I have a theory. A wild one.
Our new pal Okuto is interesting in a LOT of ways:
- He looks quite good. Just as good as Mei, in fact, enough for one to disguise as the other;
- He also looks very healthy after so much time in a hospital. Like he was never sick at all;
- However, we know for sure that Mei IS ill;
- This chapter proves that Okuto can fool Gero's senses. Remember, none of his enemies could;
IMO
the two siblings have pretended to be each other, probably since Ch. 1. Mei was probably in the hospital, while
Okuto met and was saved by Gero. She left the hospital at some point in the story.
Yep, that's right.
Mei is female and only met Gero later on in the story.
The person who joined Gero very clearly -and IMO truthfully- tells him he's "a dude".
He needs to use the identity of "Mei" because he swindles men out of his sibling's hospital costs. This sibling is who everyone else in the story sees as Okuto.
On the other hand, said sibling,
the actual Mei Kinosaki, can only now leave the hospital, apparently thanks to Gero. She is clearly very grateful, and quite possibly in love, to
request a "wedding" (photo) with Gero as a final memory, it doesn't get more "maiden in love" than this