The Tiger Inside

by Nasu Hasami

Orthopaedic surgeon Mulan Hua is dedicated to her career and determined to rise above the statistics of her profession. But that shouldn't mean she has to compromise on the things she wants. Surely, in the 21st Century, a girl can have everything. (Flash fiction series. Companion story to The Nightingale's Song.)

1. Proximity

The Tiger Inside

By Nasu Hasami

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"Everybody wants a thrill."

~Journey~

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1. Proximity

For the last forty minutes, Mulan Hua and Shang Li have been stuck in a broken elevator in complete silence.

'You know,' says Mulan, 'these things can have pretty good acoustics sometimes.'

Shang doesn't look up from his phone.

Mulan has noticed his wet jeans and sneakers, but she's choosing not to comment on it. The cardiothoracic surgeon is known to regularly pull double shifts, and Mulan thinks she saw him in Emergency, elbows deep in someone's stomach the previous evening.

She flicks through the karaoke playlist on her phone, thumbs "Don't Stop Believin'", and starts to sing.

The cardiothoracic surgeon continues to ignore her, until 'strangers, waiting'. Then he starts tapping his foot and mumbling the lyrics under his breath.