The Houjou family is well known in this area as the house that went against the entire village during the Dam Construction War.
Both the husband and wife were known for their tempers, and fought a fierce war against the Sonozaki family. While they were ostracized by everyone in the village, they refused to budge and lived their lives quite belligerently amidst all the cold eyes. In many ways, they were strong-willed in their resolve.
However, the same cannot be said to be hold true to their children. Because of their parents’ stance, both Satoko-chan and Satoshi-kun were given the cold shoulder as well. In addition, they have their inter-family problems between their father-in-law and Satoko-chan. It is apparent that the children’s psychological stress level is at their maximum.
If I had the arrogance that I had back then, one can say that I am a respected member of society within this village for being the head of this clinic. But because of this role in society, I was able to listen to many rumors from the residents of this area. …Hence I already knew what kind of pressure these two kids were under before I met them in person.
My first contact with the Houjou siblings was Satoshi-kun. He came to the clinic when he lost his health from heavy stress. He at first thought he had a just a simple cold, and he even told me so in person. …But his heavy sighs and weary eyes revealed otherwise. I immediately recognized that Satoshi-kun’s health deterioration could not be passed off simply as a cold. Sure, I can provide him some medication for his current symptoms, but that’s only a temporary solution. In order to treat him fully, he needed to change his living environment.
But saying so is easier said that done.
…His level of stress is not a one that I can write off with a remark by saying, “you’ll start to feel better in about three days if you take this medicine.” Due to complicated matters in the village, the atmosphere and environment that Satoshi-kun has to live is not what I consider to be an ideal place for his to recovery.
Only time will heal the rift between the Houjou family and the rest of the village. Even then, it will take many years and months for such to happen.
…That is why I needed to help him from being ostracized by the village. I wanted to become a person that he could trust, the only one in the village that would come to his aid. If I can’t fix the environment that is causing his stress, so I had to figure out a way to reduce them through something else. So I told him the best way for him to let out his stress. There is nothing better than sports to relieve a person’s daily stress. So I asked him to join the youth baseball team that I was managing.
Yes, I am an avid researcher unlocking the mysteries of the Hinamizawa Syndrome. You can say that I practically gave my life to this research. But even I would get tired if I were to be conducting research all day.
I used to play in the little leagues as a kid, so I started to coach the local youth baseball team on my spare time. …By the time I realized it, the children of Hinamizawa started their own baseball team and I became their team manager.
Doctors cannot provide healthy bodies by prescribing medication. Healthy bodies are made through healthy spirits. And sports are a great way to maintain both of them. So, being a manager of a youth baseball team is another way of me helping kids in maintaining their health. But, since we were new, we had a lack of members to play in the team. So, I decided to bring Satoshi-kun into baseball.
Satoshi-kun was not the athletic type, and he even said that he’d rather be reading books than playing sports. At the time, he wasn’t so sure what him joining youth baseball had anything to do with relieving his own stress. But I didn’t want to just explain how sports contribute to creating a healthy mind and body, nor did I try to explain to him about athletic medicine. I wanted him to experience it first hand how great it feels to perspire so that he could figure out what I meant.
I’m certain that he began to feel the difference very quickly. …At first, he grudgingly agreed to come, but as time passed, he always came to play in the game. I was happy to see that my plan worked as I saw him regaining his strength and becoming healthy once again.
But if Satoshi-kun had so much stress on his shoulders, Satoko-chan too must’ve been under the same situation as she lived under the same family environment. Regrettably though, I didn’t think about Satoko-chan’s circumstances at the time.
…So when Satoko-chan was hauled into the clinic as a critical patient, I was shocked in despair to see the state Satoko-chan was in. Even as Satoshi-kun began to regain his health through baseball, Satoko-chan’s stress just continued to pile up as she was left all alone. Furthermore, there was an incident that occurred just prior to her loss of consciousness which contributed to her stress to peak to such a state.
That incident was…the death of her parents.
For the Houjou family, the annual village festival was not a time they felt comfortable in the community, as it also commemorated the victory of the Dam Construction War. So I understood their decision to go on a family trip together outside of the village.
But Satoko-chan’s parents fell to their death at the park they were visiting. It was just a very unlucky incident. …Since it happened on the day of Watanagashi, this began the rumor this was the cause of the Oyashiro-sama’s curse. And it also created unfound rumors that the Houjou family was chosen by the Oyashiro-sama due to their pro-dam cause…
It was their parents that were really given the cold shoulder by the villagers. If the parents died, such cold shoulders should wither away. …Unfortunately, since this occurred on the day of Watanagashi…the members of the Houjou family continued to be shunned…
The only witness to the accident was Satoko-chan. (Satoshi-kun was playing in the baseball game that day, so he didn’t go along with them on their day-trip). As a result, all the police interrogation was thrust upon her. …Especially the officer named Oishi seemed to have strong determination that some kind of group within the village was responsible, so he began to pester Satoko-chan with many difficult questions.
Satoko-chan had more stress repressed within her than Satoshi-kun. Considering everything that had happened to her, it was obvious that she would break down. While being interrogated, she suddenly began to wheeze and gasp for air. She was showing signs of breathing difficulties, and suddenly collapsed.
It was disheartening to see Satoko-chan’s emotions of anguish on her face as she was carried into the emergency room. It broke my heart to even think what she had to go through with such a frail body.
Satoshi: “….Kantoku, Is Satoko all right…!”
Irie: “Yes, you can calm down. She was just had a mild case of confusion, that’s all.”
Satoshi: “Can I go and see her?”
Irie: “We’ve just given her some medication, and she’s resting right now. I wouldn’t want to wake her up right now. Let’s give her some rest for now. I think it’s best to let her stay in the hospital for a few days to check up on her. …Don’t worry. Leave it up to me.”
Satoshi: “…Th…Thank you.”
I knew that Satoshi-kun was a very noble brother who always looked after his little sister. And I also knew that he was strong sensibility to feel his little sister’s pain. …So all the stress that Satoshi-kun had in him, is a mirror of Satoko-chan’s stress.
While I didn’t say this because of indiscretion …I think Satoshi-kun was sad yet at the same time, some what relieved at his parents’ accident. He believed that she wouldn't have to repress psychological pain and suffering anymore.
Considering her past, Satoko-chan had absolutely no social skills to get along with her father-in-law; a man who had no blood relation to her. So, despite the tragedy, the main cause of Satoko-chan’s stress was removed from her life. It was some what safe to say that this will create a change in her social environment.
And, at the time, I was slightly relieved that whatever change happens after this, it will be a better social environment for the two siblings.
…But the world works in a cruel way.
…After this accident, the two were taken under foster care to their scumbag uncle and aunt…