Part 32 (2/2)

Anzai cried out. The surrounding doctors gave a suspicious look. Anzai's vision grew dark, thinking that the monster was still alive, trying to eat its way out of her. He screamed for it to stop.

But Mariko pulled him close, then caressed his back gently.

”It's okay,” she said. ”I'm fine. My kidney...won't do that ever again... Because...it's mine now...mine.”

Anzai looked at her.

She smiled back. Her eyelids fluttered sleepily and closed softly, like a b.u.t.terfly coming to rest.

He touched her abdomen cautiously, but there was nothing wrong with it. Just transplant scars and wet skin.

The kidney was now fully a.s.similated into her body.

He held her once again with all his affection. Considering her recent behavior, she would probably never have allowed such closeness save at a moment like this. But Anzai would try his best to reconcile their problems. He would spend more time with her and share his thoughts until she opened up to him. Their real life together was about to begin.

”Come along now, we're going to get your daughter out of here.” So saying, one of the doctors gave him a pat on the back.

He could have held Mariko forever, but he put his faith in them as they carried her out.

As soon as they were out of sight, Anzai remembered Tos.h.i.+aki.

”What happened to that man?” he asked the officer next to him. ”Nagas.h.i.+ma...the donor's husband.”

The police officer's face became grave, and Anzai had the chills.

”What's wrong? What happened to him? Tell me, please.”

”...over there ”The officer nodded towards the area behind him.

Anzai turned around and gasped. There was a white sheet spread out, with the center bulging up. It was clearly covering something, but it looked nothing like a human shape.

He ran over to it. He heard the officer's warning but paid no attention and lifted the sheet.

”...my G.o.d.”

He looked away.

Nothing but a half-dissolved pile of flesh. He could only tell it was face up from an ambiguous human chest. One hand was stretched out to the side, trying to grasp something.

The skin's surface on the arms had liquified. Though an expression was slightly discernible upon the face, it was charred and shriveled up beyond recognition. A jelly-like substance oozed out from the chest and spread out on the floor. The odor of cooked meat penetrated Anzai's nostrils.

”Wait, bring Mariko back here!” he shouted.

Thinking something had happened, everyone else turned around at once.

”What's wrong?” An officer came running up. ”Come sit down, please, you're badly hurt. You need medical...”

”Please, I'm begging you. If you just do this one thing, I'll do whatever you say. Bring Mariko back here one more time. It won't take long. Please, I promise it'll only take a second.”

The officer frowned.

”Please.”

”...okay, but make it quick.”

He sighed audibly and called one of the younger cops over. With a few words and a pointing of the fingers, the cop was off into the hallway.

A short while pa.s.sed before Mariko's stretcher was carried back in. There was an oxygen mask over her mouth and an IV tube in her arm. Her body was now covered with a blanket.

”Please put her down over here,” Anzai requested. The medics set the stretcher down next to him.

”What's going on?”

But he did not answer and removed Mariko's blanket. Then, he took Tos.h.i.+aki's dilapidated hand.

Anzai placed the hand on the left side of Mariko's lower abdomen, where the kidney of Tos.h.i.+aki Nagas.h.i.+ma's wife had been transplanted.

It seemed to Anzai that Tos.h.i.+aki's hand had been trying to touch Mariko in his last moments of strength, and thought it only appropriate that he should be granted his final wish.

It was the least Anzai could do for the man.

Maybe Anzai's emotions were getting the best of him, but he could have sworn that Tos.h.i.+aki's blackened mouth widened just barely into the slightest of smiles.

EPILOGUE.

”Moving on now to the awarding of master's degrees for Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Sachiko Asakura,” the chair called out.

”Yes!” Asakura hopped up enthusiastically and moved to the front of the line.

She bowed gently, then took another step forward as the chair unfurled a large beige-colored scroll.

He leaned into the microphone and began to read.

”This award hereby confirms that Sachiko Asakura has completed the two year Ph.D.

preparatory program and all courses therein to earn her master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Congratulations.”

He turned around the diploma 180 degrees and handed it to her. Asakura bowed and put out both hands, accepting it reverently amidst camera flashes.

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