Chapter Seventeen

It was nine in the morning.

Houjun was beginning to wonder if Genrou had truly disappeared. He had never met Genrou's parents, and so couldn't call them, but the hospital had adamantly refused to give out their employees', ex or no, classified information.

I could place advertisements on the newspaper and the television and the radio, he laughed softly to himself at the thought, but the smile didn't linger.

He had gone home last night, to shave and freshen up and change his clothes. He would go to the hospital later. As he walked past the telephone however, the blinking green lights of the answering machine rendered him frozen for a moment. Maybe he called?

Leaning down, he jabbed the button impatiently, and tapped his foot as a whir ensued from the machine, before the messages began to rattle off.

Beep. "Houjun? Are you all right? You didn't come for work today. Just concerned. Myou Jyuan." Beep.

Beep. "Houjun? It's been two days. I can't get through to your cell phone." Oh yes, the battery had run flat after he hadn't charged it. "Call me when you get this. Myou Jyuan." Beep.

Beep. "Hey, Houjun! It's been awhile. Tried to get you but there was no answer. Anyway, it's my birthday next week, and there's going to be a party! Get back to me, will you? Ryuuen." Beep.

The message box let out a shrill whine as the dialogue came to an end, and he stood there for a moment longer, staring down at the phone. Then he walked into the bathroom.

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"Hello, Hikou," the young doctor greeted, and Hikou rose weakly as a nurse propped a soft pillow behind his back. The 'blip' of the machine where the green lines rose and traced patterns in accordance with his heartbeat made him turn his attention back to the present as the doctor resumed speaking. "How do you feel?"

Even as he watched the medication being prepared, felt the slight prick of the plaster that covered the needles was carefully torn away, the nagging feeling he had been having returned to the back of his mind.

I feel like I'm forgetting something.

The doctor noticed his silence and obviously troubled state of mind, apparently, because he smiled at Hikou as the plumper nurse handed the syringe to him. "Don't worry so much. This is just routine medication, only it's of a slightly higher dosage. But you're doing fine."

He wasn't listening to the doctor, but he was watching him, watching him as a lock of auburn hair fell slightly into his face.

That's it. That's it.

How many doctors had red hair?

But before he could clear his doubts, the drug began to take effect, and he felt himself sliding almost immediately, the throbbing pain in his senses beginning to numb with a warm afterglow. Just before he closed his eyes, the door opened, and Kourin and his parents walked in, but he was too tired to greet them.

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As Genrou left the room, he looked around surreptitiously, before he sighed inwardly.

You were hoping to see him, weren't you?

No! he shot back at himself, even as he hurried down the corridor.

As he turned into his office, he quickly entered and then closed the door, leaning on it, as wild thoughts flashed through his mind.

I do want to give him a chance. I do. I want him to tell me that everything I saw him do with that girl was a mistake.

I want him to tell me that he wants me back.

I want him to say he still loves me.