, Ryuji said. She changed clothes, and went back to the hospital. After ten minutes you followed her and told the receptionist you were looking for your girlfriend. And she directed you to Dr. Ooyama's office. He glanced at Dr. Meiko. Do you know him?
She shrugged. Not at all. But if you want I can go and try to talk to him.
Certain thoughts were flashing through Ryuji's mind. 1) Tsukasa has contracted an incurable disease and doesn't want me to know. 2) Tsukasa has an embarrassing STD (how the hell did she contract it?) 3) Tsukasa had a wart she needed freeze-dried off and, once again, she doesn't want me to know. The wart in particular came to mind because he had had to get Dr. Meiko to do one just a few days before.



Meiko slunk into Dr. Ooyama's office the next morning, trying to look serious and professional but at the same time friendly and confidential.
I can't really discuss my patients. He told her. Surely, as another doctor, you understand that. He looked severely disapproving.
She decided to cut the crap.
She said. When I said I was in private practice... It's very private, do you understand? The family I work for has a lot of influence.
And this girl is - what? their daughter?
She wondered if that had been the best lie, but it seemed better then trying to explain the truth. She said. Her father is very worried about her.
Ooyama seemed to be the scholarly rather than the worldly sort but she was fairly certain he could figure out that very private family practice meant yakuza or something equally intimidating, and that withholding information wouldn't really be wise. Finally he sighed.
He said, I'll talk to you, but only because I was a little bit worried about the girl yesterday.
How so? Meiko asked.
Well, for starters, I'm a GP. She came in and said she needed a pregnancy test, so I gave her one, and she is. She didn't seem very startled by the news, or even really that concerned about it. He trailed off. I figured she was just another embarrassed teenager who didn't want her parents to find out, which I gather from you is exactly what it is. But it isn't really normal for her to be so detached. I tried to give her information about vitamins and obstetricians and follow-ups and she was practically wandering out of the room. Maybe she'd decided to get an abortion?
Well, that was a surprise. Meiko hadn't really thought that Ryuji and Tsukasa were... well, intimate. Especially since they seemed to have drifted somewhat apart since Ryuji quit school and Tsukasa became more determined to graduate. And obviously Tsukasa had decided not to mention it to Ryuji. As she left the office Meiko's cell phone started to buzz and she answered it impatiently.
I'm sorry. She said. I don't know. But I'll try again tomorrow, all right?
Now, to find Tsukasa.

The girl was waiting for her when she got back to the main house.
Hi!!!!! Dr. Meiko!!!
Tsukasa, Meiko thought, seemed pretty much like always. Ryuji and and Bun were standing against the wall, watching her warily. Ryuji looked pretty much red in the face, undoubtedly, Meiko thought, he was dying to ask Tsukasa what the hell was going on but equally unwilling to explain that he'd been spying.
She said. Just the person I wanted to talk to! Come to the lab, ok, I'll make tea!
Up, sorry, sorry. Tsukasa said. We have to go meet the Terashima boss right now. It's gonna be at a club so, you know, I have to keep an eye out for snipers and stuff. But afterwards, ok? Later tonight?
Meiko's eyes opened wide, but she was afraid of giving too much away. She looked at Ryuji, hard. Umm... Bun-san will be enough, right?
Ryuji looked blankly at her, he wasn't taking the hint.
What are you talking about? Tsukasa chattered. I can't leave the job to just Bun-san... Ryuji will start to think he'd make a better Durga than me.
That comment was enough to shut Meiko up until they got out the door.