Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort. - Chapter 53.

Episode 53: Discharge.

Morning light filtered softly through the white curtains.

The hospital room carried its usual faint scent of disinfectant. Today, though, it felt subtly different—lighter, somehow. A nurse approached with a gentle smile. “You’re being discharged today, right?” I gave a small nod from the bed.

As I began preparing to leave, Wakako-san arrived.

My right arm, still wrapped in bandages, felt heavy and awkward. Packing with one hand took longer than expected, so Wakako-san helped without a word. I gave the sheets I’d grown accustomed to during my stay one last light smoothing.

At the nurses’ station, Wakako-san handled the payment and signed the discharge forms. The nurses called out, “Take care of yourself,” and I bowed my head. “Thank you for everything.”

Stepping out the entrance, humid summer air brushed my cheek. Cicadas sang in the distance. I’d only been cut off from the outside world for a few short days, yet everything looked just a little brighter.

***

Midori-san was waiting. The moment she spotted me, she waved with a warm smile. I returned it weakly with my left hand. My right arm still refused to move properly, and the helplessness stung.

“Congratulations on your discharge, Ryuuji-kun.”

She jogged over lightly. Wakako-san bowed to her. “Please take care of him.” Midori-san replied with equal politeness, “I’ll look after him.”

—Wait. Look after?

For a moment the words didn’t register.

Midori-san went to fetch the car and soon returned driving a white minivan. She parked in front of me, got out, loaded my luggage, and opened the passenger door. I’d assumed Wakako-san would drive me home, so a surprised “Eh?” slipped out.

“Ryuuji-kun, hop in.”

Confused but following her lead, I climbed into the passenger seat.

—This is just a ride home, right…?

“Sorry for making you go out of your way to drive me.”

Midori-san gave a slightly troubled smile. “It’s fine.” Outside the window, Wakako-san bowed deeply and waved. I returned a small nod.

—A bad premonition crept in. Something was being arranged behind my back.

“Um… we’re heading to my house, right?”

Midori-san deftly changed the subject. “How about we grab something to eat first?” Hospital food had been bland and unsatisfying; my appetite won out. I nodded despite the growing suspicion. The scenery outside the window definitely wasn’t the route to my place.

***

After a short drive, we pulled into the parking lot of a chain Hakata ramen shop along the national highway.

“Ramen okay with you?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

I felt bad letting her treat me, but refusing here would be rude, so I accepted gratefully.

The place was busy with the lunchtime crowd; we had to wait a bit. Midori-san had visited me several times during my stay. She was easy to talk to, yet this was our first time truly alone—and she was my friend’s mother. To mask the awkwardness, I stared at my phone screen.

After a while, Midori-san spoke.

“I’m sorry for tricking you like this.”

“Tricking…?”

I didn’t understand. She paused, then steeled herself and continued.

“Ryuuji-kun, until your injuries fully heal, you’ll be staying at our house.”

The meaning was clear, but my mind rejected it. Seeing my reaction, Midori-san continued, looking apologetic.

“The night you were brought to the hospital… on the drive home, Moe said she couldn’t leave you alone with your right hand unusable. She wanted to take care of you—stay with you until you recover.”

I couldn’t hide my shock. Living together with Isshiki in my tiny apartment? Impossible. We’d only known each other for two months. There was no way I could let a girl do something like that.

“That’s not possible. Isshiki is my friend. And I can’t make a girl do something like that.”

Midori-san looked at me with an amused yet gentle smile.

“Please don’t call her just a ‘friend’ in front of Moe, okay?”

“Huh?”

I was lost. Midori-san continued quietly.

“I can’t possibly let my underage daughter stay for days at a boy’s place while he lives alone. But this time… we feel responsible too.”

“There’s no responsibility on your side. This is the result of my own decisions.”

Midori-san shook her head seriously.

“We’re grateful for your courage and kindness.”

“But responsibility does exist. You were injured protecting Moe. That makes it our responsibility as her parents.”

“And besides—”

Her expression grew a little somber.

“I spoke with Wakako-san too. You turned down recuperating at the Sagara house, didn’t you?”

I made a bitter face.

“Wakako-san was worried. She said you have a particular aversion to the idea of ‘family.’”

“…”

I had no reply. It was true—I avoided family. Whenever I stepped into the warm circle of the Sagara household, my own sense of being an outsider became painfully sharp, leaving me nauseated.

“Fortunately, we’re not family. To you, I’m just a friend’s mother.”

“That’s sophistry. I can manage on my—”

I tried to refuse, but Midori-san cut in with unusual firmness.

“Learn to rely on adults a little. I’m sorry for keeping it quiet, but Wakako-san said you’d definitely refuse if we told you beforehand. Forgive us.”

“…So this is a forced breakthrough?”

I gave a wry smile. Midori-san shrugged apologetically, shoulders small. Seeing that, I no longer had the heart to refuse strongly. I let out a quiet sigh.

“…Understood. I’ll be in your care.”

I bowed my head. Midori-san’s face relaxed into visible relief.

And so, I ended up spending the next four weeks—until my arm fully healed—at the Isshiki house.

“Party of two for Isshiki-san〜, your table is ready〜.”

The staff’s call rang out. Midori-san and I rose from the waiting seats to finally eat our ramen.

***

After finishing the meal, Midori-san drove us to the Isshiki residence.

Their house wasn’t especially large, but it was a neat, well-kept single-family home. White exterior walls, a bright roof—it gave off a gentle, welcoming warmth.

She parked in the driveway. I carried my luggage to the front door. Along the short path were modest clusters of flowers Midori-san had lovingly tended. Beside the entrance stood a young shima-toneriko tree, hinting that the house hadn’t been built very long ago.

Midori-san unlocked the door. “Come in〜,” she said kindly. I removed my shoes on the orange-tiled genkan, lined them up neatly, and stepped inside the Isshiki home.

“Leave your bag there for now. Oh—and we’ll go pick up your clothes and other things you need later, so keep that in mind.”

I set my sports bag beside the stairs. When I opened the door to the living room, a long-haired white cat let out a soft “myaa” and stared fixedly at me.

I crouched down and clicked my tongue to call it over. The cat glanced at me once, then slipped away into the back of the house.

“That’s Milk. Say hello nicely, okay?”

Midori-san laughed and greeted in the cat’s place. Looking down, I saw Milk—supposedly having fled—already rubbing against her legs.

“Go ahead and sit on the sofa.”

I obeyed, sinking into the cushions. Midori-san poured chilled barley tea into a glass and set it on the table.

—This feels awkward.

It wasn’t the same tension I’d felt at the Sagara house. This was a different, restless unease. Could I really manage here? Anxiety stirred quietly in my chest.

“Oh, that’s right—Shiina-chan will be staying over a lot too, so you’ll see plenty of her. Looking forward to it, okay?”

Midori-san smiled brightly and even winked. That single sentence froze the quiet living room air in an instant.

My shoulders slumped. All I could do was sit there silently, waiting for Isshiki to come home from school.