Chapter 47 - Spicy Curry Rice

 

Semi’s POV

 

One week has passed since then, yet Shijimi’s condition was still as bad, how is she going to attend Rika’s graduation tomorrow?

 

“Semi…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Rika’s graduation… is tomorrow… right?”

 

“Yes it is… Why?”

 

“Ok… I’ve been lying on the bed for too long that I have kind of lost track of time… haha~”

 

“.............. Shijimi…… Your body is too weak to leave the hospital, I don’t think you should force yourself to go…”

 

“No…… No matter what happens… I must go… As… it could be the last thing I could do for Rika…”

 

“Shijimi!! Why are you speaking like this again?!?! You will live long! Ok?”

 

“.............. Semi…… you and I know very well… I don’t have much time left, I...”

 

“NO!!! You will be fine!! I… I’ll leave for work now.”

 

Dashing out of the ward, I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore, I needed to release them. I ran to one corner and cried.

 

I cried.

 

Very hard.

 

Why???

 

WHY???

 

Someone…

 

Help Shijimi…

 

Please…

 

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“Ryosuke!!! Are you ok?” My co-worker was calling my name loudly.

 

“Ah? Yes?”

 

“I’ve been calling you but you didn’t seem to hear me! Are you alright? Did anything happen to your wife?”

 

“Ah…… I’m sorry… I…”

 

“Ryosuke, take the day off, you can’t work in this state.” This time it was my supervisor.

“I……”

 

“Just go!”

 

“........... Thank you……”

 

I left my workplace and headed for the hospital immediately. recalling how I had spoken to Shijimi earlier in the morning, I was being a little agitated and harsh, is she alright…? Did I scare her??

 

However, the moment I reached her ward, I couldn’t find Shijimi, she wasn’t lying on her bed. Where has she gone?!?!

 

“Nurse!! Do you know where Nana is? She isn’t in her room!” I asked a nurse who was passing by the corridor.

 

“Oh, Nana requested to leave the hospital for today and tomorrow.”

 

“Hah?!?! How did she leave in this state?”

 

“I’m not sure… Maybe you can ask the doctor…”

 

I quickly dashed to the room of the doctor who is in charge of Shijimi’s treatment to ask him about this.

 

“Doctor!”

 

“Ah, Ryosuke? Come in.”

 

“.............” Why is he so calm…?

 

“You’re going to ask about Nana right?”

 

“.............. Yeah… Why did you give her permission to leave? Her body is still so weak!”

 

“.............. That was her wish. She pleaded with me, and said that these two days are very important to her, and she wants to spend it with her daughter… and you...”

 

“.................. But she can’t even sit up, how did she have the strength to leave?”

 

“............. I gave her extra extra dosage of painkillers, so that she has enough energy to last through these two days.”

 

“............ What…? Just with those medicines she is able to stand and walk? Are those medicines even safe to consume??”

 

“............ That is the last resort to fulfill her wish. Please, stay by her side and support her through these two days.”

 

“................ Doctor…… do you mean there is really no cure for her…?”

 

“............. The cancerous cells have spread to most of her organs… We can’t really do much about it anymore…”

 

“.......................... How long more does she have…?”

 

“............. Probably… one month or less…”

 

“........................ One month……….?”

 

……………………………….

 

One month……………

 

…!!!

 

Why…………….??

 

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I went home with a heavy heart, when I entered the room, I saw Shijimi and Rika standing in the living room to welcome me back home.

 

“Welcome home, Papa!”

“Welcome home, Papa!”

 

…………………………..

 

Shijimi looks really vibrant, it was as if she wasn’t ill at all.

 

“I’m back.” I squeezed out a forced smile.

 

I know I shouldn’t…

 

But I just can’t smile from the bottom of my heart…

 

“Semi, come…” Shijimi came and held my hands and pulled me to the dining table.

 

“Papa, Mama and I cooked curry rice for you!”

 

“Semi, I remembered when I was feeling down, you cooked curry rice for me. This time round, it’s my turn, eat this curry rice, and regain your energy, ok?”

 

“.............. Shijimi……” I couldn’t control my tear gland, it was wetting my eyes again.

 

I started eating the curry rice, with my tears dripping into the plate as I ate…

 

The curry was spicy… It was triggering my tear glands and making my tears dripping non-stop...

 

“Ara, Rika, did you make the curry too spicy? Your Papa is crying!!”

 

“No!! Mama!! I think you were the one adding extra spice!!”

 

“Ah Really?? Maybe Mama added the spice twice!!”

 

“HAHAHAHA Mama!! And you were complaining Papa made spicy curry, now it’s your turn!!”

 

“Hahaha!! Sorry sorry, Mama will adjust the taste now.”

 

I looked at the two of them…

 

Shijimi did this on purpose…

 

She knew I would want to cry…

 

So she made this spicy curry rice for me to have a reason to cry in front of Rika.

 

Shijimi…

 

You are cunning…

 

Why do you know what I am feeling?

 

And why…

 

are you leaving me…?

 

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After the dinner, Shijimi was in Rika’s room to help her prepare for the graduation tomorrow. While I was in our room, still feeling depressed over what the doctor had told me just now.

 

“Semi…”

 

“..............” I turned to look at Shijimi who had just entered the room.

 

“........... You can show me that face now, but don’t show it tomorrow, ok? It’s Rika’s important day tomorrow.”

 

“............ Shijimi…… I’m…… sorry… I can’t do anything to help you… I…” My tears were flowing down again, but Shijimi hugged me in her arms.

 

“Semi! I have already got a lot of love from you. I am very satisfied already… I’m not leaving you… I’m just going to another place first and wait for you to join me. But! Don’t try to come find me so early, ok? When the time for you to come to my side is here, I’ll come back and fetch you. So till then, wait for me… Ok…?”

 

“................... Shijimi……”

 

“Don’t cry anymore…… Else your eyes would be swollen tomorrow… We need to take many pictures tomorrow, ok?”

 

“...............”

 

I stopped crying in Shijimi’s embrace, and tonight, we finally slept together on the same bed again. Shijimi had been in the hospital ever since she had a relapse, this is the first time she came home since she started her treatment.

 

How many more nights…

 

Can I feel Shijimi beside me on the bed…?

 

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Writer’s note: One of the last few important moments of Shijimi and Semi…

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