Next Heartbeat

Seriously Engaged

Seriously Engaged

Tetsuya and Yuuko simultaneously said, "What?"

Dean Matsunaga laughed. "You two sure are like best friends."

Munechika groaned. "Kasumi and Papa's Girl are together. Gross."

Yuuko pouted. "What? I think they're adorable, Dr. Takado."

Dean Matsunaga mused. "I do love their long-time bond. They have such good chemistry that you wouldn't have wondered why our dear Kasumi hadn't pursued Nino sooner."

"Matsunaga," Munechika said with a nonchalant and staid voice, "you're almost dodging the fact that Kasumi is more conscious of their age difference."

"..." Tetsuya smiled. He was normally a tranquil person and his smile reflected this. "Nino's twenty-three. She's not underaged for Kasumi, Dr. Takado. Kasumi, perhaps, decided to let go of any regrets when he asked her out."

Yuuko nodded in delight. "It's like our relationship, Dr. Takado! We have a gap in our ages."

"That's different. We're closer in age than Nino and Kasumi are. There's a limit on how much of an age gap couples should have."

Yuuko made a shocked reaction. "That's harsh!"

Tetsuya kept on smiling casually. "Now, now, Dr. Takado. Why don't we celebrate for the two of them?"

Munechika folded his arms. "No."

Dean Matsunaga couldn't help but laugh. "It looks like we need Takado's approval, after all." He clapped his hands together twice and continued. "For now, let's get to work. We're still scheduled for some neurosurgeons to perform surgeries this afternoon. Dr. Takado and Dr. Benehime, your patients will need you to check on their health and any physical therapy."

Everyone went to check their files for work and headed off to their stations. Dean Matsunaga's smile became a solemn line. "This might be more complicated than I had thought. Takado's less lenient about the news."

He walked back and went to lecture some residence students for the day's class at Seimei University.

Back at Sentaro's house, Miku and Kaede were putting away the futons Sentaro had in one of the closets at home. Figures he would have some in case Toshiki or an uninvited pest—er, guest (cough, this had to have been Kaede of all the people in the world to intrude into Sentaro's home) came. There were times where Kaede would need somewhere other than his home to sleep in, Sentaro's was comforting to him. Just like the couch in the EICU's office.

It was a rare sight for Kaede to actually be up that morning, but it might not have been so rare since he had a habit of setting an alarm on his smart phone within the recent years. He was even helping by setting the futons outside with Miku, so his old lazy habits of sleeping in and not cleaning after himself had been some improvements. Then Kaede and Miku went back inside and shut the door.

Miku said, "Do you want to head out and get breakfast, Kaede?"

Kaede nodded with his usual nonchalant facial expression. "Yeah. Work has been really busy lately. We need more cup noodles for me and Takado."

"Heehee. You're being considerate of Munechika."

Kaede tilted his head to the side. "He got angry last time when I took some out of his stash."