AN: Hmm, what can I say? Not much really. But please just my string of apologies. I'm really (infinity) sorry for not updating in a darn long time. And I was supposed to complete a geography assignment but side-tracked a little to complete this. Thank you all for reading and reviewing and sorry for not being able to e-mail anyone.
Disclaimer: The respective rights go to the respective owners.
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Summary: Sakura studied to be a heart surgeon. She has just started her training in Tokyo's biggest and busiest hospital. Syaoran is her mentor with an insolent attitude towards girls. Can Sakura cope with the extra work and all the strenuous activities in the everyday-bustling hospital? How will she cope with him? Is she going to give up?
Extras: Sakura's father is one of the richest men in Tokyo. But of course, having an older brother, the company was handed down to her brother, Touya. Sakura still can live off with the money her father is going to leave her. But, she chooses to have a career. A heart surgeon career, that is!
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Surgical Heart
Chapter 6: Deprecating
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"It's back to work, darling," Syaoran smiled smugly at Sakura.
Surprisingly enough, Sakura had managed to be at equanimity throughout the whole lunch 'date'. However, during this 'date', they had come to certain terms. Terms which included Syaoran not taking any advantage of Sakura while Sakura is not to, under any circumstances, physically injure Syaoran.
"Now that we're both happy, we can go back to the bustling life of a busy little bee," Syaoran said, noting that there was a mixture of anger and helplessness on Sakura's face.
"Do I really have to get back to Meilin?" Sakura asked, her eyes staring at the ground as she fiddled with her hands.
Syaoran chuckled. "You're scared of her? She was already being quite nice to you." Almost immediately, Sakura's face turned pale and Syaoran quickly added. "But don't worry, she's being discharged tomorrow." Some colour returned to her face but Syaoran had to go and ruin it for her when he said, "After all, she is in no serious condition. Just getting herself sick on purpose all the time."
Sakura gulped. That probably meant seeing more of Meilin. It was definitely nothing worth looking forward to.
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The next few days, Yuma and her group did not even try to make peace with Sakura. They avoided her as much as possible and rarely spoke to her, only on occasions that simply could not be helped.
Syaoran had of course told Sakura about the water pouring incident and Sakura could not believe it at first.
"But why would Yuma want to do that? I thought she wanted to be my friend," Sakura had stated miserably.
After that, Syaoran had advised her strongly not to interact with them and to concentrate on her career. For once, Sakura obligingly listened to him.
Well, except for one occasion.
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"Hi Shingwa," Sakura said as she approached Yuma.
"Oh hey, look girls! This girl is actually talking to us!" Yuma said mockingly. "What? No smart comebacks? Sorry about going out with us? Well, guess what girly, we are not sorry for doing that to you."
"Why am I not surprised," Sakura muttered. "Anyway, it's not like you're worth talking to but I did not feel like keeping anything that belongs to you any longer... so HERE!" And with that, she dumped the cloths that Yuma had lent her over Yuma's head, making her screech in anger.
"AH! You bi-"
"No vulgarities with patients around, Shingwa,"came Syaoran's stern voice.
"Doctor Li! Ah Heehee," she said nervously as she slinked away.
"I thought I told you-" began Syaoran.
"Yes I know. You told me not to interact with them and to concentrate on my career. You told me that an hour ago. My memory is not that bad," Sakura grumbled. "Besides, I was willing to take it out with her."
"Okay, that's it Sakura. One report about what just happened, one letter of apology to me for being disrespectful and one weird picture of you," Syaoran stated, "All these on my desk the next day."
"What! But I still have the other reports to hand up tomorrow! And what in the world do you want a weird picture of me for?" Sakura said, her voice rising in decibels as she spoke.
"For blackmail of course, dear Sakura-chan," he gave her a small wink before walking away.
"Oh, why did I even bother to ask," Sakura mumbled, walking back to her office with her head down.
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Sakura yawned, covering the mouthpiece with a hand before saying, "Uh huh. Okay, Tomoyo. Yes, I understand. I'll be there. I promise."
"Sakura-chan? Why do you sound unenthusiastic? Gasp Don't tell me you are objecting to this wedding. Oh Sakura-chan. If you don't want me to get married now, I can cancel it."
"Tomoyo! Stop talking rubbish. I'm just really tired now," she looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. 11:27pm. It was late but she was still working her butt of trying to finish what Doctor Li had asked her to do. "I still have a lot of work to do. I tell you what, I'll call you tomorrow night and you can explain to me what I am to do on the day, okay?"
"Oh okay, Sakura. Don't forget to call."
"I won't. Bye Tomoyo," Sakura said tiredly.
"Bye Sakura-chan!"
Sakura hanged up and diverted her attention back to the piece of paper on her desk. "Apology... Apology," she said thoughtfully as she tapped her pencil against her chin. "Why am I even writing an apology letter to him? Argh," Sakura growled in annoyance. She shook her leg, and she shook her leg HARD! Before she knew it, CRASH, her mug had broken into pieces as she stared helplessly at the wounded porcelain.
"Damn, why must this happen to me?" Sakura grumbled before picking herself up to go and fetch a broom and a cloth.
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On the other side of the hospital, a young man was still at work, going from room to room to check up on the patients.
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Fifteen minutes later, a resigned Sakura plopped herself back on her seat to get back to the apology later.
A couple of minutes later, this was all she came up with.
Dear Doctor Li,
Sorry
Also a couple of minutes later, she lay soundly asleep with her arms as cushions. The drinks from yesterday might just have made her too drowsy.
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Just a little after twelve midnight, a white-clothed figure entered the staff's office. Almost immediately, he noticed the sleeping form on Sakura's desk. He stood there, smiled a little at her before returning to work.
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"All she knows how to do is sleep like a pig. What is she: Homeless?"
Sakura groaned softly as she tried to lift open an eyelid. What in the world was happening around her? To her, everything was just a bunch of mixed up questions. Why is there so much whispering? Where am I?
A vision came in line – Yuma and May were standing near the door staring at Sakura who looked back in confusion. They glared at her for a moment before continuing down the hallway as if nothing happened.
Sakura stared down at herself – white Doctor's uniform. Suddenly, it all came rushing back to her mind.
"Oh shit, I can't believe I slept overnight!" she murmured angrily to herself. Rolling of the couch of the office, she stood up, dusted her uniform – only to find it was simply draped over her.
Grumbling about how stupid she felt, she wondered why Yuma and May were only whispering amongst themselves. "Oh, that's why," Sakura murmured sarcastically when she saw the last person she wanted to see.
"Good morning to you too, Sakura-chan," Syaoran said with a hint of cheeriness. As Sakura was going to sit herself on her chair, Syaoran spoke, "By the way, I accept your apology, and your report was great and thank you for the weird photo of you."
"What?" Sakura said, flabbergasted.
Syaoran sighed dramatically and took a deep breath, "I said,"
"Yes, yes, I know what you said but-"
"Simple Sakura, an apology letter only needs to contain an apology and you fulfilled that with the forth word: Sorry. You report was really detailed especially with you emphasising a lot about yourself being victimised and lastly, I snitched the weird photo from under you desk," Syaoran said. Sakura looked ready to kill. Syaoran quickly reinforced yesterday's agreement to protect himself, "Ah, under the contract of agreement between myself and Kinomoto Sakura – she is not to physically abuse me under any kind of circumstances."
Sakura stalked over to him with her eyes burning, "I don't ca-"
"And any attempt to breach this contract would result in me making you my slave," Syaoran said, folding his arms smugly. Sakura immediately halted in her tracks. "Now, Miss Kinomoto, you better be getting back to work. It's already ten and I hope you take into serious consideration what the consequences of your actions will be."
"I already am working as your slave," Sakura said before resignedly walked out of the room, praying hard for an uneventful day.
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"Surgical instruments must be sterilised at -"
"What do you take me for, an idiot?" Sakura said, angrily. "Of course I know that surgical instruments need to be sterilised."
"Good," Syaoran smiled in triumph, "At least I got that into your head." He ticked of a box on his list of to-dos'.
"What do you take me for? I did go through many years of careful training and learning in med school, I don't need you to treat me like I was a complete -"
"Complete idiot? I wasn't."
"Good, cause if you did, I would -"
"I was treating you like an infant. You know those small cute little adorable bundles that go wah-wah all the time."
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Sakura dropped her keys as she passed the table on her way in her home. Finally, she was home sweet home. However one night away from home did not make her miss it any more than usual. It was like… the hospital was her home.
Treading over to her answering machine, she checked for messages. Expecting none, she went to the bathroom to freshen up.
Beep 'Sakura, this is Touya. Dad… he's injured.'
Within milliseconds, Sakura found herself right next to the answering machine waiting for her brother to say some more.
'The bloody doctor is unsure of what to do, says he can't do anything without his mentor's help.'
Sakura bent her head. Was she going to be like that doctor, needing her mentor for everything? Looking forward determinedly, she vowed that no such case would occur.
'Anyway, no major damage done. He's not going to die so don't go off crying like some maniac, understand? Bye.'
Sakura sighed. How could her brother be such a sadist? Oh yea, she remembered, he was supposed to be the big bad wolf.
And why hadn't he informed her of her father whereabouts? Which hospital was he admitted too? What sort of damage was inflicted on him? Was he conscious? Did he hit his head and had a concussion or something?
"WHY DIDN'T HE TELL ME ANYTHING!" Sakura shouted only to receive the echo that bounced of the walls of her house. "Right and why couldn't I just ask?" Sighing at her mood swing, she picked up the receiver and dialled the numbers that was oh so familiar.
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Walking down the hallway, she talked animatedly in the phone, her white coat flapping behind her. Passer-bys stopped and stared. Nurses stopped and glared. Well, at least that's balanced. So anyway, onto the conversation:
"I can't believe you didn't mention that!" Sakura yelled into the phone, taking into no consideration the attention she was receiving. She paused before replying, "Still, you're at fault. I left those twenty voicemails because I was worried. I was worried okay?"
"So how's he again? Are you sure it's only a minor sprain that's all?" She said, this time more softly. After a few nods and grunts, she hanged up. Sighing, she slipped her mobile into the huge pocket of her coat.
"So... where was I going?" She wondered aloud, absorbing her surroundings. "That's right! The office!"
"Geez, she forgot where she was going? I think she has Alzheimer's," a nurse muttered sarcastically, unaware of company.
"Very unlikely," Syaoran commented causing the nurse to spin around in fright. "She's still young." With that, he winked at her and walked away.
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"Hey Miss Popular," Syaoran greeted Sakura with a wide grin.
Sakura barely glanced at him as she typed furiously away at the computer.
"Oh come on, spill. Who was so important that you had to cause a scene while talking to him? Gary? Frank? Paul? George? Oh wait, you did mention this other guy last time…"
"Shut the hell up, Li Syaoran."
"Oh, have I been insulting your boyfriend. Oops, grammar error. I meant your boyfriends." Syaoran added, his smile never wavering.
That got Sakura's attention. She immediately ceased her finger work and withdrew her hands from the keyboard. With the action of cracking her knuckles, she began with a very low voice. "First of all..."
"Oh it's alright, you don't have to explain. I understand," Syaoran interrupted.
"No you don't understand!" Sakura burst out. "First of all, I do not have a boyfriend. I repeat: DO NOT have a boyfriend. Secondly, don't you dare think I'm two-timing! Or three-timing, or four-timing or ten-timing for that matter! And lastly, I have never, not ever, mentioned anything about any other guy before. Understand?"
Syaoran meekly nodded. Feeling proud of her speech, Sakura relaxed and leaned back on her chair, posed her fingers deftly above the keyboard and carried on typing.
"So, that means you're single?"
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Okay, this marks the end of the sixth chapter which, I admit, have been delayed for a billion, trillion years. I'm really sorry about that. Really really sorry.