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Chapter 33: The Sensation of the Bright Eye Exercises
Because she couldn't see clearly, Eriri couldn't even distract herself with her phone. She sat staring blankly at the blurry air, her anxiety mounting. Why isn't he back yet? she wondered, suspecting Ryusei Kiryu might have gotten lost or delayed in the restroom.
Finally, the familiar voice returned. "Senior Eriri, I'm back."
Her spirits lifted instantly. "Can we start now?"
"Of course. Just close your eyes and sit still in the chair."
Eriri obeyed, leaning back and shutting her eyes tight. Ryusei moved behind her, his movements calm and deliberate. As he gently placed his hands around her eyes, he noted how soft her cheeks were. Her eyelashes trembled against his palms like tiny, nervous brushes.
As he began the Bright Eye Health Exercises, Eriri was immediately struck by the sensation. The lingering fatigue from her late-night drawing sessions seemed to evaporate. A gentle, soothing warmth radiated from Ryusei's fingertips, seeping into her eyes. It felt as though her vision was being bathed in a restorative hot spring.
"Ugh..." A soft, involuntary sound escaped her lips. She quickly bit her lip, her face flushing crimson with embarrassment.
"It'll be over soon, Senior Eriri," Ryusei murmured. "Please bear with it a little longer."
What? Over soon? Eriri thought selfishly. I want this to last much longer. But she kept her mouth shut, terrified she might let out another undignified sound in the middle of a public restaurant.
When Ryusei finally withdrew his hands, Eriri felt a pang of loss. Her eyes still felt pleasantly warm, the sensation lingering like steam on a mirror.
"It's done. You can try opening your eyes now."
She slowly fluttered her lashes open and froze. The world, which had been a smear of indistinct colors, was now razor-sharp. She could see the intricate patterns on the cutlery, the individual pedestrians through the distant window, and the calm expression on Ryusei's face as he sat back down.
"This is a miracle..." she whispered. "My myopia... is it cured?"
"No, Senior," Ryusei corrected her. "It's temporary. You still feel that warmth, right? Notice how it's already starting to fade."
As he spoke, Eriri felt the "hot spring" sensation cooling down.
"It will last about ten minutes," Ryusei explained as the waiter arrived with their pizza. "Once it's gone, your vision will return to normal. However, each session should technically improve your base prescription slightly, though I can't say by how much without a professional test."
The pizza was from a Totsuki Academy graduate and tasted excellent, but Eriri was too distracted to enjoy it. She poked at a slice with her fork. "If we do it again... will it become clear again for another ten minutes?"
"Yes."
Eriri went quiet. Temporary clarity was better than nothing, but she wanted a permanent fix. She had considered surgery, but the risks and the fact that her lifestyle would likely ruin her eyes again made her hesitate. This exercise, however, felt natural and invigorating.
As the ten minutes expired and her world blurred back into frosted glass, she looked toward the blurry shape of Ryusei. "Senior, our agreement said you'd accompany me shopping this afternoon, right?"
"That's right. Where to?"
Eriri's gaze sharpened behind her blur. "The hospital."
At the hospital's ophthalmology clinic, a doctor emerged with a fresh report. Ryusei stood up to meet her. "Doctor, are the results in?"
"Yes."
Ryusei scanned the data, skipping the technical jargon to find the core numbers. Left eye: 823 degrees. Right eye: 836 degrees.
Her vision had actually worsened since her last check-up a month ago. He looked at Eriri. "Have you decided?"
"I have! No shopping today. You're going to help me with the exercises," she insisted.
Since she wasn't short on funds, Eriri rented a private room at a high-end tea house near the hospital. She ordered an array of snacks and settled into a plush chair. "If you get tired, eat something and rest," she told him.
"I can stay until four o'clock," Ryusei agreed. "Close your eyes."
As he began the massage again, Ryusei used the time to think. He was glad she wanted the data; it would be useful for convincing other "Heroines" in the future. But he was also testing the system.
He had expected a "check-in" notification from such prolonged physical contact. If a handshake was the baseline, surely this was more significant? Yet, the system remained silent. Does it need to be even more intimate? he wondered.
He completed one set and immediately moved to the next. By the time he was starting the fourth consecutive round, Eriri let out a shaky breath.
"Junior! Stop! I... I can't take it anymore! You need to rest!"
Ryusei stopped, noticing the flush on her face. He went to wash his hands, then sat down to enjoy the tea and cakes.
The question remained: How much could he actually move the needle on her 800-degree prescription in one afternoon?
Would you like to continue to the follow-up eye exam to see the results, or move to the evening when Ryusei returns to the apartment and meets Hachishaku?