"He's suffering from a mild 'Traumatic Head Injury'."
Haruki's mind went blank the instant the neurologist revealed the results of his medical examination.
He had dozed off during the car ride earlier, but the moment Maki pulled into a specific parking lot and woke him up, Haruki snapped back to reality. He never expected his mother to whisk him away to the hospital like this.
And now, this freaking news?
Sitting beside him in the neurological assessment room, Maki looked as though her heart might stop at any moment.
Who had a head injury? Haruki?
The neurologist continued, snapping the two of them out of their daze. "These are the test results for this young man, and given the symptoms you mentioned, it appears to be the case."
Dr. Uehara, a man who seemed no older than thirty, wore fashionable golden-rimmed spectacles and a neatly pressed snow-white lab coat over his semi-formal attire. With his slim build, striking features, fair complexion, and well-groomed dark hair, he could easily be mistaken for a model rather than a doctor.
"But how is that even possible?" Maki regained her composure first, her face still reflecting disbelief. "If that were true, wouldn't we have discovered it sooner?"
"Is this the first time your son has exhibited unusual behavior?" Dr. Uehara inquired.
"He's complained about headaches before. Last year, we even visited a local clinic, but they couldn't find anything wrong with him. They ran scans and everything," Maki explained.
The doctor pushed his glasses up his nose and perused Haru's test results as he spoke.
"Some symptoms of mild TBI can be difficult to detect, and sometimes imaging tests like CT scans and MRIs don't reveal them. It's possible that your son's current condition was triggered by something that happened recently. Fortunately, his neurological assessment doesn't indicate any skull fractures. However, there does appear to be an unnatural tiny dent at the back of his head, which he most likely wasn't born with. Did you experience a hard fall or head injury recently?"
The doctor's gaze shifted to Haruki, and everyone's attention focused on him.
Since the doctor had revealed his diagnosis, Haruki had been rendered speechless, too stunned to absorb most of the explanation.
Haruki shook his head, still dazed.
"Any accidents?" the doctor pressed on.
"No, none," Haruki slowly regained his senses.
And it was true. He couldn't recall any falls or accidents in recent memory. In fact, he couldn't even remember experiencing such incidents throughout his time in middle school.
Sure, he practiced martial arts at school, but no one had the skill to toss him around like a ragdoll. And yes, he had passed out recently, but he was certain Takumi and Tadashi had caught him before his head hit the ground.
Yet, the unease within him only deepened.
"Are you sure?" Maki refused to believe it. "Don't lie just because I'm here!"
"I'm being honest," Haru assured her, sighing. "I know you probably suspect I've been getting into fights again, but that's not the case. Honestly, you still see me as a child."
He mumbled the last statement, but his mother heard it loud and clear.
She had even prepared herself to scold him, but Dr. Uehara interjected unexpectedly.
"He used to get into fights?"
Maki nodded, her focus shifting back to the man in glasses. "Yeah, a lot. He was quite the troublemaker growing up. Even in his first year of Middle School, he couldn't shake off that bad habit."
The doctor sank into deep thought, his gaze fixed on the documents in his hand, before returning his attention to the mother-son duo. "Has there ever been a time when he suffered a severe injury? Like a hard blow to the head?"
"Like I would let anyone get the chance to do that," Haruki snorted, a hint of smugness in his voice.
"I'm sorry, Doctor, but this idiotic child..." Maki's frustration was evident, as if she wanted to throttle someone. "He never tells his parents anything!"
"You know I can handle myself in a fight. Who in their right mind would have the opportunity to strike back?" Haru proudly retorted.
"Now is not the time for games, Haruki. Did you not hear what the doctor said? This is not a joke!" Maki scolded, almost leaping from her seat. "Do you want to drive your mother to an early grave? Will you be happy then?!"
At a loss, Haruki glanced pleadingly at the doctor, who suddenly found the documents in his hands immensely captivating. He clearly didn't want to get involved in this domestic dispute.
"Aren't you going to answer?" Maki pressed, causing her son to flinch.
The neurologist cleared his throat, coming to the poor boy's rescue. "Mrs. Fukuda, there's really no need to worry. I believe your son is being truthful at this point..."
"NO NEED TO WORRY? WEREN'T YOU THE ONE WHO SAID HE HAS A BRAIN PROBLEM?!!!" Maki's voice rose, and the doctor seemed eager to put some distance between them, as if anticipating a threatening punch to the face.
"What were you saying, doctor?" Haruki tactfully changed the subject, his demeanor transforming completely. He appeared more composed.
"Ahem, the situation is not life-threatening," Dr. Uehara assured them, his attention now primarily on the calm teenager rather than the enraged parent. "However, I strongly recommend regular rehabilitation sessions. Your medical report is still missing crucial details, such as the cause of your head injury. It could be a concussion or even mild amnesia, causing you to forget. If you remember any small details about what might have happened, it's important to record them."
"Alright, so we'll need to stay in contact with you, right?" Haruki pondered, taking his mother's phone since he had left his own at home. "We should save the hospital's contact information."
"Exactly," the doctor nodded, providing them with all the necessary contact details.
"Now, about the rehabilitation you mentioned," Haruki continued, returning the phone to his mother, who still watched him in a daze, unsure if he was the same carefree teenager from moments ago. "How often do I need to come here?"
"I recommend twice a week for now, with three-hour sessions each time," the doctor informed him. "We'll conduct all the required tests during those sessions."
"Three hours..." Haruki fell into deep thought.
If it was going to take that long, he couldn't afford to skip school or cut classes. That left only...
"Weekends," he suggested. "Can we schedule the sessions for weekends?"
Maki finally spoke up, her concern evident. "But those are your only days to rest from school. Are you sure, dear? We could shift one of the days to Fridays if necessary..."
Haruki chuckled softly, glancing at his mother. "Thanks for worrying, Mom, but I'll be fine. Besides, now that this has happened, don't you think I should stop cutting classes? If I fall behind now, it'll be hard to catch up with my peers later."
The doctor had mentioned a range of symptoms earlier, including disorientation, confusion, exhaustion, and even loss of consciousness.
Haruki understood his mother's worries, but he also realized that he couldn't choose options which wouldn't bode well for his future. He couldn't afford to fall behind now.
His attention returned to the doctor. "So, we'll book appointments for the weekends, if that's okay."
Dr. Uehara nodded, swiveling his chair to face his desk and jotting something down on a small card. He handed it to Haruki, saying, "Here's my card. Feel free to reach out in case of an emergency or if you have anything to report about your condition."
Haruki took the card, examining it for a moment before casually tucking it into his pocket. With a sudden grin, he asked, "Mind if I use the restroom?"
Both Maki and the doctor were taken aback by the abrupt shift in Haruki's mood. Just moments ago, he had been serious and focused, but now he radiated warmth and cheer.
Dr. Uehara gestured in a certain direction, saying, "Head down the hall and take a left. It's not too far."
Haruki nodded gratefully and hurriedly left, as though he might burst if he didn't find a bathroom soon.
"He's quite strong-willed, isn't he?" the young doctor remarked once Haruki was out of earshot, capturing Maki's attention once again.
"Perhaps a bit too much, which stresses me out," Maki admitted with a wistful smile. "But that's just how he's always been since he was little. I can't help but worry about him. He's too nonchalant in these situations, and I sometimes fear it might get him into trouble."
The young doctor seemed to grasp something, before he said, "But have you ever considered that his behavior is a result of him knowing exactly what kind of situation he's in?"
Maki raised an eyebrow.
"Don't misunderstand me, I'm not suggesting you shouldn't worry. It's only natural for a mother to feel that way about her child," the young man turned back to his desk. "But your son's demeanor is not unusual. I've encountered many like him within these walls."
Maki remained silent, absorbing his words.
Dr. Uehara continued, "Believe me when I say this, no one feels worse about his current condition than Haruki does. You might not have noticed right after I revealed the test results, but his reaction was far from lighthearted. He froze completely and looked terrified. He's just been trying to hide it."
"Why would he do that?"
The young man smiled knowingly, "You're his mother. He doesn't want to see you overwhelmed and distressed."
Meanwhile, in the hospital restroom, Haruki washed his hands and splashed water on his face, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and his heart pounding in his chest.
So, it turned out he was really sick. Unexpected, to say the least.
~~~~~~