A/N: I haven't finished reading No.6 yet, though I've been finishing a volume every other day it seems. Asano-sensei truely has an amazing writing style. Every moment I'm reading, I feel like I'm standing a little too far towards the edge of the scene for Shion and Nezumi to see me. Many times, while reading, I found myself yelling at Shion or Nezumi for being so slow. In my head, of course, not out loud...
I wanted to try writing something as passionate as Asano-sensei, that draws you in next to everyone, and makes your heart swell with their pain and love.
And, of course, I can't lie. I mostly just wanted Nezumi and Shion to make out. Good-bye kiss, my ass. That's a rip-off. Good-bye boning should have ensued.
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
Who struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
– William Shakespeare, Macbeth.
Shion places his mug down on the desk and logs into his PC.
"Please recite the pledge of allegience to the city."
Shion goes about his morning in the usual fashion. He pledges allegience to the city. He drinks his too-sweet coffee. He makes small talk with his co-workers.
"Tulia, didn't I tell you last time you came in here that you'd get hurt again if you weren't more careful?"
"I know, Dr. Tanaki. I'm sorry, but the boy was going to take my balloon!"
"Tulia! Didn't I just finish telling you that's a poor excuse for getting into a scrap! Now Tulia has to take a special citizenship class. I swear — what did I ever do to deserve such a disrespectful daughter?"
Shion sighs as he gently cleans the gravel out of the little girl's scrapes and then washes them out with disinfectant.
"Ouch! Dr. Tanaki, that stings!"
"I'm almost finished — be a tough girl for me. Next time, you'll promise not to start trouble right?"
"Yes, Dr. Tanaki."
What a cheeky girl, she doesn't even try to sound sincere.
"Dr. Tanaki, try to remember to lock the doors when you leave. Last time Sharon blamed me for it!"
"Sorry, Shirley. I'll remember this time. I've just got to finish the supply order for this month before I leave."
The sun is already beginning to set when Shion sits to glance at the expense reports. The season is starting to change, and the days are becoming shorter.
Although the expense report is almost finished — and he probably isn't really going to get any work done on it — he is hesitant to leave the office.
Shion has come to enjoy walking home in the dark. Despite the ample streetlights in the Holy City, the dark always lingers nearby, obscuring the landscape, waiting…
Waiting for what?
The last sliver of the sun dips below the horizon as Shion stares listlessly out the window.
What's slinking in the shadows behind the streetlights?
It is fully dark when Shion finally pulls himself from his reverie. He packs a briefcase and grabs his keys from the desk drawer.
He locks the front door first, then makes his way to the back of the clinic where his car is parked.
Did Shirley turn all the lights off outisde his office when she left?
Shion sees a sliver of light peeking through the stock room door.
Shion ducks his head in to turn off the light.
Shirley didn't leave yet? No, that's not Shirley. Someone else?
A man.
He is rooting through the boxes purposefully. Suddenly, he stops and whips around to face Shion.
He has a knife in one hand, and he is bleeding.
"Don't move. You understand what's happening, right? You're being robbed."
The man's expression is unreadable. But his eyes have an incredible depth. Shion wonders if he could ever understand what they've seen.
"I'm going to take what I need, and you're not gonna move an inch until I have it. Don't try anything smart. When I'm done, you will close the door, and count to one thousand before you come out. Understand me? Try anything smart, and you will be dead."
Shion notices a disturbingly large pool forming at the man's feet.
"You're bleeding."
"Shut up, and stay put."
The man grabs rolls of bandage and guaze from the shelves.
Does he plan to treat the wound on his own?
The wound, as far as Shion can tell, is below the man's ribs. A ragged gash has cut through his shirt there. Underneath, Shion can only see blood glistening and trickling slowly down his left leg.
"Gauze and bandages aren't going to be enough to stop the bleeding for a wound like that."
"I can stitch it later."
Shion frowns. "I am a doctor you know. This is a clinic."
"Do I look stupid to you?"
"Let me help you. I can anesthetize you first–"
"That's out of the question."
"Locally, then. I'll cauterize it and stitch it up."
"The Security Bureau should be showing up soon. There are probably cameras all over this place, aren't there?"
"Just in the lobby."
"You're lying. All the hospitals these days have cameras in every room."
"Not mine. The Bureau has been breathing down my neck about it, but…"
"But?"
"I won't compromise on this. A patient's privacy is important to me."
"Let me help you. Come with me to the exam room and I'll do what I can."
The man stares at Shion. Finally…
"You lead. I hope you understand I can kill you easily, even with my bare hands."
"Please don't," Shion laughs nervously. "You'll make my mama cry."
"Just don't try anything, and you'll live."
Shion gets a syringe and doses a heavy local anesthetic.
"Hey, don't you have something a little more high-tech than that?"
"In Chronos, maybe. Here, a big needle is still most effective."
Shion smiles like a house cat that's found a mouse.
"I don't get to do something like this very often."
"You're welcome for the opportunity, Your Highness."
"Can you take your shirt off, please?"
The man hesitates, but puts the knife in a sheath at his hip. It feels like he was able to take it off without ever taking his eyes off Shion.
Shion gets the disinfectant and swabs the wound quickly.
The man's body is unlike the ones he knows in the residents of Lost Town. He has a slender frame, and Shion didn't notice at first, but there is a strength to his muscles.
Shion has an electric cauterizer, but the procedure should be done under a stronger anesthetic to reduce shock.
"This is probably going to hurt. Local anesthetic isn't enough."
"Just get it done before I bleed out."
Shion sears the severed vessels closed, cutting off the blood flow. The electric cauterizer can be incredibly accurate, but Shion feels as if there isn't much time for accuracy.
He simply does the best he can. The man never once releases his grip on his knife, but his knuckles white around the knife's handle.
Shion puts the cauterizer down and stitches the wound back together. Shion is not skilled enough to have sealed it perfectly. It will leave a horrible scar.
"I can do a blood transfusion, but I'd need to input your citizenship number to authorize the blood. You probably really do need a transfusion, though."
"Not a chance."
"I thought you might say that."
"You're a strange person."
"Why do you say that?"
"You never even asked my name, Dr. Shion Tanaki."
"Then, what is it?"
"Nezumi."
"Rat?"
"Yeah, that name's as good as any other. Why not?"
Shion grabs a coat from the closet.
"I don't have a spare shirt, but I think it would maybe be best if you wore this instead."
Nezumi dons the coat and moves for the door.
"What are you gonna do when I close this door?"
"Count to one thousand…" Shion answers. "Come here if you ever need a doctor again."
Nezumi closes the door behind him. Shion leans against the examination table with a sigh.
He should report the man as suspicious to the Security Bureau. If he doesn't and they find out he was here…
Shion would be found severely lacking in judgement.
A chill snakes slowly down Shion's spine. He's paralyzed.
And then what?
After the Security Bureau decides you're severely lacking in judgement…
Is the man, Nezumi, a criminal? Am I aiding a criminal by not reporting him to the Security Bureau?
Nezumi didn't need to tell Shion to count to a thousand and wait. He is rooted to this spot by the enormity of what he'd done.
What was I thinking?
My oath. I did my job. Now I should call the Security Bureau and let them do theirs.
But when Shion remembers Nezumi's eyes, the soul he glimpsed there, none of the countless voices telling him to call the Security Bureau, tell them a man covered in blood threatened you, can convince him to report Nezumi.
Shion starts counting.
One.. two… three…