2 Chapter 1



February 3, 2017

"WE lost her after the operation. She lost a lot blood before the surgery and it was difficult to find the source of bleeding and we found out that she has dengue and was left untreated. I am sorry." Mahinang sabi ni Gee sa magulang ng kaniyang pasyente. Biglang napa-atras at napa-upo sa lupa ang ina ng kaniyang pasyente, narinig na naman niya ang mga iyak ng mga bigong magulang, it was never new to her but the pain she felt was just like her first time.

Mabilis siyang lumayo sa mga ito at tinanggal ang kaniyang surgical mask na punong puno ng kaniyang pawis at lipstick. She went to her office, threw the mask at the hazardous bin and just sat at her chair.

I couldn't save her. I did my best..no, I guess it wasn't enough. Why did it had to happen? I thought she would survive!

It was a bad day for her, but she never treated it like she had a bad life. She looked at her name engraved in a 100 karat white gold.

GEORGINA Y. SPERBUND RN-MD

CARDIOLOGIST/PULMUNOGIST

She flipped it facing down to the table, she is not that proud as of the moment. Her patient just died on her operating theater. Kinuha nito ang kaniyang medical surgical na libro at hinanap ang opera na ginawa niya kanina. Inaral niya ng paulit ulit ang kaniyang libro hanggang sa pumasok na sa kaniyang utak at para hindi na mangyari ulit ang karumaldumal na opera niya.

No one should die again.

In the middle of reading someone knocked on her door and opened it.

"Ya, how can I help you?" Tanong nito kay Maya, isang baguhang nurse. Wala pang isang taon ito sa hospital pero naka-assist na kaagad ito sa mga major operation, she is well-equipped. But not enough.

"We have the death certificate here doc, sign mo nalang po." She nodded and got the paper. She got her fountain pen and signed her initials. What she loved signing the most was her books, what she hated the most are these sick papers.

Napansin siguro ni Maya ang pagkatahimik ng Doktor kaya pagkatapos na pirmahan ang papel ay kumuha ito ng tsokolate sa bulsa at inilagay iyon sa mesa nito. Napatingala si Gee sa biglang aksyon nito.

" Hindi mo kasalanan Dok. Sadyang huli na nung nalaman natin na may bleeding disorder pala siya." Napangiti naman si Gee sa sinabi ng babae.

"Salamat Maya..." the nurse replied with a 'no problem' then left the office. Napabuntog hininga nalang si Gee.

It's just a bad day Gee.



----

"Gee, Cee! Bitches, congratulate me!"Malakas na sigaw ng kanilang Pinsan na si Emerald. Napatingin ang mag pinsan sa isa't isa, mukhang walang alam ang dalawa kung bakit kailangan i-congratulate ito.

Promotion? Jewelry? New business?

Tatlo lang iyon sa mga naisip ni Gee kung bakit masaya ang pinsan. Cee just chuckled and had a sip at her tea.

"Umm, pwedeng i brief mo muna kami as to why we have to congratulate you?" Tanong ni Gee habang pinaghalo-halo ang kaniyang sariling ingredients para sa juice niya. Napa-irap si Emerald at umupo sa harap nila at bumalik na naman ang kaniyang pagtitili. Good thing wala masyadong tao sa cafe, pero still it is quite embarassing.

"So remember Micaela? That bitch?" Halata ang pagka disgusto nito sa babae. Who could not remember that girl? She was a socialite na peke, she tried to climb to the top of the food chain by being on top of Prin, Emerald's fiance. Not that Prin wanted to, he was drugged.

"She went to my workplace, and created a scene. She kept on blabbering words that only the creatures in the underworld can understand, kept on saying that Prin is hers and like what the fuck? He is mine you snitch! I dragged her to the stairs and pushed her ugly face straight down!" Naptigil sa pag-inom ng tsaa at juice and dalawa.

"What the! Ee you pushed her?!" Napasigaw na si Gee sa narinig. She knew her cousin was a psycho but not to this point! Nakangiti pa itong tumango.

"Oh my God. You could get freaking arrested!" Pabulong na wka ni Cee. Emerald shrugged and rolled her eyes.



"Well duh. Hindi ako makukulong, because I held an evidence greater that hers. She is a drug addict!" Nagpatuloy ang paguusap nilang magpipinsan when she felt a burning gaze from outside. From the glass wall, she saw a man. He was lookin directly at her, her heart began to pump so fast that she thought of the idea of her body having a volume overload.

Inalis niya ang kaniyang atensyon sa lalake at pinagtuonan nalang ng pansin ang kaniyang mga pinsan.

Who was that man? Never in my entire life had I seen a man so perfect physically! Can I steal another glance? Just once.

Napalingon siya sa labas at hinanap ang lalake, she spotted him near a car, she might not know much about cars but his looks like it cost a fortune. He was in his phone talking to someone.



His facial muscles moved and she noticed how when he grits his jawline becomes more prominent. He has a strong build, parang yung suot niya na long sleeves na polo ay bibigay na. Hapit na hapit ang kaniyang polo sa katawan nito at mas lalong na depina ang kaganda ng katawan nito dahil puti ang kaniyang polo. He has a pierced ear with a black stud which did not made him any less handsome.

Okay, that's enough glancing... isip nito nang lumingon na naman ang lalake sa kinauupuan niya. She wanted to think that he is interested in her, don't get her wrong she focused on her studies for 10 years that she didn't have such a memory of having a boyfriend. They would just drag her down, as her parents would say.

Nang lumingon ito sa labas ay wala na ang lalake. Parang may paghihinayang siyang naramdaman nang nawala na ang lalake sa labas, he didn't even got to know his name. She should've been more brave and asked him out.

I wish I could see him again. That black stud though, it seemed familiar.

She snapped from her thoughts, palihim nalang siyang natawa sa sarili when he remembered a certain memory. It was their university ball for the seniors, it's supposed to be an escape from reality but she has an upcoming exam.

So she has no choice but to prioritize her exam. She looked funny, holding a very thick book with her maroon long gown. She was gaining interest on the topic when some random guy just flipped her books closed and asked her to dance. He was wearing a black matte mask that covered his entire face. But one thing she remembered well was the black stud on his ear and how her heart stopped.

---

"Doc, may mga naka-schedule na po for consultations." Tinanguan lang niya si Maya. Sinuot niya ang kaniyang white gown at isinablay ang kaniyang stethoscope sa kaniyang leeg. Nagsunod-sunod ang mga tao na gustong mag-pa-check-up sa kaniya. No new cases just the same complaints, chest pain, cardiomegaly, congenital defects.

She spent almost 13 hours in the hospital, emergency patients that needs surgery, complicated cases that needs keen monitoring. That was her everyday routine, everyone thought that after 4 years she can already cope but no, Gee is exhausted that she already has a planned diagnosis for herself.

When she was ready to leave the hospital, she heard the siren of the ambulance and the ringing of her phone.

It's already 2am. Who could be calling me at this hour?

Honey Nataphorn

Oh no, please let me rest. It's Honey her Thai colleague. She guessed correctly on its intention of calling, another freeloader.

She went back directly to the emergency room. She got her steth and her disposable mask. There was only one patient in bed 5, meaning it's either stomach ache or in a critical case.

"Anong nangyari?" She asked the head nurse of the ER, Salome. Ibinigay nito ang emergency form nito.

"Maya Kilat, she has a history of Asthma. Right now doc we are suspecting respiratory depression." Tumango lang ito at madaling nilapitan ang pasyente. The other nurses are doing the SOP, IVF insertion, Oxygen therapy.

Bluish colored lips, fingers and toes. She is touching her head. Oxygen saturation is 80.

Respiratory depression. If left untreated she could develop seizure.

"Prepare for blood gas analysis. Get me Carbamezepine any second she could get a seizure attack" The nurses administered the anti-convulsant and I did the ABG analysis. After getting the result, it is ertain that she is having a respiratory depression.

"I will order salbutamol a bronchodilator, this will open her airway." I wrote on the physicians notes. She will be okay after the managements done.

"May bantay ba ito?" She looked around but saw no one. Salome wiped his forehead and nodded.

"Lumabas ata. Nandito 'yon kanina bago ka nakarating doc." Tumango siya. Good thing there was only one patient, she actually thought it will be a complicated case. Lumabas na siya sa emergency room, she looked at the time. 3:45am. She scanned her phone to check for any messages, binuksan niya ang text ni Honey.

Honey

Gee, thank you so much na ka! You can go home already I'm on my way.

By now I should've been resting.

"Excuse me. Are you the doctor?" Napatalon siya sa biglang nagsalita sa gilid niya. By reflex she stepped back and looked at the source of the sound.

He. He's that man.

"Uh." She can't believe her eyes. Napakurap kurap ito, sinigurado pa niya na hindi ilusyon ang nakikita. She snapped back and composed herself.

"Yes. Ikaw ang bantay?" He smiled uneasily and nodded.



Boyfriend? Husband? Maybe just a friend?

"She is stable now. I gave her the prophylaxis for seizure and gave her bronchodilators for her airway. Has she been taking a lot of sleeping pills, pain relievers, is she alcoholic? She doen't have any problems with her lungs but maybe due to some medications that she took that caused her to have some depression in her lung field." Her smart mouth was acting up again.

Napalunok siya at maingat na napatitig sa lalake. She's certain. He is the guy from yesterday, the black stud guy. From up-close he is definitely handsome, no handsome is an underestimation. The guy was beyond perfection

"That's good to hear. Actually I am not her direct relative, I just helped her." Hindi niya napigilang mapangiti sa sinabi nito. Maybe because he helped a helpless civilian or he is not any of those she thought he was.

"Wow. The country will be so proud of you... Thank you." She sincerely said. She offered her hand to him.

"I'm Dr. Georgina Sperbund its nice to meet you." Natigilan ang lalake at napatitig sa kamay niya. He let out a soft chuckle and held her hand. Just then, she felt some kind of electrical conduction throughout her body.

"I'm Engineer Soryu Kugimiya. And I'm more than pleased to meet you doctor." Napangiti siya at binitawan ang kamay ng lalake.

So he's an engineer. It fitted his image.

" Just Gee, I'm not comfortable with anyone calling me doctor, Ryu." He flashed his white teeth and tucked his hand in his pocket.

"A doctor that does not like being called a doctor. Georgina is a beautiful name, I'll just call you that. Oh do you know you are the first to call me Ryu? Most of my cousins just call me Soryu " Magiliw na wika nito. Her heart is going crazy. Is she someone special now? Oh now she's being a hopeless romantic.

Shut it Gee. He's just being nice.

"Well, I guess I better go home. Its already so late." She smiled and then left, hindi niya alam kung ano pa ang sasabihin niya. She is not used being the one to take charge on the conversation. Kahit saglit lang masaya siya na nakaharap ang lalake. She reminded herself to thank Honey for bailing.

That was enough for her.