Miyazaki Prefecture, a renowned tourist destination in Japan, boasts an impressive 76% forest coverage. Its warm climate and abundant sunshine have earned it the moniker "The Land of Hyūga."
For Amemiya Gorou, though, the familiar scenery had long lost its appeal. He'd lived in Miyazaki for twenty-five years, and now, leaning on the railing of a hospital rooftop nestled in the mountains, he sighed, gazing out at the seemingly endless forest.
Barely six months after graduating from a six-year medical school and returning to his hometown, Amemiya Gorou had landed a "glorious" internship in the local hospital's obstetrics and gynecology department. In that short time, he'd already grasped the unspoken rules of the workplace. In a field that heavily prioritizes seniority, interns like him were essentially at the bottom, saddled with almost all the miscellaneous tasks.
He took a deep breath of the fresh rooftop air, but his brief moment of rest was quickly interrupted. His phone rang—the department head, summoning him to his office immediately.
When Amemiya Gorou finally rushed in, he was surprised to find important figures like the director and vice-director, rarely seen on weekdays, already seated, each with a serious expression. As he cautiously walked in, one of the vice-directors confirmed with the head of obstetrics and gynecology:
"Is this our hospital's youngest intern?"
"Yes, he just graduated half a year ago."
The department head gestured for Amemiya Gorou to approach. Amemiya Gorou quickly bowed to each of them. After the department head's confirmation, the director, who had been sitting at the head of the table with a stern face, broke into a kind smile. He stood up and patted Amemiya Gorou's shoulder, saying, "Good, young and promising. Such fresh blood—they're all good prospects."
The others naturally nodded in agreement when the director spoke, leaving Amemiya Gorou somewhat confused, only secretly grumbling to himself.
While Miyazaki Prefecture was a famous tourist spot, for someone from Tokyo, it was just a remote, rural area. No capable medical student would willingly choose to work here. If it weren't for Amemiya Gorou being a local and having other personal reasons, he likely wouldn't have taken the job.
After a few routine pleasantries, the director abruptly changed the subject:
"Amemiya, there's a difficult task now, perfect for a vigorous and energetic young person like you."
Understanding that the conversation was getting to the point, Amemiya Gorou immediately became serious. "Please tell me."
Just as Amemiya Gorou wondered if he was about to be assigned a particularly troublesome patient or even more arduous chores, the director suddenly said with a smile: "Interested in playing a supporting role in a movie?"
— — ?!
Completely stunned, Amemiya Gorou's mouth hung open, forgetting his manners. He glanced down at his white coat, then at the director's. After confirming he was still in the hospital and was indeed an intern, Amemiya Gorou twitched his lips. "Are you joking?"
"Although it's a bit hard to accept, it's true." The director handed a prepared document from the table to Amemiya Gorou, his expression earnest. "This is a major public welfare project. I went to great lengths to secure it. The city hall, city tourism bureau, and Red Cross are all involved. As long as you do well, I will personally approve your regularization!"
Another thirty minutes passed before Amemiya Gorou, his head still buzzing, stumbled out of the office. To his surprise, several nurses had already gathered outside. Seeing him emerge, they excitedly and curiously asked, "Doctor Amemiya, is that Kitagawa really coming to our hospital?"
Amemiya Gorou stiffly looked at the document in his hand, then just as stiffly nodded.
Upon receiving confirmation, the nurses erupted into even more enthusiastic discussion.
"He's actually coming to such a remote little place… it's unbelievable."
"I heard it's for filming a public welfare movie, and he's definitely the lead."
"Can I get his autograph? My daughter loves his morning dramas."
"Keiko, you clearly want it yourself, don't you? I've heard you say countless times that you want to be that child's mother."
Listening to the nurses' chatter, Amemiya Gorou lowered his head again and re-examined the photo printed on the first page of the document. It was a boy, about seven or eight years old. Though his features hadn't fully developed, he transcended the usual 'cuteness' used to describe children. He was someone who could genuinely be described as 'good-looking' or even 'beautiful.'
And he was quite familiar—a face definitely seen on television.
Below the photo was a series of extravagant achievements that even left Amemiya Gorou, an outsider to the entertainment industry, somewhat speechless.
[From an orphanage, adopted at age three by the famous drama actor Kitagawa Susumu, and began systematic acting training from then on. Debuted at age four as a child drama actor in the entertainment industry. Within one year of debut, received widespread praise from industry professionals and turned the Lala Lai Theatrical Company from a loss to a profit, making it one of the most famous theater troupes in the country in recent two years.]
[At age five, gained significant popularity by guest-starring in the morning drama "Amachan," which served as a stepping stone into the film and television industry. Subsequently appeared in numerous morning dramas and Monday 9 PM dramas. One year later, his starring film "Home Alone" won various domestic and international film festival gold awards, held the number one spot at the domestic box office for thirteen consecutive weeks, and ultimately ranked third in domestic film history for total box office. In the same year, he won first place on the 'Child Star Most Wanted to Be a Mother To' list by a significant margin.]
(Monday 9 PM drama: Fuji TV's Monday 9 PM slot drama, comparable to CCTV-1's 8 PM prime-time drama.)
Amemiya Gorou didn't read any further. Instead, he refolded the document and tucked it under his arm. While the nurses were still enthusiastically discussing, he walked past them and strode directly towards a certain ward at the other end of the corridor.
He suddenly remembered something: a child recently admitted to the hospital for treatment also seemed to be a fan of this child star named Kitagawa Ryo.
Her name was Tendouji Serina, and her symptom was anaplastic astrocytoma. Amemiya Gorou remembered her because her parents had almost never visited, seemingly abandoning their daughter in the ward to fend for herself.
As a newly employed doctor, Amemiya Gorou had not yet become accustomed to the cycles of life, death, joy, and sorrow here, unlike his senior colleagues.
He was currently only thinking of one thing.
If this child, so tormented by illness that she could barely get out of bed, knew this news—
She should be a little happier today, right?
---
A long time ago, Tendouji Serina didn't quite understand what illness she had. She had inadvertently glimpsed words like "astrocytic" on her medical record, which reminded her of the beautiful stars embedded in the night sky.
But the truth was:
"She has a tumor in her brain!" her mother had shouted at her father at the time.
Then, at the age of twelve, she was sent to the hospital, into a stark white ward.
"Today's check-up is over, Sarina."
Perhaps due to years of experience, Tendouji Serina's attending physician never showed any flaws on his face, and Sarina herself was completely unable to glean any useful information from his expression. Over time, his face, like the snow-white walls, the pale ceiling, and his white coat, lost its distinctiveness and gradually blurred in her eyes.
The doctor in the white coat walked out and closed the ward door, making the spacious room quiet once more.
Normally, Tendouji Serina would be allowed to engage in other activities for the rest of the day, such as watching TV—the remote control was in the first drawer of her bedside table; or playing on the computer—her father had specially provided her with a desktop computer, a thoughtful gesture that also seemed to foreshadow that she would have to stay there for a considerable amount of time.
Or perhaps taking a walk, though only within this ward. She could spend ten minutes walking from her bed to the window ten meters away, and opening the window would reveal the view of the northwest corner of the hospital courtyard. As for the southeast corner on the other side, Sarina would have to go into the corridor, but this was usually not allowed. When she couldn't sleep at night, she could try slowly inching her way there, first holding onto the bed, then the cabinet, and finally the wall, which might take twice as long.
After thinking seriously for a while, Tendouji Serina decided to watch her collected "Kitagawa Ryo's Face Mix" on the video website, as usual. So, she reached out for her fully charged phone on the bedside table. Next to the phone was a small alarm clock with a Q-version prince-like character on its back, which she had bought during a limited-time re-release of merchandise from Kitagawa Ryo's debut work, "Hamlet".
In fact, if patients weren't forbidden from decorating their rooms, Tendouji Serina would have probably plastered the four white walls with his play posters, and the ceiling too, so she could see him as soon as she opened her eyes in the morning.
Just as Tendouji Serina unlocked her phone, the ward door opened again.
The person who walked in was the youngest intern doctor she had met when she was first admitted to the hospital.
Immediately after, Amemiya Gorou walked up to Tendouji Serina. Although he had come on his own initiative, he spoke in a casual tone: "That child you recommended…"
"Is coming to our hospital… Oh."
The doctor deliberately drew out his words, smiling as he watched the girl's reaction of disbelief and joy, pulling at his sleeve to repeatedly confirm.
He couldn't cure her illness, and as a young doctor, Amemiya Gorou himself felt disheartened.
So, he sincerely hoped that this child star, Kitagawa Ryo, could provide her with some spiritual comfort.
If he could do that, he would even become a solo fan of him!
With this thought, Amemiya Gorou couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anticipation for this child he had yet to meet.
---
"Yes, I understand. Please rest assured."
"What… that's truly good news!"
The burly, neatly bearded man in his early fifties hung up the phone. Sitting in the passenger seat, he turned to the boy in the back seat and said, "Ryo, Mrs. Kitagawa Tomiko went to the hospital today, and her pregnancy has been confirmed."
"Just as Mr. Izaki said on the phone, it's truly good news, isn't it?"
Kitagawa Ryo rested his face in his hand, looking out at the rapidly passing scenery, without a hint of emotion on his face, as if the news he had just heard was insignificant.
"But…" The old man, referred to as Mr. Izaki, spoke with some hesitation.
"There is no 'but'." Kitagawa Ryo withdrew his gaze and stretched his arms, yawning. His eyes didn't resemble those of a seven or eight-year-old child; his dark, deep pupils were like black holes devouring everything. "This is indeed good news."
The Mrs. Kitagawa in their conversation was Kitagawa Ryo's adoptive mother. A former idol artist, she and her husband, the well-known former drama actor Kitagawa Susumu, had been childless for over a decade after marriage, which led them to adopt Kitagawa Ryo from an orphanage. However, not long ago, Kitagawa Tomiko suddenly showed signs of pregnancy.
With the official confirmation of the pregnancy, Kitagawa Ryo's status as an 'adopted son' became somewhat awkward. Perhaps it was due to this consideration that Izaki, Kitagawa Ryo's manager, felt worried.
But what he wouldn't realize was that Kitagawa Ryo, sitting in the back seat of the car, was not a child who would worry about his adoptive parents' favoritism being taken away; his body actually contained a more mature soul.
Having transmigrated to this world for over seven years, Kitagawa Ryo, who was also a drama actor in his previous life, had already adapted to life here.
"How much longer until we arrive?" Casually changing the subject, Kitagawa Ryo asked his manager.
"In thirty minutes." Izaki looked at the navigation and replied, then pulled up the itinerary: "We can probably only stay here for half a month. This is the maximum we could strive for."
"Otherwise, the film's shooting schedule won't keep up."
"If one part goes wrong, all subsequent work arrangements will be disrupted."
To pass the time during the journey, Kitagawa Ryo idly asked another question: "Are there any interesting jobs next month? Variety shows don't count."
"Mr. Kindaichi of Lala Lai Theatrical Company wants Ryo to go back and teach two acting training classes for newcomers. He recently started a workshop and recruited quite a few good newcomers."
Izaki flipped through the documents, then suddenly added with interest: "There's a very pretty girl."
Kitagawa Ryo pouted at the remark. In the past two years, he had seen at least eighty, if not a hundred, pretty girls in the entertainment industry, and every single one of them saw him as young, often hugging him, stroking his hair, and taking photos to post on social media whenever they had nothing to do, happily gaining popularity.
However, since Mr. Izaki said so, Kitagawa Ryo still casually glanced, simply making a mental note of the name "Hoshino Ai."
"But for now, we still need to finish this movie."
Kitagawa Ryo sighed, turning back to the first page of the script he had already read countless times. This large-scale public welfare film, heavily promoted, focused on medical issues. The male protagonist he played was a child tormented by illness to the brink of death, yet in his final moments, he still strived and held great hope for the future. It was primarily a tear-jerker, seemingly to call for society's attention to special patient groups.
For Kitagawa Ryo, this was indeed a challenge, as he had never played such a role before.
This was also why he rushed to the hospital; to truly immerse himself in the character, he needed to conduct in-depth research and investigation into the role he was to portray, and ultimately fully understand it.
Then, he would perfectly express everything he had learned through his innate acting talent.
In fact, Kitagawa Ryo had already anticipated the grand reaction from Miyazaki Prefecture. Before this, he had already spent a considerable amount of time in intensive care units of various hospitals, big and small, pretending to be a patient.
"But, will this really… help them?"
Recalling the stories from various hospital wards he had seen recently, Kitagawa Ryo was uncharacteristically lost in thought. Turning others' pain and tragedies into his own nourishment and then presenting them on the big screen through performance, he even had the illusion that he was feeding on human blood-steamed buns.
"Yes, it will. There was a public service film before, which focused on heart disease patients, and it even changed public opinion and views on organ transplantation at the time," Izaki replied calmly.
The car slowly came to a stop, nearing its destination.
It was about an hour earlier than scheduled, a decision made by Kitagawa Ryo.
He put on a hat to cover himself and turned up his collar, trying to hide his face as much as possible, and walked into the hospital like an ordinary child accompanying his grandfather to see a doctor.
As he passed a patient's room with an open door, Kitagawa Ryo glimpsed a small alarm clock with his own image on the bedside table. The patient sitting on the bed wore a knitted hat, making their gender unclear. Spread out on the quilt in front of them were several large promotional posters and stills, with Kitagawa Ryo also as the main character on them.
The person seemed to have chosen a favorite poster and was somewhat laboriously putting the remaining posters into a poster tube, but during this process, a gentle breeze blew the carefully selected poster to the ground.
Picking it up was something a three or four-year-old child could easily do, but the person on the hospital bed seemed unable to manage it.
The person was slowly moving, or rather, shifting their legs out from under the quilt.
Kitagawa Ryo walked into the room himself, picked up the poster from the floor, and handed it to the person.
"Ah… thank you," Tendouji Serina thanked him with a hint of surprise, but she immediately noticed the boy's pupils, which reflected her image as brightly as stars.
The girl looked at the poster in her hand with a sense of disbelief. It was a promotional still from Kitagawa Ryo's debut work, "Hamlet." Alongside the vengeful prince 'Hamlet' was printed a famous line from the play:
[He is the courtier's eye, the scholar's tongue, the soldier's sword, a delicate flower on which the nation gazes, the mirror of the times, the paragon of humanity, the center of all eyes.]
This was a poem by Hamlet's lover, Ophelia, praising her beloved in the play, and it was also the best description in Tendouji Serina's mind for Kitagawa Ryo himself, who played Hamlet.
"Ryo?"
Tendouji Serina's eyes widened in disbelief, and she abruptly leaned her head forward. This violent movement caused her knitted hat to fall off.
What was revealed was a bald, ugly, tree-root-like scalp left after chemotherapy…
But Kitagawa Ryo quickly caught the hat the next second. Its brim had small, exquisite decorations, like the last bit of a love for beauty residing within.
He placed the hat back on the other person's head, held his hand to his lips, and made a shushing gesture.
"Very cute," Kitagawa Ryo spoke softly, his gentle voice like lukewarm syrup.