Edogawa Nishiguchi Ayakashi Clinic - Chapter 21
“What’s wrong?”
Oh, he’s still here.
Casually leaning against the staircase’s handrail, Dr. Tengo folded his arms as he looked in my direction.
Eh, huh?
Could it be that he was waiting for me to come after him?
Are you extending your unpaid overtime?
I might’ve failed last time, but this is my chance!
“Doctor! Ah, you– you see… That old geezer came back to my room again—”
My smartphone vibrated.
Based on the vibration pattern, it’s probably the person I didn’t want to talk to most right now.
“Aren’t you answering that?”
“No, that’s—”
When I turned to look back at my room, the fake English gentleman was elegantly drinking his tea again.
With all the things happening around me, I couldn’t decide what to do first.
Should I drive away that Akatsu nurarihyon first?
To do that, I had to ask Dr. Tengo to come back first, but what about my phone call?
If I didn’t answer it, the caller would just keep on calling until I picked up.
This is so troublesome!
“I’m watching.”
Are you trying to say that you’re keeping an eye on that old geezer in my room?
If you are, then why are you staring at me so much?
His cool gaze was so piercing, it hurt.
Geez, give me a break already.
But first, I had to face the root of all evil— this pesky phone call!
“What is it, papa? I’m busy right now!”
“How’d you know it was me?”
“Just get to the point, please!”
“Have you found a job yet?”
This again.
This was the one conversation I’ve always dreaded.
“I’ve already found one, but…”
“What!? Where!”
I’ve already found one, but I quit right away.
And now, I’m completely regretting it.
“It’s a clinic near my apartment.”
It’s a clinic that caters to ayakashi though.
It’s a world a Buddhist priest like you won’t understand either.
“Hmm? When did you get a nurse license?”
“No, I’m working as a medical clerk.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? When did you get certified?”
“It’s fine, isn’t it? I’m properly thinking things over, you know!”
“What kind of clinic is it?”
I didn’t want to say.
If I tried, I’d definitely blurt out Ayakashi Clinic.
I could already imagine what he’d say about that.
“Sorry, but I’m with my friend right now, so I’ll just call you later.”
“Azuki! Don’t even think that excuse is going to work on me!”
“I’m not lying! I really got a job!”
It’s just, I already quit earlier though!
Also, I’ve gone back to square one, so I have to go looking for one again!
“Do you really hate going back home that much?”
It’s not like I don’t want to go back home.
It’s just… you’d need a car to get around there.
Especially if you want to go to that huge shopping mall in the suburbs.
When it comes to the old downtown area, the first thing you would think of is the old shopping center which only has a couple of izakaya and some mediocre shops here and there, so everyone goes to the mall on Sundays.
There, you could buy daily necessities, various sundries, and even clothes.
The clothes were quite fashionable too.
Families would spend the whole day there, hanging around the food court and the game center.
It was fun in its own way.
It definitely was.
But I knew.
It wasn’t because of the mall.
“… It’s not like that.”
“Didn’t you hate the countryside so much you chose to study at a university in Tokyo?”
Whether it was the suburbs or the neighbors, I only had acquaintances.
The friends I had were either from high school, middle school, or at the very least, from primary school.
Over there, people would usually bear kids when they reach about 18 years old and spend time talking about their families by the time their kid was old enough to be sent to elementary school.
But I knew.
It wasn’t because everyone around me was having kids either.
“…No, it’s not because of that.”
The hourly rate in the countryside is surprisingly low.
By the time you come of age, it’s already decided where you would be working.
In other words, you didn’t have much choice with your life.
Whether it’s here or there, everyone knows each other.
Ah, that’s right.
Of course.
When I came to Tokyo, I couldn’t find a job right away, nor could I get a boyfriend and the only person I got along with was an ayakashi called nurasomething.
“If it’s work, I can arrange something for you here.”
“Stop it, don’t just decide things for me!”
I felt like I was about to explode with all the self-pity that had been building up inside me.
