Chapter 37
It was unclear how long they held still, but presently the pain in the began to overwhelm Ginko's senses. 「あてて」"ow" he mumbled. He was trying to let Tanyuu have as much time and space as she needed, but turned around. She met Ginko standing there with his right hand over the left shoulder. It was obvious he was injured. He winced in annoyance, as he was concerned Tanyuu may be at her limits.
In a moment he found he had underestimated her. Her attention shifted to his injuries. The next moment she was firmly leading him to Hayate. It was clear he needed attention. 「おいおい何所にしょっぴいてくつもりだ？」"hey hey hey where do you think you're pulling me to?" spurted Ginko. 「何所って、医者にいくのにあたりまえだ」"where you say? To a doctor, of course!" Tanyuu returned, still firmly pulling his hand. Her ernest demeanor made him chuckle in spite of his pain and shock from the previous event. 「医者？おい、医者にかかる程の事でもねえよ」"A doctor? Don't be ridiculous. No need for that" he said. Tanyuu looked at him askance. Ginko explained. 「肩脱臼しただけさ。よくある事だよ。お前がちょっと助けてくれればいい」"it's just a dislocated shoulder. Happened umpteen times before. You can fix me." Tanyuu shook her head vigorously in disbelief. 「よくある事？私が手当？馬鹿いうでない。いやでも医者に連れてく」"happened before? Umpteen times? Me fix you? Come now, don't say such foolish things. You are going to a doctor, like it or not" she ordered him. Ginko just came to a gentle stop and stretched himself down on his back. 「ほれ。大丈夫だって。一歩ずつ説明してやっからよ」"C'mon. I'll talk you through it" he replied, in an avuncular tone. She made a face at that, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He had survived on his own for years, after all.
He stretched his left arm out, with his head pointing to twelve o'clock and arm between one and two. With as much soothing tone as he could muster he spoke 「地面にすわって、左足をこの辺の脇につけて、」"sit down on the ground. Now put your left foot in my pit, about like so" as he placed her foot. She was scared but her pride kept her silent. 「右手をここらへんに、そして左手はこのへんに、しっかりにぎってくれ」"now your right hand right here and left here," positioning her right on his biceps and left near his wrist. 「急に乱暴に引っ張らねえように、ゆっくりしっかり引いてくれ」"pull firmly and slowly. Don't jerk it." She followed his instruction and within a count of three his shoulder made a popping sound, relocating. 「ほれ、やったやった。言った通りだろ」"there. You did it. Tolja" he looked away for a moment as he spoke, concealing the pain. As soon as he sat up Tanyuu began to shake, now that the moment had passed. As Ginko was afraid she might she shed a few drops of tears, which began a rather painful purging. He regretted he had not reminded her of the risk. Then a new pain struck him in the left socket as well and thus began the frightful tangling of the two deadly mushis. They instinctively took each other's hand and held on tight.
The two watched the process. The whole event took two minutes or so but it seemed like eternity. When it was over a whole hexagon behind Tanyuu's knee was depleted of the Forbidden Mushi. She reckoned it was worth many years of sealing. She looked up. She saw Ginko staring at the Forbidden Mushi, uttering
「すげえなあ！」"incredible!"
Grateful as she was, a new and incongruous emotion welled up in her heart. She thought it was inappropriate given the circumstances but it was too powerful to bottle up. He noticed the change in her aura and looked at her puzzled.
He had no idea how wise or foolish it would be to ask. She spared him of wondering immediately.
「ギンコ、いつもこんなに己の安全には無頓着なのか？」"Ginko, are you always risk your own well-being?" she asked. Her words were carefully meted to avoid hasty conclusions. 「無頓着って、何がさ？こういう事はしょっちゅうだから、大丈夫大丈夫」"risk my own what? This sort of thing happens all the time, it's no big deal" he answered, not discerning why she was asking that. She decided on the next required question. 「命を落とす寸前に来たのは何回あった？」"how many times have you come within inches of losing your life?" 「何回？そうだなあ、ひい、ふう、みい、よう、」"how many times? Hmmmm. Let's see….." He used his fingers to count, searching his memories. Each time a finger unfolded, her eyes grew wider and wider. When he finished counting an uncomfortable silence ensued. Her steely look scared him. He could hear his heart pounding in his head.
He pondered on how odd it was that her attention was focused on him given the magnitude of the event they witnessed.「ギンコ」"Ginko…" she finally broke the silence. He swallowed hard, bracing himself for what was coming next. 「お前、自滅願望でもあるのか？」"I think…you have a death wish."
「は？自滅願望？」"huh? A death wish?" he repeated. 「自滅願望、ねえ」"a death wish, you say?" he returned, raising an eyebrow. She nodded firmly. 「そうよ。絶対そう」"yes you do. Most definitely" she announced with authority. Ginko would have insisted he was just doing what his job required, were it not for the color of deep concerns in her eyes. Nobody had that look for him. Ever. It gave him a sort of sweet, ticklish sensation. However he was plentifully sure she alone was capable of arousing it. A few awkward moments passed. 「自滅願望、か。ふうん。思ってもみなんだ」"a death wish, eh? I've never thought of it that way" he confessed. 「前に俺の事を心配してくれる人なんて全然いなかったもんな」"nobody has ever worried about me that way before." 「それにしては私に心配させるのは得意ではないか」"well you sure have a knack of making me" Tanyuu declared. 「どうにかしなければいかんな」"and something has to be done about it."