The Graad Foundation Hospital was a highly complex polyclinic. Founded by Mr. Mitsumasa Kido for altruistic purposes, it was a specialized center of excellence for the treatment of severe trauma. This hospital gradually became the perfect place where the saints of Athena would fall to recover after intense combats.

The Intensive Care ward was the most advanced in the country; it was rumored that the most qualified professionals from all over the world came to perform their specialization practices.

That afternoon, while the almost 9 professionals gathered to enter the Chirophane, a young man with flaxen hair sat on a flat, backless bench in the corridor that connected both places. His arms rested on his knees.

His eyes looked at a fixed point without observing it....

In front of him, a red sign remained with its light on:

手術中 (In surgery).

Lost in his own introspection, the memory of a sound rumbled through his head:

"Tu dum, tu dum."

A heart beating again after remaining silent for almost 4 minutes; none other than that of his friend who was undergoing surgery past that door under the red sign.

Despite the distressing moment he had experienced that time, when he returned to that feeling it was not the same; nothing had been more satisfying than saving someone's life, even though his only intervention had been simply to hold that motionless body so that another boy could revive it with a blow.

"You did it Seiya, Shiryu's heart is beating again. You have wrenched it from the clutches of death."

"Tu dum, tu dum."

The situation that had brought his friend there was different. And this time the weight of responsibility was on him.... He felt that due to his negligence as a warrior, Shiryu had rescued them from the stone prison paying a very high price... meanwhile, the only thing he could do was to wait there in solitude the result of his surgery.

Until Saori arrived accompanied by Tatsumi.

"Any news, Shun?"

"Nothing yet."

"Seiya and the others didn't come yet?"

"No, not yet, but they shouldn't be long."

Tatsumi exclaimed with a grimace of disapproval, and at that gesture, Saori prudently intervened asking him to bring them some refreshments; the buffet was far from that sector, it gave her time to talk quietly with the Andromeda gentleman without that man bothering the young man who was watching over his friend.

When Tatsumi left, she sat next to Shun and as if she had read his mind, she transported him to the moment when the boy's mind wandered a few seconds before.

"Shun, you know that before Seiya and Shiryu's fight, I was somewhat distant from you. You were the guests and stars of the tournament. Being your hostess and organizer, there were too many responsibilities to attend to. But after that day, I could no longer stay away. I feel that just as it happened to me, it touched all of you in some way more internally.

-Yes, that's right... for a moment I was again the child who played with them before we were separated for so many years. As if a much stronger bond connected us"

Saori, after hearing that sentence, sighed and after a pause asked him as if she wanted to change the subject for an instant.

"What destiny would you have chosen if my grandfather hadn't sent you away?"

"You know Saori... I don't hold a grudge against your grandfather, surely I wouldn't have followed the same path he imposed on me; training to fight against others. I will never be like my brother, but I think that if my destiny was to be the saint of Andromeda, it's because this is where I belong... Although I would also like to have the power to heal... Today I think I would trade my six years of training for one that would fit me to be in that combat arena- He points to the operating room-. Out here I feel totally helpless, I can't help at all, I wish I was qualified to be one of those who could be inside that operating room, doing the impossible to restore the sight of my friend Shiryu."

Saori knew Shun little, but she understood his heart.

"Forgive my imprudence, you are still young and your destiny is still being written, if you set your mind to it, you can achieve it? Would you like to become a doctor?"

"At this time, more than ever?"

"Would you allow me to help you achieve that goal?"

Shun was surprised by the question, to the point that it took him a while to process it. He was not one to ask for favors, not because he didn't know how, but because it was not in his nature to think of taking advantage of something for his own benefit, but before he could answer, the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Hyoga and Seiya who, refusing to sit down, remained standing until the operation was over.

"Doctor, how is Shiryu?"

"He will survive, but his eyes are.... -in that pause, everyone for moments drew a smile of hope on their faces... each one of them was convinced that the operation had been a success- ...his eyes will never be the same again, the medical treatments of today, cannot cure them."

The faces of all the young people turned into a grimace of horror at the news. Saori, as if she needed to confirm that what she had understood was true, asked again

"Do you mean that he will never see again?"

"I'm so sorry."

Seiya was overcome with anguish and in tears he broke down and pleaded with the professional

"Please Doctor, please make him see again... he did it to save us!!!"

Hyoga held him and Shun, and they all left the place. When Tatsumi returned with the refreshments, they were no longer there.

That night, the results of Shiryu's operation gave him a new goal:

Maybe not that day, but in the future he could try again to restore Shiryu's eyesight if he was determined to study on his own and thus become a doctor. That night, he found an encyclopedia of the human body and stayed up late reading.

Unlike the others, Shun had adapted perfectly to the room he had been given since day 1 of his return to Japan. Immediately, he was timidly making use of the books and encyclopedias kept in the main library. He was very enthusiastic about the color encyclopedias.

Every day he thought that if he kept up the pace, he might be able to take a college entrance exam... but there was one thing he didn't have there: math books.

Time passed, Shiryu returned to China with his classmate Shunrei. More confrontations ensued, until once again, another of his classmates and friends was hospitalized.

Shun left for the hospital again, this time to visit Seiya. As he reached the foot of the main staircase, he crossed paths with Saori.

As that staircase connected both floors of that magnificent work of architecture, his mind functioned as a bridge between Shiryu's event and this new occasion, this time there was no one else in the room but the two of them. This time it was Shun who took the initiative on the pending topic.

"I haven't forgotten your question, and I didn't know how the others would take it, but in the end I could never comment on it.

Since I was a child I have always wanted to continue studying, like the boys of our age, since I learned to read in the orphanage, I have always read every book I could get my hands on. But since I knew what my destiny would be, I knew that it would not be possible for me to keep up a regular regimen as a high school student, so when I returned to Japan, during the evenings I have been trying to keep up a rhythm. The problem is that I have been learning in a self-taught way without a guide to prioritize some subjects as I have not had time to get a syllabus. Do you think it would be too much trouble if you could get me the syllabus for medical school entrance, that and math books if possible."

Saori was surprised... Even she found it difficult to study in a self-taught way, she even had to enroll in a school to take some exams days before the beginning of the tournament... it was even difficult for her to dedicate time to her private lessons. The boy's conviction was worthy of admiration, and he had no problem in agreeing without any conditions.

"My grandfather never enrolled me in a school, so I know what it's like to be educated outside the educational institution. The difference is that my instruction has been through private tutors, I admire you very much Shun. Don't worry about the study materials, but yes, it is likely that for the entrance exam you will have to certify that you have completed your high school education. So I guess you will have to take the exams for the previous years first. I will look for my math books, those were not in the library and may be very useful. If you catch up, maybe we can study together in the future."

"Are you planning to become a doctor too?"

Saori smiled

"I meant that if you advance quickly, we'll soon be able to study subjects together. Besides, it won't be necessary if I have the best doctor in Japan living under the same roof. By the way, I like your new sweater. I hope that seeing it will cheer Seiya up a bit too."

Shun looked down and noticed the embroidery on it: "Happy Day" while inwardly thinking:

"I must catch up with English".

"Saori, could you also get me some English books?"

"Sure, and hurry up, the hospital's visiting hours are about to start."

"Right! Aren't you going?"

"Yes, but then, first I have to work on something pending. That's the problem of being the one my grandfather left in charge of everything... the responsibilities are getting bigger and bigger and deserve my attention."

After countless battles. The calendar sheets were removed and replaced by several new ones.

They had already entered the 平成 (heisei) era.

A radio alarm struck 05:00 and a station began to be heard over a bedside table

Shun awoke before sunrise in the same room he had occupied since he had returned from Andromeda Island.

For young people of his age, the real estate crisis was the answer to why they didn't leave their parents' house, Shun, however, had no plans to make a problem of it for the moment, the room was spacious and comfortable.

As the young adult slowly sat up. One hand was running the bedclothes until they were completely covered, except for a few blond locks that were revealed under the sheets.

The song "ALONE" started playing on the radio.

Shun, who had already changed, turned up the volume (he liked that song).

夕焼けの街は激しさをそっと 忘れてる

(The people at sunset silently forget the intensity).

いつか見た空が僕の心を帰すよ どここかに

(Someday the sky I saw will return my heart somewhere).

新しい暮らししにも

(in a new life)

少しは慣れてきたけど 少しは慣れてきたけど

(I'm getting used to it)

Then he turned off the radio and blew a kiss to what might be the head of who was sharing that down comforter. After all, it was already November and autumn was well underway, especially at that time of the morning.

One of the corners of the wall, there was a desk cluttered with notebooks and annotations with some books open

When he opened the door, a wooden "Van Jacket" bag lay at the foot of the entrance to his room with a note that read:

"Just as Andromeda's cloth dresses you for combat, may wearing these garments help you concentrate.

Ganbatte!

PS: It was Ikki's idea, but as not to lose my concentration, he left it and walked away. "

Inside that bag, there was a golden box and inside it, some scarlet shooters.

Shun teared up

"A new stage deserves a new look."