When Tokai Shizen opened her eyes again, what she saw was… "Don't cry, don't cry…"
It was Representative Chiaki trying hard to coax the child.
Looking at Representative Chiaki, who was anxious like this for the first time, and her own child crying in her arms.
Tokai Shizen only wanted to laugh.
A slight laugh also caught Representative Chiaki's attention.
Seeing Tokai Shizen wake up, Representative Chiaki wanted to say something.
But… "Give her to me."
Although slightly weak, Tokai Shizen still reached out to Representative Chiaki.
Looking at Tokai Shizen's outstretched hand, Representative Chiaki subconsciously handed the child in her arms to Tokai Shizen.
Looking at the child still crying in her arms, Tokai Shizen thought for a few seconds, then freed one hand and began to unbutton her top.
"Eh?" Seeing Tokai Shizen's actions, Representative Chiaki immediately turned around.
"She's just hungry." Saying this, Tokai Shizen revealed a maternal smile, but her hand movements didn't stop.
Representative Chiaki was stunned for a second upon hearing this.
Then, she remembered that she hadn't prepared the baby bottle yet.
Just as Representative Chiaki thought of this and was about to say something.
"Chiaki-senpai, the formula is ready… Ah! Sorry! Sorry!"
A voice full of apology, and the hurried sound of a door closing, all meant that before Tokai Shizen could even look up at the person, the door had already closed.
"She is?" But there was another person in the room who could ask.
"Sakura Chiyo O, a junior that Maruzensky thinks highly of, and also the person who took care of you and Mochizuki when I was dealing with Student Council matters."
After hearing Representative Chiaki say this, Tokai Shizen, who was feeding Mochizuki, was silent for a few seconds before responding: "I'm not worth all this trouble you're going through."
"I'm just annoyed with Rudolph. Although she's a good opponent on the track, in private…"
Saying this, Representative Chiaki paused slightly, then spoke again: "Her character is quite bad."
Tokai Shizen heard Representative Chiaki's evaluation of Rudolph very clearly.
Although Tokai Shizen knew that the future Rudolph would become very good, this did not prevent Tokai Shizen from agreeing with Representative Chiaki's evaluation of the current Rudolph.
And after more than ten seconds, Tokai Shizen spoke again: "But I really don't have the value for you to do all that, do I?"
Listening to Tokai Shizen say words she would never normally utter, Representative Chiaki felt that she might have become quite talkative because of her serious illness.
But in reality… what she said was not pleasant to hear at all.
This was Representative Chiaki's first impression of Tokai Shizen's words.
"If you intend to take something from me, I won't refuse, since there's nothing good anyway…"
"Don't say that!"
Directly interrupting Tokai Shizen's words, Representative Chiaki's expression was not good as she turned around.
Clearly, she didn't have much tolerance for such unpleasant words.
And Tokai Shizen looked at the face that was almost pressed against her own.
Her words, which she had originally intended to say, changed slightly: "…Sorry."
Looking at the apologetic Tokai Shizen, Representative Chiaki just turned around again: "No, I was too agitated."
Looking at the sky outside the window, Representative Chiaki slightly adjusted her mood, then responded again: "The doctor said you need to rest for a while and can't overwork yourself. I've also spoken to Maruzen; she can't come back temporarily, so Sakura Chiyo O and I will take care of you."
"Thank you."
"You've cooked for me for so long; it's not bad for me to take care of you a little, is it?"
Saying this, Representative Chiaki shifted her gaze slightly to another piece of glass. In the reflection, Tokai Shizen was still feeding Tokai Mochizuki. Looking at this scene, Representative Chiaki was silent for a long time, then spoke again: "I will go ask Rudolph to clarify things."
"…No need."
After a slight hesitation, Tokai Shizen gave a negative answer.
Hearing this answer, Representative Chiaki wanted to turn around, but she still restrained that impulse.
"Why?"
"You, clearly the one most deeply hurt by her, but why don't you even intend to ask?"
Her words carried a hint of anger, as if she was angry at Tokai Shizen's inaction.
"Tokai Shizen has already been registered as deceased." Saying this, Tokai Shizen looked at the child in her arms: "For Tokai Shizen, she is the most important."
Listening to these seemingly resigned words, Representative Chiaki was silent for more than ten seconds, then spoke again: "I…"
A slight pause.
Then she spoke again: "What if, the person who picked you up back then was me?"
The courage she had mustered changed just as the question was about to be uttered. Although Representative Chiaki was very free, she also had some things she dared not do, such as the question she had wanted to ask earlier.
"I don't know."
The answer Tokai Shizen gave was also the scene Representative Chiaki had imagined.
She could imagine Tokai Shizen tidying her clothes every day after they lived together,
She could imagine Tokai Shizen cooking for her,
She could imagine herself deliberately teasing Tokai Shizen with identification documents.
But the daily life after picking up Tokai Shizen, that ordinary life, was something Representative Chiaki could not imagine at all.
So, she was silent for a few seconds, then spoke again: "Indeed, I don't know."
At this point, Representative Chiaki had wanted to say more.
But she was interrupted by Tokai Shizen's words.
"Alright, you can turn around now."
Hearing this, Representative Chiaki turned around.
Then she saw Tokai Shizen smiling at her.
Looking at the smile on Tokai Shizen's face, Representative Chiaki felt that she seemed to have seen through the words she had just wanted to say.
And after more than ten seconds of silence, Representative Chiaki spoke again: "Chiyo O, you can come in!"
"Ah, okay!"
A slight sound came from outside the door.
Then, after the ward door opened, Tokai Shizen saw a girl with a cherry blossom earring on her right ear, holding a bottle of pre-mixed formula, walk in.
Facing Tokai Shizen's gaze, Chiyo O seemed a bit nervous.
But fortunately, Representative Chiaki helped her out.
"For the next while, when I'm working at the Student Council, Chiyo O will be taking care of you."
"Ah, yes! That's right."
"Hmm, thank you for taking care of me during this time, Chiyo O."
"Ah, no, that was something Maruzen-senpai asked me to do, so it's fine."
"In any case, thank you."