Hana walked down the hallway, juggling a basket of supplies as she headed to the wards. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, surprising her. She fumbled to grab it, nearly dropping the basket.
A weird number flashed on the screen. Hana stared at it, her head leaning with the question to the side. Strange number? Something felt off. After a few seconds, she answered with a shaky, “Hello?”
A voice she didn’t know asked, “Is this Hana Shizumi?”
“Yes?” Hana replied, her voice small and uncertain.
The stranger said something that made Hana’s blood run cold. Then the line went dead. Hana froze in the middle of the hallway. The basket in her hand shook, the noise clinking audibly. But she didn’t even notice.
She stood there, phone still pressed to her ear, eyes wide and unfocused. She couldn’t breathe right. The stranger’s words kept playing in her head, over and over.
As the shock started to wear off, a sick feeling settled in her stomach. Her arm dropped to her side, the phone falling to the floor with a clatter. She gripped the wall, the one thing stopping her from crashing to the floor.
People bustled around her, some looking at her funny. She stood there, motionless but shaky, as hospital staff bustled around her, some shooting concerned glances her way. But Hana didn’t see them. She was lost in her world, trying to make sense of what just happened.
What just happened? What should she do? Her thoughts raced, but nothing made sense.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm down. Breathe, just breathe, she told herself.
“Nurse Shizumi, are you okay?”
Hana’s eyes flew open, her heart leaping into her throat. She found herself staring into Dr. Lia’s concerned face, now at eye level with her own.
“I... I...” Hana stammered, her voice barely a whisper. She realized she must’ve slid down the wall without noticing.
Dr. Lia’s worried frown deepened. “You’re as white as a sheet. What happened?”
Hana opened her mouth, but no words came out. How could she explain when she barely understood it herself? Her eyes darted around, taking in the basket in her lap, her fallen phone.
“I... got a call,” she managed, her voice shaky. “They said…”
Dr. Lia placed a gentle hand on Hana’s shoulder. “Maybe we should get you somewhere quieter?” Her eyes noticed the whispering nurses that passed them.
Hana nodded weakly, grateful for the doctor’s calm presence. As Dr. Lia helped her to her feet, Hana’s mind raced. She should tell Dr. Jenkins about this. But… she has been unable to even catch a glimpse of him these past few days. No. She can’t tell him. She could just ignore the call.
They reached an empty resting room, and Lia gently guided Hana to sit on the bed. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, okay?” Lia asked, her voice soft and reassuring.
Hana took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.
Lia noticed Hana’s distress and reached into her pocket, pulling out the phone. “Just a few scratches but it should work just fine,” she said, her voice gentle but firm.
The device, now scratched and slightly damaged, was a physical reminder of the unsettling event. Hana took the phone, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and relief.
“Thank you, Dr. Lia” For a moment, she saw the strong woman that she could never be.
“It’s no problem. I’ll leave you to yourself now. It seems you need it.” Lia’s face was etched with concern, her eyes filled with understanding.
Just as Dr. Lia is about to leave, Hana took a deep breath, “Mrs… Jenkins”
“Mrs. Jenkins?” Lia repeated, her voice filled with concern. “Do you mean Ren’s mother?”
Hana nodded, her voice barely a whisper. The thought of meeting Ren’s mother, a woman she had only heard about in hushed tones, filled her with a mix of dread and curiosity.
“She wants to meet me,” Hana continued, her voice trembling slightly. “Alone.”
Lia’s eyes widened in surprise. The thought of Hana meeting Ren’s mother alone filled her with unease. Mrs. Jenkins was a woman shrouded in mystery, her presence in Ren’s life a subject rarely discussed. She knew only as much as Ren spoke about and it wasn’t good.
“Hana, why would she want to meet you?” Lia asked, her voice gentle but firm. “What did she say?”
Hana shook her head, her expression a mixture of fear and confusion. “She just said she wants to talk to me. Alone.”
Lia’s mind raced. Something was unsettling about this entire situation. She knew Hana was vulnerable, and the thought of her alone with Mrs. Jenkins filled her with dread.
“Hana,” Lia began, her voice filled with concern, “I think we need to involve Ren in this. He knows his mother better than anyone. He can help protect you.”
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“No, please,” Hana says a bit louder than expected, as she shakes her head, her eyes wide with fear.
“Hana. It’s about protecting–”
“Don’t tell Dr. Jenkins,” Hana whispered, her eyes filled with fear. “Please.”
Lia sighed, understanding the depth of Hana’s fear. She knew she couldn’t force Hana to do anything she didn’t want to. “Alright.”
Hana nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. As Lia turned to leave, she paused and looked back at Hana. “Be careful, Hana,” she said softly.
With that, Lia closed the door, leaving Hana alone with her thoughts.
***********************
“Are you sure you don’t want me going with you?” Mira asked, perched on the edge of Hana’s bed, watching the nervous girl wrestle with a particularly stubborn button.
Hana paused, her fingers hovering over the button. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her face a mask of uncertainty. “I can’t do that, Mira. She wants me, alone.” Her voice was barely a whisper, a stark contrast to the usual confident tone.
Mira sighed, her eyes filled with concern. “You know, you could always cancel.” She offered the suggestion half-heartedly, knowing full well that Hana wouldn’t.
Hana managed a weak smile. She knew she could ignore it, but if they could find her number, Mrs. Jenkins showing up at the hospital was something she didn’t want for herself and for, Dr. Jenkins. She finished buttoning her blouse and turned to face Mira.
Mira raised an eyebrow. “So, how do you feel out of ten?”
“Nervous: a thousand. Need to run away: multiply nervous times ten.” Hana grinned at her exaggeration, but the underlying worry was evident in her eyes.
A chuckle escaped Mira’s lips, but it sounded hollow in the tense atmosphere. “I can’t believe I dressed you to your slaughter,” she murmured, more to herself than to Hana.
Mira rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying, you’re walking into a lion’s den, and you’re unarmed.” She paused, then added, “Well, except for your killer outfit. That’s something.”
Hana couldn’t help but laugh, a small sound that quickly faded into a nervous chuckle. “I know, right?”
“Hana, do you really have to do this?”
She adjusted the collar of her blazer, her hands trembling slightly. “You’re the one who told me always to face things head-on.”
Mira’s smile faltered. “Not this kind of thing. These require running away. From what you told me about this lady, she isn’t your typical lovely old lady.” She shuddered dramatically for effect.
Hana rolled her eyes, but a flicker of fear danced in her own eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “I know, I know. But it has to be done.”
Mira sighed, defeated. “Fine, but promise you’ll call me when you’re out of there. If at any time you need to be out of there, call me.”
Hana nodded solemnly. “I promise.”
“Hana,” Mira restated with seriousness, “Call me”
*************************
Jiro leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the financial report spread out before him. The soft hum of the restaurant provided a muted backdrop to the serious tone of the meeting. He prided himself in being about to run professional restaurants by day and a hot club by night.
“The stocks from the previous year have had a significant increase,” he began, his voice low and measured, “and I might consider buying more for investment...”
Mid-sentence, his phone buzzed, an interruption to the flow of the conversation. He glanced down at the screen, his brow furrowing slightly. A flicker of confusion crossed his face before he quickly masked it with a neutral expression. He turned his phone face down, locking the screen.
“As I was saying,” he continued, his voice steady, “the potential returns...”
Finally, the meeting drew to a close. Handshakes were exchanged, and pleasantries were shared. As Jiro exited the conference room, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette. A woman, her back turned, was walking towards one of the private dining rooms. Something about her side profile when she turned, and the way she carried herself, sent a jolt of recognition through him.
He watched as the door closed behind her, his mind questioning. What was she doing here?
One look at the room number and he pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over the contact he needed. With a decisive swipe, he initiated the call, his voice urgent as he waited for the other line to pick up.
“Pick up,” he muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on the closed door. The phone rang once, twice, before a familiar voice answered.
“This better be important. If not, I will be declining this call in 3, 2–” The voice on the other end sounded exhausted.
Jiro grinned. “You won’t believe who I just saw, dear cousin.”
Ren sighed in exasperation, already tired of Jiro’s antics. “Jiro…”
Jiro ignored the sarcasm. “I saw your shy nurse girlfriend. The one you brought to the party last time.”
The line went silent for a moment, the only sound the soft hum of the restaurant. Jiro could almost visualize the gears turning in Ren’s head.
“That sure caught your attention, right?” Jiro teased, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Ren’s voice was suddenly sharp. “We are just colleagues, Jiro.”
Jiro chuckled. “Yeah, right… colleagues. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about your secret admirer.”
Jiro continued, “I’m digressing. Anyways, I got a text that someone’s mother was here at my restaurant and you can imagine my surprise when I saw your ‘colleague’ entering the room that I was told...”
Ren jolted out of his office chair, his face a mask of shock and confusion. “Send me the address right now.” He grabbed his keys and discarded his white coat in a flurry of movement.
Jiro grinned. “When I have done my job as the bearer of this news. I just sent you the address. Good luck, coz, you’ll need it.” With that, he ended the call, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Jiro leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. “Ren, I told you that you couldn’t avoid this. Well, I might as well sit back and watch this drama. Let me call my baby girl first.” He picked up the phone, his fingers hovering over another number.
*********************
Ren burst out of his office, his mind was racing. Anger, confusion, and worry were evident on his face. He collided with Lia and Rowan, who were just about to enter.
“Ren, wait! Why the rush, Ren?” Rowan asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
Lia noticed Ren’s disheveled appearance. “Are you okay, Ren?” Her voice was laced with concern.
Ren ignored their questions, his mind racing. “I have to go. She is with Hana.” His voice was urgent, his eyes filled with a mix of worry and anger.
Lia’s grip tightened on Ren’s arm, stopping him in his tracks. “She?”
Ren’s jaw clenched. “My mother.”
Lia’s eyes widened in realization. A guilty “oh, that” escaped her lips. Her hands slowly slipped from Ren’s arm.
Ren’s anger flared. “What do you mean by that? You knew? Did my mother put you up to this?” His voice was low and dangerous.
Lia apologized profusely. “No, no. Listen to me. I’m so sorry, Ren. Nurse Shizumi told me not to tell you.”
Ren’s anger and his voice rising in pitch. “You kept this from me, Lia?” His eyes were narrowed, his expression fierce.
Lia’s heart sank. She knew she had made a mistake. “Shizumi told me that she would sort it out herself,” she explained, her voice trembling slightly.
Ren scoffed. “You don’t understand. You don’t know that woman like I do. You don’t know what she is capable of. You should have told me, Lia.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, his usually composed demour shattered.
“I have to go to her,” he declared, his voice final. With that, he turned and sprinted away, leaving Lia with Rowan in the hallway, the weight of her mistake heavy on her shoulders.