sinnesspiel | Shiki Novel Translations 2.1.5

Toshio joined Ishida in leaving the temple office. The grounds were awash in rain like literal waterfalls. At the best of times the outside lights were hazy with moisture, making the courtyard all the darker now.

Taking Ishida's car back to the hospital, Toshio held up his recently unused umbrella and jogged across the grounds. Trying to find a place for his feet to fall that wasn't a puddle of water proved difficult. When he stepped into the white Corolla, he was already soaked from the knees down.

Ishida slid into the driver's side and closed the door. With the sounds of the rain now sounding a bit far off, the inside of the car had the air of a locked room.

"...Ishida-san, I want to discuss something with you."

Yes, Ishida asked, starting the engine and turning to look at Toshio.

"This case; could I have you keep it quiet for a while?"

"Yes, but of course."

Toshio looked to the front pane of glass fogged by moisture out into the darkness and the rain of the grounds as he spoke.

"That's not what I mean. For a while, I want you to hold off on reporting to your superiors. Until I say it's okay, I don't want you to send anything out of Sotoba."

Ishida blinked. Cutting off Ishida before he could day 'but', Toshio urged him to start driving. For the short distance to the Ozaki clinic he said nothing, opening his mouth only once they were at their destination. In the parking lot at night, in the curtain of rain that left nothing to be seen, the inside of the car was a completely isolated world.

"...Ishida-san. To tell the truth, I think it's a plague. I dare say I'm sure of it. And no common one. I researched and researched, but no epidemic that matches the symptoms was found."

"You can't mean a new strain?"

"A new strain or a variant strain, I can't tell. It's possible that it just simply looks that way, but. At any rate, what's certain is that this is a something momentous. Just looking at the victims we can see, they have a terrifyingly high mortality rate. Of course, there might be those with a sub-clinical infection. An outbreak that healed without anybody noticing is a possibility. But when that's not the case, it takes a sudden turn for the worse, and they die right away without any opening for treatment. And looking at just the death certificates, by the time it's at the level where anybody could notice the symptoms, it's already too far gone to do a thing about it."

Ishida's throat suddenly, audibly tightened.

"I don't know if it's sure to break out if someone's infected. But, I'm under the impression that once it breaks out, it's out of my hands. Starting in Yamairi, Sotoba's been contaminated. Like that, it'd been spreading."

"Y... yeah, yes."

"You report this to the administration. You do that, and what do you think will happen?"

"What, you say...."

"If at the end of the day it was a known epidemic, there'd be nothing to fear. I have an obligation to report, too. I can't just stay quiet. But if this is like I said before a new strain, what then? In that case, what can the administration do?"

Ishida moaned deep in his throat.

"...They can't do anything. As long as it isn't covered under the Communicative Diseases Prevention Law, or it isn't food poisoning with means determined by the food hygiene laws, there isn't any guideline for how to handle it."

"That's it exactly. In this case, it's not food poisoning. What's covered by the Communicative Diseases Prevention Law?"

"Uhm...."

"Eleven infectious diseases requiring official reporting, two kinds of specified communicable diseases, twelve a physician is required to report within twenty four hours of diagnosis, the Parasite Prevention Law, the Tuberculous Control Law, one counts under the Leprosy Prevention Law, the Venereal Disease Prevention Law covers four, for a sum of thirty-two types covered. Furthermore of those infectious diseases that are regulated to be kept under surveillance, none overlap with those thirty-two. ---If it's one of those, there's no problem. Even if it's a variant strain. But, if that's not the case? Of course the administration has to do something."

"Yes...."

Ishida was shivering. That was correct. If there was no legal method of handling it the only thing to do would be to isolate the patients. The doctors and administration couldn't very well ignore the person's wishes and strap them down!

"When it comes to giving them an honorable little push for assistance, we can't count on the Kanemasa's son. It's just like you said. It'd be good if the predecessor was still alive. Even if this gets out we can't count on the administration's help. And that's not all. If this is a new strain of disease, and if it is one that spreads by direct transmission, what do you think's gonna happen?"

"...I don't know."

"Look at what happened with Ebola and you get the idea, don't you? They shut it in. It gets out that there's an unknown epidemic spreading through Sotoba. After that the first thing to do to try to contain it is to isolate it. Sotoba's quarantined, patients are kept from leaking out. If there's no legal basis to do that on, then there's no stopping it from being done in some underhanded fashion. The administration and the Medical Association could collude and move to have Sotoba kept on the down low, handled behind the scenes. That'd be the only way it could go."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Certainly, with that you could protect against it spreading. It's especially valid when it comes to containing an epidemic with as high a fatality rate as this one. But, Sotoba can't be saved like that, Ishida-san. It's like waiting for a fire to burn itself out without sending in a fire truck. If there's not a blade of grass left to burn, the fire might naturally die out but what's that mean for Sotoba?"

Ishida nodded.

"I by no means want to hush up the situation. If it is an infectious disease we're legally required to report, I have that obligation too, and of course the minute it's identified as one I'll report it. If I can convey that it's not spread by direct contact, so there'd be no meaning in closing off Sotoba, we'll pass it up to the administration. But, if the source of the contamination really is in Yamairi, if this's an epidemic that's unique to Sotoba, if it turns out to be directly transmitted, it's going to need to be handled with a certain delicacy."

"I understand what you're saying, Junior Doctor. I understand, but...."

"If it really does spread by direct contact, even I can think of some ways to handle it. There are ways to independently and cooperatively isolate it, ways to announce it indirectly through the Medical Association. I'm promising that it's going to be handled, so can't you keep it down for just a while for me?"

Ishida hesitated to respond. As if seeing through his hesitation, Toshio looked at Ishida. His voice was somehow penetratingly cold as he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"It'd be better if it spreads outside, Ishida-san. If it's something the administration can't help with anyway. If they personally aren't feeling the heat, they won't do a thing. Unless it's to protect themselves, not a damn thing."

"Junior Doctor."

"Mount Unzen, Okushiri Island, Matsumoto." Tosho murmured as if reciting a chant. "....If you believe the administration will cooperate to help the people at the scene of the tragedy, I'd like to ask your basis for that belief."

Ishida opened his mouth, then, hesitatingly, closed it. Taking in Ishida's silence, Toshio opened the passenger side door. The mists and deafening sound of the rain suddenly flowed in.

"Sorry 'bout this, Ishida-san. I'm counting on you."

"....Yes, sir."

Having gotten out of the car, Toshio bent his body down to speak to Ishida. "And also, could you keep this a secret from Seishin? He's an idealist you know, he can't handle balancing good and evil."

I understand was all Ishida replied.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This has probably been my favorite chapter so far. Speaking of those differences you mentioned, Ozaki got kind of shounen-hero'd up for the manga and subsequently the anime, but would it even be possible to do this scene without him coming off downright villainous? Dark, low private murmurings in the pouring rain, trust me, I'm the expert here, etc.

Seishin's not even in this chapter and we just got a bombshell on how exactly their relationship works.

Toshio understands Seishin more than all of us combined. From how I see it, Toshio likely knows that they're going to disagree with each other on many issues anyway (he has to keep something from him even to prevent this), but he still wants him to help him and support him. For whatever he's gonna do, he'll come to Seishin first, even despite this.

One thing I notice from the novel is, at the moment of Moral Horizon, Seishin eventually leaves the hospital because Toshio told him to (well I don't have time to hear your commentary, go away)

And when Toshio and co. spot him on the driver's seat with Suitcase-ko, it really shows that Seishin's the one he shows hesitancy to go after. (he even tries to stop Shimizu when he breaks it to Ohkawa and the others that it's Seishin who drives the car) but Toshio cannot do anything, Seishin's betrayed the village and they're gonna punish whoever who does. (I believe he then internally says: 'Seishin only follows his own self after all') But I still have to check these.

I wonder if coming to Seishin first is because their positions make his involvement inevitable (they are the "big three", minus Kanemasa now--and he's trying to edge Sadaichi, the functional village headman, and anyone else out as much as he possibly can) or out of personal bonds. Though the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, I get the feeling he'd just as soon not involve Seishin, if he could help it. This problem is his baby, HE's the hero here.

But I fully agree Ozaki understands Seishin fairly well; not perfectly, but if nothing else, he doesn't actually seem to hold him turning against him against Seishin, or at least doesn't take it personally even if he's personally hurt. That sounds contradictory, doesn't it?

Hmm I think it's a mix of both? He comes to Seishin first, because he's his BFF. Their relationship has always been like that. If Seishin agrees with him he'll be an endless support. If they clash though... Toshio will be all 'well then get outta my way', doesn't even try to consider Seishin's opinions. (not including moral horizon; I get this feeling that he's always been like this since they were young)

Inside he knows that they're different at their roots, the possibility of them clashing is fairly high, but he still wants his support. If he could get it he will get it. And he even keeps something from him to prevent him from causing ruckus... He's rather manipulative this way (but I think that's no news).

Makes me wonder if Toshio is also quite detached himself. He seems affectional, yes, but it also seems that his attachment to things is not too profound. Even towards Seishin.

Notice Seishin has lamented the deaths and felt near unprecedented sorrow for the victims he doesn't know personally. In the anime I thought he felt obligated to care and supposed he must, but it seems he really does care and I just didn't give him the benefit of the doubt. He was even distracted from his own existential crisis and writing by how distraught he was over Megumi and her family's case. He's well controlled but he does feel deeply, it seems.

Toshio's only thoughts are "I might be looking to escape" and "I bet I could in fact convince Shimizu to do an autopsy if I pushed" while paying lip-service to understanding his emotions. My personal take in the anime was that, yes, Toshio is a cold fish with little to no actual regard for the vast majority of his patients. I'd question him being a sociopath if not the fact that we *are* shown he can and does like some people and cares for their loss as more than "points." Since he *can* feel such things, he's not a sociopath so much as he just doesn't care most of the time. Empathy burnout is very common in the helping professions. Or maybe he's always been that way; like you said, as a kid he was a lot like he is now.

He seems to care about his patients though? He'll accept house calls every time. He's dedicated to them. Though yes, he's not the most empathetic person and he doesn't like Megumi that much because she gave him a bit of trouble beforehand. And under such uncomfortable situation (Megumi's parents' judging gaze) it's understandable that he wants to escape.

I think he's quite a cold/detached person initially, but I also think an extreme stress situation (all this shiki ordeal) plays a part in making him (seeming) even colder and distant. He thinks he's in charge because he knows best, he's the only doctor and such; and when the villagers already know about the shikis they refuse to acknowledge them, and that pisses him even more, the more he thinks he's 'alone' in this.

Not blaming Seishin, but I think his slow, mild and indecisive character also play a part in making the already selfish Toshio even more selfish. Seishin's one person he's spent his time with the most, and Seishin's all-too-giving personality has made him a spoiled man. With Seishin like this Toshio never learns to compromise with him, Toshio's used to belittle him. I ship them, but I think they're not the best person for each other. (though not every couple is perfect and even couples who are not perfect for each other can last for a long time)

I work in health and helping fields, and I'll pick up the phone whenever it rings at work and I will put up with the absolute dumbest bullshit and even provide to clients I am paid to provide to when I'd be so much happier if they'd just suffer without help, because I am entirely certain they don't actually need our services, but they qualify on some ridiculous technicality or lie I am not professionally allowed to call them out on. So, as someone who does not care about most of my clients as people a bit but who has every desire to have a clean professional record (in my case because I want to rise and make the system stricter to provide fewer easy services, but I need to get higher up in rank for that), I fully accept that I may just be projecting myself onto our doctor here. But I think it's very possible to be dedicated to your job but, on a personal level, feel you'd be better off if some of your clients would just fuck off already.

So I'll also devil's advocate the position that he escapes to clinical thought to handle it. Granted, many claim that's what burnout is, and would claim I and others who are "burnt out" are doing the same. It's human nature for us to change our memories, even memories of how we felt about something in the past. I think I've always been an asshole. Ozaki thinks he always has been too. But we could be wrong, even about ourselves, especially about ourselves. Or I could be right about me and wrong about him.

I think we ship them because they're terrible for each other. it's a cruel and unhealthy but very interesting dynamic, and it makes any decency at all seem more vital. Tsundere or Pet the Dog appeal.

Edited 2013-12-16 07:25 (UTC)

That's understandable. And I also projected myself on both Toshio and Seishin several times too (I probably looked dumb when I did that, I often felt embarrassed after commenting). In understanding characters, we cannot merely rely on our logical take on the situations anyway. Fictional characters are based upon real human beings who have feelings and at times act irrationally like us too, so at times it's even necessary to use our feelings in order to be able to understand them. And it's easier to understand them if we relate with them. (at times this makes us unable to hate them too. And vice versa, people who hate certain characters may be unable to relate to them, they don't get them. This is not the only reason to like/hate a character certainly)

Uuuhmm they're unhealthy and imperfect but I still want them together. But yes, their imperfect dynamic (also their imperfect love for each other) make this couple even more appealing to me. I didn't start notice and shipping them until someone did though. (I was into Seishin/Suitcase-chan because I found it cute. I usually only notice and ship pairings which have canon supports)

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