The crisp, no-nonsense tone immediately triggered a jolt of recognition in Hana. Mira’s eyes met hers, sparkling with mischief and delight. “Well, well...I’d know that gorgeous voice anywhere. What an unexpected run-in this will be!”

Hana’s heart lurched. Mira hadn’t seen the owner of the voice before, but she could never forget the voice that had brought Hana back to their apartment after one of her precognitive episodes.

Hana prayed in her heart that they were mistaken, but once she turned to the direction of the voice, her prayers were voided. Sitting not too far from them was Dr. Jenkins in all his glory. Opposite him was a gorgeously dressed woman, her perfectly styled hair and manicured nails a stark contrast to Hana’s own simple attire and gloved hands.

For a moment, Hana almost compared herself to the woman, a familiar pang of self-doubt threatening to consume her. Mira’s voice broke her concentration, “I knew that his voice was equally as handsome as his face. Hana, let’s go say hi.”

Hana whipped her head back to Mira in shock, shaking her head vigorously in refusal. There was no way she was going to face Dr. Jenkins, not after avoiding him in the hospital all week long.

She pleaded with Mira with her eyes, silently begging her to understand, to just eat their food quietly and forget about this unexpected encounter.

Mira’s mischievous grin widened. “Come on, Hana,” she coaxed, drawing out the syllables. “We’ll just say hello, that’s all.” Before Hana could muster a single word of protest, Mira grabbed her hand, the force of her bubbly personality pulling Hana like a hapless kite in a strong wind.

As they approached the table, Hana felt like a deer caught in headlights. Dr. Jenkins, looking as impeccably dressed as ever, sat across from a woman who seemed to have stepped out of a fashion magazine. Just as the woman leaned in to speak to Ren, Mira cut in, her voice brimming with sugary enthusiasm.

“Oh, excuse me for interrupting!” Mira chirped, her smile radiating sunshine even though Hana could feel the storm brewing behind her eyes. “I’m Mira, Hana’s roommate.”

Ren’s gaze flickered towards Mira, a flicker of confusion clouding his usually stoic expression. The name “Mira” seemed to hang in the air for a moment before recognition dawned. “Mira?” he echoed, his voice low and guarded.

Mira, oblivious to the tension she was creating, pulled a reluctant Hana forward. “This is Hana,” she declared brightly. “You spoke to me on the phone that night, remember?”

Ren’s eyes widened a fraction, a flicker of something crossing his features that Hana couldn’t decipher. “Shizumi...” he murmured, the word barely a whisper, yet it echoed in the crowded restaurant like a thunderclap.

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Mira continued, oblivious to the landmine she was treading. “You know, Mira from that time you were with Hana at the apartment...” Her voice trailed off as she directed a pointedly fake smile at the woman across from Ren. “That night.”

Hana squeezed her eyes shut, frustration warring with a sense of impending doom. Mira, for all her good intentions, had just managed to dump them headfirst into a vat of social awkwardness. “Mira, what are you doing?” Hana hissed under her breath. “We just came to say hi!”

As if finally remembering Ren’s guest, Mira whipped her head towards the woman, her smile now plastered with an exaggerated enthusiasm., “Oh, where are my manners? I wouldn’t want to intrude on a client meeting! Mira told me you’re an ER surgeon, Dr. Jenkins. Do you handle plastic surgery as well?”

The question hung in the air, heavy with veiled sarcasm. The air crackled with unspoken tension, and Hana could only pray that the earth would swallow her whole. This unexpected encounter had just taken a turn for the worse.

The smile on the lady’s face, as perfectly sculpted as her cheekbones, faltered for a split second before shattering completely. A bitter edge laced her voice. “Well, this certainly isn’t the clientele I expected,” she remarked, her eyes flicking between Mira and Hana with disdain. “Seems standards have slipped if they let just anyone wander in.”

Mira, usually a fount of bubbly retorts, bristled. But before Mira could unleash, Hana squeezed her hand, a silent plea for them to retreat. Causing a scene, especially in front of Dr. Jenkins, was the last thing Hana needed.

Instead, Hana offered a tight smile, attempting to diffuse the tension. “So sorry for the interruption,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Undeterred, the woman dabbed her crimson lips with a monogrammed handkerchief, regaining a semblance of composure. “I suppose I should overlook this…intrusion,” she continued, her tone condescending, “considering your mother saw fit to choose me as your partner.” Her gaze shifted towards Ren, a flicker of something like possessiveness in her eyes. “Well, Mr. Jenkins, I must be going now. My schedule is quite demanding, you understand. Regarding our…arrangement, my secretary will be in touch to finalize the details.”

Ren, however, remained unfazed by her veiled threats. His voice was as cool as the expensive-looking watch that adorned his wrist. “There won’t be a need for that,” he interjected, his gaze fixed on the woman. “As I said before,” he continued, a hint of steel entering his voice, “let’s not waste each other’s time.”

The woman’s perfectly arched eyebrows shot up in surprise. “But your mother…” she began, her voice trailing off.

“That is all I have to say,” he interjected, his voice leaving no room for argument. “If you’ll excuse me...”

The woman, her face contorted in fury, practically threw her napkin on the table before stalking off in a flurry of expensive fabric. Not missing a beat, Mira shot a smug look in her direction, earning a withering glare in return.

“You could have let me rip out the fake dentures from her mouth,” Mira muttered, her voice barely a whisper but her eyes sparkling with defiance.

Hana clamped a hand over Mira’s mouth before she could escalate the situation further. They were still in the public eye, after all, and Dr. Jenkins was right beside them. Mortified, Hana bowed her head in apology. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Jenkins,” she stammered, her cheeks burning. “My friend, she can be a bit...”

Ren’s expression remained unreadable, though a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. “Mira,” he said, his voice calm and collected. “Can I talk to Nurse Shizumi for a moment?”

Mira’s eyes widened, then a mischievous grin spread across her face. “Oh, absolutely!” she chirped, practically shoving Hana towards Ren. “She’s all yours, Dr. Jenkins. You don’t even need to return her.”

With a wink at Hana, Mira sashayed back to their table, calling out to the waiter, “Actually, just pack up all our food to go. Apparently, some people can’t handle a little social justice.”

Leaning towards Hana conspiratorially, she whispered, “That wench has definitely ruined my appetite.”

As an afterthought, she added, raising her voice slightly, “Dr. Jenkins, bring my girl home safely!” before disappearing into the crowd, leaving Hana speechless.

Hana opened her mouth to sputter a frantic, “He just said a moment,” but Mira was already out of earshot, leaving Hana alone with Dr. Jenkins, the air thick with unspoken words and a newfound sense of trepidation.

Hana’s eyes darted to the floor briefly, the movement a nervous flutter of her eyelids Ren couldn’t help but notice. Her gloved hands twisted and turned in her lap, betraying the anxiety swirling beneath the surface. A surprising warmth bloomed in his chest at her apprehension. He hadn’t had the chance to apologize for his behavior the last time they were together, the night of her premonition and his less-than-stellar state.

“I believe I owe you an apology for last time,” he blurted out, the words tumbling over each other in his haste. “I don’t know what came over me.”

Hana’s head snapped up, surprise flashing across her face before morphing into a flustered apology. “No, no, Dr. Jenkins,” she stammered, her voice tripping over itself. “I’m the one who should be sorry for interrupting... your date.”

The word “date” hung in the air, leaving a bitter taste in Ren’s mouth. He quickly clarified, his voice a touch louder than intended, “It certainly wasn’t a date.”

Hana blinked, a single word escaping her lips. “Oh?”

Ren fumbled for the right words, feeling uncharacteristically flustered. “She’s just someone...” he began, then trailed off, searching for the right words. Finally, he blurted, “Actually, she’s nobody important”, his palms growing slick with unexpected sweat.

The woman across from him, with her designer facade and entitled air, had suddenly become a nobody. It was a feeling he hadn’t anticipated, the mere mention of Hana causing such a shift within him.

Clearing his throat, he took a calming sip of his wine. He had a favor to ask, but the wisdom of it gnawed at him. The only person he could picture by his side, the only one he trusted with this tangled mess, was Hana. He didn’t want to involve her in his family drama, it was a risk he wasn’t sure he had the right to take.

Across from him, Hana watched him, her brow furrowed in concern. She could practically see the gears turning in his head, the indecision etched on his face. Finally, she spoke, her voice breaking through his internal debate.

“Dr. Jenkins...” The gentle sound of her voice snapped him back to reality. “Oh, I’m sorry for zoning out on you,” he mumbled, sheepishly.

Hana’s lips curved into a small, understanding smile. “Whatever favor you have,” she offered, her voice soft yet firm, “I’ll try my best to do it.”

Ren could see the faint tremor in her gloved hands. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus. There was a reason he’d sought her out, a reason that had gnawed at him ever since the now-blurred memory of that night at her apartment.

“The truth is,” he began, his voice low, “there’s an event coming up soon. A family gathering, and...” He hesitated, the weight of his unspoken request heavy on his tongue.

Hana leaned forward slightly; her brow furrowed in concern. Ren took a fortifying breath.

“I wouldn’t normally ask this of a colleague, but...” He locked eyes with her, his voice barely a whisper. “Would you consider being my plus one?”

Hana’s eyes widened further, her gloved hands clenching in her lap. This was entirely unexpected. She’d been braced for a request related to the hospital, not... this.

What exactly was Dr. Jenkins asking her?