With impatient fingers, Akari struggled to loosen the fishing hook embedded in her green shirt. Fumbling with the stubborn barb, she grumbled, its connected fishing rod jolting beside her on the hospital bed.

"You should just cut the line," Jin said, hovering over her with a pair of bandage scissors. "That will make it easier to remove."

Akari lifted her chin and glared at him. She didn't look angry per say, but displeased and maybe a little bit defeated.

"Will you still not tell me what happened?" Jin pestered her further. After seeing the girl plod into his office with a WHOLE fishing rod dragging behind her, his curiosity had been piqued.

After some deliberation, Akari finally spoke. "Yes. I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled, looking back down. Just a brief mention of her troubles made her cheeks redden and her eyes water– forcing her to do a great deal of squinting and blinking. A small hiccup escaped her throat. "Now onto business," she managed out.

Why did Akari not want to complain at him? Everyone in town– even those who vested no faith in Jin as a doctor– always came to vent to him (relying on him as a therapist instead). But now that this girl was here, she didn't want to say anything about herself. Even if she clearly wanted to cry and complain, she didn't let anything out. She had come here for her job and that was all.

Does she really hate me that much? Jin wondered. Inexplicably rattled, he grabbed the fishing line and clipped it away– and as soon as Akari was free from the rod, he slung it to the floor. Snatching a cot pillow, he fluffed it violently before propping it behind her. "You sit here and rest," he commanded, adjusting his glasses. "Behave while I do my work. I'll deal with you later."

Infuriated by this demand to wait for him, Akari did the exact opposite and stood up. Reaching into her rucksack, she pulled out the collected herb from earlier and threw it at his face. "Here, as you requested," she snapped. "A GIFT for you."

Putting it away, he smiled amusedly at her antics. "Why, thank you," he said. "This is quite an excellent gift."

"I hope you need it soon," she said with ill will. Ready to march away, she frowned when his hands snatched her face and lifted it towards his. Threatened by this at first, she nearly yelped, but stopped in alarm when his cold fingers slipped behind her ears. "W-what," she blurted, confused by his touch; "What are you doing?" To her horror, it felt good.

"I never wish bad health on anyone," he said; "Neither should you... This will calm you down so you can reflect on what you just said." Despite his serious manner, he was scratching behind her ears– like she was some sort of pet.

Akari quickly yanked away. His touch burned into her neck and chest, soothing her like a sedative. Did he attack a pressure point? she wondered, frightened by the sensation. Did he rub poison on me? She didn't know what it was– only that it was worrisome, even demeaning. "You? Calm me? You... you stress me out," she forcefully stammered; "And in truth, you make me sick. Really... Hurry up and vivisect me so I can go!"

Her blunt, distrustful words– which surprised Jin with their fast delivery– sliced through his chest and cut his humor loose. It had been so long since he had felt this shaken. Was it even possible? For almost a century, he held onto the belief that his emotions had died with his love... But now something was reconnecting inside.

"I think you're confused," Jin said, taken aback. "I had no intentions of prying you apart with pins and a scalpel. I'm hurt that you actually thought that."

Akari surprised him even further. With rueful eyes, she drooped her shoulders and stared at her feet. "I'm sorry," she said– all of her bitterness instantly hiding away inside her troubled heart. "I'm really angry right now... Probably– about everything else... So don't take it personally. I'll work it out."

Jin wanted to ask her what she meant, but there was no way she would discuss anything private with him now– not after the way he had been treating her. He couldn't understand it himself, but he wanted to press and provoke her into explaining everything– into telling him all her thoughts and secrets. Against all reason, he wanted to see her cry. He wanted her to rely on him.

If Akari had only followed his advice about living a healthy life– she would've stayed away from him and this would've never happened.

"Right. It seems your fragile constitution can only handle so much a day," Jin announced; "so I'll deal with you right now. Go ahead and take a seat. I'll then begin the research."

Fighting back a scowl, Akari parked her bottom down on the cot. Despite her original aggravation's power, her curiosity invaded and won. If Jin wasn't going to cut her open, just what was his research going to be like?

"I'm going to ask you something specific and you'll answer truthfully. You ready?" he asked.

She nodded her head, gulping but furrowing her eyebrows in determination.

"Tell me," he ordered; "has anyone else on this island... seen your true form?"

Akari held off from answering right away. Is this really the 'research'? she wondered; Or is he making fun of me yet again? She didn't want to tell him anything, but her mouth was already opening all by itself. Kappa couldn't go back on their word. What would happen if they ever did? "Yes," she squeaked, her eyes quivering so much that she became dizzy.

"Who?" he interrogated further, already fearing that he'd hear Gill's name.

"That. That person who had seen me– I mean, the other person–" Akari kept taking back and reforming her sentences. In no way did she want to mention that fisherman's name! If she did, it would make her relive the shame (especially of her tacky underwear choices). But that was a trivial matter and she couldn't hold it off forever. "The other person who has seen my true form is none other than," she blurted and paused; "Toby."

Significantly startled, Jin jumped back as if he had been poked in the ribs. Toby? Jin couldn't believe it. Well... it does explain the fishing rod. Actually, this was one of those rare situations that made complete sense despite being so odd. Jin didn't he even need to ask Akari for details, he already had the gist of what had happened.

"Is that so? It's barely been a week and you're already in so much trouble," Jin scolded, grabbing her ears and tugging them as if she were a child.

"Ow, ow–" Akari yelled.

"How did you ever manage to survive all these years?"

"Ow, ah, stop that!" she shouted; "You... You're no doctor!" Before she could burst into tears of rage, he let go of her ears.

"That's all for today," he said, walking away. "Straighten those binders up there." He pointed at his cabinet. "And then go talk to Irene for your pay."

"Pay?" Akari said. She could hardly believe it. He was paying her just so he could torment her?

"And Akari," he said, stopping. "You're to come to me when you're in trouble. Understood?"