Dr. Hayashito exhaustedly pushed a piece of hair off of his forehead as he turned the corner and entered the hospital's waiting room. Despite the late hour, the light blue room was bustling with people, most of whom were either relatives or victims from the battle in downtown Tokyo from the night before.

An elderly woman looked up at him quizzically as he narrowed his eyes, scanning the room. "Doctor, are you looking for Shin Minaku?" she asked hopefully.

He smiled exhaustedly. "I'm afraid not, ma'am, I'm sure someone will be with you shortly."

She frowned. "Shortly? I've been sitting here for 3 hours already!"

"Of course you are, for that pop singer you found stoned outside the MEU building.." a hostile-sounding man's voice muttered.

At that, a woman on the far end of the waiting room stirred. She had been stretched out across a bench and was leaning up against a tall, very professional looking man.

She was a striking woman, despite her sloppy appearance, and the moment he saw her, he knew she was just the woman he was looking for.

Crossing the room, he heard the conversation continue regarding the "stoned pop singer", and when he reached the woman he smiled sympothetically.

"Mrs. Hayagane, good evening. I'm Doctor Hayashito." He bowed formally.

Mrs. Hayagane merely blinked and slowly shifted into a seated position, looking first at Dr. Hayashito and then at the rest of the people in the waiting room, most of whom were staring at her in disbelief and whispering amongst themselves.

The man she had been leaning against rose to greet the doctor. He shook his hand in an American way; in fact, his entire countenance was much more Western than Japanese. "Jerry." he stated simply, using the Western pronunciation as well.

Jerry looked down at Mrs. Hayagane, but still spoke to Hayashito. "You're the doctor that's been looking after Mikono-chan?"

Hayashito frowned. "Yes, Mrs. Hayagane, that is precisely what I wish to speak to you about, your daughter. Um... Jeeri-san, if you would please excuse us.."

Jerry glanced at him sharply. "I beg your pardon, Doctor, but anything that goes through Mrs. Hayagane goes through me as well."

Dr. Hayashito looked taken aback, and didn't deal well with confrontations. He didn't know who this man was, but it was common knowledge among Japanese pop culture that Mikono Hayagane's father had died when she was a child, so this man couldn't possibly be claiming to be any sort of parental figure.

Mrs. Hayagane stood up, looking as though she was near tears. "Jeeri-san is Mikono's agent and publicist, it's okay. What have you found out? Is she awake?"

Dr. Hayashito became wary of this cocky and overpowering presence, and momentarily wondered if he was more to the Hayagane family than just Mikono's publicist, but he shook it off.

"You must be hungry, Mrs. Hayagane, I know I haven't eaten since this afternoon. Let's go get something to eat and some tea, and I'll let you know what's going on with Mikono-chan."

She looked like she wanted to protest, but Jerry took her hand and nodded. "Sounds good, Doc. Hmm, honey?" he asked somewhat patronizingly of Mrs. Hayagane.