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.)

33. Start

The Tiger Inside

By Nasu Hasami

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"I've been trying to hide."

~Ellie Goulding~

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33. Start

Shang gives himself until Friday to ask Mulan to dinner.

By Saturday, he still hasn't asked her.

By Monday, he's slept for a total of six hours and twenty-three minutes in fifty-two hours. He's surviving on instinct, caffeine, and muscle memory. It's easy to squash down any noise his restless heart is making.

It gets squashed down to the soles of his sneakers, shoved, and packed in next to his hunger and exhaustion. What Shang can't squash down, he can work through at the gym later.

Then he sees Mulan moonwalk into the ED, singing to Elton John.

Shang gives himself three seconds to tell her he's desperately in love with her.