“Are you sure Yamaa-san?” The same employee asked his boss for what seemed to be the hundredth time. The old man gave him a yes-I’m-sure-look and handed him pieces of paper. “What would your family say?” He asked hesitantly.

“I couldn’t care less what they say Hiroko. I’m doing this for my grandchildren’s sake. This is the best for their future. For her future,” he continued to shove the papers into Hiroko’s face until he finally took them and placed it inside his briefcase.

“Has the girl agreed to this?” Hiroko asked, scratching his head a little. He wasn’t really keen on the idea. After all, this would be a very big deal to all the parties involved.

“No, but I know she will do the right thing.” He replied and ushered Hiroko to get a move on with what he had asked him to do.

---

“Horikita-san, you’re the nurse for room 208 right?” A doctor approached Maki.

“Yes doctor. Is there something wrong?” She asked, puzzled at the doctor’s inquiry.

The doctor looked down at his clipboard and spoke, “His health is deteriorating rapidly. The medicine just isn’t working anymore. You’ll have to prepare for the worst.”

---

Maki shivered at the doctor’s words to her. She was no stranger to patients’ death, after all, that was part of her job. But, the old man was different. She seemed a little attached to him now. Maki took a deep breath and entered the room just like any other day. “Yamaa-san, time for your medicine.”

Maki noticed the other guy from last time. He seemed to be coming more often. ‘Maybe he really is a family member,’ she thought. Again, he bowed to the old man and took his leave. Maki decided that she would ask the old man.

“Family member?” She begun to get the needle ready, ignoring the fact that it was completely hopeless now.

“I wish,” he sighed, “he’s a great friend who works for me.”

Maki injected the needle into his arm and begun applying pressure at the end to push the medicine inside. “Oh okay,” she replied and quickly placed a cotton bud on the old man’s arm to clean the blood slightly oozing out of his arm.

“Hey Maki, can you help me with something?” The old man asked as he swallowed his tablets. Again, Maki knew that this was completely useless now but acted as if she knew nothing.

“Sure, what is it?” Maki asked curiously. She and the old man had really become close these past few weeks now, she no longer had to battle him to put his book down and take his medications.

“Not now, but I’ll tell you when.” He replied, looking at Maki straight in the eyes.

Maki looked at him rather confused, she wanted to ask him more but a sudden distraction entered the room. Hiroki returned holding some kind of video camera and tripod. The old man broke his gaze from Maki and moved to the side of the bed to stand up. Maki quickly shuffled towards him, offering her hand to help. The old man smiled and accepted her help while Hiroki set up the video camera in front of the visitor’s chair.

“What’s going on Yamaa-san?” Maki just had to ask.

The old man finally reached the chair and carefully sat down with Maki still guiding him along. “Just a little bit of business.” The old man replied with a sigh. Maki simply nodded and then exited the room.

---

From what she could see, the house was gigantic. The front gates alone were extravagant and stunning; she couldn’t begin to imagine what the inside would look like. Just then, the sound of a deep gruff voice brought her back to reality.

“Is there anything I can help you with Miss?”

Maki took out a small piece of folded paper from her front denim pockets and looked at what she had scribbled on it earlier, the old man’s address.

“Is this the Yamaa residence?” She asked for confirmation, from who she concluded as the guard.

He didn’t reply but gave a simple nod.

“Uhmm, I’m a nurse from the hospital where Yamaa-san is admitted in.” She took out her ID, giving evidence to her story.

“I wouldn’t bother,” he replied with a sympathetic tone and ushered her to go away.

Maki looked clearly stunned, “Excu..excuse me?”

“I know it sounds harsh,” he sighed, “But that’s how this family works. I’m saving you from humiliation here.”

Maki couldn’t believe it, the old man was right. “The only reason those idiots would come here is to check whether if I’m really dead or not.” His words lingered through her mind.

As she turned her back to leave, a fancy sports car pulled up in front of the gates. The guard immediately stood up and bowed. “Master Tomohisa.”

Tomohisa removed the large sunglasses covering his tired face and watched her leaving.

---