Chapter Summary: More hints about the past are starting to resurface, including a pair of two blonde angels.
WARNING: Mild profanity.
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AN APPLE A DAY – Chapter 6: Big Bro
I am still contemplating about how delicious the food was. The ramen was served with just the right warmth. The noodles were cooked with perfect firmness, and I knew the broth was to die for the moment the seafood-savoury goodness reached my taste buds.
Although the ramen chef, named Tokageroh, if I remember it correctly, was quite nosy for his own good— repeatedly throwing devious looks at Yoh, commenting on how come he brought a 'blondie' this time when all his companions were usually brunettes (which made Yoh almost choke on his chopsticks), then laughing so hard until he almost turned green at Yoh's expense— I surprisingly enjoyed my time.
After rolling my eyes a few times, I just carried on with eating. They were lucky that the food was way delectable for me to bother with their nonsense; and it's not like I was interested in hearing about the 'many women' that Yoh had brought in the very same spot either. It isn't my business.
Even if it was true or not.
Oh, I could feel my blood pressure rising once again upon remembering that, but what surprised me was, for some reason, the meal has changed my mood completely from sour to jovial within the past hour. I can feel myself grinning like an idiot while watching the night lights flicker from outside the passenger's window as we go past them.
"Is this the right place?" a deep voice shook me from my recollections. I tilted my head towards my companion, and I noticed how he was staring at me with such gentle sepia eyes while he seemed to await my answer. My line of sight shifted to the low-rise building behind him, and I immediately recognised the area.
"Yes, this is it," I said simply. How did we arrive here so quickly? I mean, not that I was complaining but…
I heard Yoh exit the vehicle and opened the door from my side. A palm offered to pull me out of the car. "After you," he added.
I shot him a weird stare. "Yoh, you know you don't have to, right?"
"What? Friends can also escort each other to their doorsteps, right?"
I swear he sounded so innocent— wait, why does he have to beam me that smile every time? This isn't right. I have to bring the tough girl act back.
"Are you sure you're not doing this just to stalk me?" I managed to muster a playful smirk as my feet started to lead the way.
I heard chuckle. "Why are you so obsessed with that idea?"
"Why? Isn't that what exes do? I mean— oh, I live at level three— wait, this way." I instinctively tugged Yoh's shirt to stir him away from the faulty elevator and to go for the stairs. For a moment, I surprised myself with the sudden physical contact, and I could tell that he was a little shocked, too. I used to do that in the past whenever I try to point him to the right direction. The shirt-tugging, I mean.
He glimpsed at me with that intense glow in his eyes paired with a knowing smirk. It was as if he was trying to analyse what I was thinking.
That gesture reminded me of his brother.
Yoh tried to supress laughter while we threaded through the stairs. "They said, sometimes, stalking an ex can mean that you're trying to gauge if there's still hope of getting back with them," he explained as if testing to see my reaction.
"I mean, didn't you?" I cut him off to defend myself from his possible assumptions. I wasn't going to back down.
I saw my companion pause a bit as if he was in deep thought while we continued through our journey upstairs. "I might've. For the first couple of years after our split, I guess."
That's weird, I thought for a fleeting moment that I saw him blushing and avoiding eye contact. Then, he returned the question. "Did you?"
For some odd reason, he didn't look confident with what he said, and I didn't believe him for that either. On the other hand, I find it amusing, comforting, even, as Yoh and I talk about these little things about our past. I anticipated it to be awkward, but ever since we agreed on a truce, it actually isn't too bad. Maybe we have grown enough to be mature about it, or maybe it is how it is when you have already gotten over someone, or it could also be…
"So, this is me." My body just halted as we reached the front of my apartment as if it had a mind on its own and Yoh followed suit. As I inserted the key to unlock my apartment door and left it slightly ajar, I turned to face him again, unable to gaze into his eyes. "Yoh, I haven't thanked you yet… for saving from that pervert earlier."
I saw him shake his head, a gesture to convey that it was not a big deal. His face suddenly lit up, though. "By the way, how are you getting to work tomorrow?"
His question caught me off-guard, almost as if he was probing, but I just shrugged. "Maybe I could ask Manta if I could hitch a ride on his way there."
"Ooor…" he began.
"No, Yoh," I said immediately. "Besides, you've already offered to fix my car and that was already too much." I know that he was going to suggest that he could pick me up tomorrow, so I needed to stop him right there. I don't think I'll have enough energy to deal with his stupid smirks and disarming charms again tomorrow. I was just grateful that he did not insist.
As I looked up, I noticed that Yoh was staring at me intently with a peculiar countenance but still with that darn boyish smile of his. I have almost forgotten how tall he was. I was wearing heels and his frame still engulfed me. Light winds blew past us making some of our hair strands sweep across our faces, though still not breaking our eye contact.
"What's funny?" I whispered, not willing to withstand his intoxicating gaze anymore. Was he expecting me to invite him in?
"You still didn't answer my question."
"What question?" Of course, I knew what he was talking about. Acting dumb was just my one-way ticket to trying to get away from answering it, or not.
I saw him roll his eyes for having to make himself clear. "Did you… stalk me? When we broke up?"
Curses. How annoying.
However, my inner bitch wasn't going to have it tonight. I plastered a devilish smile as I quickly stepped backwards to enter my home.
"Good night, Yoh." I managed to exhale as I hastily closed the door against his stunned face.
Once I was securely inside, I had to lean my back towards my home's entry point with my eyes shut. Seconds, no, minutes seemed to pass when I heard a repetitive noise.
- thud thud -
Did Yoh refuse to give up his inquiry and is now knocking on my door?
- tap tap tap-
Is it the wall clock in my living room that was telling me it was almost midnight?
- thump thump -
Is it the sound of my heart ramming through my chest?
- thud thud –
Seriously, what is that even—
My eyes snapped open; vision was welcomed by what seemed to be a low ceiling that was barely a meter away from my face. I had to blink multiple times to have my vision become accustomed to the sudden change in scenery, only to realize that what I was seeing was the bottom side of the bunk bed above me. It took a few more seconds for my brain to gather all the necessary information but I was later then reminded that I was inside the doctor's quarters, previously sleeping, but is now awakened by a persistent thudding noise nearby.
Was I having the most vivid dream just now?
I would've loved to use more of my precious time to dwell on my peculiar dream, or rather, my memories of last night (before I was unwillingly hurled back to work two hours after I came home just because of my on-call duties), but the ongoing noise was becoming unbearable.
It sounded as if someone was dry humping the wall adjacent to the room where I was in and now that I barely had three hours of sleep, the idea of beheading whoever was causing it seemed very appealing.
With great resolve, I dragged myself out of the bunk while I stomped out of the room, muttering silent expletives under my breath.
Having the idea of exposing the culprit as a form of revenge, I carelessly flung the door open, only to come eye to eye with a flushed Tao Ren.
Our fierce golden orbs may have locked themselves into a deciphering battle, neither one of us moving, neither one willing to yield.
He was alone.
Or so it seemed.
My sight travelled to his lying form on the bed. From his tousled hair to his toned shoulders exposed by his half-nakedness, then to the weird pile of pillows and blankets burying the lower half of his body.
The air inside was quite saturated with a distinctive flowery scent.
I wanted to ask why he needed that many beddings just for having a power nap, but I had a feeling that I wouldn't like his answer.
"Ever heard of the courtesy called 'knocking', lady?"
'Ever heard of peace and quiet?' I wanted to spit back, but I was kind enough to bite my tongue. "Were you the one making that noise?" I ignored him and returned a less aggressive question instead.
"What noise?"
I could see through his feigned innocence. Acting dumb definitely did not suit Ren. I wanted to throw my stethoscope aimed at his forehead. Realizing that I have more other important things to use my energy on, I didn't choose violence this time. Plus, seeing the time on my wrist gave me a free shot of adrenaline.
"Never mind." Scanning the room one more time, I turned my back to leave.
. . . . . . . . . . .
He couldn't help but to ponder.
Did her avoidance meant that she possibly stalked him after their break-up, too? Maybe she tried to fix things but what if she couldn't find him anymore because he has gone to America.
Or was she just toying with his feelings once again? After all, it was she who left and never looked back.
"Doctor Asakura."
That didn't make sense, though.
She would have at least missed him; looked for him. She couldn't actually be that total cold-hearted monster that he perceived her to be after everything between them went down to ruins.
"Doctor Asakura?"
To be completely honest, he probably had these same thoughts hundreds of times during the course of his 6-year recuperation period from his enigma, A.K.A Anna, but he couldn't help it.
The what-ifs and what-could-haves were once again plaguing his brain.
"Doctor!" an urgent shrill finally reached his attention, bringing his focus back.
He was nearly finished performing an inguinal hernia repair for a 2-year-old boy when he caught himself staring down at his unconscious patient on the operating table, suturing forceps, and ligature needle in his hands. His concerned first assist, in front of him.
"Sorry. What is it?" Yoh asked calmly.
"Doctor, you seem to have an urgent call. Your phone is vibrating non-stop, and Mr. Oyamada has already paged for you twice," a circulating nurse explained.
Yoh raised a brow. What could Manta have wanted so urgently? He was about to go back to stitching-up his patient when his mobile vibrated once more. The circulating nurse looked at him expectantly.
"Nurse Jane, in my right back pocket, please." Yoh's request made the woman jump. She instantly reached for Yoh's back, sliding away his sterile gown to take his phone out from the said pocket.
The nurse was wearing a green surgical mask, but there was nothing but hues of red and pink left on her face after she inevitably felt the most eligible young surgeon's behind through the thin material of his scrub suit. After ignoring the meaningful stares that were thrown to her by the other female professionals inside the operating room, the nurse answered the call and raised the device next to Yoh's ear, careful not to touch his sterile field, tiptoeing for dear life.
"Hey, Manta. 'Sup? Sorry, but I'm kinda tied up right now," Yoh started, leaning his head a little lower in order to not strain the nurse's arm.
A muffled voice responded from the other end of the line.
The Pediatric Surgeon's face suddenly paled. "Are you sure?"
Manta was heard replying "Yeah."
"Got it, won't be long." Yoh ended the conversation. With chestnut orbs now ladened with worry, he addressed his assistant surgeon. "Doctor Tetsu, can you manage finishing-up?"
. . . . . . . . . . .
The sound of heels click-clacking against the paved ground halted when a pair of long and flawless legs stopped in front of a nearby table.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, finally!" a lady with long, wavy, silver locks and vermillion eyes exclaimed with both hands clasped together in delight. She was clad in a light blue chiffon dress with puffy sleeves and flowy hems. A gigantic bow accented her chest, and white studded Valentinos adorned her feet.
Another woman, with half-ponytailed pink tresses, dressed in a simple pale yellow summer dress, and white sandals, smiled serenely.
The newcomer, who had her long blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, grabbed a seat between the two before crossing her legs and arms to shoot them a disbelieving glare.
They were all situated in a coffee shop nearby the hospital for an ambush catch-up.
"You do know that I was on on-call duties again today and that this is just my lunch break, right?" the feisty blonde expressed, her gaze resting on the pink-haired lady. "Tamao, was this your idea?"
"Of course not. It was Jeanne's!" Tamao defended, earning a scandalised gasp from Jeanne.
"Anna, we've been dying to meet-up with you for days since I arrived from France! It's not our fault we resorted to trapping you here today." Jeanne sipped her cold drink from her straw, trying to hide her guilt.
Anna spun her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but her words were prevented by Tamao who slid a warm cup of cappuccino in front of her as a way of making peace. She threw an apologetic look at the blonde. Anna bit her lower lip to prevent herself from chuckling, then proceeded to place her hands on the table, palms down, in a quick movement. When she pulled her limbs away, two tiny boxes were revealed.
Both Jeanne and Tamao blinked simultaneously; first, looking at the boxes, then at Anna, then at the boxes again.
The blonde took the perfect opportunity to beam a sweet smile at her friends after seeing their confused expressions. "Got yah!"
Tamao's eyes widened in surprise. Jeanne, on the other hand, snickered as she took the little trinket given to her, calling Anna a 'bitch' in the process.
"Oh my, where is our holy girl Jeanne, and what have you done to her?" Anna joked at the silver-haired woman.
Tamao produced a gasp upon seeing what was inside her box. "Oh my gosh, Anna, you didn't have to."
The box revealed a stunning rose gold hairpin shaped in a treble clef symbol. It was made from rose gold with clear crystals all over, and a pearl at the middle.
Jeanne's present was a dainty white gold bracelet with a cross charm, also embellished with frosty crystals and an aquamarine in the center.
The two appeared teary-eyed from their friend's gesture. Their eyes glowed in admiration for the precious gifts they received. They knew the gifts were carefully thought-of given that the special center gems were their respective birth stones.
Anna took the opportunity to say her apologies for ditching her friends every time they tried to schedule a get-together with her. But what could she do? The past few weeks has been terribly busy, especially for someone like her who was training to be a surgeon.
She exhaled. "Look, I'm sorry, girls. It's just that… I'm still adjusting from my busy schedule."
"Tsk, tsk, Anna. We just missed you that much, that's all." Jeanne reassured.
"We know how much your career means to you, but please take care of yourself. You look exhausted. Seriously, you need a boyfriend," Jeanne reminded and Tamao nodded in agreement.
"I don't need a man to look after myself."
She almost barked at Jeanne for insinuating such an idea, but her expression softened immediately. "But yeah, adulthood is draining. It sucks the life out of you. To be honest, I think the most decent meal I've ever had in ages was when Yoh took me to that hidden ramen place somewhere at—" she caught herself in mid-sentence when she realised what kind of information she has just divulged.
Anna mentally slapped herself for being absentminded. She slowly shifted her sight from one girl friend to another, and saw they were both gaping at her as if she had Captain America standing right behind her.
"It's not what you think. It's— Oh my God! Stop!" Anna thought her friends lost it when they Jeanne jumped around their table like a mad woman and when Tamao buried her face in her hands so hard while she squirmed.
The blonde doctor gave up by huffing and leaning back on her seat with crossed arms once again while her companions continued in their frenzied state.
Tamao, with a face red as a Beetroot, could not even mutter a single word.
"Goodness! So you two really are back to speaking terms, aren't you? My source was right." Jeanne swallowed a big piece from her cupcake, and Anna wondered who her 'source' was.
"Girls, really, we're just friends."
"Friends!" Finally, Tamao recovered slightly from the shock.
"And tell me, when did being friends with an ex ever work out?" The silver-haired lady was cynical, yet she spoke the truth. Anna once again opened her mouth to argue but was silenced by her friend. "It's either you still subconsciously want to get back together, or… you want to be fuck buddies."
It was Anna's turn to let out a horrified gasp. She pointed her thumb towards Jeanne and asked Tamao, "Are you sure this is really our friend, Jeanne?"
Tamao could only chuckle nervously but reached for Anna's hand to sandwich it between her palms. "Anna, no matter what, please always remember to follow your heart but also, look after it this time, alright?" She said it with so much sincerity that no one dared to speak for a few seconds.
"I will, Tamao. I will. But then again, we are only friends."
Anna smiled and squeezed Tamao's hand to let her know that she understood her message. Like she said, she didn't have any intention of establishing a deeper relationship again with her ex, and Yoh didn't seem like he cared either. Therefore, she convinced herself that everything was under control.
"So…" she began, after placing back her drink on the table. "Enough about me. Both of you need to let me catch-up about your lives, too. How is life treating two of our most promising future Anesthetists?"
Jeanne and Tamao groaned.
"Well, I, for starters, am still pursuing my hobby as a singer away from the knowledge of my family, and Jeanne has just opened her online shop for her scrumptious baked goodies, also done in secret." Tamao spoke as if they were now used to it.
Anna looked at her friends in empathy. The two were perfect examples of people who were forced by their families to study a certain professional degree just for the sake of 'following tradition' or gaining 'social status'.
While she couldn't tell who was luckier— she who had to crawl her way up the ladder just to achieve her dream of being a doctor but is able to enjoy what she does, or them who had more than what they needed financially throughout their lives but were steered away from their true passion.
"But that's good, isn't it? It is a start. And when the time comes that both of you are recognised for doing what you love, then everything else will follow." She could only offer her words of comfort and encouragement. "Just always remember—"
"AAH!"
Anna and Tamao jumped when Jeanne shrieked.
"Anna! I almost forgot! I have a very big favour to ask of you!" She continued when the others just arched their brows in question. "Well, truth is, I heard that this bachelor, whom my brother is setting me up with is such a 'ten'. You know, good looks, hot body, charming personality, great achievements at a young age… and did I say he's hot? I mean, I don't know who he is yet because it's supposed to be a blind date and—"
"Jeanne, stop stalling." As always, Anna wasn't a fan of dawdling.
"I-need-you-to-pose-as-me-for-that-blind-date!" The French lady mumble in one breath and almost nothing came after.
"No."
"Anna!"
"No!"
"Please! I beg of you!"
"Jeanne, why the hell would I do that? Besides, if this 'Mr. Perfect Bachelor' really is such a treat, then why would you not want to date him yourself?"
"Good point. She has a point," Tamao mumbled almost incomprehensibly while looking back and forth at her friends as if they were in a Ping Pong match.
"Anna, I really need your help in this one." Jeanne shot her the puppy eyes.
"Why? Tell me one good reason why I—"
"I am already dating someone else!"
All three of them remained silent until Anna and Tamao screeched at the same time.
"WHAT!?"
"WHAT!?"
Jeanne winced while massaging her ears from all the outrageous barking. Something told her that she had a lot of explaining to do after her declaration, but her priority was to get Anna to say yes to her request.
"Look, you only need to make a good impression about me but at the same time, make the guy realise that we were not meant to be."
Chilling silence.
"Please… You know I won't hear the end of it from my brother if I don't do as he says." She paused but continued when she saw the skeptical looks in front of her. "I—I'm just waiting for the right timing to tell brother about my boyfriend. But until then, I will need to get on his good side, so I—well, technically, you— will need to get this blind date out of the way, at the very least."
Tamao addressed Jeanne, "I don't think it's a good idea, though. What if your brother finds out and Anna gets in trouble?"
"He won't know. I promise."
The silence was so awkward that only their agitated breaths can be heard.
"And this guy you're dating… care to tell us who he—" Anna swore she could've thrown her phone out mercilessly after it interrupted her. She looked at the screen and saw HoroHoro's name on before answering it.
"I'm on my break," she retorted. She gave him a chance to hear what he had to say which made her exhale a large amount of air afterwards. "Give me two minutes."
Anna ended the call and stuffed her device back to her pocket. Standing up, she announced that she had to go for an urgent assessment on a patient that needed to be performed by a senior doctor like herself. She reached for her wallet, but Tamao stopped her and reassured that they'll cover the bill. She muttered a quick "thank you," before turning to leave.
"Anna." Jeanne called out before the blonde could completely scurry away. She looked back at her friend and waited for what she was about to say. "Will you go? For me?"
The blonde rolled her eyes and grumbled. There was no way her friend would let her have peace.
"Fine. Text me the details."
Jeanne's squeals of triumph echoed within a 10-meter radius.
"Oh, and by the way…" Anna followed while gazing straight into the French girl's eyes. "Nice perfume."
. . . . . . . . . . .
Anna slid the privacy curtains open after announcing herself, revealing a girl with ash blonde hair in the bed. She couldn't get a good look at her as she had her face buried in a vomit bag, while a JMO was on her bedside, trying to insert an intravenous line through her arm.
A nurse exited the space pulling away a mobile sonography machine with her, indicating that an abdominal Ultrasound has already been performed. She surveyed the scene further and her eyes fell on a male teenager with similar features and same shade of blonde as the girl, presumably the patient's brother. He was looking at her with mixed anxiety and curiosity while he stood at the corner to avoid getting in the way of the medical professionals. Anna was about to approach the young man when she heard Horokeu call her.
"Findings?" She only needed one word and Usui understood what she needed.
"So far what we know is that we have an 11-year-old female, lives with her 15-year-old brother. Found having hyperemesis after his brother got home from school." Horohoro continued as Anna did a medical inspection for any further signs and symptoms. "GCS is 13 as she seems to be slightly lethargic and confused, keeps looking for his brother even though he was next to her all along. Her BP is border low, pulse and respirations are border high. All other vitals seem to be normal— Jeez, what is that fruity smell?"
Upon multi-tasking between hearing HoroHoro's verbal report and assessing the patient, Anna saw a round, white, patch-looking object attached to the girl's upper arm. She pinched a section of the girl's forearm and watched how it took time to return to its normal state.
"Anyone checked for blood glucose and ketones yet?" she asked the team.
Everyone paused and looked at Doctor Usui, and he started to explain that they were in the process of drawing blood for pathology tests to further investigate once they gain access through the patient's veins. Anna glanced at one of the nurses who was already on her feet towards the bedside, glucometer in hand. Anna then informed the Junior Resident, who was still struggling to insert a needle in the correct place, that she will take over in performing the task.
"Hi, sweetie," Anna greeted her patient with a mellow approach. The last thing she wanted was to add to her stress. "I'm you doctor for today. You may call me Doctor Anna." She saw the girl mumble back a soft 'hi', introducing herself as 'Sey'. She appeared quite frail, and the marks of tears were still visible from her lower lids and pale cheeks.
"Okay, Sey. Since you're a very brave girl, I'm gonna need your help. At the count of three, I need you to take the deepest breath ever and hold it in until I say exhale, alright?" Anna saw the patient barely nodded I response.
With Horohoro on standby assist and with a few swift movements, she donned gloves, palpated for the radial artery, and applied the torniquet. "Okay, 1… 2… 3!" The lass swallowed her breath, Anna smoothly inserted the needle and was able to obtain blood specimen. The girl had tears coming from her eyes due to the pain, but she was too tired to resist the interventions. "Now, exhale. Great job!"
Sey managed a weak smile.
"Doc, blood sugars are up to 19 millimoles," affirmed the nurse who held the glucometer, while Anna just nodded while busied with her task. The medical diagnosis in her head was slowly coming to life.
"I want ABGs, please." She immediately handed the vials of blood for a nurse to take away. She repeated the process once again to take more samples and to insert an IV cannula, but not before reassuring the 11-year-old. "Make sure to ask for EUCs, too. Commence fast drip of Saline 0.9 percent— has anyone contacted Pediatrics?" Anna continue with a barrage of orders and everyone else around her became busier than bees.
"Yeah, someone called them about 20 minutes ago," said HoroHoro, now holding a bunch of paper works.
"And you…" Anna suddenly approached the young man still standing awkwardly on the sides. He pointed his finger towards himself to ask the doctor if she was pertaining to him. "The patient is your sister, right?" The lad nodded absent-mindedly. "Is she Diabetic? Has this happened before?" The teenager slowly opened his mouth to reply but Anna continued with her inquiries. "Does she take insulin? If yes, has she taken it today?"
"Err, yes. And… uhm… no." The poor guy was too stunned to speak. He was too shaken with the events involving his sister, and Anna's intimidating presence probably was too much to handle. Something about her made him embarrassingly petrified.
"Doctor Kyoyama, here are the ABGs. Looks like the parameters are quite deranged." Another nurse entered the scene, holding a piece of paper. Anna didn't need to see the rest of the report to confirm her suspicions. In the background, the bedside nurse started alerting them about the patient's vital signs starting to go out of range.
"Alright, listen up!" Anna addressed the junior doctors, including Dr. Usui, lifting up the ABG results which she was holding, for them to see. They knew they were in for a quick education session. "Patient is Diabetic, has severe vomiting, tachycardia and tachypnea, desaturating, PH and Bicarb levels are low, oh, and a 'fruity smell' breath. What are we potentially treating for?
"Dehydration?" one junior doctor chirped.
"DKA?" said another.
Anna smiled proudly.
"Add an IV insulin infusion. You all know what to do," the senior doctor announced.
"Yes, doc!" everyone said in unison.
"Anna, what dosage do you want for the insulin infusion?" Doctor Usui approached and handed her a chart for her to scribble her orders. The blonde was about to write but as she looked down to review the patient's file, something made her stop dead in her tracks. She continued skimming through the documents with a shocked expression.
"Hey, you alright?"
"Uh, yeah. For insulin, let's give— say, zero point zero five— no, uhh, zero point one—"
She was shaken.
And whatever she was currently seeing on the patient's file obviously derailed her concentration.
HoroHoro had his brows stitched together. Curiosity got the better of him, so he tried to peek through the patient's file which Anna was holding, and his eyes also went large as tennis balls.
It was the most opportune moment when the call bell system in the ED activated with the words: 'CD: BL' flashing from the LED screen that was hanging on the nearby ceiling.
"Doctor Kyoyama, we have a code blue in section 4!" Another nurse peeped through the curtains to announce the emergency which made both doctors groan.
"Anna, give me the order." HoroHoro urged the Senior Resident but both of them froze when a newcomer entered the scene and tapped Anna's shoulder. She whipped her head towards the right direction only to be face-to-face with the person who caused her to lose focus at the back of her mind just moments ago.
"Go. I'll take over."
His warm brown eyes always gave her comfort during dire situations like this. His name came out of her lips in a whisper.
"Big bro!" Someone else squealed only for them to notice that it was the young man with ash blonde hair.
"Hey, Redseb. Sorry, I took long. Hey, Seyram. It's okay, big bro is here." Anna saw Yoh approach the teenager with such familiarity as he even reached to ruffle his hair before drawing him for a quick hug before nearing the bedside to kiss the girl's forehead.
The same could be said for the boy and the girl when she saw their face light up the first thing when they saw Yoh arrive at the scene. She has never met the youngsters before, and a weird feeling down her stomach rose when they called Yoh their 'brother'. She would opt to stay longer just to debunk the truth about their relationship, if only she didn't have another emergency to attend to.
Anna watched as her colleagues continued working their interventions for the girl under Yoh's lead. She took a few steps back to give way to the busy human traffic at the patient's bedside.
And as her eyes, full of interest, caught Yoh's worried ones at a glimpse, she disappeared behind the emerald green, privacy curtains.
On the foot of the bed, she left the patient's file which had the information written as:
First Name: Seyram
Last Name: Asakura
. . . . . . . . . . .
Sunday is 'family day'.
At least that is what most people still consider up to the present.
Even he believed the same philosophy many years ago.
For Yoh, Sunday was the most exciting part of the week because even though Sunday meant that the next day will be a busy day, it also meant that he gets to spend hearty lunches or dinner with his mom, dad, his cousin, Tamao, and his grandparents.
It meant sharing his hobbies and idle time with his twin brother.
And of course, it also meant date nights with Anna which often involved a lot of fun and passion.
A day when all of his loved ones were able to set aside their packed schedules for the sake of spending time with what really mattered most: family.
Sadly, Sundays now meant the complete opposite for him. A complete 180-degree turn.
Nowadays, more often than not, he can hardly even tell what the day was.
Ever since that fateful event, things have never been the same. And it was such a painful thing for him to realise that the sole culprit for this radical change was also what used to matter most: family.
But of course, Yoh being Yoh, never let it show. Never explained to anyone how his heart got crushed, or how his soul seemed to have left his body. He tried his best to cover his wounds, kept them to himself until they festered.
And the worst part? The ones whom he wanted to be there for him were the same ones who left him to die, alone and forlorn.
He felt completely betrayed by life itself as he watched how the people, who were supposed to be the reason for his strength and perseverance, became the ones who let him down. Like a type of poison that has slowly wasted him away.
Tonight, he will honor his grandfather's request from last week, for him to attend a 'family dinner' on a Sunday. The first in the last 6 years.
Sure, he will have to endure his mother's incessant questioning about when they will meet a girlfriend-slash-potential wife; his father's pressuring speeches about him having to follow his footsteps as their hospital's Medical Director, or his grandfather's never-ending penchant for producing a great grandson.
And even though he remembered his past predicaments or the deal he made with himself a long time ago— never to allow his heart to be vulnerable once more, never to let family nor love to dictate the course of his life anymore, for the first time in forever, he wondered how things would turn out this time.
And now, as he folded his polo sleeves neatly and wore his Rolex on his right wrist, he took one look at himself at the mirror before he grabbed his keys on the way to his garage.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Staring at her reflection was one of her rarest activities these days.
She wasn't the type of woman who fussed about her looks that much, but tonight was one of those instances when she was thankful for her fair genes—delicate face, slender waist, and unproblematic skin. Some of the many attributes that made most men, and even women, terribly attracted to her physically and sexually, as annoying as it sounds.
It was quite an advantage in these kinds of situations, for juggling her responsibilities between her career and personal life robbed her off of her precious time and energy, and she didn't think she had more to spare just to play her pretend role perfectly for tonight. She always shrugged it off though.
After all, weren't adults always this tired?
When she was a kid, she constantly wanted to fast forward to growing up and experiencing what life had to offer, like everybody else. Nobody warned that it was all a trap. That being an 'adult', albeit sometimes fun and entertaining, also meant more pain and suffering.
But what did she know?
Maybe it was a totally different experience for others. She was never one who was born with a silver spoon shoved down her throat like most of her friends. One, for example, was the main reason why she was now wearing a long and heavy ash coloured hair wig, and the contact lenses that made her eyes appear like rubies.
She didn't look bad either. In fact, she looked ethereal.
And with the soft make-up and that dainty powder pink dress with ruffled straps that she wore, she felt like a complete stranger from who she truly was.
Not that she felt like herself in years so, what difference did it make?
As Anna finished combing her fake hair and settled her hairbrush atop her dressing table, her mind wandered aimlessly towards a conversation she had with an old friend yesterday.
After her fateful encounter with a couple of kids in the emergency department, the ones who bore the name of the Asakura, but also the ones she has never seen before, never heard of before.
She thought it was quite peculiar for a member of the Asakura family to be hidden from the limelight, away from the prying eyes of the public. And so, she made the resolve to find out who they were, even though it wasn't her business to know in the first place. It wasn't such a necessary thing for survival, yet she could not help it. She had this gut feeling that kept on gnawing at her from the inside.
This brought her to pick up her phone and dial Oyamada Manta's number. She partially wished she hadn't.
"Hello? Manta speaking,"
"Hello, Dopey."
It wasn't entirely funny how she named him after Snow White's most popular dwarf, but he knew that this was her way of showing friendly affection.
"Anna!" She could feel the man's smile from across the other line. "From what do I owe the pleasure of receiving your call tonight?"
"Manta, I want to ask you a couple of things and I need you to tell me everything you know. Don't even think about lying or dropping the call."
She heard Manta gulp.
"Err, sure, Anna. What is it?" he accommodated with a nervous tone.
"Tell me everything about Redseb and Seyram Asakura."
There was a deafening silence, but Manta eventually spoke after clearing his throat.
"Okay. But… I guess I might need to tell you in person."
Now she found it hard to keep herself from overthinking. It was almost impossible not to reminisce about the past, try not to go through every single detail that went with it.
Yoh.
Recently, her thoughts revolved around him, and she didn't think that was a good sign. In no way should she be pondering about her ex and his pathetic family problems, but why did she feel this bothersome guilt ever since she learned of the truth about the kids?
She could only heave a sigh.
"Stop it, Anna," she whispered to herself. "You've got ninety-nine other problems that you should be dealing with right now, and Yoh shouldn't be one of them."
Anna noticed a flash of lights illuminating through her window and noted that it was coming from a silver Mercedes-AMG that was parked outside her residential building. Not long after, she received an SMS telling her that it was Jeanne's driver, whom she sent to take care of her transport needs tonight.
"Hmph," she snorted inwardly. At least 'the princess' had enough courtesy to offer her a chauffeured ride. She best keep in mind to ask Jeanne for more compensation later on.
She stepped outside, nude heeled sandals on her delicate feet, and her little purse in hand. When she met Jeanne's driver who was confused for a moment after seeing her 'disguise' for the night, it didn't take long until they drove off.
She held onto her determined psyche.
Tonight, she will not be Kyoyama Anna, and if she played her cards right, the dreaded date will soon be over.
. . . . . . . . . . .
It was a fine dining Japanese restaurant inside a hotel at the heart of the city's Central Business Tower.
The ambiance was pristine— white against walnut wooden panels and floors, illuminated by warm lights. The ceiling was altitudinous, and the glass windows were as marvellous.
It was a harmonic display of tradition with a modern twist; though what stood out the most was the superb view of the landscapes of Izumo at night, as every detail appeared special under the city lights. He could even see the hospital from a considerable distance.
The only words that he needed to say upon arriving at the reception was his grandfather's name and he was immediately taken to the VIP lounge, a secluded section within the restaurant.
Apparently, their family also owned the hotel.
'Why am I not surprised?' He chuckled to himself.
Yohmei probably wanted to humblebrag about the multiple expansions and progresses that their corporation has acquired within the years, so Yoh knew he was going to be in for a treat. He sighed in relief as he was met with comfort upon sitting where the waiter escorted him to.
The private lounge was even more plausible. The décor, the level of comfort, and the view were to die for.
Yoh could probably list a hundred different things about what he was appreciating with his experiences tonight, so far.
The night was young.
His surroundings were perfect.
Although there were only two things that didn't sit quite right with him. One, none of his family members were there, and tow, the table was set for two.
But before he could do anything, he heard a somewhat familiar voice that called from behind, and his jaw almost reached the floor when he turned around.
"Jeanne?"
. . . . . . . . . . .
A/N: YohNa date part 2. Woohoo!xD I think I am starting to adapt Takei's style. You know, keep adding questions to my readers' minds, but without answers. LOL. Please be patient with me. This is just the build-up, and I have more crazy ideas to go. Huehuehue. A never-ending thanks to you all. I love reading your reviews/comments. Your support keeps me going.
SPECIAL THANKS to my reader named pinkberry_ikebana22 for leaving me a lovely review (on AO3) and pointing out a little fact about Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) in relation to sex (gender). As you can remember from chapter 4, there is a little scene with Anna teaching HoroHoro about whether who is more prone to UTI (males or females); and while it is true that females are more common to have UTI than males, the males are more prone to having severe complications from it. I guess that part may have been quite confusing to some, and I knew I should have edited it when I re-read the chapter, but guess I was too lazy to edit. LOL. Anyway, Pink is currently doing med school so let's give them a good cheer through the tough years to come. Gambatte! ^O^
I appreciate it so much when my readers engage with me like this and I do encourage you guys to drop me a review or DM if you would like to discuss anything in regard to my fic, may it be about medical stuff or any thoughts you are unable to suppress. Hihi.
Keep showing the love!;3
Medical Terminologies/ Abbreviations:
Inguinal Hernia - A condition where the abdominal content/s protrude through a soft spot in the muscles of the lower abdomen/ groin.
First Assist – a term used for a physician/ 2nd surgeon who is assisting the senior surgeon during a surgical procedure.
Circulating Nurse – A registered nurse who isresponsible for managing nursing care in the operating room during a surgery, outside of the sterile field.
Sterile Field - a particular area that is considered free of microorganisms.
IV/ Intravenous - existing or taking place within, or administered into, a vein or veins.
Hyperemesis – Excessive vomiting.
GCS – Stands for Glasgow Coma Scale. A tool used by medical professionals to asses a person's level of consciousness.
BP – Blood Pressure. The pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries.
Glucose – a simple form of sugar.
Glucometer – a device used to measure capillary blood sugar levels
Torniquet - a device for stopping the flow of blood through a vein or artery, typically by compressing a limb with a cord or tight bandage.
Radial Artery – a major blood vessel located on the wrist.
ABG – Arterial Blood Gasses.
Ketones - energy molecules created by the liver from the breakdown of fats. Note: a particular smell breath is sometimes
Insulin - a hormone produced in the pancreas, which helps regulate the amount of glucose in the blood.
Tachycardia – Pulse is too fast
Tachypnea – Breathing is too fast.
PH – a quantitative measure of acidity or alkalinity of a substance.
Bicarb – Sodium Bicarbonate.
DKA – Diabetic Ketoacidosis. A serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones and is unable to produce enough insulin.
Note: In an event of a Ketoacidosis, one of the most common symptoms is having an acetone-like-scented breath due to the excessive ketones in the body, or generally referred to as "fruity smell." So no, it's not my friend FruitySmell, the prolific fanfic author. Haha!
DISCLAIMER: The procedures, interventions and other medical-related stuff mentioned in this work of fiction is based on professional medical knowledge but does not necessarily reflect all medical practices everywhere. Certain circumstances and facts may vary in different settings.