My name is Kimura Hideo. (Side: Kimura Hideo)
Hmm, where am I?
As I open my eyes, I find myself lying in a bed. The sheets are white, the pillow is stiff, and there are iron bars surrounding the bed.
What is this cheap bed? Are they mocking me?
My head is still groggy, and I'm struggling to get my bearings. What's going on here?
As I sit up to look around, a woman in a nurse's uniform enters the room.
So, this is a hospital? Then why don't I have a VIP room? Useless fools.
"Mr. Kimura, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asks.
What is this woman talking about?
I feel like crap. My jaw has been aching since I woke up. How do you think I'm feeling?
"Now that you're awake, the doctor will come to examine you shortly. Please be patient for a little while," she says politely.
Hmph. Whatever. As much as I hate this, her attitude toward me is at least acceptable. I'll tolerate it and wait.
Still, my jaw really hurts...
"Mr. Kimura, I'm Dr. Keiko Suzuki, and I'll be examining you today. May I ask if you're aware of the situation?"
Situation? What situation? All I know is that I woke up in this hospital bed.
"Do you not remember what happened before you were brought here?"
Before I was brought here...?
I remember today was my first day at the new school. I was introducing myself to the girls in class, showing them who's in charge...
Wait... what's happening? My hands are trembling! My breathing is getting faster! Why am I scared?! What is this fear?!
"Mr. Kimura, please calm down! Slowly, take a deep breath—inhale... exhale... Inhale... exhale... That's it, relax... relax. You're okay now."
Damn it! What the hell? This woman is treating me like some kind of child, trying to calm me down like this... it's humiliating.
But... why do I feel relieved? Why does her voice calm me down? It pisses me off even more.
What the hell happened to me?
"Mr. Kimura, everything's fine now. You've got a bruise on your jaw, so you'll be staying here for a while. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call me or the nurse."
"Mr. Kimura, I apologize for the delay in introducing myself. My name is Hikaru Saijo, and I'll be your assigned nurse from today. Please feel free to ask for anything you need."
"Ah, yeah... thanks," I muttered, barely managing to get the words out.
At that moment, that simple response was all I could muster.
*
Where am I?
When I woke up, I found myself lying in a bed. The sheets were white, the pillow was stiff, and there were iron bars surrounding the bed.
What is this cheap bed? Are they mocking me?
My head is still foggy, and I'm trying to make sense of the situation. What's going on?
As I sit up and look around, a woman in a nurse's uniform enters the room.
So, this is a hospital? Then why don't I have a VIP room? It's like no one here understands my status.
"Mr. Kimura, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asks.
What is she talking about?
How do you think I feel? My jaw is throbbing, and everything about this place is irritating me.
"Now that you're awake, the doctor will come by shortly to examine you. Please wait for a little while."
Hmph, fine. This nurse's attitude is decent, at least. I'll let it slide for now and wait quietly. But this pain in my jaw is really annoying...
A while later, the doctor comes in.
"Mr. Kimura, I'm Dr. Keiko Suzuki, and I'll be examining you today. Do you understand your current situation?"
Situation? I just woke up in this bed, that's all I know.
"You don't remember anything about how you were brought to this hospital?"
Brought to the hospital? The last thing I remember is starting my first day at a new school and introducing myself to the girls in class...
Suddenly, my hands start to tremble, and my breathing becomes erratic. Fear grips me—why am I scared? What's happening?
"Mr. Kimura, please calm down! Take deep breaths. Inhale... exhale... Inhale... exhale... That's it, relax. Relax. You're okay now."
Damn it! This woman is treating me like a child, trying to calm me down like this—it's humiliating. But for some reason, I can't help but feel reassured. Why do I feel this way? What the hell is going on?
"Mr. Kimura, you're doing fine now. Your jaw is bruised, so you'll need to stay in the hospital for a while. If you need anything, please call the nurse or me."
"Ah... thanks," I managed to mutter.
At that moment, responding was all I could do.
---
The first day of my hospital stay was a disaster.
The bed was uncomfortable, the pillow didn't fit right, and the hospital food was revolting.
But whenever I tried to complain to the nurse, I couldn't get the words out. My hands would start shaking, and my heart would race. What the hell is wrong with me?
The next day, Dr. Suzuki came for another check-up.
Listening to her calm voice, I somehow felt at ease. It didn't make any sense.
"Mr. Kimura~. Did you sleep well last night~? Today, we're going to play a little game~. I'll ask you some simple questions, and you just need to answer them, okay~?"
"First question~. What is your name? Please answer with your full name~."
My name? That's an easy question.
"My name is Kimura Hideo."
"And how old are you~?"
"Eleven."
"Can you tell me about your family~?"
"I have a mother and two older sisters. My mother's name is Sae Kimura, my older sister is Yoko, and my younger older sister is Tsukiko."
"What grade are you in~?"
"I'm in sixth grade."
"Great, that's all for now~. This afternoon, your family will be allowed to visit. They've been very worried about you, so be sure to show them your smiling face~."
Hmph, I suppose they'd fall apart without me anyway.
"This concludes the examination~. If you need anything, please call the nurse~."
And just like that, it was over. I felt a little disappointed as I watched her leave, but I ended up falling asleep again.
---
## The Truth Behind Kimura Hideo's Diagnosis (Side: Dr. Keiko Suzuki)
The morning check-up for Kimura Hideo-kun went without issue.
I'm always nervous when dealing with male patients. No matter how careful I am, the slightest gesture, word, or attitude could trigger an outburst.
Kimura Hideo was no different—an archetypical "entitled brat" raised in a world where he was the center of attention, constantly doted on by women. It's no surprise he turned out so spoiled.
When Hideo first woke up, he was in full "entitled brat" mode.
But something changed during the consultation. When I asked him about what had happened before he was brought to the hospital, his expression darkened. His body started trembling, and he hyperventilated—classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
I was caught off guard.
It took everything I had to calm him down, treating him almost like a frightened child.
But the effort seemed to pay off. After that, he stabilized.
What Hideo experienced wasn't the result of sexual trauma, but it was similar to the PTSD women suffer after violent crimes.
I glanced at Nurse Saijo, signaling her to take on the nurturing role in our "good cop, gentle nurse" routine—a method often used in rehabilitation for socially withdrawn men who have deep trust issues with women. It seemed appropriate for Hideo's case.
---
## An Emotional Family Reunion (Side: Kimura Hideo)
I woke up to Nurse Saijo's voice, announcing that lunch had arrived.
I had fallen asleep again.
"Mr. Kimura, I've prepared your lunch. Would you like to sit up and eat?"
"Ah, right. I must've dozed off. Go ahead, I'm ready."
For some reason, Nurse Saijo kept staring at me, but I couldn't figure out why.
"I apologize for the wait. Today's main dish is the 'grilled salmon in foil' you requested yesterday."
"Oh, right. I did ask for that. Sorry for the trouble."
Saijo seemed surprised for a moment, but her expression softened, and she gave me a warm smile.
When the time for visitation came, Nurse Saijo guided me to the male-only reception room. The décor was surprisingly refined.
"I'll fetch your family now. Please wait here for a moment," she said before bowing and leaving the room.
For some reason, as she turned to leave, I instinctively reached out and grabbed her sleeve.
"You'll be fine, Mr. Kimura. I'm right here," she said with a gentle smile, and she pulled me into a comforting embrace.
Her warmth reminded me of something from my childhood. It made me feel... safe.
---
"*Hideo-chan*! I was so worried!"
My mother burst through the door, rushing toward me and hugging me tightly. Normally, I'd throw her off, but my body wouldn't respond.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Please, don't hate me for this, Hideo-chan!"
Her face was pale with worry. Why was she acting so afraid?
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm fine. I'm sorry for making you worry. Please tell Yoko and Tsukiko that I'm okay, too."
I placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.
"Hideo-chan... what did you just say?"
"Mr. Kimura, it seems you're a bit pale. Let's return to your room for now," Nurse Saijo said.
Only then did I realize my legs were shaking. My hands were trembling, too.
"Yeah, you're right. Mom, I'm sorry, but I'll need to rest. Thanks for coming. Please visit again soon."
Leaving my mother in a stunned silence, I followed Nurse Saijo back to my room.
---
## Kimura Sae's Devotion (Side: Kimura Sae)
I love my son, Hideo, more than anything in the world.
I had two daughters before him, but I desperately wanted a boy. After multiple rounds of artificial insemination, I was blessed with my beloved Hideo-chan.
Our entire household revolves around him—his food, his clothes, even the décor of his room.
When I heard he collapsed at school, my world fell apart.
At his last school, Hideo was the center of attention, especially among the girls. Of course, who wouldn't adore him?
When he was admitted to the hospital, I feared for his life. But today... Hideo-chan said something I never expected.
He called me "Mom," thanked me for visiting, and even asked me to come back.
Is this real? Is this a dream?
Tears wouldn't stop flowing as I sat alone in that empty room.