Weak internet connections hours again :( Also, Typhoon Mangkhut is just a few hours away from its landfall in the Philippines. I hope it isn't as bad. It just changed its course, I think yesterday evening, and headed more closer to my province, instead of away. Please pray for the entirety of the Philippines and Hong Kong for Mangkhut to get weaker as it comes closer to the countries.

•••

Reimi had fallen asleep on his lap. He didn't intend for the situation to happen, but Reimi didn't stop crying and he had no choice but to let her rest, even just for a little bit. He didn't mind though, he was on his break and there was someone else in need of him more than he needed silence. He ran his hand gently through her hair, a calming action that he always loved to feel, and maybe Reimi wanted to feel it too so he shared the sensation.

Ms. Mariko had been brought out of the room quite some time ago, even before Reimi had fallen asleep. It was a struggle not to let her fight for Ms. Mariko's body. Watching the whole thing was painful, even for Iishiro who was no one but Ms. Mariko's surgeon. Reimi's reaction was that of a real child, making him assume of how great of a guardian Ms. Mariko is to Reimi.

There was a light knock on the door then it opened, seeing Eiko with puffed up eyes and a tired expression.

"I already picked out everything and the others are taking care of it," Eiko said then looked over at Reimi, "How is she holding up?"

"She fell asleep just after you left," Iishiro answered.

Eiko let out a sigh, frowning over at Reimi's sleeping form, "She's always like this. It's a good thing that you made her fall asleep this time though."

Iishiro really wasn't trying to figure out about Reimi's past but now that it was slowly being revealed to him, she turned out to be more than just a smiling figure in his life. And maybe he wanted to see more of it.

"Why?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Don't tell Reimi that I told you this," Eiko said, grabbing a chair and taking a seat, "Reimi can't hold extreme emotions really well. She's very kind in nature and she's just not used to feeling overly sad, sometimes even happy. Often times, she'd faint then wake up to cry again."

Iishiro frowned at the information. Reimi seemed to be this jolly go-getter who would just wake up in the morning, all smiles, and ready to conquer no matter how badly things could go, not the miserable one that she really was inside. Okay, maybe Reimi wasn't so miserable, but still, keeping such a heavy load inside wasn't good for any one.

"She's optimistic," Eiko answered as if reading his mind, "She's positive that everything will turn out fine so when she's down she just… breaks."

"I feel bad for her," Iishiro answered, "She's too kind for heartbreaks."

"She is," Eiko couldn't help but agree. Reimi had such a short life but she went through so much already.

A knock on the door signalled that people were coming in. Eiko and Iishiro turned to the door as it opened slowly, three people standing outside.

"They said you'd be here," Haku said, "Um, we have an emergency operation right now, but I don't think you're okay."

The youngest turned to the other two for help.

"I'll call over Kosato to lead," Shiba announced, "Take as much time as you need."

"No, it's fine, Doctor Iishiro," Eiko said, "I'll take over. Reimi will be fine, don't worry."

"Oh, yeah, Iishiro always worry about her," Haku started, "You know there was this one time when he only went on his rounds twice and he-."

"I'm going, I'm going!" Iishiro said, slowly removing Reimi's head on his lap.

"Are you not going to kiss her forehead goodbye?" Haku asked and he swore he saw a murderous look in Iishiro's eyes.

"Get in the OR. I'll be there in five," Iishiro ordered, "And I expect Haku to be in scrubs by that time."

The three doctors nodded as they rushed off to the operating room. Iishiro turned to Reimi and Eiko before leaving.

"Again, I'm so sorry," he repeated for the umpteenth time that day, "When Reimi wakes up, please give me a call."

Eiko nodded and the doctor went off to the operating room.

The moment Iishiro walked in, he was immediately dressed in his scrub suit. The doctors inside the actual operating room were ready, all waiting for him. He pushed the doors open, being greeted by everyone inside.

"Oh, I thought you were taking care of your girl," Reiichi said as soon as Iishiro walked to all of them, "These three said you were busy so I was expecting maybe it was Kinta for today."

Iishiro shook his head, "It's fine."

"I don't think that's true," Niroku stated, "If you're serious about her, we'll be happy for you. I can see that you are, afterall."

Iishiro repressed a sigh, "Let's start this, shall we?"

•••

Iishiro, Haku, and Reiichi bowed in front of the family waiting for the patient inside. The people cried loudly at the sad news that they bore to the family, so early in the morning.

Iishiro knew. The moment that he was briefed on the operation, he knew that it was a losing battle. It was a particulary bad road accident. The rider of the bicycle, their patient, was hit and was ran over by the wheels of a truck going down the wrong way. Before the patient was even brought to the hospital, he was revived. It was successful, the part of the emergency responders, but Iishiro got the short end of the stick.

"We did the best we could," he told the family, looking and feeling apologetic.

When the family soon left, Iishiro and the other doctors gathered inside the operating room now that the body was out. They sat on the ground next to each other, staring at the pools of blood while being covered in the same material.

"So how did Reimi take the news?" Shiba asked, knowing how to make their friend talk.

"Why do you keep on asking me about it?" Iishiro shot back, "I don't think it's any of our businesses to know about Reimi's family."

"But you like her," Haku pointed out, "It's obvious."

Reiichi sighed, "If Iishiro says that he doesn't, then he doesn't. We don't have to keep doing this to him."

"Thank you," Iishiro responded, "I'm just concerned about her now. She's being taken care of of her friend and I just wish she'll do better."

"Well, you can't help but worry, right?" Niroku stated, "I mean, we've all been there."

"So anyway, there's this university in the city who's hiring me to be a professor," Haku said, ultimately changing the topic, "Do you think I should grab the opportunity?"

"You're 24," Shiba pointed out.

"Yeah, I know, it's my age. But that doesn't answer whether I should or I shouldn't take it," Haku responded, "Do you think I should?"

"Why not?" Reiichi asked, "It doesn't come everyday."

"But then I wouldn't be spending most of my days here," Haku continued.

Iishiro shrugged, "There are chances that we shouldn't miss, Haku. That's all you have to keep in mind."

"Hey, we should have lunch together," Shiba offered, reading the gloomy and dark tone their friend spoke in, "We don't get to have breaks at the same time so often."

"Sure." Reiichi nodded.

"So where will we be going?" Niroku asked.

The three started standing up but Haku just nudged Iishiro who was still deep in thought. The older man turned to Haku, looking at him with a curious look.

"Let's go?" Haku spoke.

"I don't feel like eating. Sorry," Iishiro muttered, "I'll go check up on Reimi."

"Wouldn't it be better to give them some time to talk about their situation?" Haku asked, "I know that you're concerned about her, but you also have a life outside of the hospital and your job."

Iishiro sighed, "Fine. But if she calls-,"

"Yes you can ditch all of us and go to her." Haku said, nodding.

The two stood and followed the three out of the operating room. They headed off to their office, Reiichi already cleaning up.

Iishiro walked over to his table, rummaging through his bag for his phone. He turned it on, seeing no messages and calls.

"When are you cleaning your table?" Shiba asked, pointing at Iishiro's used tea cups, "Why do you even have your used cups? Are you switching over to recycling or reusing?"

Iishiro shook his head, "I'm throwing them away later."

"There's this new ramen place across the street and I've been planning to go there with all of you for quite some time now," Niroku said, "So is this our chance now?"

Everyone agreed and left the office, going over to the ramen shop for some lunch.

•••

Reimi opened the door to the orphanage, staring straight ahead. The children ran to her, greeting her.

"Big sister Rei! You're here!" Ayako (Platelet Leader), a brunette child, greeted, a big smile on her face.

Reimi forced up a smile, together with the tears already welling up in her eyes.

"Hey everyone!" She said, sitting down as soon as she closed the door, "I missed all of you. You've gotten so big since I was last here."

Reimi gathered them up, giving all of them a big hug, as much as she could.

"We missed you too," Ayako responded, "Are you gonna leave again?"

Reimi shook her head no, "N-no, I'm not. I'm gonna stay. Big suster's gonna take care of all of you."

The children cheered loudly at the news. That just meant that they had another playmate in the house, which was always nice. Since the last three months, so many of them have been leaving, reducing their number from 25 to 10, and many were still expected to leave, so having another resident in the orphanage made them all happy.

"Is Ms. Mariko okay now?" Ayako asked, tilting her head to the right.

Reimi frowned, "Ms. Mariko's… she won't come home anymore. She's gone."

It was almost simultaneous that the children cried. Reimi did her best to keep tears at bay, not wanting to show the kids that she was crying too. She was there to comfort them, and to help them cope with what they would feel. Reimi knew the feeling, having lost her biological parents at such a young age, what more with the children who didn't even meet their biological parents to begin with?

"It's gonna be okay," Reimi whispered to the kids (or was she just reassuring herself?), "It's gonna be okay, kids. Big sister Rei will be here."

The door opened and in came Eiko who only offered a weak smile to all of them.

"Come on, everyone, let's get dressed," Eiko said softly, "We have to see Ms. Mariko."

•••

011-271-1146: Hey Reimi. It's Iishiro

011-271-1146: I'm really sorry for what happened.

011-271-1146: Ms. Mariko really didn't want me to...

011-271-1146: Sorry.

011-271-1146: But... before she left, Ms. Mariko and I talked and she made me promise something

011-271-1146: Can I see you?