About ten days later, the doctor came to Ryō to ask him if he could take care of little Sama. He and part of the team had to leave for a while to visit the surrounding villages or more distant ones that could not access the care of their camp. Such expeditions had already taken place but it was usually the leader of the expedition, Ikeda-sensei, a general practitioner and more experienced who led them... And they didn't know yet about Sama's troubles at the time... Ryô smiled as he looked at the precious box of medicines. It was he who Seishi-san had tasked with taking care of the one that Ryō considered his protégé after all. Well, of course he had ordered to refer to Ikeda-sensei in case of complication, but he hoped not to have to come to what he considered to be the last extremity.

So he gave her treatment to the little girl, who gave him a bright smile. Ryô marveled at the metamorphosis that had gradually taken place in her since this treatment had eliminated her discomfort. She seemed to be opening up to the world and he was particularly proud of the trust she seemed to show him. He hoped that this would remain the case because little Sama was an orphan and no parent would take care of such treatment.

“When will he come back, Dr. Sei?”

“Soon, don't worry, he'll be there again to take care of you”, he smiled.

The other children calling her, Sama ran away with a last smile.

“Docteur Sei...” Ryō chuckled to himself. It had taken him a while to realize and understand what these words pronounced in rather amusing French could mean.

In the last few days, Ryô had given up his total indifference to observe the young doctor... And he had to admit that he was more and more intrigued. The latter had not lied when he claimed that he could not only take care of Sama, he seemed to give himself to others selflessly and was rarely inactive in the camp.

Tall and slender, Ryô could bet that only the practice of martial arts could have sculpted a body that was both so muscular and so harmonious. But given his size, he assumed that he had not, like him, practiced karate when he was young. He himself did not defend himself badly in this field, and he wondered for a moment, quickly dismissed, what a fight against him would yield. A thin face and tanned skin contrasted with dark blue eyes and hair made almost platinum by the sun... He had understood that he was half-French, half-Japanese, but even without higher education, Ryô felt that it must have taken more than one generation of cross-breeding to get such hair. Surprisingly, he didn't think that many Japanese people of the doctor's parenting age could have been born of gaijin themselves. Ryô picked up a twig that was lying on the ground and juggled carelessly. No, decidedly, he supposed that this man should be considered a rather rare beauty and would not lack feminine attentions. Moreover, judging by his apparent age, he must have had a brilliant education to be in medical intership so early. Logically, life must have smiled on him, and his character and modesty, which would probably be cited as an example unlike his own, would only favor him even more.

So why... Why were his eyes so sad... Why, except in the presence of the children, could Ryô only discern in him a wonderful empty envelope? What could have broken such promises to leave only a lifeless face that only the laughter of the children sometimes managed to brighten up with a pale smile? And what, besides altruism and an obvious sense of dedication, had brought him here to Africa?

Ryō watched Sama. The only thing he knew about the doctor was that he had known a person suffering from the same ailment as the little girl. Was this related? Ryô shuddered. Perhaps something had happened to this person whom he seemed to care for very much. Ryō would rather not consider this possibility. And then, in this case, he might as well stay at home and try to treat other patients of this kind instead of coming here. From the little he seemed to discover about the doctor, he imagined him to be the kind to love body and soul... Not a destructive passion but a constant and complete gift to the chosen people. Something must have hurt or betrayed such a gift irreparably. Ryô would have given a lot to know a little more. Takahashi-san's angry call brought him out of his reverie abruptly. He returned to his duties reluctantly, cursing himself for wasting his time on such trivial matters.

~

Ryō ran a hand over his forehead. During the almost week time that the camp had been operating with a reduced team, there had been no shortage of work. This morning, he had almost forgotten about his little patient who had had to come to him for his care in desperation. Sama dutifully swallowed her pill before letting out a small cry of surprise. Pulling away from Ryō, she ran towards an unknown destination behind him. The latter, stunned, turned around to see the child rush into Seishi-san's legs who immediately took her in his arms.

“Hey, princess, you look great!”

The little girl nodded before pointing a finger at Ryō.

“Ryô-niisan took good care of me!”

Seishi-san smiled.

“But I don't doubt it, otherwise I wouldn't have asked him to replace me!”

He then stood up but staggered slightly and had to lean on the nearby tree for a moment.

“Doctor Sei?” asked Sama, pulling on his pants, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Is everything all right?” Ryō asked in a neutral voice, finally deciding to join them. The doctor had just proclaimed his confidence in him, he could do no less than inquire about his condition. He swore to himself. He had to be careful, however, because he did not want to see new obligations imposed on him. He didn't need anyone.

“It's nothing”, the doctor assured him, rubbing his eyes. “I got up too quickly, I must have underestimated my hunger.”

Ryô frowned in turn. Seishi-san looked exhausted. His features were drawn, and he seemed pale in spite of his tan.

“You haven't eaten... It's almost four o'clock”, he said with an underlying tone of reproach.

“I'll be fine, I'm used to it... It's nothing, Sama”, he translated to the attention of the little girl, who looked alternately at her elders with a worried look. We've been on a long road, I'm a little tired.

“Come on Sama, go play with your comrades”, Ryô added, “Doctor Seishi has not been good and must rest to be healthy.”

The little girl nodded and left to her two companions under the astonished gaze of Seishi-san.

“See you tomorrow Ryô-niisan, and rest well, Doctor Sei...”

“Come”, the young man ordered, turning around, “there must be some rice left.”

“Thank you but...”

“It's not half-dead that you'll be useful to anyone ‘sensei’!” interrupted Ryô, exasperated, making a sudden about-turn again. “And I don't want to add any discomfort on your part to the long list of grievances against me here!”

“Very well, doctor...” Seishi-san sighed as he followed him while massaging the back of his neck.

He dropped into one of the makeshift chairs in the common hut while Ryō filled a bowl with rice.

“Thank you for everything, Ryô-kun”, he whispered, his chin resting on a raised hand.

“You're welcome Seishi-Sensei. I guess you must be thirsty...”  he said, placing a jug of water and a glass next to the bowl.

“Mmm... But please stop these polite formulas between us.”

Faced with the young man's confusion, he added.

“I don't pretend to be treated as a friend but as an equal, nothing more.”

Ryô lowered his head. The doctor had already imposed the use of his first name given the complexity of his name – and it's true that when he learned about it he found it completely unpronounceable – but...

“I don't know, you're... I... I'll try... Seishi-san”, he whispered before leaving Seishi-san.

The latter sighed again and undertook to restore a minimum of his rebellious body.