Sayoko Uehara

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something from
down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

Wh-What do you want? If your shift is
over, then go home!

> You can hear bits and pieces of the
conversation between the doctor and
the nurse...

...After patrolling...
the empty room...

Oh, were you listening?

Oho... You're cute. You're the student
who started working here today, right?
I'll show you something fun the next
time you're here.
I'll see you again.

> You finished your job and went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital,
empty hospital room...
> You busily cleaned the recently
vacated hospital room...

> ......!?
> You feel someone watching you...
> You decided to pretend not to notice
and continue cleaning...

Nice work...
Were you waiting here for me?
Oh, you sweet thing. Well, then...
Would you like to study with me? Perhaps
a subject that they don't teach in
school, if you catch my drift...?

Oho... I'll make sure you learn,
nice and easy.

This is the trapezius muscle... And all
the way down here is the external
abdominal oblique muscle...
This line is the sartorius muscle...
And, oho, do you know what this is
called?

> ...
> ......
> .........
> You spent some time with Sayoko...

Oho... You're an honest guy.
That's cute, in boys your age.

> Sayoko smirks at you.

I don't find your type around here.
The kids over here are much simpler.
All they see is the carrot dangling in
front of their faces...
You're... I know. You seem to have some
sort of secret deep inside you...
...I think it's irresistible.

> Sayoko smiles in satisfaction.
> You can feel Sayoko's mischievous
affection for you...

I'll see you again.

> You finished your job and went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something from
down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

> You see an old lady in
a mourning dress...
> Is she... real...?

My...
......
Oh...
Forgive me...

> It seems the old lady is looking in
your direction...

> The old lady left...
> Who was she...?

> Inaba Municipal Hospital,
empty hospital room...
> Sayoko found you and brought you
here...

Well done.
You could just slack off and do a half-
assed job, but you really do work your
cute little butt off, don't you?
...So why are you working at a job
like this?

Hmmmm. You're a starving student?
Then should you really be caught up
here with a "naughty" lady like me?

> Sayoko smiles mischievously...

Oh, you're a smooth talker, aren't you?

> Sayoko smiles...

Kids have time to spare...
When you're an adult, it's the other
way... You have money, but no time.
...Well, you won't understand what I
mean until you're older.

> Sayoko smiles wistfully...

But still, a young child shouldn't be
wasting time wiping windows at the
hospital...
I'm sure there are girls who would cry
if they saw you doing menial chores
like this.
Speaking of which...
Say, do you have a girlfriend?

Oho... Then you can't let your
girlfriend see you like this, hmm?

> Sayoko smiles mischievously...

Oh, that's no fun. The fact that they're
taken is what makes flirting with men
so interesting...

> Sayoko pouts...

Me...?
You should work on your pickup lines.
You don't have an eye for the ladies.

> Sayoko seems to be embarrassed...

...A good boy would just answer the
question, not ask one back.

> Sayoko sighs...

...High schoolers are so young.
They're only ten years younger, but
they seem so far away...
It's like they're glittering...
I feel this... what do you call it?
Envy?
Maybe that's why...
......

...I just want to see them get screwed
over by life.

Oho, that was a joke, of course.
Half of it was, anyway...

...Do you see what I'm getting at?

Oho, you're so cute...

Keep your eyes closed...
Oho... Now, what's this...?

> ...
> ......
> .........
> You spent some time with Sayoko...

Oho, are you sure...?
Your face is all flushed...

> Sayoko smirks at you...

Oho... I keep telling you, silly, that
that's the kind of reaction I just find...
irresistible...!

> Sayoko smirks at you...

I have to go now. I have a lot of work
piling up.
But I just can't help myself...
It's because you're just so cute...

> Sayoko smiles in satisfaction...
> You can feel Sayoko's mischievous
affection for you...

Sorry to bother you while you're on the
job. Keep up the good work, okay?

> You finished your job and went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something from
down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

> The old lady in mourning garb is
standing there again...

Good evening...
I'm sorry about what happened last
time, when I was staring at your face.
You just... You looked like someone
I knew.

> The old woman smiles gently...

Do you work here?

My, is that so. That's wonderful...
I have a granddaughter about your
age... She went back home today,
though...
Thinking about it... Meeting you here
is a wonder...

But I won't be coming back here
anymore...

Haha...

This isn't a big town; we might run
into each other eventually.
I like to take in the sun at the
riverbank when I have days off.
The river sparkles so beautifully...
It all feels so good, it saddens me.

Haha, I'll be going now.

> The old woman left...

Oh, here you are. Talk about timing!
That room over there needs some work
done in it. Perhaps you could...?

...Oh, whatever, just get in there.

Okay, everything's back in order.
The patient who had been in this room
left just a little while ago. I want
you to mop the floor.

...Don't ask what happened here.

Oho, I was just kidding.
The patient who was here was released
today. He returned right from the brink
of death!

> Sayoko smiles mischievously...

He was a good patient, who always
listened to what I said.
Plus, he was the president of his
company at a young age. He was handsome,
didn't complain, and independent.
He wanted to get back to his work...
Desperately.

And, thanks to his perseverance, he was
able to leave even earlier than we had
scheduled to release him.
"Thank you for caring for me," he said,
bowing to me so happily...
Then he turned around and walked out.
He said such stupid things, like that
he loved me.

...Everyone leaves.
They only need me when they're my
patients... In the end, they all
leave me.

This, coming from a kid...?

> Sayoko shrugs...

...This is exactly why I don't like
kids. They try to win arguments.

> You seem to have put Sayoko in a bad
mood...

You make it sound easy...
Well, I guess that's to be expected.
You're still a high school student...
and a stranger to this town.

> Sayoko smiles sadly...

...I must not have been making sense.
Forget about what I was saying.
I'll ask another janitor to handle
this room. You go on home.
The streets are dark...
You shouldn't be here.
You wouldn't want to get caught...
by me.

> Sayoko gives you a faint smile...
> You feel that you just saw a bit of
Sayoko's inner self...

Nice work.

> You finished your job and went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital,
empty hospital room...
> You busily cleaned the recently
vacated hospital room...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard a woman shouting
somewhere...
> You decided to pretend not to notice
and continue cleaning...

Oh... You're here.

> Sayoko looks like she's in a
bad mood...

...Did you hear that commotion?
That was the first time anyone ever
called me a "slutty bitch" to my face...

You didn't hear...? Oh, well...

> Sayoko sighs...

Seriously.
When I laughed at her feeble attempt at
an insult, she scratched at me.
Who's the bitch now...?

> Sayoko smiles wryly...

At the previous hospital I worked at...
I had a relationship with one of the
doctors.
But... He had a wife.

She found out, I was forced to quit...
Then I started working here.

Not too long after, it seems he began
flirting again, this time with a
different nurse at the hospital.
I don't know what happened, but I got
dragged back into it. His wife came
all the way here to bitch at me.

*sigh* The other nurses were just
watching, with these stupid smirks
on their faces.

Haha... You're right. I'd probably do
the same, in their place...
Strangers are strangers...

> Sayoko smiles wryly...

Hey, how can you talk like this isn't
any of your problem...!?
Oh, wait... I guess it isn't, really.
Haha, what was I thinking?

> Sayoko smiles wryly...

*sigh* Everything's just a pain.
It wasn't like this at first... when I first
thought about becoming a nurse.
What am I working for...?

What am I living for...?

Oh... I'm sorry, I was just grumbling
to myself.
...Thank you. You're a kind boy.

> Sayoko smiles happily...

Oh... I'm sorry, I was just grumbling
to myself.
You're pretty bold, for a kid.

> Sayoko smiles...

Oh... I'm sorry, I was just grumbling
to myself.
...No, maybe I kind of wanted you to
hear about it. Thanks.

> Sayoko smiles...

> You feel you understand Sayoko
more now...

I'd better go. I'm sure that bitch
is gone by now.
Be careful going home.

> You finished your job and went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something
from down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

> Inaba Municipal Hospital,
empty hospital room...
> Sayoko found you and brought you
here...

......

> Sayoko isn't saying anything...

...Stop it. Do you think you're some
kind of counselor now?

...Stop it. You're no doctor...

...Wait.
I didn't say you could leave...

I'm sorry...
There's no point in taking it out on you...

I just got a call from the hospital
I last worked at.
The patient I was assigned to... died.
He was still just a little child...

He always said he wanted to go to
school... But it looks like he'll never
get that chance...
You know, he proposed to me... I told him
I'd think about it when he became an adult.

But I... I forgot about him!
When I transferred here, I was so busy.
I thought about him once in a while,
but soon I just forgot...
But he was fighting for his life that
entire time!

What am I doing...?

I do... Of course I blame myself...

Should I keep telling myself that?
Should I escape the pain I feel, and
forget him all over again?
What good is it to live without thinking
about your past!?
I've lived so much longer than he did,
but I'm still only thinking about myself...

Seriously...

Why did I transfer...?
When a patient gets better, I get left
behind... But, now I'm the one who left
a patient behind...
There should've been something I could
have done...

> Sayoko seems to be tormenting herself.

> You stayed quiet and watched her...

Oh, I'm sorry...
...I'm glad you came today.

> Sayoko looks at you needily...
> You feel that Sayoko trusts you.

...I'll do it. There has to be something...
anything I can do.
Goodbye.

> You left Sayoko and went home...

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something from
down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

> You can hear the nurses talking
amongst themselves...
Tired nurse
Uh, which room was it again? The one
with the patient Uehara-san mentioned.

What!? You'd better get going now, or
she'll yell at you!

She's been really scary lately...

She's been trying too... Ah!

If you have time to chat, you have time
to go check on all the patients.

Nakata-san, Room 512! Did you finish
disimpacting the patient?

I... I was just about to go...

I see you're skilled at slacking off.

Takahashi-san, the equipment order form
wasn't filled out properly. In several places.

I-I-I'm sorry, I'll fix it right--

I've already fixed it and sent it in!
Just go.

-kun... I see you're working.
That's good.
I'll be going, then...

> Sayoko looks a bit pale. She also seems
to be very tired.

I'm fine. I can still work.
...I'm happy you were thinking about
me, though.

> Sayoko smiles awkwardly...

Right, I can still work.

> Sayoko smiles awkwardly...

Yep... Very nice and clean.
I like you because you don't slack off.

> Sayoko praised your work ethic...
> You feel that Sayoko trusts you.

...Oh, I don't have time to hang around
here, either. It's going to be another
all-nighter for me...
...Goodbye.

> You finished your job and went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital,
empty hospital room...
> You busily cleaned the recently
vacated hospital room...

> ......!?
> You feel someone watching you...
> You decided to pretend not to notice
and continue cleaning...

Hey you, you can stop cleaning here.
We're going to be needing this room, so
can you get all your cleaning supplies
out of here?

Uehara-san... One of the nurses
just collapsed.

She needs to rest, but the doctors on
break are using the lounge, so...

She seems overworked... Er, don't tell
anyone I said that, okay? I'd rather not
get hauled in for a review.
...Here, help me.

> A nurse laid Sayoko down on the bed
and injected her with a syringe...

*sigh* She didn't have to do that...
I was just a little wobbly...

They're trying to get rid of me. I'm always
pressuring them to do their jobs.

And what if there's no time to rest?
There's always work waiting for me!

*sigh* I'm lucky they didn't tie me down
with an IV. I'm all right now...

I'll be going.

> It seems Sayoko is still set on
continuing to work.
> What should you do...?

Sh-Shut up...
......

Wh-What? Why are you acting so high
and mighty...?
......

I mean...
I might be able to save someone's life.
I need to do what I can. I can't spend time
worrying about myself.
Otherwise... I'd never be able to face
him again...

O-Of course he would...
Wouldn't he...?
......

S-So what if it is? I'm doing it because
I want to! I want to do it for his sake!
...For his sake...?
......

You think I'm hiding from my problem?
No! I looked right into the situation and
decided that I need to do what I can...
Right into it...
......

Oh... I see. I...
I was doing it for myself...

I wanted to escape the pain...
I was working hard, to avoid feeling
anything at all...

I see that now...
Haha... I'm so stupid.

> Sayoko seems to be holding back
tears...

I get it... Yeah, I get it...
Thank you...

> Sayoko tries to smile...
> You feel that you were able to give
Sayoko some support...

...I'm going to rest for a little while longer.
You can go now.
Don't look at me...

> You left Sayoko and went home...

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something from
down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

Oh, you there. Sorry, but can you take
this person to the...

I'm fine.

B-But your face is very pale...
......
You are aware that you've gained something
of a reputation recently, right?
I'm not the only one who would rather
see you return to the easy-to-work-with
Sayo-chan from not too long ago...

...I have work to do. If you'll excuse me.

Don't tell me you're slacking off, too...

*sigh*
I know I'm getting nowhere...
But I have to do it...

> Sayoko seems genuinely tormented...
> ...You're so worried about Sayoko,
you hesitate to even say something to her...

Goodbye, now.

> You watched Sayoko walk away,
then went home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, hallway...
> You busily cleaned the dark, silent
hallways...

> ......!?
> You thought you heard something from
down the hall...
> You decided to pretend not to hear it
and continue cleaning...

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, empty
hospital room...
> Sayoko asked you to come here...

I'm sorry. You're already done with
work today, aren't you?
I wanted to say goodbye.

...I'm leaving this hospital today.

> Sayoko looks straight into your eyes.

Oho, if you meant that to have some
deeper meaning, than you're one
sharp boy.
...I'm leaving this hospital today.

> Sayoko looks straight into your eyes.

I grew to hate hospitals...
All the life and death... In the end,
everyone leaves, leaving me behind.
I was lonely...

Then I remembered.
I remembered that... I wanted to help.
I became a nurse because I wanted to
save people's lives.
I couldn't see that it was as simple
as that...
No... I probably didn't want to see it.

> Sayoko smiles gently...

And to think that the one who would
show me this is just some kid with a rag
in his hand.
...I tend to go for older rich men,
and I landed a child.

So... I'm going.
I'm going to find that path I gave up on.
I thought I couldn't do it... But, I will
walk that road.

I'm going to be my own guide. Thinking,
walking, taking responsibility for myself...
Once I've done all that, I think I can
finally say that I've truly lived.

......
Will you take this?

> Sayoko gave you .

I give you the person I was when I was here.

> Sayoko looks at you gently...
> You feel a strong bond between
yourself and Sayoko...

I'm going to say this. It's as much to myself
as it is to you.
What's right... What you should choose
to do in life... The answers to those
things lie within you.
So long.

> Sayoko left, never looking back.
> ...You decided to go home.

> Inaba Municipal Hospital...
> You overhear two nurses talking...

Have you heard about Uehara-san?

> They seem to be talking about Sayoko...

She joined some volunteer organization
and went to Africa.

Africa!? I never thought she'd be the
kind of person who would go there...

Well, she seemed to be taking her job
really seriously towards the end of her
time here. She even studied during break.
Do you remember when we were talking
about the rumors of the Midnight Channel?
She wasn't interested at all.

Oh, I remember those rumors.
Not that I know where they started...
But yeah, now that you mention it,
Uehara-san was never around when we
were chatting about them.
She was studying some foreign language,
wasn't she?

She was trying to learn English and
some African languages. She read a lot
of medical books, too.

I see... But, why Africa? Why'd she join
a volunteer organization? What's the point?
I'd rather marry a guy, raise kids, and be
an ordinary housewife.

That's what I used to think too, but
watching Uehara-san kinda made me feel
different about it.
...She did seem to have a boyfriend,
though. A very young one, too!

Oh, it must have been that kid who was
working here part-time...

I don't know the details, but he seemed to
really mean something to her...
She once told me that she was trying to do
her best to live up to him...

"Do her best," eh...?
...I feel I have to try harder, too...

Yeah... I'm starting to see where she was
coming from.

...Let's get back to work and do our best.

> It seems that Sayoko is working hard
in a foreign country...
> Even though Sayoko is gone, her life here
has changed people for the better.
> You feel a close bond between Sayoko
and yourself...

> ......
> You decided to go back to the town...