A miraculous story that befell a man who ran a pharmacy one day in December.

#nana56b


Lines from the story

Masaru ran a small pharmacy.

One snowy Christmas night, as the shop was about
to close, a boy stood frozen in front of the
store.

His coat was dingy, his shoes cracked. With
trembling hands, he repeatedly counted the few
coins he clutched.

Masaru, who had no children of his own, felt a
strange attraction to the boy.

He invited the boy inside. The boy whispered,
“My mom's fever won't go down...”

Masaru listened to the symptoms, took medicine from
the shelf, and slowly, clearly explained it to the
boy.

The boy asked anxiously, “How much is it?”

Masaru lied, “On Christmas Eve, I don't charge
anything.”

The boy thanked him with tears in his eyes, bowing
repeatedly before leaving.

Masaru watched the boy's retreating back, praying
his mother's fever would break.



Thirty years have passed since then.

Masaru's body, worn down by years of overwork, cried
out in pain. He developed a severe heart condition.

Cruel fate fell upon Masaru like snow.

The surgery costs were astronomical; selling the shop
wouldn't cover it. He and his wife languished in
despair in the hospital room.

“I've lived long enough,” Masaru sighed to his wife.

At that moment, inside the hospital, Masaru's attending
physician was writing paperwork when another doctor
entered.

A young genius surgeon, renowned as one of the nation's
top cardiac surgeons. The two were also friends.

The attending physician approached him to discuss a
patient scheduled for surgery. The young doctor asked
to see the medical chart.

His eyes widened in apparent surprise for a moment.

Meanwhile, in the hospital room, Masaru's wife was
rubbing his back as he occasionally writhed in pain
from an attack.



Then, the door to that room quietly opened, and that
young doctor entered.

He stared intently at Masaru's face, then bowed his
head with a gentle smile.

That familiar face stirred a nostalgic feeling within
Masaru, but he couldn't quite place it.

“Doctor, about the surgery... the cost is still...”
his wife began.

As if cutting her off, he handed her an envelope.

Inside was something unbelievable.

‘Surgery and hospitalization fees: Paid in full.’

That doctor was the boy who had stood frozen in front
of the shop thirty years ago.

And he said to Masaru,

“Thank you so much for that time. I've always wanted
to come and thank you...”

Then, “I will be your attending physician. I will do
my absolute best. Please rest assured.”



His wife looked as if she couldn't believe her ears,
speechless. But then,

with her hands pressed together in front of her chest,
she thanked the young doctor repeatedly.

Then, crying, she threw her arms around Masaru and said,
“Honey, ･･･