Dumped by One, Chased by Another? My Ex's Sister Is a Gal and She's Coming for Me - Episode 69

“Of course, I have no intention of forcing you. Your will is the most important factor here—let’s be clear about that.”

In the director’s office of Ayase Hospital, we sat across from each other on the sofa in the reception area. Dr. Tokishirōu spoke to me without a smile, his expression as calm as ever.

“Um…”

“Yes?”

“I just don’t think I’m cut out for management. I mean, saying I’m suited for it…”

“Management demands a wide range of skills. Naturally, it helps to have studied business administration, and when it comes to running a hospital, a solid understanding of medicine and healthcare is essential too.”

“Well, yes, that makes sense.”

“But beyond those fundamentals, there’s one quality that is absolutely essential—something you can’t do without. And you have it.”

“And what’s that?”

“Resilience. The ability not to break.”

“…?”

I didn’t quite understand. No, I understood the words themselves perfectly well. But how exactly did that relate to management? More importantly, why did he think I had that?

“You see, there are good times and bad times in management. To be honest, anyone can manage when things are going well. I won’t say it’s like money falling into your lap, but there’s hardly any chance of failure.”

“…Is that really the case?”

Part of me felt that only someone as competent as Dr. Tokishirōu could say something like that. Just running an organization, even on a small scale, is already incredibly hard. Even being the president of a volunteer club had been a struggle for me.

If that’s my benchmark, then the weight of his expectations feels overwhelming.

“But the real challenge of management begins when things aren’t going well—when you’re facing a crisis. Compared to that, smooth sailing is nothing.”

Dr. Tokishirōu was a man who rarely showed emotion. I had never seen him smile, and Haruki once told me she hadn’t either.

But now, the man sitting in front of me was a completely different person.

His face was etched with deep weariness.

“It was truly difficult. Frankly speaking, general hospitals tend to run in the red. There were times when I had no idea how to improve our situation, and to be honest, it’s still tough even now.”

“…”

I couldn’t say anything. Any half-hearted sympathy or praise would only cheapen what this man had endured. I simply couldn’t find the words.

“But even so… you didn’t give up, right?”

“Just like you. I couldn’t not do it.”

His words brought back something I had once told Haruki. That I couldn’t just stand by. That when I saw someone struggling or in pain, I had to reach out.

Now, looking at this man, I felt it again—he and I weren’t so different.

“My father built this hospital. He told me I didn’t have to take over, that I didn’t need to become a doctor unless I wanted to. But I believed it was necessary. I understood that without a general hospital, there were people we wouldn’t be able to save.”

When he said that, it became clearer. We weren’t just similar—we had the same resolve.

“…To be honest, I still don’t fully understand.”

“I see.”

I had no choice but to shake my head.

“I mean, I’m not even a doctor yet. I’ve never been involved in managing anything substantial, let alone a hospital.”

I’d helped people before, but I wasn’t even qualified to practice medicine. I wasn’t sure I truly understood what it meant to save someone as a doctor.

And even this “resilience” he praised in me—it only existed because Haruki had been there, supporting me.

But maybe that’s exactly why…

“So… could you teach me? More about the hospital, about management—everything.”

“…Are you sure?”

“I think it’s something I need to learn.”

I met Dr. Tokishirōu’s gaze directly.

This wasn’t just about Haruki anymore.

If I was going to live a life dedicated to helping others, then understanding these things would never be a waste.

“It’ll be a long story. Old man’s tales, you know.”

“Haha, I’ll do my best.”

After that, he began to teach me about management.

Though, because he was immediately called away on business, that first lesson only lasted twenty minutes.

It seems he really is a busy man.