Hello,it has been only chapter 5, please bare with me.
Dear guest, if you check the fact right and fair (based on the manga of course), Sasuke had done terrible job at romance the entire time. Also, there is a reason why I make 'Hypocrite' as a title for that chapter.
So, I love you reader.
Even in the Winter, Tokyo would never be the same as Hokkaido. Sakura watched as the snowflakes falling from the dusk sky. She still could not got used to how different it was, although this had been her ten years living in Tokyo. The snow were grayish compared to Hokkaido's cotton-like snow.
"Haruno-san?"
Sakura glanced through her shoulder.
"Before one of those young doctors started to complaint, like they always did, I think it is better for you to see them, face to face," Said Mai, the chief nurse of emergency department.
Sakura could see a puff of white smoke came out of her mouth after she gulped down her coffee. It was her fifth cup for today.
"I mean right now, Sakura," Mai insisted with both arms on her hips.
"Aaalright~" Sakura quickly rumpled her paper cup then tossed it to the trash can as she went to the rooftop's door.
"Move aside, the old doctor's coming," Sakura shout out to Mai, who was now rolling her eyes.
/
5.
• hERe aFtEr •
/
Tokyo, 2020
Winter
The golden Rollex showed it was fifteen minutes before ten, which made thirty minutes late from the appointment schedule. A man had been waited impatiently.
But as his phone beeped, the weary feeling inside him immediately forgotten.
"DC."
The meaning of the message was Washington DC. The man was finally relieved because it had been three days since he waited from the last message. He was typing his answer-asking when his dearest brother would come to his aid-when the door in front of him opened.
"Professor Gupta told me that he'll see you at the seminar. And the paper, I'll check the paper soon after I get home."
There was Professor Dai with a young lady whose hair was aglow, attracted the man attention. As the lady passed him-
"-Uchiha-san," called Professor Dai to the man.
"Itachi."
Dai pulled a smile right away, "Come on in then, Itachi-san."
"I'm so sorry, it way too late from our initial appointment, right? I've read your email yesterday. So, Itachi-san, how do you feel right now?"
Itachi did not know he was holding his breath. The terrible exhausted feeling he wore almost everyday started to getting along with him, in a very negative way.
"I think it had been my third times feeling the symptoms, for this month only. As for the last time, I remember clearly, I was about to faint."
Dai scrunched his nose; straightened his glasses.
"Does it mean I have to take another examination?"
"Before that, I'd like to suggest another treatment. I hope you try to think about this, is there any thought or incident, or something which could lead to be a big burden for you? It doesn't matter if it's happened recently or for a long time."
Itachi stared blankly. Dai's question had no correlation to any of his symptoms, he thought. Nevertheless, the answer to his question was yes, there were lots of things trampling on his sanity.
"Well, since dad passed away and I went through the failed marriage, over this past two consecutive years, I could say that these two were my biggest burden I have ever had."
Dai's nose scrunched deeper along with his eyebrows. Dai showed his empathy by nodded his head as he gave Itachi the time he needed to share his thought.
"The workload and another urgent things I have these days make the worse of it. I've been struggling to concentrate, moreover to rest at night become a difficult task. I could literally count my fingers on how many nights which had me fast asleep."
Dai waited until he was sure Itachi had finished his part.
"Sometimes our hormone which came along as a result of prolong griefs, losing someone or some things we loved, traumatic event, or maybe excessive burden of thought lead an impactful stress to the heart's muscles as well. You don't have to undergo an invasive test or anything, all you need is to follow my advice to see a psychiatrist, Itachi-san."
"Psychiatrist? What about the medication?"
"You still have to continue the medication that had been prescribed, as long as it's not contraindicating the further medication given by the psychiatrist."
Itachi tried to hold himself to let out a deep breath. He couldn't bear any high hope, as if it could had been the way-out of his health issues after all this time.
"So, when do I have to meet the psychiatrist?"
"I'll make this referral letter to Hiramoto-san. He's available on Monday until Saturday, at days and nights. He's very flexible, feel free to adjust the appointment to your schedule.
And I'd like to inform you that the treatment with Hiramoto-san, it may takes time. It depends on how fast you could adapt to the therapy sessions, until it alleviates the symptoms."
Dai searched for his calendar at the corner of the table.
"But, unfortunately, I must apologize to you first," Dai had forgotten about the most important thing, "Next week I'm having a leave, like two weeks off, because… Tsunade will give birth to our first child, her due date is next week."
"Oh? A-ah, well… congratulation for you and Professor Tsunade, I'm very happy to hear that."
"Thank you, Itachi-san. So, that means you'll have to see someone else as my replacement, it is doctor Haruno Sakura, she'll be in charge by next week. Although you still can reach to me by phone or email."
Itachi sure enough, he remembered that name from somewhere.
"I should've introduce her to you, she was the one who just came out of here. She was in hurry though, catching her night flight to Amsterdam."
Itachi was thinking about someone else who was also a cardiologist in this hospital, and to why Professor Dai did not choose him.
"You know, I'm pretty sure you know Houra-san, right?"
"Yes, we kinda know each other." How come he knows what I think?
"Haruno-san is my personal preference, but if you feel like you need to see another doctor or maybe another hospital, of course I'll take whatever choices you choose, Itachi-san."
Itachi quickly shook his head, "I really have no problem with that, professor."
Itachi was a practical man and very professional one, he trusted Dai's preference because of Dai's reputation and history since Dai was the one in charge of his late father's treatment. Eventhough his acquaintance, Akane Houra, was the son of this hospital's owner and director.
/
Jet lag and an empty stomach were perfect combination which made Sakura's arrival was uncomfortable. Although as soon as she opened her hotel room-she was lucky to have the room she wanted-it could ease her mind.
It was an average hotel room, with a cute single vintage bed, medium-sized wooden wardrobe in dark red, a small tube tv with tulips decorated above it, and bathroom's door which was not too far from her bed; it was more than enough for her to feel safe.
Sakura got a full-length window on her left, which made the room illuminated by the tranquilizing city lights.
Being in a large room by herself-a foreign place from whole different continent-could triggered her anxiety disorders. So, wherever she went traveling she made a strict settlement to get a small-single hotel room located in the middle of the city.
Sakura opened her window, she was immediately welcomed by the Amsterdam's winter wind. It chilled to her bone. She was considered it to be a warm greeting, nonetheless.
Sakura reached into her leather shoulder bag's pocket to checked her phone. Apparently there are two messages from two different senders.
Miss Dawson
I will wait at the lobby at 6.30 a.m Ms.Haruno. We will have breakfast before the symposium, together with Professor Gupta and his wife.
Prof. Dai
Sakura-chan, I need to make sure that you're still agree to be my replacement.
Sakura smiled, she was typing her answer for the later message.
I'm sorry prof, just arrived to the hotel room. Right this second, I haven't think about to change our deal (smile emoji).
/
Dai's eyes squinted to the lady-who he considered little sister for a longtime-in front of him.
"What is it, Sakura-chan?"
For about fifteen minutes, with a frown Sakura had read the paper in her hand, un-blinked. She looked thoroughly the medical record belong to Uchiha Itachi, which was going to be her patient. But somehow, she-looked like-was pondering upon something Dai could not grasp.
"Is it about the VIP part? I know you have trauma over that stuff, but you can't hide forever and you shouldn't generalized them."
Sakura admired how Dai always worried about her. But of course, it was not about the VIP part, her head was full of thoughts which completely got nothing to do with that. Not even the slightest, because the word Uchiha itself had preoccupied her mind.
He may not remember me after ten years. How about Sasuke-kun? Geez, Sakura, what how.
Stupid, stop daydreaming! Sakura felt there are something rose up inside her chest.
"You start to scared me, kid."
"If… after I've done most of the treatment, but eventually 'the people from above' gonna shove me off, again, I'm sure that I'll no more take a VIP under my care, Professor." Sakura reasoned.
Sakura was trying to distracted her own mind.
Dai smirked, "You know you can't say no to patients, Sakura-chan, for any circumstances."
Sakura was silent for a moment.
Should I ask him? Of course no, you shouldn't ask him! It is better if I'm pretending that I don't remember.
"I'm just teasing you, Prof," Sakura bit the tip of her tongue.
"You look being serious, though. In case they meddling in one of those patients of yours again, do tell me, Sakura-chan."
The reason why Dai, Tsunade, and Sakura were very close to each other, was because not only she was their junior residents-the most brilliant one-but she also got literally no one to relied on. She was used to get discriminated and controlled because of her background.
After ten years of working as a head of outpatient installation, Dai finally fathomed all of the shady parts in the hospital. He knew exactly how many hours Sakura had to spent arranging the surgery schedules-which should had been arranged together with the surgeon, she was also an attending physician, a main trainer for the basic emergency training , not to mention her seminars and symposiums schedule she had with or without him. Despite all of the fact, he hated to admit that the face of the future cardiologist in this hospital was not Sakura.
Literally Akane Houra's face was all over the medical related TV shows nowadays, and people knew he was son of Akihiko Houra, the president director who was also the owner of this hospital. Akane Houra was a good, clever doctor, nonetheless. Indeed he was clever enough to pursued his career both in public and in academic, thanks to Sakura's support as a stand-by who had done lots of works which were out of her responsibility.
Dai took a pity look at Sakura. She loved her job more than anything, Dai knew it too well. She pulled a smile at him.
"Thank you so much for your concern, Professor Dai," She reached the door's knob.
"Sure, Sakura-chan."
"Said hi to professor Tsunade from me," Sakura waved him goodbye.
/
Itachi's sluggish feature was clearly showed on the mirror. It was noticeable even from across the room; he had dark circles and his lips was too dried, to the point it got hurt whenever he opened his mouth.
Itachi was feeling somewhat at ease after he went to his therapy session with Doctor Hiramoto, it would had been a huge step for him if only he had no a nearly bankrupt company on his shoulders.
Sasuke, whom Itachi hoped for, had not come yet. They had been long infrequently communicated, that happened soon after the death of their father and he passed down all of the assets of their hotel to Itachi.
Sasuke had been forgotten about the fact of who had managed to build their current hotel(s) from scratch. Because when they got to sell their hotel in Hokkaido, Itachi was the one whom father had given the great responsibility to start another hotel business. But, Itachi understood, Sasuke too was trying his hard to be as independent as he was right now. Surely he got busy on his part; his start up business was a great deal to him.
However this time, Sasuke need to realize that it was not only their holdings were at stake, but also Itachi's life. Itachi needed him to survive.
"Uchiha-san," the nurse reached to him from the waiting room's door.
Itachi rose from his seat and followed her to the next room which separated only by a door.
There she is the young doctor. Itachi could see her obvious pink hair which braided nicely at her shoulder.
"Good evening, Uchiha-san, nice to meet you. How are you doing?" Sakura greeted him cheerfully.
As Itachi sat on his seat, he was looking at the contrast color of Sakura's bright eyes to her hair and her white coat. He was tired, yet it made him more conscious than before. It could had been the most fascinating things he had in awhile.
Itachi gave a smile back, "I'd be lying if I say I'm doing good, doctor," he noticed a down line on the tips of her lips, "my respond to Hiramoto-san's therapy is great by the way. But, unfortunately, my previous symptoms are still there."
In his mind, Itachi blamed the pile of reports on his desk and the damn meetings he had to do every single day.
Sakura took Itachis's file to make sure one more time that Hiramoto-san's therapy report had the same result as Itachi's concern.
"Yeah, I see that Hiramoto-san wrote the exact same thing in his report." Sakura looked up from his file, "Had Professor Dai informs you about how this therapy with Hiramoto-san could possibly take more time than an average treatment?"
"Yes, he had already."
"So, we need to see the end result, after Hiramoto-san give his prognosis statement, Itachi-san."
They were both staring. Itachi held it a little longer as if there was something familiar to him. And all of a sudden he was having a flashback to a little girl whose hair was also as pink as her.
"Could you please, tell me the details about the symptoms you still have?"
"I felt… my chest was thumping strangely, catching a sleep was distressing, even if I do sleep, soon after I woke up I would still feeling tired, and oftentimes my legs or arms are getting numb apparently for no reason."
Sakura took a deep breath, "I think I need to raise some of the medication's dosages. But, please do contact me as soon as you feel there is something unusual or if you gain another symptoms."
"Yes, doctor."
"Well, Itachi-san, you must avoid doing something that will drains your energy and mind, as much as possible. By the way, you can ask Hiramoto-san to do the therapy at your house, in case you really need the therapy session, but too tired to go here."
"Aah, that's a good news, surely it would be more convenient if I could do that. I'll remember that, thank you, Haruno-san."
"No problem, of course I'm here to help. I'll write about this to Hiramoto-san then."
/
Sakura started to feel anxious when Itachi did not let his eyes off of her.
After Sakura went thoroughly giving him her advices, then she handed his prescription to Terumi, the nurse who usually assisted Professor Dai.
"I'm terrible sorry for asking this, but have you ever lived or stayed in Hokkaido, Haruno-san?"
Sakura swallowed hard.
"I was born and raised in Hokkaido, Uchiha-san," she nonchalantly answered it. But inside, she was preparing herself for the Sasuke-related questions.
"If I'm not mistaken, Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun, and you were a schoolmates, am I right, doctor? Uchiha Sasuke, he was my little brother."
Yeah, exactly what I've been expected.
"You're right, we were schoolmates and even best-mates. Unfortunately, we never communicate ever since Sa- I mean, ever since I moved to Tokyo."
…Ever since Sasuke left Naruto and I… without further communication…
"Aah, that's too bad." Itachi's thought was elsewhere.
"Sasuke still living in New York, isn't he?" asked Sakura out of curiosity she had been holding for two weeks, right after she knew Uchiha Itachi soon to be her patient.
"He is, doctor, and he's rarely coming here, if it's not for something important. But, he and mom have planned to paid me a visit this month."
"Aah," Sakura awkwardly nodded her head. That's also unexpected.
By the look that Itachi gave her, there were another thing he got in his mind. But, Sakura quickly ended their conversation. "I hope we'll meet again after you finished the treatment with Hiramoto-san."
Terumi asked Itachi to follow her lead. Soon after the door closed behind him, Sakura finally could relaxed. She was glad that she held herself from speaking any weird stuffs which she always did whenever she was feeling anxious.
/
• ePiLoGuE •
Sakura brought her phone close enough to her face, lowered her eyelids as it almost close her entire eyes, then she shook her head in disbelief.
"If you have time, Haruno-san, my mother said she would love to see you."
Said Uchiha Itachi a few minutes ago from across the phone. It made Sakura almost choked by the air she inhaled herself.
The screen of her phone got wet with snow. She put it inside the pocket of her coat, as well as her hands which started to get numb with cold. Slowly she moved her legs again toward her favorite ramen stall for dinner.
Well, what should I do?
