Chapter 52 : Childish…?

The chewy texture is completely different from soft pudding, and I accidentally opened my eyes.

Then, I saw the doctor, who was holding my hand and rolling on the floor in pain.

There were small but distinct bite marks on his fingers.

“Uh, did I do that?”

“Are… are you okay?”

“Ugh… Your teeth are really healthy. Your bite strength is amazing.”

Suddenly, the doctor jumped up from his seat, gave me a thumbs-up with a smile.

What a positive guy.

If it were me, I’d be crying and making a fuss.

“Don’t worry too much. Despite how I look, I have a strong body, you know.”

“Yes…”

It doesn’t look okay at all.

He sat back down in the chair with a calm face, but his trembling legs were a clear sign that he was in pain.

…Upon closer inspection, even the corners of his mouth were twitching.

“Still, I’m glad the examination is over. Now, let me show you. Maru’s teeth are in very healthy condition.”

“Yes.”

The doctor showed me the X-ray of my teeth and spoke.

“Moreover, your teeth are so neatly arranged that there’s no need for any orthodontic work. I’ve never seen such beautiful teeth.”

The doctor kept complimenting my teeth while pointing at my mouth.

Honestly, even I’m amazed. How can human teeth be so perfectly aligned, like something from a drawing?

While I was absentmindedly staring at the picture with my mouth slightly open, something caught my eye that I couldn’t just ignore.

Oh my.

What is that?

“Uh, Doctor…”

“Yes, Maru? What’s the matter?”

I shakily pointed at a corner of the picture.

In that corner, under the perfectly aligned teeth, there was something faint, but clearly the shape of a tooth, lying there.

That horrific thing… anyone who has suffered because of it would never not recognize it.

“Isn’t that a wisdom tooth?!”

It was indeed a wisdom tooth.

“Aha, a wisdom tooth. Yeah, that’s something that happens to kids.”

“…”

But then, the doctor suddenly burst into a loud laugh.

It seemed like he had mistaken me for a “child who has romanticized wisdom teeth.” Of course, that wasn’t entirely wrong. I used to think that way.

But not anymore.

Those foolish teeth caused me so much pain.

Romance? What romance? If you’re chasing romance, you’ll never find pudding!

What are wisdom teeth?

They are the reason I, who always brushed my teeth clean and never needed to go to the dentist, ended up in the dentist’s chair for the first time, and they also ruined my first impression of dental treatment.

Unlike the romanticized name that’s supposed to grow when you experience your first love, wisdom teeth are nothing but devilish teeth that cause excruciating pain if they grow even a little bit wrong.

In my case, all four of the molar areas where the wisdom teeth grew.

They grew so horribly that “terrible” doesn’t even cover it, and that’s why I had to endure so much pain at the dentist for a while.

Anyway, I hated wisdom teeth.

“Aha ha.”

“OO…!”

While watching the doctor keep laughing, I seriously considered pulling out a rubber hammer and giving him a gentle tap…

But then, the doctor’s next words were enough to leave me speechless.

“Maru, unfortunately, that isn’t a wisdom tooth.”

“…What?”

Still laughing, the doctor wiped away a tear and zoomed in on the picture with the remote control, smiling.

Not a wisdom tooth? Then, what on earth is that? Teeth living inside my teeth, like tooth fairies?

I couldn’t help but tilt my head in confusion.

“Well, think carefully. Maru’s body is still small, right?”

“Huh?”

What is he saying? Is he calling me a short kid?

“Aha ha, I meant it in a good way, so don’t look so grumpy.”

Pouting my cheeks, I glared at the doctor.

Then, with a satisfied smile, the doctor lightly patted my head.

I wondered why he hadn’t patted my head in a while. Oh, here it comes again.

“Maru’s body will keep growing, right? But your teeth won’t grow anymore. So, what happens?”

The doctor took out a small tooth doll and a big tooth doll and started moving them with both hands to explain.

One tooth doll was a baby tooth with a pacifier, and the other was an adult tooth with a mark on its cheek.

“…Wait, do they really have those in the hospital? How many dolls do they have?”

“Your body grows, but your teeth remain small and young. So, you won’t be able to eat properly, right?”

“No, that can’t happen!”

Eating is one of the greatest pleasures of my life!

Chicken, pizza, macarons, and of course, pudding. To think I couldn’t eat them… That’s terrifying.

“That shouldn’t happen. Right. It shouldn’t. So, as you grow, your baby teeth will fall out.”

“They’ll rest after doing their job.”

“…Yes.”

Wait a minute.

I think I know what he’s about to say…

…No way. Could it be?

“Then, adult teeth will grow in their place. These are called ‘permanent teeth,’ and Maru will live with them as friends for the rest of your life.”

“…So, that thing down there is a permanent tooth?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

So, all my teeth right now are baby teeth, meaning milk teeth?

T-this doesn’t make any sense…

Milk teeth… milk teeth, really? I knew my body was small, but… just how young have I become?!

“Does this explanation suffice? Do you understand?”

Y-yes… really.

It makes too much sense, and that’s the problem.

I feel like crying…

“But since you stayed calm and received the examination without crying, I’ll give you a candy. …Oh my, look at the time.”

Huh…?”

The candy is over there, you can get it at the counter.

It seems we spent quite a bit of time because I bit the doctor.

The alarm on the desk was buzzing loudly.

I guess there’s a set consultation time for each patient. …Maybe this doctor is more impressive than I thought?

Anyway, I shouldn’t disturb their work, so I bowed my head and was about to leave.

Creak…

The door to the examination room opened with an old, scraping sound, and someone very familiar walked in.

A middle-aged man with jet-black hair and streaks of white, like highlights.

He was slightly taller than the average adult male, with such a handsome face that anyone would think he was straight out of a story.

It was none other than our commander.

“Ah, did you make an appointment as the commander of Zone C…?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

…But why is the commander here?

I thought everyone except the commander was supposed to get a health check-up.

Wait a minute. Don’t tell me…!

“Commander, do you have cavities?”

“Huh? Oh, Maru.”

Just as I suspected, the commander had been drinking too much coffee lately and ended up with cavities… or so he said.

I knew it.

You have to brush your teeth diligently like me, or you’ll get cavities… This won’t do.

I need to make sure the commander forms a habit of brushing his teeth every day.

I’ll drag him to the bathroom every night before bed.

I’ll scrub his teeth thoroughly.

…Come to think of it, I haven’t been brushing my teeth lately either.

Anyway, an adult…

You can’t just neglect brushing your teeth.

This calls for a little scolding.

“Doctor.”

“Hmm? What is it, Maru?”

“That man over there—don’t stop even if he says it hurts, okay?”

“Huh? Oh, I see. Understood.”

Maybe because the doctor has dealt with many patients, he quickly understood what I meant and nodded with a mischievous grin.

Since I whispered so only the doctor could hear, the commander wouldn’t have noticed.

I also nodded in satisfaction.

“Hmm…?”

Leaving the puzzled commander behind, I bowed once again and left the examination room.

The sharp, sterile smell of the dental office was gone, but the typical hospital disinfectant smell tickled my nose again.

Oh, right. They said I could get a candy at the counter.

I need to soothe this sour mood with some sweet candy.

Which flavor should I get? Apple? Orange? Lemon?

Grape is always the best, isn’t it?

Hey, buddy! Did you know? A single lemon contains the same amount of vitamin C as one whole lemon!

Ignoring the nonsense from a TV commercial, I toddled over to the counter.

Even on my tiptoes, I was too short to reach, so a kind old man lifted me up.

Thank you, grandpa!

“Oh my, it’s Maru! Did you finish your dental check-up?”

“Yes! So, about the candy…”

“The next check-up is in that room over there. Let’s see… Oh, it’s a vaccination!”

“…Huh?”

You said there was candy.

You said I could get candy at the counter.

What is this?!

“Maru got tricked again.”

“Huh?”

“N-nothing. I just need to go into the injection room, right?”

“That’s right.”

In the end, without getting my candy, I trudged toward the vaccination room, hearing the commander’s screams from behind me.

Doctor, you’re really too cruel.