arina reached out and gently tapped his forehead. "Look forward to tomorrow." With that, she gave Bai Chuanxia a playful wink and left the ward.
Bai Chuanxia watched her leave, the innocent expression instantly vanishing from his face. He was not the 18-year-old boy who had never left his hospital bed. His rich life experience made him understand that there was no such thing as unprovoked love. The fact that Hashimoto Arina had stopped his confession this morning and then abruptly initiated one just now meant that a factor he didn't know about had definitely occurred.
He pulled out his phone. The Affection Level on the app was still 95. He tapped the screen but found no option to end the mission. The system clearly judged that the "confession" just now did not count as successfully conquering Hashimoto Arina.
"I have too little information," Bai Chuanxia shook his head. Tomorrow's date was key; he had to gain more intelligence. He sat up from the bed and picked up his manuscript and brush from the nightstand.
Many game titles in this world were the same as those in his previous world, but the manga and light novels were completely different. His already published works, Bleach and Naruto, always stopped at the first climax after the atmosphere had been built up. Bleach stopped at the moment Aizen dropped his glasses. Naruto stopped when Orochimaru ripped off his face and stuck out his tongue.
This gave him a terrible reputation in the industry. Besides the resentment from readers, there was much skepticism. The most accepted theory was that his ability was insufficient to handle large-scale final battles. Of course, he also had a fanatical following who insisted he was striving for perfection—a display of the artisan spirit.
"To hell with the 'artisan spirit,'" Bai Chuanxia thought. Now that he had a chance to live, he certainly couldn't just stop updating. Both stories had just begun; he had to continue drawing and let more people see and spread them. He would draw to the climax point of the entire series in his past life, and then stop. That way, he would earn money without being branded as the one who ruined the ending. As long as I don't draw the ending, there's no way to ruin the ending.
"Ah." Bai Chuanxia suddenly felt another sharp palpitation in his heart. He clutched his chest. His head felt dizzy, likely due to a lack of oxygen. He took several deep breaths to stabilize his heartbeat. "The palpitations seem to be getting more frequent recently." Bai Chuanxia shook his head and began to draw on the manuscript. Focusing on a task allowed him to ignore his physical problems.
Hashimoto Arina returned to her office, the brilliant smile now gone from her face. She took out her phone, staring at the number that had called her. Her finger hovered over the callback button, then moved away. She picked up a lab report from her desk, read the contents carefully, and then dialed the number again.
The phone was answered after just one ring.
"I apologize, Auntie. I was with Xia just now."
"The physical examination report came out this afternoon."
"Yes, but even if the heart transplant surgery is successful, the 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates are only 79.4%, 71.9%, 65.2%, and 45.8%."
"The procedure is very painful, and Xia's body is very weak. The success rate is less than ten percent, and he will face postoperative rejection. We do not recommend surgery."
A sob could be heard from the other end of the phone.
"Depending on the individual's constitution, the time until late-stage heart failure varies significantly. He has about two to three months left."
"Please don't worry, Auntie. I've always thought of him as my... little brother."
Hashimoto Arina hung up the phone, supported her forehead with both hands, and slumped over the desk. She remained in that position until the view outside the window was covered in darkness. Her arms felt numb and started to protest against the fixed posture.
Hashimoto Arina leaned back in her office chair, picked up the report with Bai Chuanxia's photo attached, and carefully re-examined every single value. Her professional knowledge told her there would be no miracle.
As she picked up the report, the manuscript Bai Chuanxia had brought that morning was revealed underneath. She picked it up too and began to read it carefully, page by page. Tears slowly dripped down. She quickly moved the manuscript away, not wanting to stain it with her tears. Her tears began to flow uncontrollably.
"I wanted to be a mature adult, but I'm still such a failure," Hashimoto Arina mumbled, wiping her tears. "I can't cry. I have a date tomorrow. I can't let him see this."
The next day arrived.
Bai Chuanxia took advantage of the early morning before everyone woke up to take off his hospital gown and change into a short-sleeved shirt and jeans. He was good-looking, the type that girls would actively ask for a phone number from, but his poor health made him appear a bit frail.
Hashimoto Arina, his attending physician, had already been informed in advance. He walked out of the hospital gate, walked about a hundred meters, and stood at the intersection, checking his watch. He was fifteen minutes early for their meeting time.
The moment he looked up, a pair of hands covered his eyes. A voice came from behind him: "I caught a wild handsome boy."
"Arina-sis," Bai Chuanxia grabbed her hands and turned to face her.
Hashimoto Arina was wearing a creamy white top, a checkered short skirt, and low-heeled shoes, looking extraordinarily warm—like the gentle older sister next door. However, she had applied heavy makeup that didn't quite match her outfit, giving her a more mature and glamorous look than she had at the hospital.
"Hehe, Xia recognized his big sister right away just from her voice!" Hashimoto Arina covered her mouth and chuckled mischievously. "Did you secretly record my voice and listen to it repeatedly?"
"Arina-sis, just having that thought makes you a total pervert," Bai Chuanxia shrugged. Of course, he didn't recognize her just by voice. The powerful pressure she exerted on his back when she got close could only belong to her.
"What's wrong with a woman being a pervert~" Hashimoto Arina laughed and took his hand, looking cautiously around them. "Hurry up, let's go before anyone else sees us."
"Mmm." Bai Chuanxia was led by her hand toward the train station. He had expected their first date to be a bit awkward, but Hashimoto Arina's playful demeanor made the atmosphere incredibly relaxed.
"Arina-sis, where are we going today?" Bai Chuanxia boarded the train and looked around, noticing many people in unusual outfits—the legendary cosplayers. He was surprised to see so many on the train this early.
"Akihabara, of course," Hashimoto Arina smiled. "There's a large performance show there today. Come with me to see it."
"Uh." Bai Chuanxia scratched his head. He didn't know if Hashimoto Arina was personally interested in ACG or if she thought he, as a manga creator, would be. He looked around. "But there are a lot of people. It's already rush hour."
Just as he finished speaking, someone bumped him from behind, pushing them closer together. "And with the event, ah..." He was squeezed again from the back, and their bodies were almost touching.
A broadcast announced: "The doors are closing."
Bai Chuanxia proactively put his hand up. "Arina-sis, I'll shield you." He straightened his body, trying to create a small gap for her.
The doors closed, and a massive force shoved him from behind. Bai Chuanxia found his feet slipping and stumbled forward. Thankfully, they were close, and his face plunged directly into her soft cleavage. Another surge of pressure came from behind, and their bodies were completely pressed together.
At this moment, a pair of hands suddenly wrapped around his head. Hashimoto Arina whispered in his ear: "It's okay. Your big sister will protect you."
Bai Chuanxia didn't speak. His mouth was pressed against her chest. The constant squeezing from behind made him worry about drooling if he opened his mouth. The train tracks in the East Country were old, and the entire carriage swayed with the train's movement. Bai Chuanxia was pressed against Hashimoto Arina, the movement of the train causing friction between them as they were squeezed. He tried to lift his head, but Hashimoto Arina held it firmly—her strength was surprisingly immense. As long as she doesn't see my face, it won't be awkward.
"Passengers preparing to alight, please mind the gap."
As the train doors opened, the pressure behind Bai Chuanxia instantly lessened.
"Let's go." Hashimoto Arina held his arm with both hands, supporting him. They looked like a genuine couple.
"Wow, so many people." Bai Chuanxia looked around. The moment they stepped off the train, it felt like entering another world. The station was filled with anime posters, young men and women in strange costumes, and activity guides everywhere.
"Ooh, that's the super-famous korokke!" Hashimoto Arina pulled Bai Chuanxia's hand, dragging him to a stall, and took a wrapped korokke from the vendor.
"Ah, why only one serving?" Bai Chuanxia pouted.
"Because you can only have one bite," Hashimoto Arina said, holding it to his lips with a menacing tone: "Only a small bite, okay?"
"Got it." Bai Chuanxia knew this was Hashimoto Arina's way of controlling his food intake in a manner that was easier for him to accept.
Next, the two shared some ika-yaki (grilled squid).
"Honestly, if you don't want to be eaten, don't look so delicious!" Hashimoto Arina covered her face, then presented the grilled squid to Bai Chuanxia, still pouting and insisting he only take one bite.
The event venue in Akihabara was a chaotic scene. People were even selling adult doujinshi on the side.
"Arina-sis, have you ever tried cosplay?" Bai Chuanxia asked with a smile.
"I have. Koi Nanase," Hashimoto Arina gave him a mischievous smile and a playful wink. Bai Chuanxia shrugged; he didn't recognize the name.
After not much walking, they found a tea restaurant and sat down.
"I'm so tired." Hashimoto Arina slumped back into her seat and smiled at the waiter. "Two bottles of water, please." Bai Chuanxia didn't believe she was tired; she was only looking out for him.
"We look just like a normal couple," Hashimoto Arina suddenly said with a laugh.