Author's Note: A short interlude to bridge the last part and the next. Yuusuke is explained in greater depth.
"So you're a flight doctor now? That's amazing, Megu-chan." Yuusuke did nothing to hide his amazement. Hirofumi laughed good-naturedly. "That's right, you had not been in touch for a while. High school, wasn't it?"
"Yes. I never did learn what Megu-chan decided to do after high school. I'm glad she followed through with her promise," He grinned at her.
Megumi reddened over her salad. "Please don't call me that, Yuusuke-sempai. I'm not fifteen anymore," She said in a small voice and he chuckled. "Well, I suppose it's not proper. You're a real adult now, so do you mind if I call you Megumi?"
Megumi smiled and nodded. "Yuusuke, then," She laughed.
Harimoto Yuusuke, her senior since middle school. Their parents were fast friends… until they died in an automobile accident, causing their only son to live with his relatives. After high school they went their separate ways; she to enter medical school and he went to study law. With all that's happened to her in the past few years she had all but forgotten about him until today.
"I went lecturing at Saikyoudai yesterday, and guess who came to see me?" Hirofumi laughed heartily. "You've become a good-looking young man, boy!"
"I was seeing some juniors of mine and saw the notice announcing Dr. Shiraishi's talk," Yuusuke explained to Megumi. "I thought I should at least say hello, instead he dragged me home to have dinner."
"How do you like your job, Yuusuke?" Natsuki asked. "More vegetables?"
"Oh, thanks. Well, we lawyers don't really have it as tough as doctors… though we lose the same amount of sleep," Yuusuke winked at Megumi. "Right now I'm mostly handling divorce settlements."
"Oh my," Natsuki shook her head. "It's sad when a marriage fails. Megumi dear you must be careful."
"Mother…" Megumi sighed with a little smile. They then progressed on to other topics, but Hirofumi's illness was not raised. She wondered if Yuusuke knew. Then again if he was so reluctant to disclose his illness even to his own daughter, it's unlikely he'll tell anyone else, even if Yuusuke is like a son to him.
But her father was right, Yuusuke has definitely matured since she saw him last. Gone was the idealistic youth of old, in its place is a more streetwise, world-weary man whose job is to mediate people's failed unions. Yet the sparkle in his eyes remained the same, as did the ever-present smile. She had always admired him for his strength of character and his clear determination to carve his path in life.
"So what are you going to major in?"
Yuusuke looked up from his career-choice form and grinned. "I'm gonna take Law. Be a lawyer who serves Justice. What about you?"
"Hm?" She tilted her head in thought. "I never thought about it really… but father said I should be a doctor. That's a good idea, don't you think?"
"Megu-chan, you should make your own decisions when it comes to things like this." Yuusuke sighed. "It's your life, you know."
"But a doctor is a good job. I know I can do it!" Megumi protested and Yuusuke grinned before poking her arm with his pen. "Get real. The only treatment you know is to put Handiplast on everything, and you're not even good at that! See what you did to my finger?" He waved his right hand, of which the forefinger is bandaged so thickly it looked like a lollipop.
"The cut was deep!"
"I'll sue you when I become a lawyer!" He teased and they laughed.
She smiled at the memory. Just goes to show how consuming being a doctor is – you eventually forget things outside of the hospital. Meeting him again is a breath of fresh air, and she smiled fondly at the picturesque tableau they were; a happy family.
It was something she must treasure while she still can, while her father is still around.
"Thank you so much for dinner, Doctor," Yuusuke bowed as he stood in the ante, ready to leave. "It is great to see you again."
"Come by any time you like, son," Hirofumi patted his wife's shoulder. "Come, let us leave the young ones."
"Father!" Megumi protested but her parents had gone back inside, leaving a laughing Yuusuke. "It's great to see they're still energetic," He smiled and Megumi nodded. "Father's still going about giving lectures when he should be resting at home. But he never listens to me."
"Oh, let him have his fun," Yuusuke chuckled. "More importantly, Megu, it's good to see you again. Really."
She smiled. "You too. Come again sometime, okay? Father really likes you."
"I suppose I should be glad for that," He said mysteriously and she watched as he walked a little up the road, where his car was parked. Right before he got in, he looked over his shoulder and gave her a two-finger salute that drew a surprised laugh from her. Back in middle school when he played a soccer match, he'd always salute her right before kicking in a penalty goal. The running bet was, if he saluted and the goal went in, she had to buy him a yakisoba bread – his favorite. If he lost, he had to buy her an ice-cream.
The last time she saw that salute was right before he left for university, all those years ago. The memory made her chuckle. She supposed he really did 'score' well in life.