In the early morning, the nurse who came to change Ito Yoshito's bandages and deliver breakfast was none other than Hazuki Miwako.
After Ito Yoshito had tricked the three men next door and shared his plans with Hazuki Miwako the night before, her anxious heart was calmed.
They discussed the details in his hospital room until just before dawn.
As he accepted the bento box, he watched Hazuki Miwako busily pouring herself some milk.
He brushed his silky long hair back and asked, "Hazuki-oneechan, did you get the medicine from the old lady?"
"I... got it... cough, cough..."
"Take it easy, nobody's gonna steal it from you."
At noon, it was the old lady who was responsible for delivering the meals.
"Ito-san..." she called out in her booming voice, grinning in a somewhat unnerving way.
Ito Yoshito didn't engage in small talk
instead, he nonchalantly ate his food while secretly using his ring to eavesdrop on the old lady's thoughts.
'That annoying little brat, what's with the attitude? Just you wait, I'll definitely add a hefty dose to your miso soup for dinner, and by then, you'll be begging me! But that medicine is fine; it just takes two hours to kick in. I'm always impatient waiting for it to work, so I need to see if there's something faster.'
'If it takes two hours to take effect, then we need to adjust the plan. I'll have Hazuki put the medicine in that lady's dinner, and my portion will go to the three guys next door...'
A smirk crept across Ito Yoshito's lips.
'This gives me a lot more confidence. I need to talk to those three again.'
The scene shifted back to last night.
The cold moonlight was embraced by clouds, and the slight breeze that danced with the curtains had quieted, returning the hospital room to a tranquil state.
"Let's talk again, shall we?" Ito Yoshito proposed.
"Sh1t, you little brat! I'm going to expose the dirty dealings between you and that freaky nurse!" the bandaged man shouted, curled up on the cold floor.
Ito Yoshito replied with a smile, "Actually, guys, it wasn't my intention to teach you a lesson. The reason I wanted to talk is because Hazuki-oneechan wants to sincerely invite you to a meeting in my room tomorrow night. I was just unhappy with how you frightened Hazuki-oneechan."
"Really? Hazuki Miwako?!"
The bandaged man sat up straight, the pain of his body forgotten in his excitement.
"Can you elaborate, brother?"
The thin old man and the middle-aged man leaned in closer, eager for details.
...
During dinner time, Ito Yoshito called the three men to his room to discuss their plan.
"Gentlemen, the stars of tonight are you! The brawl later will surely exhaust your energy, so you need to eat more. This bowl of miso soup is for each of you. I look forward to seeing you show your true colors!"
"Hey, you're not too bad, haha! I'll follow your lead from now on," the bandaged man laughed heartily and drained his soup in one go.
"Very well."
Seeing them finish the soup, Ito Yoshito smiled, saying quietly, "Remember to come by after the lights go out tonight; if you're late, I'll lock the door."
"Haha, of course..."
As night fell, the closed windows and drawn curtains gave the room a dim light, shrouding it in mystery, like a forgotten corner that exuded a unique charm in the silence.
"Hey, kid! I'm here!"
The door burst open with a loud bang, followed by an impatient voice as the three figures entered.
"Hey, where's Hazuki Miwako?"
"Don't rush; wait at my bedside. I'll go get Hazuki-oneechan."
Ito Yoshito glanced at their obvious physical states.
Many parts standing at attention.
'Looks like the medicine is kicking in,' he thought with a smirk.
After he left, the bandaged man found a random topic to fill the silence.
"This room is pretty warm. Should we open a window?"
"You brat don't understand anything! This creates a better atmosphere—understand what 'romance' means?" the thin old man retorted.
"Thud, thud…"
The heavy footsteps echoed down the hall, resonating loudly in the room.
The noise stopped right in front of Ito Yoshito's room.
"Gasp, gasp…"
"Snore, snore…"
The heavy breathing, akin to that of a beast, was clear on both sides of the door, resonating back toward one another.
The intermingling breaths gradually dispelled the cold silence, raising the temperature and creating a flirtatious ambiance.
At that moment, neither side took the initiative
The heavy breathing was the only expression of their thoughts.
Even the often-fidgety bandaged man held quiet, following the thin old man's advice of savoring the atmosphere.
"Click."
The sound of the door lock turning was like the detonation of a fuse, igniting both sides in a flurry.
The three men hurriedly dragged in the old lady.
'Hmm? The weight feels off.'
'Hmm? Something's not right with the count,' they thought, but the seductive potency of the medicine had clouded their minds, overwhelming them with desire; an epic showdown was about to commence!
Meanwhile, the feigning weak Ito Yoshito was being supported by the head nurse back to his room.
Upon arriving, he was drawn to the sounds of merriment and singing from his room.
Listening carefully, he realized that a party was happening in his hospital room.
The head nurse's expression darkened, and visible veins bulged on her forehead.
"I'm sorry, Nurse," Ito Yoshito said.
"Hmm? Ito-kun, what does this have to do with you?"
"It's my fault for inviting those guys over to chat while I was alone in my room. I didn't expect... I didn't expect that while I stepped out to use the restroom, they'd have a party in my room!"
"It's not your fault, Ito-kun... Ito-kun, could I ask you for a favor?"
The head nurse turned the doorknob, finding it locked; her expression grew even darker.
"What is it?"
"Could we pretend we didn't see this?"
"Of course."
"Go rest in the next room. I'll handle this issue. Don't worry; I'll make sure to give you a satisfying explanation regarding their behavior in your room."
...
As time passed rapidly, the night quietly receded, and when the first rays of morning light shone through the hospital room, the incident had been resolved.
The head nurse had contacted each of the three men's families to take them away.
As for the old lady, her employment was suspended indefinitely.
Tsk, tsk, her background must have been quite powerful, Ito Yoshito reflected.
In the end, this matter was swept under the rug, with no information leaked, and the hospital remained unaffected.
For Ito Yoshito, the hospital's hush money was a transfer to a VIP single room with a dedicated nurse, along with the waived treatment fees.
It was a pleasant surprise that kept his wallet from being entirely drained.
The following days were quite peaceful as Hazuki Miwako took care of him with attentive devotion, feeding him, wiping his body, warming his bed, and so on.
To prevent his body from deteriorating too much, Ito Yoshito performed rehabilitation exercises every day, such as squatting with heavy loads.
Which he called "suspending and pricking the thighs," and also ensuring he touched the ground every time he did push-ups, which he referred to as "fitting it tightly."
With the ring's enhancements and his proactive training, Ito Yoshito's body quickly recovered and became even stronger.
If he were to face those debt collectors again, his impressive muscles would show them the true meaning of being a tough guy.
Upon learning that Ito Yoshito was hospitalized, many of his friends came to visit him:
Including his childhood friend Miyajima Sakura, along with her caring mother Miyajima Tsubaki
Natsuha Shinomiya, who had helped him out multiple times during junior high, became a close friend
The Tsubakihara Mira and her daughters, who were former neighbors
And even his class teacher and homeroom teacher, Shirakawa Miwa and Kyouko Tsukishima.
As well as the popular Kurashiki Reika and her daughter Kurashiki Reina, who also paid him a visit.